Strategic Direction
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More where it matters most
We want KIS to be South Korea’s most inspiring international school – where students and teachers thrive in a culture of continuous learning. That is our vision. Our mission is to inspire students with a passion for learning and to cultivate the competence, self-assurance, initiative, and creativity necessary for success in the global community.
Beginning three years ago, school leadership, staff, and parents collaborated to discover ways KIS could reimagine what we offer. Conversation about the KIS mission and vision coincided with the CIS/WASC accreditation process and prompted schoolwide reflection on who we are and what we do as a school.
We offer so much that is so good. Our academic program remains the foundation of KIS and we prioritize providing a meaningful, well-rounded student experience. From that understanding we developed a strategic direction that invests more where it matters most.
The KIS Strategic Direction 2026-2031 commits to three priorities. Each priority aligns to our guiding statements and is informed by what we learned from the KIS community through the CIS/WASC accreditation process. And each priority enhances your current and future KIS experience.
- High Quality Teaching & Learning
- Facilities & Campus Improvement
- Systems Modernization & Integration
What we heard from students, staff, and families about the KIS experience
We asked a simple but important question. What should KIS focus on over the next five years to ensure continued success for our students? Community engagement and reflection were essential to discovering our strategic direction.
We expect academic excellence
KIS must continue to deliver outstanding academic outcomes and university pathways.
We want meaningful, relevant learning
Students and parents appreciate learning that connects to the world, builds life skills, and develops purpose.
Teacher quality drives student and school success
All groups identify high quality teaching as the most important factor shaping student experience and outcomes.
Parent trust is critical to our growth
Clear communication and collaboration builds shared understanding of how the KIS community supports student success.
We want innovation to benefit students
Inquiry, critical thinking, and data inform decisions as we design a school experience that prepares students for their future.
We need time, resources, and clear systems to support growth
School programs should be transparent, sustainable, and easy to use.
Three strategic priorities
These priorities will guide decision-making and investment across the school over the next five years.
High Quality Teaching & Learning
KIS delivers high-quality learning experiences across campuses and divisions. Our strategic direction focuses on alignment and consistency through:
- A shared model of high-quality teaching
- Classroom experience and research-based instruction practices
- Relevant curriculum, assessment, and feedback
Facilities & Campus Improvement
We believe the physical environment is an important part of the KIS experience. Our strategic direction clarifies that campus improvement will:
- Ensure learning spaces meet teaching and learning needs
- Enhance spaces for the arts and co-curricular activities
- Organize and timeline projects for optimal student use
Systems Modernization & Integration
Reliable infrastructure is essential to the daily operations and aspirations of a school. Our strategic direction recognizes organizational efficiency comes from:
- Aligned operational systems across teams to improve clarity and function
- Integrated digital and AI tools that purposefully support workflow
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A designed direction from the start
Korea International School brought together school leadership and a group of staff with diverse education and international schools experience to support the development of our strategic direction. This team led conversations with stakeholders to discover current thoughts on the school's mission and values. We wanted to know if the KIS experience aligned to our guiding statements. The CIS/WASC accreditation process further refined who we are as a school and what direction we want to go next.
Following our strategic direction
We know there is a lot about the future of education that we cannot know. One unknown is the potential promise and unpredictable effect of AI on teaching and learning. Still, we value the critical thinking and creative skills humans need to navigate change – an essential offer of education.
Integrating our strategic direction with the five-year CIS/WASC accreditation cycle ensures KIS moves through continuous reflection and improvement guided by the three priorities.
The next five years are split into two phases. First we will strengthen and align internal systems to support our three priorities. Clarity and consistency will build confidence and prepare KIS to better serve the school community. The second phase reaches for regional distinction through continued facilities development, expanded applied and experiential learning opportunities, community partnerships, and a more enriched student experience. We anticipate that decision making guided by the KIS mission and vision and insight gleaned from following this strategic direction will further refine the aspirations we share for our school.
