With a newly renovated building, Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) Pattimura Elementary School prepares students with better facilities and more learning spaces.
Established in 1953, JIS Pattimura Elementary School has been in operation for over 70 years. It is the original JIS campus in Jakarta, and since its founding, it has graduated hundreds of thousands of students from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. This year, the school graces its students with a new spirit and improved facilities.
Indonesia Expat was invited to take a look and received a brief introduction to the newly renovated building at JIS Pattimura on Wednesday, the 27th of August. The event was a small Q&A between the media and the school’s community, opened by Maya Nelson, JIS Head of School.
During her speech, Mrs. Nelson highlighted that JIS Pattimura has welcomed students from around the world, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The school has always had a special place in the alumni’s hearts, no matter how long they have been out of school.
Mrs. Nelson, in her speech, also pointed out the school’s iconic, towering tree in the centre of the campus, which is vital for the school’s history. It has been cared for by the school community for years, as all of them, including the alumni, do not want to cut or damage the tree at any cost. That is why, when the school decided to renovate the building a couple of years ago, they asked the architect and contractor to leave the tree as it was.
The tree, for JIS Pattimura Elementary School and its alumni, represents the beginning of a relationship and friendship, illustrating how, as the tree continues to grow, more connections are built among the school community as well, regardless of the students’ and alumni’s nationalities, gender, and family background. It has also, furthermore, inspired the campus’s logo.
“All the alumni wrote and said, ‘You can build whatever you want, but don’t touch the tree!’” Mrs. Nelson reminisced during her opening speech.
Another point being highlighted was how, due to the school’s strong commitment to inclusivity, JIS Pattimura Elementary School does not require an academic admission test. With over 70 nationalities represented, the school continues to preserve cultural learning and acceptance central to its identity.
After Mrs. Nelson’s introductory remarks, Jill Bellamy, the JIS Pattimura Elementary Principal, explained more about the school’s renovation. Based on what she said, the school’s first attempt at renovation took place back in 1980, which was, considerably, a very long time ago. It has kept the original facilities until finally, in this new decade, the school made a decision to modernise one of the buildings as well as upgrade the facilities.
The school renovation was actually planned as early as 2020, with the modernisation being finalised in 2025. However, the reconstruction raised some concerns among the students’ parents; some of their concerns were the possibility of the school demolishing the whole building, resulting in noise pollution and dust around the campus. In responding to the parents’ concerns, Mrs. Bellamy and the school community engaged in a lengthy conversation with the parents, followed by strict construction guidelines as agreed by both parties. For example, the school strongly prohibited any construction work between 7 AM and 2 PM, meaning construction could only take place outside school hours. Moreover, construction workers were consistently required to install dust mesh and protective barriers, as well as carry out daily cleaning.
One of the main reasons for the renovation was JIS Pattimura Elementary School’s desire to be a more ‘complete’ school, providing students with everything they would need in a modern world. The first location that they reconstructed was the library. Cut to the present: the library now has two storeys and a small purpose-built area. Then, they added a makerspace room: a suitable place for students who would like to learn about design tech, programming, and robotics. Now on the third floor, there are purpose-built rooms intended for dance and music classes, as well as classrooms dedicated to Indonesian language studies.
The renovations did not stop there. JIS Pattimura Elementary School has now set up two specialised rooms for students with neurological and physical developmental needs, such as autism and speech delay. They also provide occupational therapists and a support team to help non-English-speaking students. This is part of the school’s reputation; JIS Pattimura Elementary School is committed to assisting the parents, regardless of what their children’s learning needs may be.
As a result of this latest modernisation, Mrs. Bellamy divulged that the students’ capacity at JIS Pattimura Elementary School has now increased from 420 students to approximately 550–570 students. Furthermore, in the future, she expects two additional classrooms.
“We have more classrooms [now]. For this year, we just added one more classroom, and then, each year, we hope to add one or two more classrooms,” said the Principal.
Ultimately, this renewal marks a fresh chapter for JIS Pattimura Elementary School. Thanks to its thoughtful renovations, the school manages to balance precious tradition and much-needed progress. By preserving its historic landmarks while introducing modern facilities, the school ensures that students not only enjoy an inspiring and inclusive learning environment today but also remain connected to the values and memories of the school’s 70-year-plus history.