Henry David Thoreau, an American essayist, poet, and philosopher once said, “You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything.”
The above quote and its understanding is what describes the Washington DC School (WDCS) best. The school not only recognizes that a child is special but also recognizes that he/she is unique. Its focus is not on mass education that schools enjoy the profitability of large classes and economies of scale. Contradictory, it’s on the opposite side, personalized education of the individual student.
WDCS is a non-sectarian private school that caters to the needs of all youth without prejudice to their nationality or affiliated religion. With the motto of Leadership, Knowledge, Technology, the school provides students with an American style curriculum coupled with a stimulating learning atmosphere. At WDCS, students discover what is essential for their physical, mental, and moral development.
The Erudite Leaders
Two profound personalities, Mr. Heng and Mr. Kelch are the leading lights of the school. Together with experience in education since 1992, both established WDCS in 2016 in response to the needs of the challenging modern world.
Both these personalities are motivated professionals and entrepreneurs committed to quality education and students’ success as they are to institutional profitability. These two individuals have years of experience working together and cover both the Cambodian and International spheres of education and offer a unique level of cooperation and synergy.
Mr. Heng holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. He has over 24 years of experience in Education, International and local NGOs in close co-operation with the US Embassy, Australian and Canadian Embassies, and business operations.
Mr. Heng has been a teacher and an administrator for UNTAC School in 1992 for the United Nations Polling Center officer in Cambodia for the 1st General Elections in 1993. He was also a Founder/President of an association for Cambodian Human Resource.
Both Mr. Heng and Mr. Kelch share responsibilities across the range of operations, including the local and international aspects of the WDCS. However, Mr. Kelch is the primary member of the team on the international side and Mr. Heng is the primary member of the team on the local side.
About the Curriculum
The primary mission of Washington DC School is to prepare its students with the academic skills and proper mindset that will enable them to face the domestic and global challenges of the future. To achieve that, WDCS has obtained a license and accreditation by The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) of the Kingdom of Cambodia. What this means is that WDCS holds the same standards as MoEYS state school Kingdom-wide. Thus, the school envisions new heights of achievement for each student and everything within his/her reach of influence.
Scholars of WDCS study in one of Asia’s most innovative learning environments. Its one campus is nestled in the downtown of Phnom Penh Capital of Cambodia. The location has easy access to the school’s campus with drop off and pick up facilities. Spread across 800 square meters, the school has 18 classrooms, four English teachers, eleven Khmer teachers, three Chinese teachers, and seven Teaching assistants. Further accompanying the infrastructure are the Computer lab, Science lab, and a Library.
WDCS being a Tri-Lingual School offers Full Cambodian Curriculum, Full English Curriculum, and Chinese Language with subjects being offered in English, Khmer, Chinese, French, Science, Math, History, Geography, Social Studies, Art, and Computer Technology. Students learn from an early age and the school helps them to strive for the success they need to become a global citizen. Further, students obtain diverse opportunities to learn many other languages at their high school level. Additionally, the best part is that after successful course completion, the students attain Authentic American Accredited High School Diploma alongside their High School Diploma Certificate.
Recognizing every child being special along and unique, WDCS covers a core Khmer/international curriculum that prepares them for mainstream education. Coupling with this Core Curriculum is the school’s Enhanced Curriculum (EC) that encourages students in their own development based on individuals’ abilities, interests, and natural inclinations. After, core courses are covered in a nurturing environment defined by small classes, personal attention, and motivated teachers.
Enhanced Curriculum with Core Curriculum enrich students’ educational experience and individualize it according to interests, abilities, and their natural inclinations. Thereafter, students are gradually exposed to a wide range of diverse topics and experiences. During this period, pupils develop natural areas of interest and relate to their core educational development.
Consequently, the school renders highly motivated, well-adjusted students ready to explore and define their interests and abilities through world experiences.
Student Life at WDCS
As said before, at WDCS, children explore new worlds through Enhanced Curriculum and Personalized Education. One could say that Education comes alive at WDCS. The student life enriches the education students receive, developing additional skills and knowledge as well as helping consolidate what they learn via the Core Curricular.
Going further, the school includes parents in children’s education. According to the school, parents are an integral part of the education process. Hence, student activities at WDCS involve parents, which creates stronger bonds between parent and a child in the learning process.
Forthcoming Years
Under the cooperation and the connections of Mr. Kelch, WDCS plans to extend and develop a new project named Transnational Education Institute Project (TEI). Also, the plan entails the implementation of an enhanced curriculum and to innovate the ICT and Technologies to put in place for the students to make them ready for the upcoming future. Further, the school authorities plan to expand school campuses nationwide and some countries in Asia alongside the idea of Franchising.
For more information, visit www.washingtondcschool.org
