Ring the bell, shout it from the rooftop, dong the gong, the Kawana Waters State College (KWSC) is the first P-12 school in Queensland to achieve ‘Accredited Status’ by the Council of International School (CIS) program.
More than 1,500 college students, teachers, parents and special guests converged on the Lake Kawana Community Centre on Tuesday 24 July to be presented with a plaque by the Director-General Department of Education, Training and Employment, Julie Grantham and Regional Accreditation Officer, Council of International Schools, Peter Gittins.
Principal Paul Williamson said the prestigious accreditation means the college can welcome students of all ages (Prep – Year 12) from across the world, where they will be guaranteed a high quality education and a supportive learning environment that is international best practice.
“Being the first school in Queensland to achieve a full accreditation across from Prep to Year 12 is not only very exciting, but it is also a huge honour,” Mr Williamson said.
“We presently have 53 international students at the college from countries such as China, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Brazil and Argentina. Next year, we already have 78 international students enrolled to study with us and our Head of Department for International Studies has been very busy finding homestay placements for all our new visitors.”
The Council of International Schools is the premier worldwide accreditation organisation for international schools. Receiving the final award of ‘Accredited Status’ demonstrates KWSC has achieved high standards of professional performance in international education and has a commitment to continuous improvement.
The teaching team at KWSC underwent a rigorous evaluation process, conducted by the CIS assessment panel, in order to receive their Accredited Status in March this year.
The CIS panel reviewed a range of areas including science, English, mathematics, health and physical education, the arts and technology, as well as student support services, governance and management and student and community life.
“We are a proud member of the CIS and believe this benefits not only our school but ultimately our students as we continue to strive for best practice in quality education at an international level,” Mr Williamson said.
The Council of International Schools is a not-for-profit membership association that defines standards and provides services that support the continuous improvement of international education.
For further information regarding Kawana Waters State College, visit www.kawanawaterssc.eq.edu.au and the Council of International Schools, visit www.cois.org.