High School (Gr. 9-12)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, one of the most widely-recognized university entrance qualifications in the world, can be taken by ISF students in grades 11 and 12. 

Catering to students who want a diploma that plays to their specific academic strengths, ISF offers the AP Capstone Diploma Program.  In addition to AP examination courses in subjects chosen by the student, the AP Capstone Program includes the AP Seminar course in Grade 11 and the AP Research course in Grade 12.  In both courses, students develop and deliver written arguments, collaborate in teams, and deliver professional multimedia presentations as part of their AP exams. 

In AP Seminar, students choose real-world topics and evaluate them from multiple perspectives. Students identify credibility and bias in sources and develop arguments in support of a recommendation.

In the subsequent AP Research course, students design and execute a college-level research project on a topic of personal interest. Students expand on and hone their research skills by executing appropriate research methodology, analyzing data, presenting their results, and defending their findings.

AP Capstone Diploma or AP Seminar and Research Certificate^™

Students who score a 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP exams of their choosing earn the AP Capstone Diploma. This signifies outstanding academic achievement and attainment of college-level academic and research skills. Students who score a 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research (and not on four additional AP Exams) earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate^™.

ISF is accredited by: Accreditation International, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the National Council for Private Schools Association (NCPSA). ISF is also a U.S. State Department-approved school, which means that the ISF High School Diploma is recognized by colleges and universities in the U.S. as well as other countries worldwide.

At ISF, we offer our students in grades 10 and 11 the opportunity to take  International General Certificate of Secondary Education  (IGCSE) examinations.  These exams are offered by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) in the U.K.

Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) is reputed to be the world’s largest provider of international qualifications for students aged 14 to 19.  IGCSEs are recognized by leading universities and employers worldwide and are seen as an international passport to progression and success.

In Grades 9-12, the English program focuses on preparation for the IGCSE in First or Second Language and Literature, AP^® English Literature, and the IB Diploma in English Language and Literature as well as English as a Foreign Language.

The aim of the SABIS^® English program in High School is to ensure students continue to develop their skills to be effective and powerful communicators, in a world where this skill is highly valuable and critical to success. Students study classic and contemporary texts, paired with workbook and interactive tools that are designed to develop students’ literary and problem-solving skills. As they read and write, students are encouraged to respond to layers of meaning and appreciate a wide range of authors and genres, becoming more aware of the techniques of writing for effect within each of those genres. Students are provided with opportunities to write for a range of purposes and audiences, in a variety of styles and forms. At this stage, opportunities are provided for students to become independent learners through research tasks and independent projects.

Math in the High School is taught as an integrated discipline, allowing for fluidity across boundaries between different branches of math. In Grade 9, the study of algebra and computing is continued along with the study of geometry. From grades 10-12, ISF students continue on one of two tracks: Math for Arts or Math for Science — both leading to high level qualifications upon completion. Students also start preparing for external exams and exit exams.

For the students who wish to pursue a career in scientific domains, the course offers a head start with an initialization into pre-calculus topics and continues with calculus. The students can take advanced multi variable calculus to prepare them for exams such as AP calculus BC and also to give them a significant head start in college.

For the students who wish to pursue a career with less emphasis on math, the program can be a bit less demanding based on the exit exam required in each region.

IB Program

The school offers a two-year program to fulfill the IB Diplomat requirements in Mathematics. The program embraces a framework underlying the vision and educational principles projected in the IB standards.

The program is offered in four paths:

• Applications and Interpretation (Standard Level)
• Applications and Interpretation (Higher Level)
• Analysis and Approach (Standard Level)
• Analysis and Approach (Higher Level)

Science in Grade 9 allows ISF students to take modules in biology, chemistry, and physics as separate sciences. In grades 10-12, ISF offers a three-track science curriculum in biology, chemistry, and physics using the school's modern laboratory facilities. Students may take IGCSE, AP^®, and IB Diploma exams in the sciences in grades 11 and 12.

The first preparations for developing a career path start at this stage. The science program extending from Grade 9 through Grade 12 qualifies students to pass all sorts of external exams and exit exams, including IGCSE, AP^®, A level, and SAT. In addition, students are offered full support to align their higher-order skills with the skills needed to pursue a specific career related to science and technology.

In these levels, students focus on an in-depth study of twentieth century global history. Students gain knowledge and understanding of these time periods through the texts used. Project work in each term allows the students to further explore areas of special interest. Additionally, local German content in history, politics, and institutions is integrated into German lessons.

Covering the world wars, the interwar years, and the Cold War, these levels prepare students for several external examinations, including Cambridge IGCSE History and College Board Advanced Placement European History and Human Geography. In these levels, students may opt for the following humanities courses:

• IGCSE History
• AP European History
• AP Human Geography

The Economics program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to prepare for a variety of external exams, including IGCSE^®, AP^®, AS and A Level, and for a career in economics.

Students learn the basic principles of economics: scarcity and choice, markets and how they work, the individuals and their roles in an economy, types and functions of firms, and market structures.

The program also covers macroeconomic principles and schools of thought, roles of governments and government policies, economic indicators and performance, as well as thorough coverage of the dynamics of the global economy.

The Business Studies program offers students the opportunity to build a rigid knowledge and understanding of the world of business, become qualified to pass a variety of external exams, including IGCSE^®, AS and A level, as well as prepare for a career in business.

The course is designed to help students understand the fundamentals of business activity, and how businesses are organized, financed, and managed. Topics covered include operations management, marketing, accounting and finance, human resources management, and the influence of economic and external factors on businesses.

At this stage, students fulfill a pre-university program that allows them to acquire necessary skills and knowledge on a freshman level. The material covered is oriented towards achieving excellence in the superior examination curricula. Through grades 10-11, students may choose to finish the IGCSE program of Computer Studies or ICT. At Grade 12, students who wish may enroll in the AP^® course to sit for the respective exam.

ISF requires the study of German either for native speakers or as a foreign language for all its students from Kindergarten to Grade 10. In a language program designed to mirror that of the state of Hesse, the German program at ISF focuses on writing, reading comprehension, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary at both native and foreign levels.

The native-speaker German course integrates the study of classical German literature starting in Grade 7 and continuing up to Grade 12. In grades 11 and 12, students at the German native-speaker level may follow a native language German course in language and literature.  Non-native speakers may take foreign language German courses at the IGCSE level followed by an AP^® German course or an IB German foreign language course.

Beginning in Grade 6, students choose between French or Spanish as their third language. These courses maintain the focus of other language (English/German) classes at ISF.  IGCSE exams in these third languages are taken after four years of study, with AP^®, or IB Diploma exams to follow. Native Korean language classes are available to students from Grades 1 to 12, and native Japanese classes are available from grades 9 to 12.

IGCSE, AP^®, and IB Diploma exams are available in music in grades 10-12.

IGCSE Music

Music in the ISF High School is an elective and advanced course. Grade 10 IGCSE Music follows a fixed curriculum of music theory fundamentals and non-western traditional music.  ISF 10^th graders study a western musical work intensively, prepare solo and ensemble pieces on an instrument, and learn to compose.

IB Diploma and AP^® Music

ISF 11^th and 12^th graders may choose IB Music or AP^® Music Theory. Both courses meet daily to train high-level musicianship skills alongside the academic study of musical style. While AP^® Music is an advanced theory course emphasizing ear-training, harmony, and music analysis, IB Music takes a more global approach as it presents musical styles in cultural context and offers students the chance to specialize in performance or composition.

IGCSE Art examinations can be taken in Grade 10, followed by either the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or the Advanced Placement (AP^®) art courses in grades 11 and 12.

More Information Coming Soon.