History of ISA

The International School of the Americas (ISA) was founded in 1994 by a group of innovative educators seeking to create a caring, intimate learning environment with high expectations for both students and faculty. Based on a proposal by Trinity University professor Dr. Thomas Sergiovanni, ISA was conceived as a place where all students would be treated as gifted and talented. Under its first Principal, Chula Boyle, ISA opened with a small group of 9th grade students and steadily grew grade by grade, guided by principles of trust, support, and pushing students to reach their full potential.

 

Over its history, ISA has been led by five principals who each helped shape the school’s “international” vision and innovative spirit. Dr. Shari Albright brought international travel into the culture while Kris Wickerham established critical partnerships. Kathy Bieser grew enrollment to 490 students while obtaining International Studies Schools Network Anchor status. Currently, Steve Magadance further refined policies and practices around digital portfolios, equitable education, and global exchanges in Japan, Germany, and South Korea. With committed families and faculty, ISA continues to evolve, staying true to its founding goal of nurturing curiosity and global competence within an intimate, caring academic community. As we continue to evolve, ISA remains guided by innovative thinking and a ‘students first’ philosophy.

Since our inception, ISA has earned recognition as a trailblazing leader in education. In 2004, ISA won the Goldman Sachs Prize for Excellence in International Education, and followed that up in 2006 with being the first NEISD campus to be named to the Texas Business Education Coalition’s Honor Roll and also designated as a mentor school for the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES). Our recognition continued in 2007 by being labeled an Anchor School in the International Studies Schools Network (ISSN), an Exemplar school by the Texas High School Project and Communities Foundation of Texas, and one of Texas Monthly’s Best Public Schools. 

Our status as a top magnet school program has been sustained to current day, with our most recent award being received in 2023 as a Gold Medalist School in the U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best High Schools” report. With continued vision and commitment to excellence, ISA continues to be well-positioned to empower students to nurture globally competent graduates through ongoing innovation and community collaboration as we continue to lead 21st century academics.