In September 1973, Mr. Richard F. Underwood, then headmaster of Seoul Foreign School [SFS], conferred with Mr. James L. Wootton, then principal and later headmaster of the Korea Christian Academy [now Taejon Christian International School]; on the vision of a Korea-wide foreign school organization for the purpose of enhancing in-service training for non-DOD school professional staff. The vision seeds for the KOREA COUNCIL OF OVERSEAS SCHOOLS, in short KORCOS, were sown during this initiative. The Seoul International School [SIS] and Sacred Heart were invited to join in as charter members of KORCOS and Mr. Wootton was chosen to serve as the first president. SIS was just starting with 40 students and three [3] teachers. In 1988 – 90, a few more foreign schools joined in the KORCOS community.

When KITE or Educators’ Day was born in 1975 as initiated by the DODD Schools in Korea, KORCOS bowed out and stayed dormant until 1987. It was a long 12-year nap for KORCOS.

In 1988 KORCOS was revived and Dr. Ronald Richter of SFS served as president until 1989 and again in 1991. Eight schools participated in the revival: SFS, SIS, SA, KCA, Early Childhood Learning Center, Franciscan School, Liberty Christian School and the Indianhead School. Having grown into a larger community of foreign professionals in the Republic of Korea, KORCOS conferences continued to grow in its logistical demands. The first formalized conference coordination was a tandem effort between Karen Link of the SFS and Alice Lavina of Seoul Academy [SAIS]. The KORCOS Spring Conference was hosted by SFS. Job-Alike groups were a valuable inclusion at this conference. The KORCOS Fall Conference was held at the Hotel Intercontinental. Cindy Farley served as coordinator. The conference format was patterned after Educators’ Day. In 1990, Pat Lee served as coordinator. In 1991, KORCOS took a bold step into an assembly type of conference setting. The idea was strongly suggested by Alice Lavina to meet the consistent feedback of participants about how they constantly missed meeting the import resource speakers. This was a nagging evaluation feedback that eventually led into the opening and closing assemblies with the keynote speakers in the years to come. Jean Brouer served as coordinator in 1991.

The conference theme of 1992 was “Resources Within Reach”. Rick Neumann served as coordinator. “Cultural Links Through Education” was the theme in 1993. Embassies participated in the exhibits and countries represented included Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The Intercontinental Travel Service, Inc. donated a round trip ticket to fly in one of the conference resource persons from the USA. The first conference newsletter was released and the first conference rubric was designed to ease conference planning. Conference Coordinator was Alice Lavina. “Learn Earth C.A.R.E.” was the theme in 1994 in which C.A.R.E. meant Conserving and Recycling Earth or Environment. Program Coordinator was Priscilla Kumpe. In 1995 the theme was “Connecting the World”. The overseas school parent communities were represented at this conference. Job-Alike sessions made a come-back due to popular demand. Tim Gray, Head Teacher of the SFS British School Division served as Conference Coordinator. The KORCOS Professional Development Scholarship was activated granting up to 500 USD per proposal to enhance a KORCOS member foreign school curriculum. Graduate school credits were made available through the San Diego State University.

KORCOS continued to flourish especially from 1994 up to the present with the continuing strong support of the foreign school members in the Republic of Korea. In 1997, KORCOS and DODDS in the Republic of Korea joined forces to further strengthen the vitality of professional development of overseas professionals and leaders in the Republic of Korea.

KORCOS Presidents include several prominent names in professional development of educators and leaders: Dr. Ronald Richter, Ms. Cindy Farley, Mr. Joe Lemire, Ms. Muriel Durham, Jeremy Van Duyvendyk, Karen Wood, Robin Burrage, Alice Lavina and Einstein Lavina. Alice Lavina so far has served the longest number of years in the KORCOS organization in the capacities of Conference Coordinator [3years], Vice President [2 years] and President [10 years]. Alice Lavina was among those instrumental in the revival of KORCOS in 1988 and especially in the advancements of many relevant changes to KORCOS conferences during its evolutionary years from 1994 to 2004. Upon her retirement due to a degenerative disk illness in August 2004, her husband Einstein Lavina willingly took over the presidency and is currently serving the position.

The KORCOS-DoDDS Conferences have been held at the Seoul American High School, Yongsan Base,  been hosted at a hotel by Seoul International School, at Indianhead International School campus and Seoul Foreign School campus. We continue to look for new venues hosted by our member schools.

KORCOS continues to flourish.