The Magellan International School

I looked at several schools for my kindergarten daughter and The Magellan International school stood out. I now work for Magellan and I will try to be as objective as possible. This school stood out because it offers an accredited International Baccalaureate Program in Spanish. Starting in 3^rd grade students are introduced to Mandarin. Its graduates will become fluent in Spanish and proficient in Mandarin, with all the benefits of bilingualism and having my child exposed to two of the world’s major languages seemed like the best investment I could possibly make in her education. I am a native Spanish speaker and the language skills the students acquire are outstanding. I especially like that the school instills a love of learning at all levels, students, parents, teachers and staff. I feel blessed to have found such a welcoming place.

Amazing teachers, that are highly qualified. Our child is thriving, learning to be curious and is happy! Fabulous place.

This is a good school, IB Programs are a proven success, my Son loves school and has become excited about learning since transferring from AISD. The Spanish is great, they work closely w parents like me who don’t speak Spanish so we can still help with homework. My Son has become so interested in our community, different cultures and how we can be involved. He isn’t just learning more, he is expanding his mind as a growing boy in ways we can be proud. The teachers are passionate and aware of each child, this has been a sacrifice worth making for our family,

The Magellan International School (MIS) is a private nonprofit Spanish immersion International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum school founded in 2009 by Bazaarvoice executive Erin Defosse. There are currently 2 campuses, one for preschool through pre-​K on the west side of Mopac, & this larger campus for Kinder through 6^th grade on the east side of Mopac. Each year, the school adds another grade level so that eventually students all the way through 12^th grade will be able to attend. In addition to Spanish immersion from preschool onward, Mandarin instruction is added in the 3^rd grade with the intent that students are at least tri-​literate by graduation.
Our child has attended summer camp & the regular school year for 2 grades now (Kinder & 1^st), so it seemed time to finally share on Unilocal just a few of the reasons why our family loves this wonderful school.
+ Accredited IB World School: Unlike some other Spanish language schools in the area, MIS has passed the rigorous requirements of IB certification. With IB, children learn to solve problems, collaborate, & take responsibility for their learning. The IB curriculum develops the whole child, building emotional intelligence as well as intellectual acumen.
+ Rigorous curriculum differentiated for individual learning needs: Each class offers different levels of challenge in each subject area customized to the skill level & maturity of the student. Even in kindergarten, kids are working on long-​term projects & learning how to present their ideas in front of a group. I wish I’d had all that public speaking experience so young!
+ Mastery of a 2^nd & 3^rd language: We love that our child will grow up speaking & reading languages beyond English (something that neither of his parents can do well). Fluency in a 2^nd or 3^rd language opens so many possibilities for cross-​cultural exploration, both personally & in any future professions. This was originally our primary reason for making the not-​small investment to join this school, and after less than 2 years in the school, our 7 year old is confidently speaking & reading Spanish.
+ Highly educated & skilled instructors: Most instructors & even teaching assistants have graduate degrees in their fields of study. They are all extremely engaged in their work, leading to engaged students who enjoy learning.
+ Global focus: Students at all ages & grade levels learn each subject area with some awareness of and attention to an international perspective. Beyond the curriculum and languages, teachers come from around the world (though predominantly from Mexico, Central and South America). Current affairs around the globe are an integral part of every day learning at MIS.
+ On-​site after-​school care (in Spanish) and extracurriculars: From musical instrument lessons to team sports to martial arts to Lego club to tutoring, there are many options for enrichment offered on-​site when the school day is over, and many of these activities continue reinforcement of the Spanish language. Aftercare with some free play & some structured activities by Spanish-​speaking teachers goes until 6pm. There is even a 6-​week Spanish immersion summer camp. The reinforcement has been great for our child, who had limited Spanish exposure before starting kindergarten at MIS.
+ Fantastic family involvement & community: As a «start-​up» school, the families with children attending MIS are extremely involved in all aspects of the organization, making the administration very responsive to family needs. Processes and procedures are often refined to address family-​identified opportunities for improvement. Even though students come from all corners of Central Texas, the school community feels very tight-​knit and many social activities are available for kids to see their friends outside of school.
+ «Green» School: MIS won the Green Ribbon School Award in 2011 and 2012 and integrates green initiatives throughout its multicultural, multilingual curriculum. Sustainability, waste reduction, and other eco-​friendly concepts are put into action not only in the classroom, but through on-​site recycling & composting programs, a student-​run garden, field trips, & annual community events like the International Green Festival.
+ Uniforms and Fall Break: Requiring uniforms makes getting dressed for school so simple. The extra week off during the middle of October makes family travel during the «off» season a real option.
Let me tell it to you straight, it is not cheap to attend this school. Think «paying for college tuition every year» expensive. MIS is a new school in the building/​capital campaign mode, so there is a new «ask» every other week for some critical purpose. Growing up as middle class kids attending public schools, this has been a big adjustment for me & my partner. But we’ve not regretted for a moment our decision to provide this fantastic education for our child, preparing him to thrive in the modern world. Attend a monthly info session to learn more.