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United States, Boston
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ISB began in 1962 as a French bilingual kindergarten in a house basement and quickly expanded into a bilingual elementary school. In 1983, the school moved to the Parmenter School building in Arlington. A Middle School opened in 1997 in the Almshouse in Cambridge through a partnership with the Archdiocese of Boston, and the Upper School began in 1999, with the first graduating class earning the French Baccalaureate in 2001. ISB purchased the Almshouse in 2005, and in 2019 expanded Cambridge's campus footprint to include Maternelle, previously located in Arlington, through a long-term lease with the Archdiocese of Boston. Since 2005 the historic building at 45 Matignon Road in Cambridge has been ISB's campus home.
ISB serves nearly 600 students from more than 425 families, reflecting a diverse, global community. Community is central to ISB's identity, with families connected through bilingual, international education, traditions, and relationships that make ISB a sense of home. The school's community highlights include the OneISB Parent Network, school-wide Events & Traditions, and connections to Boston's French cultural networks, enriching the bilingual environment for families. ISB's community fosters engagement across divisions and backgrounds through parent involvement and partnerships within Boston's Francophone landscape.
OneISB Parent Network, ISB's parent association, aims to build a sense of community among ISB's nearly 800 parents. The network operates on three pillars—Community Events, Parent Connect, and Volunteer Opportunities—to keep families connected, informed, and involved throughout the year. Volunteer opportunities span weekly Bread Sales (a school tradition supporting OneISB events), the Gala Planning Committee (a major fundraiser for the Annual Fund), and the Spring International Picnic Planning Committee, among others. Additional roles include handling the Best of Boston Guide for relocating families, Admissions Ambassador activities, and room parent support across divisions. ISB provides contact channels and details for involvement through the network's dedicated pages and staff contacts.
International School of Boston is an independent, non-profit day school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, educating ages 2 to 18. The historic Cambridge campus at 45 Matignon Road anchors the school's facilities, including dedicated libraries for each division, a large gym, a Media Center, two playgrounds, shared outdoor fields, and spaces for visual and performing arts. The curriculum spans IB (MYP and DP) and French and American programs, with two internationally recognized diplomas offered: the French Baccalaureate and the IB, taught in English in Upper School. From Maternelle through Upper School, instruction is bilingual in French and English. Maternelle blends the French Ministry of Education framework with Massachusetts preschool standards; Lower School is accredited by the French Ministry of Education. Middle School is bilingual with options to emphasize either language and to pursue IB or Baccalaureate tracks. Upper School students choose between the French Baccalaureate or IB, with language options in Spanish, German, and Mandarin.
