The International School of Havana is an independent, co-educational day school for students from Early Childhood through Grade 12. ISH is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. It is authorized to offer the IB Diploma. The school was founded in 1965 and has gone through many changes since then.
Mission
The school mission is to provide an outstanding international education for students of expatriate parents.
image: Henryk Kotowski
The school compound has three teaching blocks, a recreation area and an Early Years Learning Centre. Facilities include a library/media center, 2 science labs, 3 computer labs, 3 playgrounds, a cafeteria and an internet connection.
Curriculum
The school is organized into two sections: the Lower School and the Secondary School. The curriculum in the Lower School is based on the International Primary Curriculum as well as standards from the national Curriculum of England. Grade 6 and Grade 7 students use a pre-IGCSE curriculum to prepare them for the IGCSE. Students in Grade 9 and Grade 10 study for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. Students in Grade 11 and Grade 12 can study for the IB Diploma and the ISH Graduation Diploma. ISH has an ESL program for students who need extra assistance with English.
Extracurricular Activities
ISH offers a variety of activities.
Technology
ISH has 2 computer labs and internet access. ICT classes are part of the regular curriculum.
Professional Development
No information is available on PD activities at ISH.
Employment
Most of the teaching staff are Cuban nationals with a smaller expat faculty from Belgium, the UK, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Canadians and Germans are encouraged to apply for teaching positions due to the visa situation in Cuba. You won’t find any US citizens here. Job openings are listed online. Initial contracts are for two years.
The minimum qualifications for employment are a Bachelor’s degree, a teaching certificate, proven experience in the teaching subject, ability to differentiate instruction, a native English speaker, willingness to sponsor extracurricular activities, a good sense of humor and a willingness to pitch in and get the job done. The school prefers candidates who have international experience, are focused on student learning, are team players, are lifelong learners and are goal oriented. Interested teachers can send a cover letter, a resume with photo, copies of degrees and teaching certificates, referee contact information, a copy of the passport face-page and an indication of personal status (single, married, children) to principal@ish.co.cu. No information is available on salaries and benefits.
About Havana
There’s not much that’s needed to be said about Cuba and Havana. The country is still run by the Communist Party, but there is an international presence in the country and tourism is growing. Havana has a population of approximately 2 million. Havana, the capital, has museums, architecture from the colonial period, churches, fort and a wealth of attractions. And Havana has baseball. What’s better than that?
I am a world class teacher from the Philippines. Do I have a chance to apply?
You won’t know if you don’t try.
Can U.S. citizens apply?
The U.S. government still restricts the access of their citizens to Cuba.
I am Kenyan citizen, Bachelor of Education degree holder, major German/secretarial. Teaching experience 12 years.