JEDDAH, 25 August 2004 — After more than a year of uncertainty and intensive negotiation, the former Saudi Arabian Airlines School has formally changed ownership and will open its doors on Saturday, Aug. 28. It will operate as a not-for-profit community school as a continuation of Saudia-SAIS.
The future of the school was called into doubt last year when the airline deemed its existence as not essential to its core business. Parents, teachers and prominent local businessmen and officials protested against the move and for several months the future of the school was in the balance.
“Mercifully, we have resolved most of the issues and we are confident that the school has a bright future serving the many nationalities who contribute to the life of the Kingdom,” said Dr. Georgene Wade, the school director. “We thank the many Saudis and expatriates who participated in many ways toward this undertaking for the benefit of all our children.”
She went on to say, “There is every prospect of a year of peace, prosperity and tranquility for students and their families.”
Renamed the American International School in Jeddah, the school has over 530 students on its rolls as well as 23 new teachers. The students represent some 45 nationalities; last year Saudi students accounted for slightly more than 7 percent of total enrolment.
Despite abbreviating the academic year two years running “under official advisement,” Dr. Wade is optimistic about the prospects for the newly re-formed school, saying that she hopes and intends that the school will operate normally this year.
“We have recruited a first rate group of teachers to replace those who left at the end of the last academic year,” she said, “and the current well-qualified staff are already in school preparing for the new intake of pupils.”
The expat teachers, all from the US or Canada, have extensive teaching backgrounds in international schools around the world. They are hired at recruitment fairs held for the purpose of matching prospective credentialed teachers with international schools throughout the world.
The school now is not connected to — or sponsored by — Saudi Arabian Airlines and has the assistance of the US Consulate and the US government. Finance for professional development, security and a “virtual school” have been allocated by the US government. The virtual school is a net-based program developed by the Near East/South Asia Council of Overseas Schools of which AISJ is a member; the program allows students and teachers to connect online with other international schools in the region. “It adds a whole new dimension to the concept of international schooling,” commented Dr. Wade.
Full accreditation by the US Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools — held since 1981 — has been reconfirmed. Consequently, the full US academic curriculum will be offered as before with additional instruction in Arabic and Islamic Studies as required.
The elementary school has unique programs in recycling for the future to save the environment, hosting an annual walkathon to benefit the Worldwide Life Fund. The Third Grade International Week celebrates international hands across the ocean. A signature event is International Day where all students wear their national dress, eat different foods and learn the customs and traditions of their classmates.
High achieving students at the high school will have the option of taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses which allow credit at many colleges and universities in the US and abroad and which often allowing a good student to skip the freshman year and enter degree programs as a sophomore.
The school has completely upgraded its AP curriculum and course books in anticipation of a high enrollment rate. “The popularity and success of the AP program reflects highly on the ability of the staff in the school, the hard work of the pupils and has the bonus of saving money for parents when their children enter college,” said Dr. Wade with a smile.
