The International School of Port of Spain

Individuals are often judged on their actions and not their words. This is a fitting statement for The International School of Port of Spain. Opened officially in September 1994, the school realized its dream of parents and corporate citizens that had been articulated since 1990.

The International School is a private corporation registered in Trinidad, and its corporate shareholders are the Embassy of the United States of America, EOG Resources Trinidad Limited (formerly Enron), B.P. Amoco Energy Company of Trinidad and Tobago and British Gas Trinidad and Tobago Limited. It has been recognized by the Ministry of Education and represents a special effort on behalf of parents and businesses to provide a college preparatory, holistic education for students aged 4 - 18. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tunny were the founding teachers and they started out at 18 Victoria Avenue with 50 students. During the past 6 years, the school has provided educational services for over six hundred students from 25 different nations around the world.

The teaching faculty , supported by a strong spirit of parent activism, led the way in promoting and establishing quality educational programs. By 1996, the school had completed an accreditation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States. With this recognition, The International School of Port of Spain had joined a unique group of schools located around the globe that served the growing needs of students from the local community and expatriate families of the business and diplomatic community. The student population began to expand by 50% every six months and was soon located at three separate sites.

Since 1996, the school focused on designing and building a permanent campus to support the stated educational philosophy and goals of the school. Through the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Education, the Port of Spain Corporation and Guardian Properties Ltd., an appropriate site was secured.

With the financial support of FINCOR and the appointment of Beaver Construction as the main contractor, building started in January 1998. Students moved to the new campus in May 1999 and during August of that same year, the entire facility went into use. It now provides a world class educational learning environment that rivals other such schools found in national capitals around the world.

As a private institution with a public purpose, the Board of Directors, school administration and faculty remain committed to making the International School of Port of Spain an integral part of Trinidad and Tobago. Initiatives are underway to position the school as an important resource for college preparatory programs, instructional technology, special needs education and teacher training. Students, faculty and parents have always been engaged with a community outreach and service programs. These areas of involvement continue to grow with the new campus.

Today the school has students representing 31 different nationalities with 30% of the students from Trinidad and Tobago. The success of the International School of Port of Spain has been a collective effort of parents, board members, faculty, administration and students. In a short time, it has established itself as a leading international school in the Caribbean. The institution continues to strive to meet the needs of both international families and long term residents of Trinidad and Tobago. The success of this vision would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of many organizations and people.