ISSD In-Person Classes

ISSD In-Person Classes

ISSD Online Classes

ISSD Online Classes

Registration for ISSD’s academic year 2024-2025 is online during the entire month of August.

In-person Classes will start on Sunday, September 8, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The extra-curricular classes of dance, music, theater and drawing will be from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

The classes will be held at Mt. Carmel High School, located at 9550 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, California, 92127.

Online classes for students who cannot attend the physical classes, including those from other geographic areas. These classes are tentatively scheduled for Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 noon or Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.

ISSD is accredited by all local school districts, which means that high school students can take Persian language at ISSD to fulfill their second language requirement. These students should obtain their specific language form from their high schools and send them to issd@pccsd.org before September 8, 2024.

These are the classes offered at ISSD:

  • Pre-K classes for 5-year-old students.
  • Kindergarten classes for 6-year-old students.
  • Persian language classes from Persian 1 (P-1) through Persian 6 (P-6), for 7-year-old and older students. Each level takes one year to complete.
  • Persian language classes for adults, beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Persian Dance (for ages 5 to adult), Persian Music, Theater, Acting and Art Creation, Drawing and Painting, and Persian Conversation. Classes meet once a week on Sundays from 12 to 1 p.m.

General Notes:

  • ISSD will provide textbooks, notebooks, and folders for all students. The materials will be distributed in the classrooms. If you are attending the online classes, you can either obtain materials from the Iranian American Center (6790 Top Gun Street #7, San Diego, CA 92121) or they will be mailed to your address.
  • The tuition for all Persian classes is $600 for the entire year. There is a $50 registration fee that would make you a member of Persian Cultural Center.
  • Tuition for the Dance class is $350 and for other extracurricular classes is $250.

ISSD is accredited by WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges), San Diego Unified School District, Poway Unified School District, San Dieguito Union High School District, and others

Iranian School: A Success Story

A short look into the largest Iranian School outside of Iran, based in San Diego, California.

A Little History

In September 1988, at the invitation of Shahri Estakhri and Mozayan Bagherzadeh, the first group of students began attending Persian classes, marking the inception of the Iranian School of San Diego (ISSD).

Shortly thereafter, a group of dedicated parents joined forces to establish the Persian Cultural Center (PCC) as a nonprofit organization. Their goal was to enrich cultural activities and better serve the Iranian American community. To date, nearly 2,300 students have benefited from ISSD’s programs. In the academic year 2023-2924, we had 300 students enrolled at all levels, engaged in learning the Persian language and exploring Iranian culture. During the Covid-19 pandemic, all our classes were conducted virtually via Zoom. Since 2021, we have offered both in-person and virtual classes, attracting online students from across the country.

ISSD has been a trailblazer in teaching Persian as a heritage language, developing textbooks that are now used in many schools nationwide. The school boasts a robust teacher training program with over twenty passionate and experienced educators. Our Persian Language Program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and all local school districts. High school students can fulfill their second language requirements by studying Persian at ISSD.

As part of ISSD, the Persian Dance Academy teaches Iranian folk dances and performs at various cultural events. Students celebrate major cultural occasions such as Nowruz, Mehregan, and Yalda.

The PCC, our mother organization, has also expanded significantly. Our bilingual cultural magazine, Peyk (peykmagazine.com), reaches thousands of readers worldwide. PCC has organized numerous cultural events, including poetry nights, film screenings and discussions, Jong e Farhangi, art exhibitions, music concerts, and theatrical performances.

In 2013, with community support, PCC purchased and established the Iranian American Center (IAC), a hub for cultural gatherings. Over the past 36 years, ISSD and PCC have emerged as two of the most successful cultural organizations outside of Iran, a testament to our community’s vibrant spirit and dedication.

For us, learning Persian is not merely an end in itself—it is a gateway. Alongside cultural enrichment, we strive to create a nurturing and inclusive environment where students can find a sense of belonging and cultivate their identities.

Through tuition fees, fundraising initiatives, and countless volunteer hours, ISSD operates as a self-sustaining entity, independent of any religious or political affiliations. Our achievements would not have been possible without the unwavering support of parents and the broader Iranian American community.

ISSD has prepared a six-volume set of textbooks based on the latest findings of academia on “heritage language” teaching and our own hands-on experience in the past 36 years. These books are currently being used in several schools around the country. They are available for purchase for schools or individuals. Audio versions of the lessons are also available on the ISSD website.

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