History and Traditions

A BRIEF HISTORY OF I.S.D

The International School of Dakar (I.S.D.) sits on six acres of land overlooking the Atlantic in the westernmost tip of Africa.  It was founded in 1983 in order to provide a non-sectarian alternative for international families who are temporarily based in Dakar. The initial leadership of the school was primarily North American, with strong support, which continues today, from the United States Embassy and U.S. Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools.

Dakar, once the capital of French West Africa, is a cosmopolitan city of two million people drawn not only from Senegal’s six major ethnic groups, but from most of French-speaking Africa, Lebanon and France, as well.  Soft trade winds, an agreeable climate and numerous beaches make Senegal an attractive place to live and a European vacation spot.

With its rapid growth in recent years, I.S.D. has come to serve many other families within the international community of Dakar. While approximately one-quarter of the students are U.S. citizens, some 40 other nationalities are now represented.

In 1989, I.S.D. moved to its current site overlooking the Atlantic. Our purpose-built facility includes twenty-one classrooms plus a library, computer laboratory, offices and student locker rooms.  The adjacent Club Atlantique provides facilities for swimming, tennis, and basketball. Our large playing field permits a broad array of physical education activities.  An auditorium/gymnasium permits indoor physical activities such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, as well as cultural programs.

In 1993, the Preschool moved to the regular I.S.D. campus. We currently offer separate morning programs for three and four-year-olds.

In 2001-2002, I.S.D. expanded its high school program to include students in grades 9-12.  Our high school is fully accredited and offers a strong academic program which includes multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes.  There is a 100 hour Service learning requirement. Graduates have been accepted at and attend top universities in the US, Canada, and Europe.

I.S.D. is the only non-sectarian English-language school in Dakar for preschool through Grade 12.  It is accredited in the United States by the Middle States Association of Schools and through the Council of International Schools in Europe.  It is a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (A.I.S.A.) as well as the West African International Schools’ Athletic League (WAISAL)