David Merkel has been the deputy head of the prestigious Washington International School in the District of Columbia for the past 10 years. This week, as the 2007-08 school year began, the institution welcomed its largest crop of students ever at 890. The diverse faculty and student community come from more than 90 countries.
How selective is the application process?
In a few words, it’s pretty selective. We are exclusively International Baccalaureate. That implies that we have to be mindful of the applicants and to be sure it’s a good fit to that end. Also, our program is full immersion in the earliest grades … so we’re looking at students in that lens, too. … But we don’t think of ourselves as a school for geniuses. It’s not a gifted and talented program. What it really is is a program for the average and above-average student.
How has the student body changed most in recent years?
Well, it’s been a slow, subtle change. First of all, let me tell you what we’re not, and that’s a school for diplomats’ children. Ten or 15 years ago, we were more of a school for the international community, meaning primarily parents were employed by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. … And we had a one-third/one-third/one-third breakdown: one-third entirely international, another third mixed and the other third Americans. … This has changed a little bit. The percentage of World Bank and IMF families is going down. And we’re getting more American families.
What are families of students getting for the $12,000 to $25,000 annual tuition?
We are offering a very different experience because of our international complexion. We’re not just a school with a lot of international diversity. … Parents shopping around say that in the 21st century, global awareness counts a lot. It’s not just learning a foreign language, which they do. It’s international atmosphere. That’s what defines us.
