Top American boarding school opens in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Shattuck-St Mary’s School, a top American boarding school, celebrated the grand opening of its first global campus, Shattuck-St Mary’s Forest City International School in Johor last week.
The auspicious event was graced by Nick Stoneman, president of Shattuck-St Mary’s School, Faribault, Minnesota, US and deputy director general of Private Education Sector from the Ministry of Education Kara Syafinaz Basirrudin, accompanied by Shattuck-St Mary’s Forest City International School head Graham Gamble and Bright Scholar Education Group chief executive officer (CEO) Jerry He.
The joyous occasion kicked off with various activities, which included a traditional kompang welcoming the guests followed by a 24-Festival Drum performance.
In his opening speech, Stoneman spoke about the 160-year legacy of Shattuck-St. Mary’s, and that the vision was developed to build something no one had done before.
“With courage and selfconfidence, Shattuck-St. Mary’s was established in Minnesota and has produced over 5,000 alumni, proudly paving their paths in the real world.
“It’s exciting to actually bring everything we had in Minnesota for the students in Forest City,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in the process of establishing the first global campus of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, and stated that the opening of the school will benefit students and parents here more than ever.
meanwhile, Gamble expressed his gratitude to all the parties who contributed towards the realisation of Shattuck-S. Mary’s Forest City International School.
“I would like to express my thanks to you for being here today and my thanks to all those who have helped bring this school into being: from the engineers and project managers of Country Garden and Forest City who built it, to the officials of Bright Scholar who helped us equip it and the representatives of the governments of Johor and Malaysia who efficiently granted us the necessary authorizations and permissions,” he said.
“Above all, though, I want to turn our attention today to the people who actually make up our school: to our parents, and, most of all, to our teachers and our very first students.”
“I want to express all of our appreciation to our first families and to their children for placing their trust in us as we take care of their education for the coming years.”
The opening of Shattuck-St Mary’s Forest City International School brings to this region a legacy of educational excellence that can be traced back 160 years. Led by highly trained academic leaders from the USA, Canada, and the UK, the school offers an American-style curriculum that combines academic rigor and discipline with innovative learning approaches.
The school’ s acclaimed signature programs, such as we Create and Scholar shift, will also be available to students here. The campus is known for its lush landscaped surroundings and grand buildings, including its range of state-of-the-art facilities, such as a world-class sports complex; various dance, music, and art studios; libraries; and smart classrooms.
These are a reflection of its dedication to providing its students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for self-directed learning as well as arming them with 21st Century skills that will help them to excel in today’s world.