Who We Are

The International High School at Lafayette is a small high school found in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. We help our international students develop their linguistic, intellectual, cultural, and collaborative abilities so that they can become active participants in today's interdependent world.

Our Mission

The International High School at Lafayette creates a vibrant learning community that supports all students in linguistic, intellectual, creative, and social/emotional growth and development in order to experience academic, professional, and personal fulfillment and success.

Our Core Values	Actions
Active Learning	We take responsibility for our education, persevere through challenges, and always give our best effort.
Collaboration	We work together as a community to support and learn from each other.
Equity	We respect that all people have their own specific needs and the right to have those needs met.
Diversity	We value our differences and celebrate them as strengths.

We Believe
All students must be able to speak, read, and write in English proficiently in order to actively participate in an English-speaking society. Students’ native languages, cultures, and families are resources that enrich our diverse learning community. Language is most effectively developed within the context of rigorous, project-based, interdisciplinary curricula. Students and staff learn best when they collaborate in heterogeneous groups. Experiential learning activities, such as internships and service learning, provide students language-rich opportunities for personal growth. Governance is a shared responsibility allowing all members of the learning community to help shape school policy. Students must examine and engage thoughtfully in the ethical and moral issues that arise when given choice in our democratic and pluralistic society. Everyone has different strengths and develop at varying rates. Multiple forms of assessment are necessary for staff and students to adequately demonstrate what they know and can do. Students succeed through high expectations coupled with high academic and affective support. Arts provide students new and creative forms of self-expression as well as another way of interpreting and constructing knowledge.

We Believe

All students must be able to speak, read, and write in English proficiently in order to actively participate in an English-speaking society.
Students’ native languages, cultures, and families are resources that enrich our diverse learning community.
Language is most effectively developed within the context of rigorous, project-based, interdisciplinary curricula.
Students and staff learn best when they collaborate in heterogeneous groups.
Experiential learning activities, such as internships and service learning, provide students language-rich opportunities for personal growth.
Governance is a shared responsibility allowing all members of the learning community to help shape school policy.
Students must examine and engage thoughtfully in the ethical and moral issues that arise when given choice in our democratic and pluralistic society.
Everyone has different strengths and develop at varying rates. Multiple forms of assessment are necessary for staff and students to adequately demonstrate what they know and can do.
Students succeed through high expectations coupled with high academic and affective support.
Arts provide students new and creative forms of self-expression as well as another way of interpreting and constructing knowledge.