School Profile
Rosslyn Academy
School Overview
Rosslyn Academy is a leading international Christian school in Nairobi, Kenya that serves the missionary community as well as the international and local diplomatic, business, and NGO communities. Since its founding in 1946, the school has grown to a K-12 school of 650 students from over 50 different nationalities. Staff hired from North America are provided with a salary, free housing, free health insurance, and a number of other important benefits. For more information regarding our openings for the 2015-16 school year, please visit our employment page at: http://rosslynacademy.org/about/employment/
School History
Tanzania, February 1947. A small mud-walled, thatch-roofed building with four pupils and their teacher was the beginning of Rosslyn Academy. This school, called Hilltop School quickly grew to 16 children and built more permanent buldings. Malaria became such a problem that the school moved to a higher elevation, just outside the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Tanzania.
The school’s name was changed to Mara Hills Elementary School. Because it was a boarding school, students would study for three months and spend one month at home. Students transferred to other schools after middle school because the school only went through eighth grade.
Growth became so rapid that the Mennonite Mission Board authorized land purchase in a more central location with better health care and air travel, specifically Nairobi, Kenya. The Mission Board approved the purchase of 20 acres of land from British Major General Charles George Phillips. The majority of the land was a coffee estate.
Rosslyn Academy opened in August 1967 and followed the American educational system. The Board soon added ninth grade, and the Southern Baptist missions became a part owner in August, 1975. In 1986, the dorm closed and Rosslyn became a day school. Enrollment grew and new buildings were added. The Assemblies of God became the third owner in February 1988.
With the dorm closed but middle school only growing, Rosslyn moved to establish a high school. The first senior class graduated in 1991. With a fully functional high school, Rosslyn was accredited in 1992. As new facilities were built, the capacity of the high school doubled. As a result, many more student positions were made available to the larger international community. Rosslyn grew from a primarily mission-based school to a Christian international school. With the completion of the gym, the auditorium and the media center, the basic infrastructure of Rosslyn was completed. On December 27, 2007, a full size salt-water swimming pool was added.
In recent years, Rosslyn Academy has continued to grow, with the addition of 6 new classrooms in 2012 including new Middle School classrooms and Elementary Science and Music classes. 2012 also saw the addition of a preschool program, making Rosslyn a full preschool – 12 institution. Our enrollment is now the largest in our history as a school, and this has allowed us to invest further into our programs, our course offerings, school infrastructure, and technology.
Although we are now an established, vibrant and growing Christian international school in Kenya, who we are today is informed by our past. As we continue to invest in our future, we hold strong to our Christian heritage as we look to inspire and equip each student to develop their God-given gifts for service in the world community.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
One of the leaders in international Christian education since 1946.
Benefits
Housing and utilities, health insurance, free tuition for children at the school (up to three children), and a host of other important benefits.