By Nick Yates, ISB Communications
Published on Monday, September 9, 2024
The International School of Beijing (ISB) has just hosted a fun run promoting disabled rights and the school’s leading position in inclusivity.
Sunday’s event was held in partnership with the local U.S. Embassy’s Disability Action Group (DAG). More than 300 people took part, from the U.S. Embassy, other embassies, ISB, other international schools, and members of the wider Beijing disability advocacy community. This is the second consecutive year that ISB has hosted the DAG fun run.
ISB is dedicated to teaching young people with a wide range of language experiences, social-emotional skills, and academic development. Faculty and staff here embrace and value all students’ contributions to the school, their diversity strengthening the community and empowering everyone in it with greater compassion and purpose.
In her speech at Sunday’s event, ISB’s Director of Student Support Services, said, “ISB is honored to educate students from a very wide range of abilities. We believe it is a moral imperative to ensure that all students have an opportunity to experience challenging and joyful learning regardless of any disabilities they may have. We thank the U.S. Embassy and Office of Overseas Schools for their continued support for a fully inclusive education.”
ISB is very well equipped to provide learning support, and started the Life Centered Education (LCE) program in 2020-2021 for students with intellectual/cognitive learning disabilities. It is highly unusual among international schools in its commitment to accommodating students with disabilities. Of the hundreds of schools worldwide that are officially supported by the U.S. Office of Overseas Schools, only around 28 offer an intensive needs program.
And ISB is among only five East Asian schools offering such a program provided by the school’s own staff. LCE currently has 10 students being educated by two specialist teachers and six instructional assistants.
“ISB has a growth mindset around learning support,” said one ISB parent. “The school has made a huge investment in learning support, and it shines especially in the intensive needs program where my son finds access to education. He would not be able to attend another international school in Beijing or even in most schools in my home country because of the level of support he requires. Supporting him is a process that grows and changes as his teachers continually pursue the best methods and professional training to give his class the next level of learning and success.”