American International School, Abu Dhabi
American International School, Abu Dhabi is an international school offering an American curriculum. The IB Diploma Program (IBDP)[2] is offered in grades 11 and 12, and the IB Primary Years Program (IBPYP)[3] is offered from KG to Grade 5. The school is coeducational in elementary, and gender-segregated in secondary.
| The American International School of Abu Dhabi (AISA) | |
|---|---|
 | |
 School in 2015 | |
| Address | |
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29th Street, Airport Road (Next to Novotel and Pepsi-Cola Building), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Emirate of Abu Dhabi UAE | |
| Coordinates | 24°25′47″N 54°25′51″E |
| Information | |
| School type | Private School |
| Motto | Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders, Today |
| Established | 1995 |
| Founder | ESOL Education |
| Sister school | American School Hong Kong, Dunecrest American School, Fairgreen International School, The American International School in Egypt, Cairo English School, American International School in Cyprus, Universal College |
| School board | International Baccalaureate (IB), American Curriculum |
| School number | 117 |
| Director | Patrick Rich |
| Secondary School Principal | Omar Ugalde [1] |
| Elementary School Principal | Danielle Rich |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Gender | Co-educational in K-5; gender segregated in 6-12 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 10:1 (Student-to-Teacher) |
| Language | English |
| Hours in school day | 7 hours |
| Student Union/Association | Elementary StuCo, Middle School StuCo, High School StuCo |
| School fees | $8,386 (AED 30800) to $15,247 (AED 56000) |
| Affiliations | IB-PYP, IBDP, American Diploma |
| Website | aisa |
History of AISA
The American International School of Abu Dhabi was founded in 1995 by ESOL Education. It was officially founded to serve American and other expatriate communities residing in Abu Dhabi.
Campus details
The school is located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The school has two libraries, a prayer mosque, a drama room, an art room, a music room, a swimming pool, six science laboratories, 2 AstroTurf pitches, two gymnasiums, two outdoor basketball courts, and a sports field used for soccer tournaments and major outdoor events.
The campus accommodates three levels of schooling. The elementary level consists of 700 students, the middle school level consists of 395 students, and the high school level consists of 650 students. The school is coeducational in elementary, and gender-segregated in secondary. The total number of students is approximately 1,380 students, and the students come from around 75 countries.
The American International School, Abu Dhabi's campus is located in proximity to the Embassy of the United States to the United Arab Emirates.
International and national accreditations
AISA is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools,[4] the Council of International Schools,[5] and the UAE Ministry of Education. It is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer the Primary Years Programme and the IB Diploma Programs. AISA is a full member of both the Near East South Asian Association of Overseas Schools (NESA) as well as the European Council of International Schools (ECIS).[6]
Curriculum
The school in offers an American high school diploma program and the International Baccalaureate program. Students in Kindergarten to grade 5 follow the U.S. Curriculum within the IB Primary Years Program (IB-PYP). In grades 6–9, students continue to follow the American curriculum. High school students can choose between the U.S. High School Diploma, or the IB Diploma Program. In secondary, student work is graded using Standard Based Grading (SBG).
Arabic and Islamic subjects are maintained by the UAE Ministry of Education, and secondary science subjects follow the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Admissions process
In order for admission at AISA, students may be asked to present past academic documents and report cards to the Admissions Office. For application to elementary school, students must meet the age requirements set by AISA. Secondary applicants do not have age requirements, but must have completed all course prerequisites and requirements. Students coming from schools outside Abu Dhabi or schools not following the same curriculum as AISA may be asked to take an admissions test. Students transferring from Abu Dhabi schools following AISA's curriculum may also be asked to take an admissions test along with a Measures of Academic Progress Test (MAP Test).
Activities
AISA is a member of two leagues, the local UAE league that is composed of international schools in the country, called Emirates Athletics Conference (EAC), and the international league that is participated by the schools from all over the MENA region which is the OASIS Activities Conference (OAC).[7] Among the sports offered at AISA are basketball, volleyball, badminton, soccer, swimming, and track and field. Other sports such as softball and handball are only played during P.E., but not after school or in a league.
ADEK Inspection Report
The ADEK Inspection Report has labelled the American International School of Abu Dhabi as a "very good" school. Strengths in academics were outlined; however, the report further published shortcomings of the Arabic language curriculum.[8]
Arts and theatre
On an annual basis, musicals and plays are performed by both elementary and secondary students. Throughout elementary, the art syllabus covers music, visual arts, drama, and art analysis. In middle school, grade 6 students take music classes, grade 7 students take theatre arts classes, and grade 8 students take visual art. In high school, art subjects are available as electives.[9]
Technology at AISA
Emerging technologies are a part of our everyday lives and change the way in which we access, create and communicate information. These technologies provide educational benefits and have the potential to positively impact teaching and learning. To support this potential, AISA has transitioned to a blended learning, technology- infused environment where students from grade 2-12, bring their own device to school each day .
To meet our technology goals, AISA uses the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards as a framework for effectively integrating technology into the curriculum. Our design and innovation teachers work in collaboration with other teachers including tech integrationists to support students as they apply learning and make connections to real world applications.
References
- "New Secondary Principal Announced!". 17 November 2016.
- "IB for young pupils offered in capital". The National UAE. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
- "International Baccalaureate®". IBO.org. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- "Search Our Members". MSA-CESS. 2015-11-18. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- "Membership Directory". Councils of International Schools.
- "American International School in Abu Dhabi". www.aisa.sch.ae. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
- "OASIS Activities Conference". Sites.google.com. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- Abushakra, Bassam. "Re-appointment of Mr. Patrick Rich" (PDF). The American International School of Abu Dhabi. Esol Education. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- "American International School in Abu Dhabi: Academics". www.aisa.sch.ae. Retrieved 2019-01-24.