International School of Brooklyn (ISB)551

The International School of Brooklyn (ISB), an independent, non-sectarian, not-for-profit educational institution, is New York's only French/Spanish language-immersion school following the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Students are taught in a nurturing and challenging environment in order to become bilingual, critical thinkers, and global citizens at an early age.

ISB offers Kindergarten through fourth grade classes in two tracks - French and Spanish. Additional grades are expected to be added each year, with the goal of extending to 12th grade and offering the IB Diploma.

All academic activities are conducted in the target language with English language arts added in Kindergarten. The curriculum follows the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme (PYP), catered to preschool- and elementary-age children. The IB program provides an educational framework for developing the whole child - socially, physically, emotionally, and culturally.

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the Best Day Camp for Little Kids in Brooklyn, International School of Brooklyn offers various programs that are open to children outside of the school:

Language-Immersion Playgroups are available in Park Slope and Prospect Heights. Children are taught through structured play and games, songs and music, storytelling, and arts and crafts. Parents and/or caregivers (no prior French or Spanish experience required) attend class with their child.

An Afterschool Program for children ages 3.5 to nine features features Creative Movement, Dance/Stomp, Drama, Storytelling, Cooking, Science, Chess, and Soccer. Classes begin at 3:30pm or later and are taught in French, Spanish, or English.

A Language Immersion Summer Program for children ages three to seven is designed for any child with a firm grasp of the target language or those beginning to learn French or Spanish.

In addition to its academic programs, ISB hosts a variety of cultural events open to the community including a French/Spanish Children's Book Fair, international children's film screenings, and more.