A great school– Im a graduating student and I feel so proud to have gone to Magellan. Kind and inspiring people surround you and you begin to realize how lucky you are to be immersed in the wonderful program.We have IB curriculum which teaches children to keep a Global Mindset... and the Spanish Immersion Program is magical. My first year at Magellan had me speaking Spanish at a higher level than ever expected– after 8 years you can barely tell the difference in between native and myself (along with my classmates).If you are a parent and wondering if the school is right for you, I suggest you find some parents with experience at Magellan to get some feedback. I know for a fact that no school is perfect, and by getting reliable information from peers, you are increasing the chances of putting your child in the right school.Magellan is open to recruiting new students; they see an opportunity for growth in every child. Your child is never bored, or pushed too far. And youll see they genuinely enjoy school– something rare these days.I hope this review can help you see what you can do for your child. I encourage new parents entirely to join the school. We are a growing community– a family, if you will– and your child could be the newest addition.

Magellan International School has a phenomenal program where kids are encouraged to be inquisitive and are taught critical thinking skills. They learn a keen sense of responsibility to themselves, each other, their families, and the community. The teachers are of the highest quality, and provide a culture that embraces each student with a warm and caring setting. Every time I visit Magellan, to read to our granddaughter’s class or volunteer for various activities, I am always impressed by how deeply the staff cares for each and every child. Our grandchildren are thriving in this wonderful environment. I have four children and I have never experienced a school where there is so much freedom to love learning. Magellan is a top notch world class school that benchmarks itself against the best international schools around the world – and we have it right here in Austin, Texas.

My son has been at this school for almost three years, since preschool. Aside from the dual language program, which was our initial interest, the way the school teaches our kids to think, care and be an active part of a local community and a bigger world view- has kept us here.The teachers have all been phenomenal, as has the administration. Our son has really excelled due to them all taking an active interest in his learning and growth as a little human. I highly recommend this school and look forward to his continued growth at Magellan!

Over the past five years Ive watched this school go from a good school to a great school. Im watching my daughter explore topics from all angles and understanding different cultures. Shes not being taught to the test, shes learning to think for herself.Shes had great teachers from all over the world, and interacts with fellow students from varying backgrounds every day. Despite being a private school, the student body is incredibly diverse. Many of the students are on scholarship.Younger students will be grade-level fluent in Spanish by the end of their first year.

We are in our second year at Magellan and cannot say enough great things about the school. Our daughters world view is already changing based on how she is being taught - to say we are pleased that only two years in this is happening would be an enormous understatement. The teachers are EXCEPTIONAL, warm, inviting and make me want to go back to school every day. Our son will start in the PP3 program in the Fall and we are thrilled that our children are learning in this diverse, open community. It is never too early or too late to enroll your kids in this awesome environment. We LOVE Magellan!

I will speak as a parent who decided to try out public school for my child after preschool at Magellan. Magellan exceeded our expectations and our decision to leave had nothing to do with being dissatisfied. We are zoned for one of the top public elementary schools in Austin and thought we would try it out for a year. We are still in the Magellan community as my younger child will begin preschool. The faculty, staff and parents are so wonderful at Magellan and it will be difficult to beat. Speaking with other parents who have decided to also try out public school, it seems to me that it doesnt have to do with being unhappy at Magellan but maybe a decision based on high taxes for a school district and feeling the need to try it out.

We are very happy with our sons education at Magellan. When it was founded four years ago, it was the first and only Spanish immersion school in Austin. They pledged to educate our kids with an international awareness and the ability to speak, read, and write both Spanish and English with fluency. We took a chance on this new school with some skepticism about immersion and some concern about sending our son to a school that had no past performance, no recommendations from others, and no word of mouth to help us make our decision -- but the founders were so passionate and well-prepared for the challenge, we enrolled him, and have never regretted it. They kept their promise. In second grade, my son is able to perform at grade level (or above) in every subject in both languages. No one at home speaks Spanish, so all the Spanish he knows came from Magellan.He also understands the world does not simply consist of what he sees around him every day. There is a world economy, and we have interdependent relationships with other countries and cultures. Magellan kids have the worldview and the awareness and tolerance of other cultures that is vital to understanding the world around them.If only Magellan had been there for my 14 year-old!

Im constantly impressed by Magellan, and Im so thankful I discovered the school. When researching for a school that was right for my daughter, I was specifically searching for one with differentiated learning, and Magellans approach has been great for my daughter. She enjoys and is challenged by her school work, and never complains of boredom.The Spanish immersion program offered by Magellan has been incredible to witness. My 7 year old daughter comes from an English speaking home, and after three years at Magellan, she can now read, write and comprehend Spanish at a first grade level.The IB component has been the cherry on top. My shy little girl frequently gives presentations to her entire class. Magellan is helping her gain confidence.I highly recommend Magellan International School and plan to enroll my son in their preschool.

This was our first year at Magellan, and we love the school. Neither of our children spoke Spanish before attending, which was a slight concern. However, they have not only adjusted, but thrived. My oldest attended public kindergarten at a highly ranked school and had a great experience. However, the difference between that school and Magellan is huge. Not only is he speaking Spanish, but his reading and math skills have improved by leaps and bounds. The student teacher ratio allows for so much more one-on-one interaction -- the teachers really know each child and concentrate on their individual strengths and weaknesses. We love their teachers, and Ive been amazed at the high quality of the entire Magellan staff. These are true professionals who are dedicated to education and to fostering a childs natural curiosity in a way that promotes learning. We are so glad we found this school!

It has been an amazing year! My daughter loves her teachers and we appreciate everyone on staff at Magellan. You can see the engagement at every level from everyone associated with the school. The teachers love what theyre doing and have helped my daughter thrive emotionally and intellectually at this school.

We love this school! This is our daughters second year and the academics are excellent. The school helps children grow academically, emotionally and socially. Parent involvement is encouraged, important and has taught us how great this school is. Kids are provided a warm and inviting environment.

Consider that the school asks many parents to write many of its online reviews - especially when theyre new and enthusiastic. This is not balanced - there have been so many families who have left Magellan for their neighborhood public schools and other schools in Austin. I see names on these reviews who are people who left unhappy (I recognize 7 in this google list). I would suggest finding some of those families to speak with just to balance out the info you receive when touring schools. Just be careful and really dig deep. Dont just talk to the people the school gives you to contact.

Our son went to the local public school for kindergarten which was rated exemplary. The curriculum was good but rigid. He is rule-follower so he fit very well into the factory-like mentality of the public system. But it did not satisfy his intense curiosity and only made him more introverted and reserved. So we looked at many private and charter schools before we finally decided on Magellan. The Spanish immersion was a nice bonus, but we were really looking for a curriculum that would allow him to speak up and think outside the box. We also needed the flexibility to accomodate for some of the areas that he exceeded or lacked in. Magellan was able to provide all of that. The small teacher to student ratio allowed the teachers to really differentiate and educate the children based on their very own abilities. The goal seems to be for each child to reach his/her personal best, not what the state of Texas thinks is best for the child. We were concerned about the language because Spanish is not spoken in our family at all. But after a few months, he seems very comfortable, confident and fluent! He has gone from being a shy reserved child to now thriving and raising his hands, volunteering to get on stage to perform! Its incredible to see the transformation. All of the teachers and staff have been amazing in nurturing him to allow him to be who he really is. We couldnt be happier with this school.

Our daughter has been at Magellan for 3 years and our son has been there for 2. I love the community of teachers and families. All of the staff know our kids by their names, including our youngest who isnt even a student there. We have been very impressed with the inquiry program that encourages our kids to ask why? and how come?. Its amazing what the kids can create and invent while the school fosters their creativity and teaches them to think in innovative ways. The Spanish immersion is just icing on the cake!

This school has been a blessing. Its strengths are so multifaceted that it is actually hard to write a succinct review. My son started out in the 3 year old class and is now in his second year. I can honestly say that he has not only improved in his overall language skills (in both English and Spanish), but has flourished in learning early tools of problem solving, teamwork, and exploring his artistic side. Im always amazed about the creative ways these kids are being taught to be self-reflective as well as what it means to take care of our Earth/community/family/and fellow beings/creatures. It is commendable that such an emphasis is placed on building and reinforcing good character traits. The teachers, staff, and administration are enthusiastic and truly create a family environment. The parental involvement is a testament that the school is an extension of what we want for our kids, and that we are a part of molding a growing school that makes it a point to elicit feedback and is responsive. With a strong foundation of an International Baccalaureate curriculum, excellent teachers that love what they do, and bright kiddos that learn together and teach each other as well, Magellan International School has been in so many ways a positive experience.

Our son is in kindergarten, and in his second year at Magellan. Of course we love the Spanish Immersion but our love for Magellan goes far beyond the language acquisition. He is surrounded by fabulous teachers and administrators supporting and fostering his desire to learn, his innate curiosity, and his emotional development. The IB program is teaching him how to be a global student and he is receiving the best education imaginable.

Absolutely one of the top tier schools in Austin, immersion education or otherwise. The teachers are all amazing and really engage with each student. They are able to differentiate in each class to push the kids just enough so they excel at whatever level they may be at. I have no idea what the other reviewer is talking about with teacher turnover. We have two children at Magellan both since the three year old pre primary level and have seen very little attrition. We were attracted based on the immersion education and multi lingual approach but have come to love the international baccalaureate model. The way that each student is his or her own inquirer learning to solve problems and discover answers instead of just wrote memorization is simply phenomenal! Highly recommend Magellan to any parent looking for one of the best private non profit schools in Austin.

We are now in our 5th year at Magellan and the experience has been incredible. World-class faculty and a curriculum that is designed to teach our kids how to think - not memorize. Public speaking, Spanish, Mandarin, Singapore math, design thinking, writing fundamentals - these kids are already preparing for the next wave of innovation.

We started at Magellan 5 years ago, between our 2 kids weve experienced PP4 (pre-school) through 3rd grade at this school. We started at Magellan for the Spanish immersion curriculum. We dont have Spanish at home, but bilingualism is important to us. However, we stay at Magellan largely because of their IB, inquiry based teaching methods. It brings out the explorer and inquirer in our children and gives them the opportunity to delve deep into subjects. It also gives the teachers the freedom to be flexible and move where the kids lead them with their questions. Its the type of thinking and education I wish every child could experience. Additionally, the teachers and staff are a wonderful group of dedicated individuals - they make the school! We have also developed strong connections with the parent community. All around its been a good experience for us and our kids. Magellan has grown rapidly in our years there and has experienced some growing pains, but it has always been a safe, happy, engaging environment for our kids to learn and explore.

I can not believe they are actually still open since they had to back track opening the high school. It was a learning and emotional roller coaster for child who is now making high marks and socially involved at a new school with educated and experienced teachers! Dont send your child here.

This is our sons second year at Magellan, and were very happy so far. The IB curriculum provides a good foundation for lifelong learning. The school has attracted faculty that is both deeply experienced, and very passionate about their work. Spanish immersion is icing on the cake.

Magellan is the best spanish-language school in Austin by far. The three things that make this school so unique are the following: 1.) The IB Curriculum that is student led and teaches them how to think, 2.) The teachers, who are beyond dedicated and really care about each and every student, and 3.) Spanish language immersion across subjects that makes children become fluent.We have 2 children in PP3 and PP4 and this is our second year at Magellan. We have been extremely impressed by the school and our own experience with the Magellan community. It is a safe nurturing environment that has allowed our children to thrive, develop language skills and grow as individuals. We look forward to many more years at this school!

My daughter started at Magellan in 1st grade. We were all a bit nervous about the switch from public to private, whether she would pick up the Spanish quickly enough to match her peers; but the transition was smooth and the teachers were so welcoming and loving! Shes currently a 4th grader and we are so pleased with our experience. We made the switch primarily so her love of learning would be prioritized but in close seconds were the Spanish immersion, IB curriculum, and inquiry based education. We havent been let down. She is thriving under the care of teachers that are invested in her success as not only a learner but as a global citizen. The school encourages kids to be risk takers, open-minded, principled, caring, reflective, thinkers, and good communicators on a daily basis. I cant ask for much more. Highly recommend Magellan.

Please do your due diligence before putting your child in this school. They do not live up to the hype, nor hold their word on what they offer. They are extremely unorganized and do not know how to handle children that are hyperactive. This was the absolute worst decision I could have made for my sons education. After leaving Magellan at 1st grade, he started 2nd grade at an amazing public school with multiple resources.....that Magellan did not offer. He was way behind on reading only to discover he is mildly dyslexic, which of course Magellan was clueless.They only care about your money here and will not refund it if they are unable to accommodate for your child. They will instead insist on having your child get a psychological evaluation and not attend school for 3 weeks. This is not be ideal for working parents. Not to mention it being detrimental to a child to be pulled out of school for nearly a month in 1st grade.I will say that there are a few good things about this school; 1. The organic and healthy lunch service 2. The wonderful parents and their children. My son made many wonderful friends and the parents were very pleasant and involved. The only reason for so many good reviews here are because they constantly ask for the parents to write reviews for them.If you are putting your child in this school for the Spanish, save your money and put them in classes at Live the Language or Olas. There are plenty of options for much more established caring private schools in the area.

We could not be happier with the Magellan International School. My 1st grader and 4 year old are speaking fluent spanish and are learning how to be global citizens at the same time. I am amazed every day at the things they are learning and the way they are learning them.

We have loved MIS. It’s a small community of caring people. Originally, we can for the Spanish, but have also loved the International Baccalaureate Program.

Our daughter is currently enrolled in 2nd grade at Magellan and has been here since she was in the PP3 (3 year old) class. Because of Magellan, she is creative, an inquirer, fluent in speaking, writing and reading in Spanish as well as she can in English. Magellan has been a great fit for our daughter. The teachers are loving and passionate about the incredible things going on at MIS. We love Magellan!

Magellan is a wonderful school. This is our second year at the school, with two children attending. The teachers are very highly educated, and come with such diverse experiences and perspectives. I believe it enriches their teaching in accordance with the principles of International Baccalaureate PYP. While we were initially attracted to the Spanish immersion element, we are staying because of the IB curriculum. Magellan is much more than just another Spanish school.In addition to challenging the children academically, the teachers help nurture and strengthen the children socially. We had a difficult personal situation at home last year. Our teachers supported us giving our children the space, and personal time they needed to work through that tough time. My sons teacher would take him on a walk, or take him outside to let him cry and talk. She would always tell us what happened, and what she did to try and help. Other teachers offered to take my children after school or make us meals. In short, they made our problem, their problem. With no family in town, we worried we would not be enough for our children. Well, the teachers, staff, and even parents who barely knew us stepped into the family role while we made it through.We also enjoy the community of families at the school. The atmosphere is so warm, and welcoming. What makes us so similar is that we are all from such different backgrounds, but so committed to the ideals of the school and ultimately, the education and healthy emotional development of our children.

My 6 year old is just about to complete her 3rd year at Magellan, and we couldnt be more pleased with the school. The Magellan community is fantastic...filled with parents and teachers all working toward one goal: provide world-class education to help create the leaders of tomorrow.Yes, my child is now pretty darn fluent in Spanish and is thriving in both English and Spanish. But Magellan is so much more than an immersion school. Their IB program is top notch and the focus the school has on teaching kids to be problem solvers is phenomenal. Her natural curiosity about the world around her if fueled by Magellan and its so heart warming, as a parent, to see how kids can thrive in such a caring and supportive environment.I highly recommend this program for anyone with young kids...one visit to the school or one extended conversation with some parents will hook you!

I have 2 kids there and the teachers and support staff are amazing! They work with each child individually more than I could have ever hoped for. I am extremely pleased with the math curriculum and language immersion.

We looked around at a lot of schools and ultimately chose Magellan because of the IB program and the language component. Our first grade twins are in the middle of their second year at Magellan, and we are so happy with our decision. The school encourages the students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, and we are constantly blown away with what the kids are learning. An IB school can delve deeper into topics and look at subjects from different angles, and we really value that.In kindergarten our twins struggled for a couple months with the Spanish immersion (up until then theyd had no exposure to the language) but it quickly became no big deal to them. Now in first grade we are super impressed with their Spanish comprehension!The Magellan community is really great, too! We all come from different backgrounds (and many from different countries) but together we are one. The school celebrates diversity and encourages the students to embrace our differences as much as our similarities.

Terrible school. Total scam. They just want your money. Stay away!

My child has been at Magellan for several school years, and we are very pleased with the education received. My childs Spanish is better than our neighbors 11th grade kid in PreAP Spanish 3 at a local high school -- much more natural, more intuitive. Native Spanish speakers that speak with my child are amazed at the fluidity and vocabulary.Please remember as a parent that you have to support all learning, especially non-native languages, at home -- the school cannot do it all. We supplement by listening to audio books (the public library offers many in Spanish) in addition to watching Spanish videos (Netflix Spanish track!). My child has also done Mandarin now for a few years at Magellan and absolutely loves it. This too we support at home -- the Mandarin teacher gave me many online resources, and we practice Mandarin daily.The school does have some issues, that is true. But so does every school, church, business, family, and other human organization. The school does its best to improve every year, and the parents are committed. Next school year (August 2018), there will be a new head of school, and I think that he will continue to improve the school.The best thing about Magellan is the teachers. These are committed professionals from all over the world. My child has had teachers from Spain, Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Taiwan, just to name a few. Because of the vast number of cultures and backgrounds coming together, there are some things that are difficult at the school. But they do their best to work with it, and the result is amazing.As part of the IB curriculum, the students present ideas a lot. My child has presented to classmates and adults, many times, in multiple languages. Thats an amazing skill set to have while in elementary school.

My daughter started at Magellan in the Pre-primary (pre-school) class at 4 years old. We went to the orientation just to see what was out there. I was immediately blown away by this program. I think other moms will know the feeling when I say, it felt right. Yes, it is Spanish immersion and that was a big draw, but honestly it was much, much more. The IB program is so amazing. The teachers have all been great. The academics is spot on, but more important for me is how they are teaching children to be good citizens, good people. This school incorporates all the values that I believe are important. This program values the whole child. I found that the school is open to working and listening to the parents concerns and ideas. They really work hard to build a community and I am happy to be apart of it.

We first went to an MIS info session to learn about language immersion, but the inquiry-based learning sold us on the school and its philosophy. The founder and the head of school impressed us with their vision for the school.As we near the end of our second year at MIS, we have seen the vision for the school become a reality. The teachers are both highly educated and are able to connect with the students and build trusting relationships. The community of parents share the goal of supporting the school to ensure our children have the best possible education. We have found our daughters school home in MIS.

This is an update of an earlier review. My twins are currently in 4th grade at Magellan. It is our 4th year at Magellan, and our experience has been fantastic. The first thing that attracted us was the fact that it is Spanish immersion, since I am Mexican (they also do Mandarin starting in 3rd grade, which is the cherry on top), but what made us commit to it was the excellent academics, in particular the International Baccalaureates Primary Years Program (PYP), as well as the passion and experience of everyone from the founder and director down. As a mathematician, married to a scientist, I can say that they use the best way of teaching numeracy (Singapore math). My kids math and language skills have developed at an astonishing rate. They are learning science, history, art, music and developing strong interpersonal skills, and a sense of responsibility and independence. The community is very involved, and the families are invariably warm, friendly, supportive, diverse and very Austin. Teachers come from Australia, Mexico, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Spain, and the US (I may be missing some countries!). The families there are even more diverse. Just in my kids classroom they have Russia, Poland, India, Ecuador, England, Mexico, Norway and Canada represented. The school is also truly committed to economic diversity as well. Highly recommended!Magellan now also has a middle school, which follows the IB Middle Years Program. I have gotten to know the teachers, in particular the math and science teachers through volunteering, and they are outstanding and highly experienced and dedicated. I cant wait to see how my children continue to grow and thrive as they move through that program.I would like to point out, on a final note, that the low-rating reviews are highly suspect. They are vague and do not address specifics in any way or form. But you probably already figured this out if you are reading these reviews. :-)

I posted this about two months ago on another Magellan page but since Im not sure which Magellan page is more current, Im resharing this post here as well.When we first enrolled our oldest child in Magellan back in Fall 2010 (we now have a 4th grader & 1st grader at Magellan), we were initially drawn by the Spanish immersion aspect & Mandarin integration. And honestly, we thought we were just going to attend through K and then integrate her back into public school.But after seeing how fluent she was in Spanish and Mandarin after the first two years, we felt like we were robbing her of her potential. So happy that we made the decision to keep her there and her brother is following in her footsteps (even though they are completely different personalities).Furthermore, in the past 5 years, my view of Magellan has evolved just like the school (think of the school as a startup growing and now we are in our middle school years). I am a full-time working mom and openly admit that I lean on the school teachers and its environment to help us raise our children. I recently realized I took for granted some of my childrens behaviors after having casual conversations with my non-Magellan parent friends. Here are just a few examples:1. Think globally - the children dont just think about themselves but they think how their actions affect others and the world.2. Problem solve - yes I may be using my corporate-speak here but as I interview college graduates today for my company, I realize just how many of them have been trained to just do what their told vs. learn and evolve and figure out what the best solution is to the problem at hand.3. Being mindful - this goes beyond beyond being environmentally aware (which I think is great that my kids talk about waste and reducing it) but just being aware of others feelings and how their action affects others day to day (ie, working in a team).4. Confidence - my kids have no trouble speaking up in class and giving their opinion on a subject matter. I love that the teachers care about their success and can spot their strengths and push them to grow.I am the first to admit that Magellan is not for every family, and thats ok because I have always said you need to do what is right for your family and needs.If you are still on the fence and know you are looking for a place to encompass diversity, language immersion and independent thinking, I cant think of a better school and community of families to be associated with than Magellan.My door is always open for conversations about the school so please feel free to ping me. Kids are our future so lets prepare them to succeed!

Just a top class school with far superior administration and a dedicated teaching staff. Once youre there, youre family!

This school is nothing international, all teachers are from Colombia, if you start thinking, Colombia occupies the last place in education front of the OECD.They dont even have Inernacional platform to make a conexion with what they are teaching. I ask them about the IB and they are lost.my children will go to a better school and better price,Do not let them play with their childrens education, theres a lot of options!!

Our Magellan experience has surpassed our expectations!