Riverstone International School
Riverstone International School is a private, independent day school for students in Preschool through High School in Boise, Idaho. It was the first International Baccalaureate World School in Idaho and is one of a small number of schools in the United States to offer all three IB programmes, the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP).[1] Outdoor education and global engagement are critical components of the curriculum. Students raft the Main Payette River and Main Salmon River and backpack through the White Cloud and Sawtooth Mountains. Approximately 25% of the High School students are international students representing countries such as Afghanistan, China, Ethiopia, France, India, Korea, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Riverstone International School | |
---|---|
Location | |
5521 Warm Springs Ave. Boise, Idaho | |
Information | |
Type | Private |
Head of school | Dr. Jeff Paulson (July 2019) |
Faculty | 77 |
Grades | P-12 |
Enrollment | 345 |
Color(s) | Blue, White |
Mascot | Otter |
Website | Riverstone International School |
Riverstone International School is a not-for-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code Classification 501(c)(3).
Accreditation and Memberships
Rverstone International School is accredited by the following organizations:
- Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS)
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
- Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC)
- State of Idaho[2]
Riverstone International School is a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS).
History
Riverstone International School was established in 1997 under the name Hidden Springs Community School. Located just north of Boise, Idaho, the school opened its doors with 57 students enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade. In 1998, enrollment in the Elementary School increased and the beginnings of the High School, grade nine, was established. In 2000, the school moved from Dry Creek Valley (Idaho) to its current location in southeast Boise and changed its name to RiverStone Community School. The school was housed in an old Forest Service building and three modular buildings that were built by the school.
By the fall of 2001 enrollment had increased to 130 and an additional building was added. The school was accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (previously the "Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges and Universities (NASCU)") and the State of Idaho. In that same year the School approached the International Baccalaureate (IB) to begin the rigorous authorization process[3] that would permit the School to offer the IB Diploma Programme. In the 2002-2003 school year, grade ten was added and enrollment reached 170. The School's first international exchange students arrived in 2002. These students came from Russia, Thailand, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Chile, and Colombia. In 2003, the School's enrollment increased to 235 students, including nineteen international students. Eleventh grade was added, additional property was purchased adjacent to the existing plot and the School broke ground on a new elementary school.[4]
Grade twelve was added in 2004 and the IB Diploma Programme was authorized for grades eleven and twelve.[5] In 2005, the School became an accredited member of the Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS).[6] The school changed its name to Riverstone International School in 2006. In 2009, Riverstone was granted authorization to offer the Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme[7] and began offering a dual language, Spanish and English, full day preschool. Riverstone received the Idaho Governor's Brightest Stars Award for Schools in 2009.[8] In 2010 the school built an Elementary School building, which also houses the administrative staff.[9][10]
References
- http://www.ibo.org/school/search/index.cfm?programmes=&country=US®ion=&find_schools=Find
- http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary?institutionId=53200
- "International Baccalaureate school search". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
- "Good school news". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
- http://www.ibo.org/school/001517/
- http://www.pnais.org/page.cfm?p=113
- http://www.ibo.org/school/001517/
- http://serveidaho.labor.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Docs/Conferences/BrightestStars/PastPrograms/Final%202009%20Brightest%20Stars%20Program.pdf
- Stewart, Bethann (2010-04-22). "Riverstone International School in Boise celebrates new building". Idaho Statesman. Archived from the original on 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
- Staff, News (2010-04-27). "Riverstone celebrates grand opening". KBOI News Radio. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2010-04-27.