About Us
Dominican International School is a Catholic, private, English medium school owned and governed by the Dominican Sisters.
Dominican International School is a Catholic, private, English medium school owned and governed by the Dominican Sisters.
Dominican International School is a Catholic, private, English medium school owned and governed by the Dominican Sisters. It was formerly a US Government contract (D.O.D.) school for the military dependents of the United States Forces in Taipei. The Sisters are members of the Institute of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic, a congregation of Spanish origin with the Motherhouse in Rome, Italy, when at that time their Provincialate House was located in Manila, Philippines.
Permission from the Mother General is obtained to start a school, which will provide Catholic instruction and a good education to American dependents. The First School provides tuition for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2. A small house in Chang-An Tung Road is rented for this purpose.
His Excellency, Most Reverend Anthony Riberi, D.D., Apostolic Internuncio to China, blesses the school. The name, Dominican School, is suggested by Fr. Bain, Jesuit, who is a Chaplain of the US Armed Forces stationed in Taipei. Sister Nieves Tenderro, O.P., the first Dominican School Principal, along with three Filipino Sisters: Sr. Leonor Flores, Sr. Patrocinio Salonga and Sr. Enriqueta Gonzalez, start to teach the first 16 registered students.
The number has grown to 76 students and two more Dominican Sisters from the Philippines join the Faculty.
A larger house is rented in Liung Chung Street and Grade 3 is introduced. A team of American Educators (Superintendents of Schools) from Washington, DC arrive. They examine the teaching qualifications of the Sisters, the curriculum, teaching methodology and the textbooks used by the students. The American educators agree to recognize the efforts of the sisters to provide an excellent education to American dependents. It results in the Dominican School becoming a US Government Contract School: D.O.D. (Department of Defense School).
A bigger building is rented. Three more grades, fourth, fifth and sixth, are introduced, and more Sisters arrive from the Philippines. A large property is purchased that becomes the permanent location of Dominican School.
A Dominican priest blesses the first cornerstone in a simple ceremony.
Classes start in the new school building.
His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Tien, S.V.D., D.D. solemnly blesses the school.
Grade 7 and 8 students are admitted and additional Sisters come from the Philippines. The enrollment reaches 600.
The school is ten years old, enrollment reaches 800 and Grade 9 students are admitted for the first time.
With the withdrawal of the American Forces from Taipei, Dominican School becomes an international school that allows all nationalities to register. The modified American curriculum remains in place.
The Bureau of Education grants the school permission to offer complete High School courses.
The school has its first Senior High graduates. Students start to enter colleges/universities in Taiwan and abroad.
With the prominence of the Internet and technology in the 21st Century, DIS’s initial electronic curriculum is completed. This new system makes the curriculum available online to all stakeholders. The development of the curriculum is an ongoing process. Full computerization of many important records, such as report cards and grades, which started in 2004, is now fully integrated into the daily operation of the school.
The gymnasium, cafeteria, and the west wing of the main building are demolished to make way for the construction of new school buildings that are more suitable for 21st Century education, making provision for advanced technology.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new construction is blessed by Archbishop John Hung, S.V.D.
Construction of the new building starts.
Phase One, which includes classrooms, an audio-visual room, an art room, science laboratories, and a brand new library, is complete and new technology is installed.
This date marks the day of blessing the newly improved sports field and introduction of the school’s new Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs),“D’ TORCH”. The acronym “D’TORCH” stands for Dominicans are Truthful, Organized, Reflective, Courageous and Helpful. It is launched at a celebration coinciding with the Feast of Our Lady of The Rosary.
The Chinese New Year of the Sheep heralds with great joy the Blessing of the new image of “young” Saint Dominic, by Father Christopher Jeffrey L. Aytona, O.P., as our new landmark. The Young St Dominic symbolizes our continuous efforts to give more years of inspiring service to our school. He bears our ESLRs on the flames of the torch. These flames signify giving light to everyone in the same manner that we are taught by the Biblical verse, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
The school went through the process of accreditation. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is the accrediting body for the western region of the United States, where invited to facilitate the process for evaluating and assuring the quality of education that DIS have.
“The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC) determined Dominican International School (K - 12) meets the ACS WASC criteria for accreditation. This accreditation status is based on all of the information provided by the school, including the self-study report, and the satisfactory completion of the on-site accreditation visit. “ These are the words from the letter Sr. Zenaida T. Ancheta, OP, The Principal, received from ACS WASC.
Sr. Ma. Zenaida T. Ancheta, OP, the directress/principal led the pulling of ribbon to officially open the new facilities of DIS Taipei. Each ribbon was reprented by the stakeholders of DIS namely, Sr. Ma. Asunción González, OP, General Prioress of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic, His Excellency, Most Rev. Fr. John Hung, SVD Archbishop of Taipei, Fr. Giuseppe Silvestrini Attaché of the Apostolic Nunciature, Sr. Cecilia Hsu, OP, Provincial Prioress of the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic, Sr. Ma. Zenaida Ancheta, OP, Principal of DIS Taipei, Sr. Margarita Lin, O.P. representative of Sisters of Dazhi Community, Mr. Jimmy Chu, representative of DIS faculty & staff, Ms. Yvonne Hsu, representative of DIS parents & alumni, Mr. Hiro Fu, Student Council president, Mr. Daniel Huang, architect, Mr. Xue Ren Chien, chairperson of the Fu-Chu Construction Company and Mr. Yong Zai Kuo, assistant vice president of the Taiwan Power (Tai Dong) Company.
Dominican International School continues to strive not only to provide excellent education to all students, regardless of race, color and creed, but also to provide service in the light and spirit of Saint Dominic.
