United Nations International School

This article is about the United Nations school in New York City. For the equivalent school in Hanoi, see United Nations International School of Hanoi.

United Nations International School
Address
Map
24-50 FDR Drive

New York, New York 10010

United States
Information
TypeIndependent, International School, Private
Established1947
DirectorDan Brenner
Faculty255
GradesPK–12
Enrollmentc. 1,600
CampusUrban
Color(s)Light blue & white
MascotUniscorn
AffiliationUnited Nations
Websitewww.unis.org

The United Nations International School (UNIS) is a private international school in New York City which was established in 1947. Many members of the United Nations staff arriving with young families found unexpected difficulties with the school system in New York. Among them was K. T. Behanan and his wife, who arrived from India in May 1947 with their five-year-old son to help the UN's Trusteeship Council with educational policy. The Behanans banded together with other UN families who were in a similar situation to establish the United Nations International School at Lake Success,[1] with Dr. Behanan as chairman of its board. The school was founded to provide an international education for students, while preserving its students' diverse cultural heritages. Today, UNIS has over 1,600 students in one campus in Manhattan, close to the Headquarters of the United Nations. The Manhattan campus, overlooking the East River, is K-12; until 2022, the school also ran a K-8 school at a campus in Jamaica Estates, Queens.[2]

UNIS was one of the pilot schools of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and was among those awarding the first IB diplomas. The comprehensive K–12 curriculum prepares UNIS students for the IB, and the school's internationally recognized academic standards[3] attempts to enable students to go on to study in top colleges/universities both in the United States and the rest of the world.[4]

The main language used in the school is English, and all students study either French or Spanish from Kindergarten to the 12th Grade. Arabic, French, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese and Russian are also taught beginning in the 7th Grade, where students are required to decide one of the seven languages to pursue further along with "Language A" English and "Language B" French or Spanish (Language C is Arabic, French, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, or Spanish). Students can also choose French or Spanish again for Language C, and must pursue the Language C until the 12th Grade. Additional languages can be studied by students within and external to the school during the weekend or after school during the school week.[5] The school's current executive director is Dan Brenner.

UNIS is a member of the Council of International Schools, the International Baccalaureate Organization, the European Council of International Schools, the New York State Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools and the College Board along with being registered to the New York Board of Regents as an independent, not-for-profit school.

  1. ^ "Hofstra Gets OK To Issue New Degrees". Nassau Daily Review-Star. 20 June 1949. p. 9. Retrieved 19 October 2024 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  2. ^ "Queens Campus Closure FAQs - UNIS". www.unis.org. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  3. ^ "News Post". www.cois.org. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  4. ^ United Nations International School – College Counseling Office. "UNIS COLLEGE ATTENDANCE – CLASS OF 2015" (PDF).
  5. ^ "United Nations Intl School: About UNIS". www.unis.org. Retrieved 8 April 2018.