International Academy of Suriname
(Paramaribo, Suriname)
Year Founded: 1964; NICS Managed: 1998
Grades: Pre-School - 12
Student and Staff Alumni Forum
International Academy of Suriname (IAS) is located in a quiet residential neighborhood of Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname. IAS was founded in the mid 60s by Suralco, a subsidiary of Alcoa, (Aluminum Company of America) to accommodate their expatriate employees. At the same time, the missionary community opened a school for their children. The two schools merged in 1984 and the missionary community operated the new entity. Two years later the IAS Board bought the school from Suralco. Since that time IAS has been a catalyst, bringing together many segments of the local international community - to the enrichment of all.
SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics- Wycliffe Bible translators) provided 90% of the staff over the years. Their plan to withdraw from Suriname in 2001 meant that IAS would face a crisis of existence. In 1998, the Board of Directors contacted NICS who agreed to accept IAS as an affiliate school. This change allows the school to continue its education ministry with a local board, supervised by NICS. The new arrangement has allowed the school to expand its vision and ministry.
Suriname, a small country located on the north shore of South America and now considered to be part of the Caribbean, is made up of a rich diversity of peoples and cultures who have settled here over the years. The population of the city is 254,147 and the population of Suriname is estimated at 438,114. Paramaribo is situated on the edge of one of the world's last pristine rain forests, needless to say the climate is tropical, 32 degrees Celsius - 35 degrees Celsius year round with two rainy seasons interspersed with dry seasons. There is an increasing amount of international business in Suriname including the export of gold, bauxite, lumber and fish. To a great extent Suriname remains a third world culture.
Ethnic groups in descending numbers include Hindustani, Creole, Javanese, Maroons, Amerindian, Chinese, white and others. The main religions represented include Hindu, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim and a variety of Indigenous beliefs. The following languages are heard on the streets: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, the native language of Creoles, Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), and Javanese.
The mission of the International Academy of Suriname is to provide students a prescribed, high quality American education from a Christian perspective in the English language. The core values that govern all aspects of the school are as follows:
- The principal task of the school is to teach academics from a Christian worldview so that the students are encouraged to develop a love for God, a love for learning, and the ability to function in the modern world in which we live. Education is to be formal and to meet the highest possible standards of excellence, using all God-given resources available.
- Everything connected with the school will be done so as to give honor and glory to the One Triune God who offers redemption to all through His Son Jesus Christ. All teachers will be professing Christians who are confident of their faith, who freely and sensitively integrate their faith into the discussion of any subject matter, and who model a Christ-changed life through their relations with each other and all students. It is recognized that each student has a right to make his or her own religious choices; therefore no student will be coerced into embracing a Christian worldview.
- In order for the child to make successful transition into academics in the United States, the American style of education will be adhered to, using qualified teachers, teaching tools, and teaching methods, covering a basic American Curriculum.
- Every child entering the school will be expected to abide by rules and regulations representing basic Christian morals.
- The Board of Directors will work to fulfill the stated purpose of the school. All policies will be decided by Board consensus.
Offering programs for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 following an American curriculum based on the US National Standards and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). We are accredited under the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
IAS follows an American school calendar starting in August and ending in early June of each year. For specific calendar details please visit our school web site.
A staff member who demonstrates the following philosophy statement will find success at IAS: The greatest gift we can give our students is to help them to become followers of Christ, individuals of spiritual maturity, sound character and integrity with the academic skills and confidence they need to positively impact the world. As educators we do this best by displaying these traits in our own lives as models for our students day by day and by providing them with a strong academic program founded on Christian principles and ideals. The strong academic program must be supplemented by an exceptional program of activities in which the students are given the opportunity to develop and enhance the fruit of the spirit as well as the skills of servant hood, cooperation, focus, loyalty and other valuable life skills.
If you would like to learn more about this school please visit their website.
If you would like to learn more about the teaching opportunities available at this school or any of our other schools please visit our opportunities webpage. If you would like to be considered for a teaching position at any of our schools you must first fill out our online profile. If you have any questions do not hesitate to give us a call or send us an email.