A SCHOOL GROWS IN AUSTIN
THE MAGELLAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OPENS SECOND CAMPUS
TO MEET ADMISSION DEMANDS

Refurbished Grapevine market now home to the upper grade levels of
 Spanish immersion International Baccalaureate Candidate School

Austin, TX – September 12, 2011 – School is officially in session at The Magellan International School’s second Central Austin campus.  The 16,000 square foot facility off of Anderson Lane, once the Grapevine Market, is now the newly redesigned home of Magellan’s second through fourth grade classes.  While this year, the 3 year old through first grade classes remain at the original Chimney Corners location, additional space is planned at Anderson Lane to meet Magellan’s continuing booming growth. 

Demand for Magellan’s world-class educational standards and nurturing, inclusive, multilingual community has more than quadrupled enrollment in three years.  The school launched in 2009 with only 45 students in pre-K through 2nd grade; this year, 191 students are enrolled in Pre-K through 4th grade.  As more families are drawn to this unique school, both additional classes within grades are being added, as well as a follow on grade level each year. 

“The parental interest in Magellan’s inquiry-based curriculum and Spanish and Mandarin language offerings is simply astonishing,” said Erin Defosse, Magellan Internal School founder and president. “And our new facility is a reflection of our commitment to serving the Austin community, and providing the students with not only high caliber educations, but learning environments as well.”

Designed by Magellan parent Jay Dupont of J Square Architecture, the layout of the school encourages communal interactive learning with its larger-than-average class room sizes and “town hall” gathering spaces. The Anderson Lane facility is also home to the school’s main library staffed by Marion Rocco, a grad of University of Texas’ Masters of Information Studies program, and boasts spacious outdoor activity space, including a soccer field and garden area.

“The design goal was to create a space that enhances the school’s mission of encouraging students to push past boundaries, mental or physical, and let their curiosity guide their learning,” says Mr. Dupont. “I’m just excited that all the kids of Magellan now have a space that parallels the quality education they already receive.”   

“I am so excited about our spacious and well designed new facilities,” said MIS head of school Maria Isabel Leon. “Magellan’s new Anderson campus will now easily accommodate the growing numbers of Austin parents who wish to provide their children with the knowledge, skills and, most importantly, the values needed to navigate through an increasingly competitive, highly technological, multilingual and multicultural world.”

Parents interested in learning more about Magellan’s International Baccalaureate curriculum, language offerings (Spanish/English immersion with Mandarin as a third language) and top-level educators are invited to attend Magellan’s Information Sessions. For additional information about the school and/or to RSVP to an upcoming information sessions, visit www.magellanschool.org  or call (512) 961-5289.

About The Magellan International School
Founded in 2009, The Magellan International School is an independent, not-for-profit, school in Austin, Texas, offering Pre-Primary through 4th Grade classes for the 2011-2012 academic year, and adding a class each subsequent year. The school is prepares children to become engaged Global Citizens of the 21st Century who can meet the challenges and opportunities facing the world today. The School features an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme curriculum within the context of an Spanish immersion program. Mandarin instruction begins in 3rd grade. Magellan International School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and  is currently designated as a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme. For more information visit www.magellanschool.org. 

Media contact: Erin Defosse, Magellan International School Founder and President, edefosse@magellanschool.org.

*Only schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate (IB) as IB World Schools can offer any of its three academic programmes: the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the IB Diploma Programme. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org.

About the International Baccalaureate Organization
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation, motivated by its mission, focused on the student.  The IBO’s three programmes for students aged 3 to 19 help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.  Founded in 1968, IBO currently works with 3,019 schools in 139 countries to develop and offer three challenging programmes to over 845,000 students aged 3 to 19 years.

To learn more about the International Baccalaureate Organization, visit www.ibo.org.  Information about the Texas International Baccalaureate Schools Organization can be found at www.texasibschools.org.