Dear Families,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the start of our 2026/27 school year! Whether you are new or returning to YIS, we’re looking forward to connecting with you in the coming weeks, for example at our grade level PTSA coffee mornings. YIS is a community school, whose long legacy is tied to the strength of its relationships. Your participation and engagement in the school is vital to making us the warm, learning-focused environment that is core to our identity.
While students finished their break, the last few weeks have been a time for us as a school to look backwards to look forward. In our orientation, teachers reviewed their planning, connected with their teams, and thought about how they can build on the strong relationships they have formed with their students this school year. We also welcomed a number of new teachers to our school, who are bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience about international school education.
Given the cyclical nature of the school year, it is easy to focus on what’s next. However, it is important to pause and celebrate our students’ successes in their learning journeys. We have been reflecting on the achievements of our recent graduates, and how we can continue to refine our practices as a ELC-Grade 12 school with a population of diverse learners. As such, I’d like to take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our recent graduates’ success.
Celebrating our Recent Graduates
- 100% of our G12 students received their YIS Diploma, a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accredited pathway that provides the equivalent of a U.S. High School Diploma.
- With an IB Diploma Programme pass rate of 98% (high above the global pass rate of 82.61%), we continue to offer a learning environment that ensures high pass rates; this is also achieved by developing the IBDP certificate course and the YIS Diploma course. We continue to enhance a parallel program for all our students.
- Our DP average score was 36 points. We continue to see our graduates achieve an average IBDP score several points above the global average (this year, 30.88 points).
- 27% of our IBDP candidates scored 40+ points, which is higher than the last few years. This is the evidence of our high-quality learning programme, serving those students with strong academic aspirations.
- 33% of our students obtained the Bilingual Diploma, reflecting our commitment to fostering student identity through language and cultural learning.
We wish our recent graduates all the best as they take their next steps either in the world of work or at tertiary institutions around the world. We look forward to hearing their stories as part of our alumni network.
Launching our Updated Impact Strategy
This school year also marks the launch of our updated Impact Strategy. The culmination of six months of community engagement last school year, this strategy represents our collective vision of our highest possible future. The Impact Strategy takes into consideration the complex, dynamic world our children live in and our responsibility as a school to provide the learning necessary to navigate this. This school year, there will be many opportunities for you to be part of this process and to learn more about our planned actions. We welcome you to join us. Learn more about our strategy by reading it here.
In the meantime, we hope your child/ren have a wonderful start back at school and hope to connect with each and every one of you in the coming weeks. Do stop by campus at one of our upcoming events!
Best wishes,
Carla Marschall