Canadian International School (CIS)

The Canadian International School of Phnom Penh (CIS) is a vibrant and forward-thinking learning community serving more than 1,000 students from Nursery to Grade 12 across two modern campuses in the heart of Phnom Penh.

Rooted in the Alberta, Canada curriculum and accredited by its Ministry of Education, CIS proudly blends Canadian academic excellence with a global perspective. The school is also an IB World School, offering both the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Diploma Programme (DP), as well as holding the prestigious LabelFrancÉducation designation from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

CIS’s community represents 36 nationalities among students and 18 nationalities among teachers, with nearly a third of faculty holding graduate degrees. This rich diversity fosters an atmosphere of inclusion, collaboration, and cultural exchange.

At its core, CIS is guided by values that shape both teaching and learning: Integrity, Belonging, Well-being, and Inspiration, ensuring that every learner feels empowered to explore, innovate, and make a positive impact in the world.

Students aged 18 months to 18 years engage in a variety of pathways, including English-only and bilingual programs in French or Mandarin, culminating in options for the Alberta High School Diploma, IB Diploma, or dual certification.

The Canadian International School of Phnom Penh embraces a truly international community where diversity and inclusion are celebrated every day.

• Student Population: Approximately 1,000 students learn across CIS’s two campuses, from Nursery through Grade 12.

• Age Range: CIS welcomes learners from 18 months to 18 years old, offering a complete educational journey from Preschool (Nursery–Junior Kindergarten) to Elementary/PYP (Senior Kindergarten–Grade 6), Middle School (Grades 7–9), and High School (Grades 10–12).

• Cultural Diversity: With 36 nationalities represented among students, CIS reflects the multicultural spirit of Phnom Penh’s international community.

• Faculty Diversity: CIS employs teachers from 18 different countries, and all core subject teachers are required to be certified by the Ministry of Education of the province of Alberta, Canada. Nearly 30% hold graduate degrees, bringing a high level of expertise and global experience to the classroom.

• Languages & Programs: In addition to its English-based curriculum, CIS offers bilingual tracks in French and Mandarin, along with language classes in Khmer, creating a multilingual environment that celebrates both global and local identities.

• Community Values: CIS fosters a deep sense of belonging and well-being, where students are encouraged to engage with integrity, empathy, and curiosity, developing as caring, empowered global citizens.

The CIS Libraries house a thoughtfully curated collection of more than 34,000 books, reflecting the school’s commitment to multilingual and inclusive learning. The collection spans English, French, and Mandarin, with an expanding range of Mother Tongue resources representing the school’s diverse community.

Maintaining an impressive ratio of 38 books per student, the libraries also provide access to seven online research databases, all organized through the CIS Digital Resource Hub to ensure easy access for both students and teachers.

In partnership with the Literacy Team, the Library supports literacy growth through a wide variety of specialized materials, including decodable readers, guided reading sets, book club collections, leveled texts, Unit of Inquiry (UOI) resources, and professional learning titles. These materials, housed in the Resource Room, are curated to enrich teaching and learning across all grade levels.

At the Canadian International School of Phnom Penh, the Library program is designed to nurture curiosity, research skills, and a lifelong love of reading across all grade levels.

• Elementary Library:
  Each elementary class enjoys a dedicated weekly book exchange session, where students borrow new reading materials and engage in guided reading or storytelling experiences. The ES Library Clerk and Assistant Elementary Librarian warmly welcome students, assist them in locating books, and foster early reading confidence. Weekly mini-lessons and read-aloud sessions further develop Library and information skills while cultivating a joyful reading culture.

• Middle and High School Library:
  Middle and high school students access the Library regularly through English Language Arts classes, small group sessions for projects, and individual research support. The space also serves as a quiet study and collaboration area.

• Instructional Collaboration:
  The Teacher-Librarian leads the school-wide research and inquiry process, collaborating with teachers to embed information literacy and academic integrity across the IB PYP, Canadian, and IB Diploma Programme curricula.

• Library Programs and Literacy Promotion:
  Throughout the year, the CIS Libraries host a variety of engaging literacy events such as Book Week, World Read Aloud Day, The Tournament of Books, and the CIS Reading Challenges.

Two signature initiatives: The Tournament of Books (PYP) and the CIS Reading Challenges Program (whole school) that inspire students to read widely, discuss literature critically, and celebrate reading as a community.

• A Culture of Reading and Joy
  The CIS Elementary Library takes pride in cultivating a vibrant reading culture that inspires curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of books. Through engaging programs such as The CIS Reading Challenges, The Tournament of Books, and World Read Aloud Day, reading is celebrated as a joyful and community-driven experience. The Library works closely with classroom teachers to weave literature into every part of the curriculum, ensuring that stories and ideas come alive across subjects and grade levels.

• Intentional Integration of Research and Inquiry Skills
  At CIS, the Library is more than a space for reading, but a cornerstone of inquiry and critical thinking. The Teacher-Librarian collaborates across divisions to guide students in developing essential research and ATL (Approaches to Learning) skills. From early learners in the PYP to high school students in the IB Diploma Programme, students build confidence as independent, ethical researchers.

• Collection Development that Reflects the World
  The CIS Library collection is intentionally diverse and inclusive, reflecting the rich cultural mix of the school community. The Librarian carefully curates resources that support the curriculum while also encouraging reading for pleasure. Students can find books that mirror their own experiences and identities, as well as titles that invite them to explore new cultures, perspectives, and ideas. It all contributes to a more empathetic and globally minded community of readers.

Fostering a Reading Culture in Middle and High School

• Challenge: Building a strong reading culture among middle and high school students remains an ongoing focus. With digital distractions, especially cell phones, often competing for students’ attention, sustained reading engagement can be difficult to maintain.

• Lesson Learned: Many students need more personalized connections to books and stories that speak to their lives, interests, and identities. When students see themselves in what they read, or discover worlds that expand their perspectives, their enthusiasm for reading grows.

• Goal: Continue collaborating closely with English and homeroom teachers to promote diverse, relevant, and high-interest book selections that inspire curiosity and rekindle the joy of reading across the secondary school community.

Each year, the CIS Libraries receive a dedicated budget to support both academic and recreational reading needs across all divisions. This annual allocation ensures the continual growth of the collection, adding curriculum-aligned materials, contemporary fiction, and diverse titles that reflect the school’s multilingual and multicultural community.

The consistent investment in Library resources underscores CIS’s commitment to fostering inquiry, literacy, and inclusion. By maintaining a dynamic and relevant collection, the libraries provide students and teachers with access to high-quality literature that inspires curiosity, supports learning, and enriches the overall educational experience.

The Libraries at CIS is more than just a place for books: it’s a flexible, student-centered learning hub. Designed with comfort and creativity in mind, the space offers cozy reading corners, modular furniture, and adaptable shelving that can be rearranged to fit a variety of needs, from quiet study sessions to collaborative group projects.

The welcoming atmosphere invites students to read, research, and connect. Whether they’re diving into a novel, exploring a database, or brainstorming ideas for their next inquiry project, students can find both inspiration and focus here. The Library’s design reflects CIS’s philosophy: a balance of academic rigor, creativity, and well-being, all under one warm, book-filled roof!

Images: CIS Library