1950's

In August, 1951 the late Antoinette Stepanek’s house and garden became the first classrooms of the school and the first students were Joseph Stepanek, James Stepanek and Harsha Rao.  Antoinette recalled this pioneering time, “Even in so hot a climate as Indonesia’s, the early mornings are delightful, and I can close my eyes now and relive those happy days when we were only a handful doing lessons under the big trees or sitting on the cool tiles of our living room to sing and paint.” It quickly became obvious that the school would soon be bursting at the seams. “It seemed that every day yet another car would sweep around the drive and a new arrival would be clamoring for admission.”

1960's

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1970's

Just after school began JIS was invited to put on an international program on TVRI to celebrate United Nations Day using children from many different nationalities. I was asked me to organize a program for the TV show. The program was repeated in the school courtyard and that was the beginning of the JIS United Nations Day tradition.In the ‘spring’ semester I initiated Indonesia Day which became a tradition in the elementary school for many years. Students sang Indonesian songs, played angklung, and learned Indonesian dances. Everyone had to wear something Indonesian, and the Indonesian teachers always looked beautiful in national dress.
– Halimah Brugger, former JIS teacher

1980's

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1990's

In 1999, after Soeharto fell from power, we did “Marsinah” as our IASAS play.  It was an English-language premiere, and we were lucky to have the playwright, Ratna, work with us.  She had been jailed under Soeharto for writing and performing this play.  We did a special showing in the FAT, which was attended by Megawati and students from Trisakti University, where students had been killed by the police and were martyrs for the revolution.  We had a full house that night, including the School Board, teachers, students and a huge turnout from the Indonesian staff, who were clearly very proud that JIS was doing this controversial play. 

It was one of those experiences that makes me believe that the theatre can be magic.  So can JIS.  We need to sometimes be reminded that our host country has so much to offer us beyond the logistic support which keeps our school running.  And that we have much to offer these people and their emerging democracy.  This can happen in many places and many ways.  The strong commitment to the performing arts her at JIS can and will continue to do so.  -Tom Schulz, HS Drama Teacher

2000's

The devastation wrought by the Asian Tsunami in 2004 stirred the world-wide JIS alumni community to see  JIS as  a conduit for an outpouring of charitable donations. This tragedy and response provided the impetus for what came to be called JIS Cares/JIS Peduli.  Jakarta International School’s almost 60 years of serving the Indonesian (and global) community, primarily through the TAA (Tolong Anak Anak), as well as through class, club and community projects, has provided bounteous energy, time and money, to help alleviate poverty in Indonesia. More recently, a global imperative relating to environmental stewardship has also focused our collective need on ensuring the sustainability of our planet for future generations. - Trish Davies, Service Learning Coordinator

2010's

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