A number of US prestigious private schools, including Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School, are expected to discuss the establishment of their overseas branches in Jeju.
Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) signed an MOU with Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School on each campus on January 18 and January 19 respectively to establish international schools at Jeju Global Education City (JGEC).
During his visit to six US schools, JDC Chairman ByonJong-il successfully inked MOU deals with the two schools. And, for the remaining four schools, he confirmed their high interest in JGEC and shared opinions, which could lead to tangible results such as MOUs.
In addition to the six schools, there are other schools that have expressed a strong desire to establish a presence in Jeju.
Founded in 1804 and located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a college preparatory, co-educational school for students in grades 6-12.It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, offering 17 Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
The school, which is known in Korea as the alma mater of Kim Hyun-chong, the former chief trade negotiator, runs a variety of globalization programs, including economics and finance courses, in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to grow students into next-generation global leaders.
Perkiomen School, founded in 1875 and located in the suburbs ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, is a co-educational college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 6-12.
Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Perkiomen offers 20 AP courses, English As a Second Language (ESL) programs and special support programs for students who want to go on to university. It also works to help international students successfully integrate into an American educational environment.
JDC visited four elite private schools in the eastern US to see whether they had intention to set up an affiliated school in JGEC and discuss how they can enter the Korean educational market.
Meanwhile, Cheshire Academy expressed its intention to establish a presence in JGEC and to sign an MOU during a visit to Jeju on January 10. It will reportedly discuss MOU schedules with JDC after receiving approval from the school’s governing body.
Representatives from St. Johnsbury Academy visited Jeju in December 2011, toured the JGEC site, and held working-level discussions with JDC counterparts. The school said that it expects to receive approval from its governing body in late January and then conduct follow-up steps, such as MOU, to set up abranch in Jeju. One of the notable alumni of the school is Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the US.
Founded in 1759, Germantown Academy, a sister school of NLCS UK, is located in Pennsylvania, boasting 250 years of tradition. It is one of the top US private schools with all graduates advancing to four-year universities. Encouraged by the successful opening of NLCS Jeju, Germantown Academy seems set to vigorously pursue entry into JGEC.
The Hun School of Princeton, a prestigious independent college preparatory school in New Jersey, has shown a deep interest in the JGEC project. Therefore, it’s said that the school’s next plans include having internal discussions, seeking approval from its governing body and visiting Jeju. The school, in particular, has a high admission rate to Princeton University, a member of the Ivy League.
Educational institutions at home and abroad have actively looked into entry into Jeju. In particular, there have been heated discussions about the establishment of US schools offering AP courses, which are preferred by Korean students. This suggests that the JGEC project is expected to be stabilized earlier than expected.
NLCS Jeju and KIS Jeju successfully opened in September last year, and construction for Branksome Hall Asia has gone smoothly with the goal of opening this October. In addition, Jeju offers the best quality-of-life environment as it prepares to become a full-fledged education city. Under such circumstances, the series of MOU agreements means that JDC has produced tangible results in attracting foreign institutions to Jeju.
If US schools successfully take their place in Jeju, their educational programs would be mutually complementary to those of NCLS Jeju, KIS Jeju and Branksome Hall Asia, leading to more diverse curriculums available to Korean and Asian students. In addition, this would help spark strong interest among Korean parents, giving considerable momentum to JDC’s education city project.
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1. About Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MMA)
□ School Overview
ㅇLocation: Wilbraham, Massachusetts, USA
ㅇEstablished: 1804 (established by the merger of Wilbraham Academy and Monson Academy)
ㅇGrades: 6-12, co-educational (day & boarding school)
ㅇEnrollment: 345
□ Key Features
ㅇ MMA offers the Center for Entrepreneurial & Global Studies in collaboration with MIT and local entrepreneurs.
ㅇ MMA provides AP and ESL courses.
ㅇ The student to teacher ratio is 7 to 1. The number of students per class averages 12 to 15.
ㅇ Notable school alumni include Kim Hyun-chong, former chief trade negotiator and ambassador to the UN, and Richard Fuld, CEO of Lehman Brothers.
ㅇ Some 2011 graduates advanced to Stanford, Boston, Brown and Purdue.
2. AboutPerkiomen School
□ School Overview
ㅇLocation: Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, USA (165-acre campus)
ㅇEstablished: 1875
ㅇGrades: 6-12, co-educational (day & boarding school)
ㅇEnrollment: 303
□ Key Features
ㅇ The student to teacher ratio is 6 to 1. The number of students per class averages 10.
ㅇ AP and ESL programs are offered.
ㅇ Some 2010 graduates went on to Cornell University, University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University.
ㅇ The Bridge Program is offered to help students prepare for college and international students adjust themselves to a new environment.
ㅇPerkiomen’s Library was set up in 1913 with donations from Andrew Carnegie.
ㅇ The first international student to study at Perkiomen came from Korea in 1891.
3. AboutCheshire Academy
□ School Overview
ㅇ Location: Cheshire, Connecticut, USA
ㅇ Established: 1794 (tenth private academy founded in the US)
ㅇ Grades: 6–12, co-educational (day & boarding school)
ㅇ Enrollment: 363
□ Key Features
ㅇ IB Diploma, AP and ESL programs are offered.
ㅇ The student to teacher ratio is 7 to 1. The number of students per class averages 12.
ㅇ The Roxbury Program, an academic support program, is offered to help students catch up and give them counsel on college entrance.
ㅇ ACCESS CHESHIRE, a four-week interdisciplinary course of study in the arts and sciences, is open to non-Cheshire students.
ㅇNotable school alumni include J. Pierpont Morgan, industrialist, Fred Friendly, former president of CBS News, and Roberto Goizueta, CEO of Coca-Cola.
4. About The Hun School of Princeton
□ School Overview
ㅇ Location: Princeton, New Jersey, USA
ㅇ Established: 1914
ㅇ Grades: 6–12, co-educational (day & boarding school)
ㅇ Enrollment: 595
□ Key Features
ㅇFounded by Dr. John Gale Hun, a professor at Princeton University, it is located near Princeton University.
ㅇ Thirty-two percent of students receive scholarships.
ㅇ The student to teacher ratio is 7 to 1. The number of students per class averages 15.
ㅇ AP and ESL programs are offered.
ㅇQualified students have the opportunity to take classes at Princeton University.
ㅇ Some 2011 graduates advanced to Columbia University, Brown University and Dartmouth College.
ㅇNotable alumni include Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz, Saudi prince and Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Ethan Hawke, an actor, and Thomas Watson, former CEO of IBM.
5. About Germantown Academy
□ School Overview
ㅇ Location: Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, USA
ㅇ Established: 1759
ㅇ Grades: Kindergarten to Grade 12, co-educational (day school)
ㅇ Enrollment: 1,122
□ Key Features
ㅇ The student to teacher ratio is 8 to 1.
ㅇAll graduates go on to four-year university, including Harvard, Stanford and Yale.
ㅇNotable alumni include Frederick Taylor, management consultant and inventor of Taylor system, and Charles Darrow, creator of the Monopoly board game.
6. AboutSt. Johnsbury Academy
□ School Overview
ㅇ Location: St. Johnsbury, Vermont, USA
ㅇ Established: 1842
ㅇ Grades: 9–12, co-educational (day & boarding school)
ㅇ Enrollment: 929
□ Key Features
ㅇSome 2010 graduates advanced to Boston University, Purdue University and New York University.
ㅇNotable alumni include Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the US.
