Our School’s History

The Robert College Community School (RCCS) was formally founded in 1911 to provide education for the children of Robert College’s foreign faculty members. Though 1911 is the official establishment date of RCCS, it is said to have existed informally for many years prior to this date. In either case, this makes it one of the oldest, international schools in the world. There is no existing record of where the school was located in 1911, though it is thought to have been in Anderson Hall, on the campus of what is now Bosphorus University.

The school began accepting all international students in Istanbul.

Under the newly established republic, the school received permission from the Turkish Ministry of Education to establish a primary school for the children of foreign nationals.

The school moved to its main building in Rumeli Hisarı.

RCCS formally separated from Robert College and changed its name to the Istanbul Community

School.

The schools name was officially changed to the Istanbul International Community School (IICS). On December 18th, the main building of the school burned down (no one was injured). This main building had been the childhood residence of the first full-time editor of National Geographic Magazine, Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, whose father once taught at Robert College. Following the loss of the main building, IICS acquired what was later known as “the Corner House” and “the Kuran Building”. IICS also constructed prefabricated classrooms on the site of the main building, which were used until the Marmara Campus was built.

IICS’s incorporation was granted permission to operate a school for foreign nationals under the supervision of the Government Planning Organization.

Following the retirement of Headmistress Carol Fonger, Mr. Kenneth Hillman assumed leadership as Heamaster, marking the beginning of a new chapter in IICS history.

IICS was authorized by the IB to offer the Middle Years Program for grades 7-10. This made IICS one of the first schools in the world authorized for all three of the IB programs. IICS was internationally accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS).

IICS opened its 16 hectare Marmara Campus, located 25 miles west of the city center amid rolling hills, overlooking Buyukcekmece lake. The IICS Marmara Campus serves students from 3- 18 years old (grades PK-12). The Hisar Campus continued to serve students from 3-9 years old (grades PK-3).

IICS was internationally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, making it the only PK-12 international school in Istanbul globally recognized by European and American accrediting organizations.

Headmaster Jeremy Lewis took over from Luis Alfonso.

IICS was re-accredited by CIS and NEASC.

Headmaster Peter Welch took over for Jeremy Lewis. Due to steadily increasing enrolment and the need for additional classrooms, IICS constructed early childhood center for Preschool and Prep classes on the south lawn. IICS launched a 1-to-1 laptop program in August 2010 which provides each student in grades 6-12 with a free netbook computer to use. All classrooms on both campuses were outfitted with data projectors. Many classrooms were also outfitted with interactive whiteboards.