Atlanta International School

Thank you for your interest in Atlanta International School (AIS). As the Head of School of AIS as well as the parent of three children at the school, I witness each day the unique learning that happens here.

Indeed, there’s a special kind of creative energy here at AIS that comes from more than just the natural hustle and bustle of children going to and from class; there’s an incredible spirit of community and diversity of perspectives that come from students, families, faculty and staff representing more than 90 nationalities and over 60 languages. Our faculty alone comes from 40 different nations.

At AIS, we recognize that to adequately prepare students for our increasingly complex and interconnected world, we must provide them with new ways of thinking and new ways of collaborating in solving our most pressing global issues. As such, our mission goes far beyond preparing students for good colleges and prosperous careers; we want to create globally-minded and critical-thinking innovators ready to re-shape the world for the better.

Through the IB, we develop the whole human being. A confident young person courageous in their willingness to question what they observe around them. A student able to take complex and often disparate knowledge, concepts and skills and forge these into new and unique ways of solving problems and adding value to their world.

We make learning relevant and exciting for students, as we continually draw connections between what they learn in the classroom and the real world. Perhaps most importantly, we encourage our young people to reflect on their learning—and to act on it in the service of others. We believe learning must be for action and impact.

What AIS is especially known for, and perhaps why I’ve saved it for last, is our approach to language acquisition and immersion. Young people not only learn another language (or two or three) here, they learn through that language. This means they not only become highly proficient in more than one language, they also develop “intercultural competence”, the ability to easily navigate and flow between and among different nationalities and complex cultural situations—and to do so with tremendous empathy, diplomacy and tact.

It’s a wonderful time to be at AIS. I hope you will come visit us and spend some time at the school and experience firsthand the unique, vibrant and wonderfully inclusive community that is AIS.