The International School of Beijing was the first international school in Beijing and today is recognized as a leading learning community. In its earliest stages, our school was made up of eight students and two certified teachers in the hallway of a diplomatic apartment compound. In 1980, amid the growth of other diplomatic communities, the US Embassy joined with the British, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand embassies and formally founded ISB. In 1991, ISB became the first school in Beijing to offer the full Diploma Programme of the International Baccalaureate. In 2007, ISB won full marks from three important accrediting agencies: the Chinese National Council on Curriculum and Textbooks (NCCT); the Council on American and International Schools Abroad (CAISA) of the US-based New England Association of Schools and Colleges; and the Council of International School (CIS), an international, globally focused accrediting agency specializing in international education worldwide. In January 2002, ISB was permitted to accept expatriate students outside of the diplomatic community. Since then, ISB has flourished and quickly became a respected international school with programs and accreditation worthy of the breadth and depth of its vision. Today, our school is made up of approximately 1,715 students from Early Years (EY) 3 to Grade 12, with around 50 different nationalities represented in our diverse student body. The school continues to lead in its innovative approaches to learning and educator development. We are proud of the community we have become over the past 40 years, built on the firm foundations put in place by those administrators, faculty, staff, students, and parents who have been part of our school over the last four decades. Our commitment is to continue this legacy to ensure we provide excellent learning and opportunities for our students in the years to come.