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Vision and Mission

ZIS Lower School students sitting in the garden on a rock

Our Vision

Our vision is for all ZIS students to join and strengthen a global community of citizens, determined to make a difference to the organizations and communities in which they work and live. We're committed to ensuring our students develop the intellect, skills and character to become caring individuals and adaptable and independent thinkers.

Our Mission

 

We are a learning community of students, faculty, staff, and parents. At ZIS, educational excellence commits us to Learn, Care, Challenge, Lead

 
ZIS Upper School student working in the science lab

Learn

  • We learn by creating meaning, developing habits of mind, and acting on values.
  • We teach to multiple learning styles.
  • We learn to understand and to become imaginative thinkers.
  • We believe that effective teaching leads to meaningful learning, and that effective teachers continue to be learners.

 

ZIS Middle School boys with arms around each other in a row

Care

  • We provide a caring environment for the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of our students.
  • We care for the world around us and our planet.
  • We value diversity and plurality of voices.
  • We are committed to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

 

Challenge

  • We challenge ourselves to be open to risk, change, and innovation.
  • We challenge ourselves to ensure the success of each student.
  • We challenge our students and teachers to share the responsibility for learning.
  • We challenge our students to exceed their own academic expectations.

 

Kindergarten student pointing a the whiteboard

Lead

  • We enable students, faculty, and staff to become confident and responsible leaders.
  • We lead with a clear sense of direction and purpose.
  • We lead through best practice and educational innovation.
  • We aspire to lead by example.

 

ZIS Definition of Learning

Learning is a process that leads to a sustained and demonstrable consolidation or extension of conceptual understanding, competencies or character.

First page of the PDF file: Defininition_of_Learning
ZIS Character Standards PDF
First page of the PDF file: Learning_Principles

Continue Exploring

Lower School

ZIS Lower School and teacher sitting on the floor in the classroom working together

Learn more about our Lower School (ages 3-11).

Middle School

ZIS Middle School student looking over her shoulder at the camera whilst holding her cello

Learn more about our Middle School (ages 11-14).

Upper School

ZIS Upper School student working on a science project in the lab

Learn more about our Upper School (ages 14-18 years).