About Us

We are a diverse community that values the freedom and courage to question, explore, and embrace new perspectives.

A Message from Our Head of School

Welcome to IST!

At IST, we promise to provide our students a holistic, challenging, and innovative education with a firm grounding in a global mindset. Through this foundation, our students are provided opportunities to extend their learning into the real world and pursue their passions. As an institution that values character development along with academic growth, our culture is marked by free thought, equal opportunity, and our core values of Respect, Integrity, Confidence, Intellect, and Service.

True to our Trailblazer identity, our graduates will seek to understand themselves, their passion and calling in the world, and forge their own paths. They are Servant Leaders, Community Builders, Global Citizens, and Classically Liberal Thinkers. They will be embody the values of our community, the IB Learner Profile, and pursue lives that mirror our mission as a school of building respectful global communities and serving the world around them.

We invite you to come join us and find out how your curiousity can meet your courage as an IST Trailblazer!

Brian P. Couch

Brian P. Couch, Jr. EdM.
Head of School

Brian Couch
Our Mission

We cultivate a respectful, global community that instills students with integrity, confidence, intellect in pursuit of improving themselves and serving the world around them.

Our Vision

To build an innovative and enduring institution that provides an exceptional education

History

In September 2013, The International School of Texas was founded by a group of 13 brave parents who shared a common vision of an exceptional education for their children: one that is marked by free thought, equal opportunity, and the development of our core values of Respect, Integrity, Confidence, Intellect, and Service. Over the years that passed, IST quickly outgrew its initial location and moved into a newly completed campus west of Austin. In August of 2024, we opened the doors to our new, state-of-the-art campus in the rolling hills of Bee Cave, and we launched our first cohort of high school students.
 
Since 2017, IST has been an authorized International Baccalaureate World School, currently offering the PYP and MYP. We are a candidate school for the Diploma Programme*. The International School of Texas is a candidate school for the Diploma Programme.  IB World Schools share a common philosophy- a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education- that we believe is important for our students. * Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes visit http://www.ibo.org

Accreditations & Memberships

Governance

The International School of Texas is a registered non-profit 501 (c)(3) and is governed by a board of volunteer Trustees. The Head of School and Chief Business Officer serve as the institution’s executives and the sole employees of the board. The board is entrusted with the strategic preservation of the school’s mission and values. It is their fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the mission remains relevant to our community and the school’s effectiveness in fulfilling it. Trustees typically serve in 2-year terms and are usually eligible for 3 consecutive terms.

School Leadership & Administration

Brian P. Couch, Jr. EdM
Head of School
Gené Giraudeau
Head of Primary
Chad Hyatt
Head of Secondary
Brandy Hoopaugh, CPA
Chief Business Officer
Charissa Bates
Director of Operations
Sara Solomon
Director of Admission & Enrollment
Corey J. Gayheart, MEd
Director of Communications & Marketing
Sumaya Saati, CFRE
Director of Development & Community Engagement
Justin Mulloy
Director of Athletics & Activities
Ashley Chivington
HR Coordinator & Accountant
Bach Ngo
IT Systems Administrator
Laura Woolsey
Office Manager
Bethany Reed, RN
School Nurse & Wellness Coordinator
Francesca Bracho, MEd
School Counselor
Claudia Goldberg
Learning Specialist
Ashley Swindle, MEd
Dean of Curriculum & Instruction, IB Coordinator
Jeff Zollner
Dean of Secondary Academics & Design Program Coordinator

Primary Division Faculty (Early Childhood & Lower School)

Thuy Bui
Junior PreK Lead Teacher
Ana Barbosa
PreK Lead Teacher
Luz Lunar
Junior PreK & PreK Support Teacher
Stephanie O’Neil
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Sara Pickett
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Amy Krystof
Kindergarten Support Teacher
Amy Munson
Grade 1 Lead Teacher
Mina Slimi
Grade 1 Support Teacher
Kinsey Brunelli, MA
Grade 2 Lead Teacher
Nicole Zayas-Dorchak
Grade 2 Lead Teacher
Ansley Bridges, M. Int’l Ed.
Grade 3 Lead Teacher
Carrie Atherholt
Grade 4 Lead Teacher
Joe England
Grade 5 Lead Teacher
Ewelina MacDonald
Grade 5 Lead Teacher
Kristen Lemon
Primary Art Teacher
Yara Cantu
Primary Spanish Language Teacher
Juan Hui
Primary Mandarin Language Teacher
Kevin Forbes
Music Teacher
Dan Malnor
Physical & Health Education Teacher
Jennifer Passi
Primary STEM Teacher

Secondary Division Faculty (Middle School & Upper School)

Fran Knaggs
Secondary Humanities Teacher
Michelle Overman
Secondary Humanities Teacher
Emily Williamson
Secondary Mathematics Teacher
James Emley
Secondary STEM Teacher
Alejandro Cota Chávez
Secondary Spanish Language Teacher
Yang Wang
Secondary Mandarin Language Teacher
Ya Lydia Li
Secondary Visual Arts Teacher
Kevin Forbes
Music Teacher
Dan Malnor
Physical & Health Education Teacher