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TCIS Celebrates Years of World-Class International Education
At 50th Homecoming held Oct.10, alumni and current students/faculty mixed for an evening of brass band music, barbeque and the best fireworks in town. Taejeon Christian International School (TCIS) marked its 50th founding anniversary in 2008 with a series of international events that culminated in the October 10th Homecoming Weekend Celebration. Alumni from the 1950s and 1960s mixed with the current students, and dignitaries representing Korea and U.S. attended the event. TCIS traces its small beginning to 1958 when U.S. missionaries serving south of Seoul founded the school in the centrally located city of Daejeon. This was a time when foreigners numbered very few in the country devastated by the Korean War. Over the past half-century period, the school evolved into a top-quality international school serving 600 students within a Christian environment. TCIS is Korea’s only international school offering the IB program at all three levels of elementary, middle, and high school years. In its 50th founding year, TCIS also consolidated relocation plans to move the school to a new state-of-the-art campus to be built in Daedok Techno Valley in Daejeon.
Korea. In January, the school hosted a first-of-its kind symposium “Teaching IB Education in Christian Schools.” IB Christian school heads from Asia-Pacific, the U.S., and Africa gathered to share their experiences. In May 2008, the school hosted another unique symposium honoring the history of Christian missionaries to Korea. The event reunited the descendants of Korea’s early U.S. missionaries who arrived in the 19th century. In June, in-Korea alumni gathered on campus for a celebration dinner. In July, the school hosted a three-day U.S. reunion in North Carolina that brought together many of the alumni and teachers of the early years.
Headmaster Thomas J. Penland said, “we take pride and are honored to have been a part of the early missionary movement in South Korea that assisted with providing medical and educational services to Korea in a time so desperate for the nation. We continue to be passionate about our role in assisting with the internationalization and globalization of Daejeon and Korea as we enter the 21st century.” The school also believes in reaching out in educating globally responsible citizens of the world. Dr. Penland added, “we look forward to continuing to partner together with various institutions and friends in Korea and throughout Asia in continuing our purpose of providing world-class, quality Christian international education here in Korea.” The school partnered with the Korean government for the 2006 opening of Gyeonggi Suwon International School (GSIS), a growing school of 450 students. Every year, TCIS high school students participate in mission trips to developing parts of Asia. Throughout 2008, TCIS hosted celebrations in and outside
Former Headmaster Dr. James Wooton (1970-1996) flew from U.S. to join current headmaster Dr. Thomas J. Penland (right) for celebration.
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