International School Ho Chi Minh City: One school, four values, endless possibilities

What the start of a life of success looks like. Source: International School Ho Chi Minh City

History and accreditation that make winners

ISHCMC is a school of many firsts: it is the city’s first international school and the first IB World School accredited to teach all three IB programmes.

Its pioneering spirit is matched by its prestige — ISHCMC has a long history of graduating students to top universities around the world and is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools, the most prestigious international accreditation organisation.

Where students achieve more than they believe they can

ISHCMC’s experienced educators inspire students to go beyond their comfort zones. Source: International School Ho Chi Minh City

ISHCMC students hail from over 55 countries. They are guided by expert IB educators who specialise in concept-driven, inquiry-based learning practices.

This support is precisely why Akiko Motoki decided her Grade 9 journey had to begin at ISHCMC. “It is more inclusive than my previous school,” she said. “There is definitely academic rigour and the teachers are really supportive of your wellbeing.”

Their guidance gave her the confidence to explore. She joined the musical orchestra, competed in the intercity Battle of the Bands competition, was a member of the varsity soccer and basketball teams, and even led her Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) group for Operation Smile, a nonprofit service organisation providing free reconstructive surgery and dental care for patients with cleft lips.

“If I wanted a typical school with just academics, I could have gone to any other school here,” she explained. “I wanted something different so I chose ISHCMC.”

These opportunities helped her realise her passion for public health. Comprehensive lessons in the sciences were equally intriguing. The valedictorian is currently pursuing both disciplines at Brown University.

Such outcomes are typical of ISHCMC graduates. The school’s core values play a fundamental role in ensuring it: Curiosity, Achievement, Resilience, and Empathy (CARE).

“They underpin our vision of enriching the lives of children to achieve more than they believe they can,” said Mike Hebert, director of admissions and market growth. “They are our building blocks for our culture of CARE and enable our diverse, internationally-minded community to flourish as energised, engaged, and empowered learners.”

ISHCMC’s life-enriching values

Support abound for any challenge ISHCMC students face. Source: International School Ho Chi Minh City

Diving into the unknown is compulsory at ISHCMC. In the process, the students become self-motivated and self-efficient, and most importantly, ever keen on gaining an eventual understanding of the unfamiliar. Motoki’s journey is a testament to this, and so is Silvia Familiari’s.

She spent her IB Middle Years Programme as a volleyball champ and active member of the Student Council by leading a Welfare group — an opportunity that sparked her interest in psychology. Soon, she will be attending Università Cattolica in Italy to advance her existing knowledge.

Achievement at ISHCMC extends beyond classroom successes. Here, character skills and in-demand competencies are causes for celebration as well.

All students are taught to be self-aware and confident in overcoming setbacks and tackling the challenges close to their hearts. This resilience helps them stay motivated, focused on their goals, and determined to live a happy life.

“Wellbeing experts and educational psychologists are plenty as well for students who could benefit from additional support. “We hold a principle of inclusion and differentiation,” explained Hebert. “Every student has some sort of need. Some are gifted and need additional challenges. Some may feel like just getting to school is a challenge on its own. We have the resources to turn every negative into a positive.”

At ISHCMC, all learners are encouraged to better themselves by bettering the world. The school has the resources to teach them how. CAS, service-learning, and other community-based activities are frequent in ISHCMC’s secondary school. Early-year and primary students are presented with many opportunities to get involved as well.

“Empathy is taught as a core value in every classroom,” confirmed Hebert. “Just last week, our Knitting Club knitted thousands of pieces to be sent to Vietnamese communities impacted by flooding. We are a country that is growing extremely fast, and while we have a large accumulation of wealth, there’s still a lower class population that needs our help.”

ISHCMC will hold an Open House - Virtual event on Tuesday, April 26, from 4pm to 6:30pm so that you and your family can gain insight into all that ISHCMC has to offer.

Interactive Q/A with faculty will allow you to ask your family big questions as you gather information about your child’s potential school.

Follow this link to get more info about the Open House:

https://bit.ly/3KWVRYY

For further information, please contact International School Ho Chi Minh City at:

Tel: 02838989100

Email: admissions@ishcmc.edu.vn

Website: ishcmc.com