Atlanta International School

My child spent 12 years at this school; we couldn't see it through financially. My child did learn how to enjoy learning ; in the pre-k thru 5th grade the teachers were awesome although the admistration was horrible in the primary section;in middle school the "money" started to matter more and more in admission decisions and among parents cliques....including the language tracks of students and the quality of the teachers was ok for the most part; in high school there were a few ultra long term teachers who dictate the course of your student's life at the school - that is simply unacceptable. Too many parents get jobs at the school which in my view gives certain students a better treatment versus others; the school wouldn't work with us financially to allow our child to graduate there and indeed did not release our child's transcript until all of the tuition was paid...overall very disappointed with how were were treated over well a decade of service to the school volunteering etc -(

Ouch! So sad to read such a negative review of what is essentially a great school. To the previous reviewer I'm sorry your bullying experience wasn't resolved to your satisfaction. Sadly every school has bullying so hopefully your next experience will be better. Wow...no school is perfect but I have never come across a school which is more open to discussion with parents and students and to trying to improve the way they do things. If your child is smart verbal and highly intelligent this could well be the school for you since AIS offers something for everyone no matter what his/her interest or strength. As a full IB school AIS offers a challenging level of academics and many extra curricula opportunities. The school and parents go to great lengths to welcome new students and families; I have spoken with secondary students new to the school who were amazed that everyone was so friendly and helpful. This school is not 'international' in name only. If your child attends AIS they cannot help but receive an education with a global perspective.

OUCH! Could not get out of here fast enough. If your child is smart and verbal and highly intelligent then this is NOT the school for you because they have a box that you will need to cram into. The bullying is unbelievable and the school does not have PROCEDURE that goes with their minimal policy. The students are exclusive and make it impossible for new kids to fit it and the school does not facilitate it any better. Don't be fooled by the "international" aspect as it is a fabricated bubble. The French kids (and parents) play with each other and etc all through the other languages. Your child can learn to say "leave me alone" in a multitude of languages if that's the experience you want for him. otherwise take him to another school where bullying doesn't cost you $21 000.00! In fact for THAT amount of $$$ you could actually live in another country and have a total immersion experience! No transparency here and the communication is lacking.

I just graduated from AIS in May 2011 and I am now enrolled in undergraduate studies in the New York area. AIS provides a high quality education and the focus is on the student. The number of teachers I had over nine years who helped me inspired me and allowed me to grow ... just incredible. I can't speak much for the administrative side of things but the instruction was first rate. I feel prepared for whatever comes next. I grew at AIS through my participation in organized sports theatre music and creative writing. The IB program is serious stuff and will be a challenge for anyone. I made it through though! I only wish I could have taken both theatre and music in the IB Diploma Program. Both of those programs are great and taught by amazing instructors but IB only allows one group six subject. Also there are numerous opportunities to travel internationally as an AIS student. I participated in THIMUN two years and got to see Holland Germany and met many other students from around the world. One thing I would like to see AIS improve upon would be the communication. All around this is an area that needs some work. I am proud to be an AIS alumnus now!

I am a student at AIS and have been since 4-year kindergarten. In high school now I definitely would say that AIS has become a home to me. I am always encouraged by my teachers who have my best interests at heart and find that AIS helps me and my classmates to have a balanced life. With the help of teachers and counselors I'm able to strive in academics physical health and do community service through AIS. I love that AIS has no "cliques". I feel like I am very much a part of the lives of all my classmates and the social environment is anything but exclusive. Although I was only a new student when I came in kindergarten I know that the new students who join my grade and others are always taken in. People always take the time to get to know them. I think because the grades are small we soon become a family (even though that sounds clich ) and there is always support for those who need it. I also have a great relationship with the faculty and enjoy talking with the cafeteria ladies as we know each other by name. I appreciate and treasure the opportunity of coming to AIS and hope that others can be changed by the school that has had such a large role in nurturing my growth.

What a wonderful schools AIS is. From its leadership faculty staff community etc. AIS is without a doubt the best international school in Atlanta Georgia. AIS is located 2890 North Fulton Drive Atlanta GA (404) 841-3840

Both our son and daughter are in the secondary school at AIS and have a truly exceptional educational and cultural experience. They have close friends from both Europe and Latin America and are both actively participating in exchange programs. Theater and model UN are two particularly strong extracurricular activities. There is also a strong soccor team although other sports are not emphasized. The teachers are a much more interesting group of people than one finds at secondary schools and on the whole are very engaged and involved with the students. Parents have been extremely friendly and there are many informal parties and other events that include both parents and students.

After several years in the secondary school it's clear one of the basic problems with AIS is the utter lack of customer service by the time a parent is paying close to $20 000/year for their child(ren)'s IB education they need to experience more listening responsive behaviors from the school's leaders. Were it not for the worldwide quality assurances of the IB curriculum AIS would be a very average school with sub-par administrators and staff despite a very good albeit transient faculty. Key problems include a highly subjective college counseling staff that only recently acquired professional software for tracking workflow...a math/high class that's mixed in with math/standard students to a class total of 28...lackluster and turbulent programming for the new Mandarin track...a recurring theft problem exacerbated by the school's use of unlocked lockers for PR...trustees who are overly involved with the day-to-day operations of the school...We left with mixed feelings for AIS.

Our child is in her third year at AIS and we have been extremely happy with the school. Having come from overseas we felt immediately that we were part of the school community and the buddy program worked very well for us. Our daughter has thrived at the school speaks French very well and impressed French people we know back in Europe. AIS is now one of the few schools in the US accredited with the MYP for the IB. I was frankly amazed at some of the comments here as our experience has been nothing but positive. The arrival of Kevin Glass has been a welcome addition but we felt that there had already been improvements in communication and openness. We see the school as going from strength to strength.

Atlanta International School is one of distinct polar opposites the primary school employs capable and creative teachers who do all that is within their possibility to engage their students and help them learn to love knowledge and language. But as soon as one reaches the middle school everything one does is chastised and scrutinized and given an infraction without a legitimate reason or any explanation. I abhored the entirety of my middle school experience there was minimal communication between teachers administration and parents; almost all teachers were uninspired and lack lustre which reflected in my (usually above par) English scores; the students were moody and rebellious thanks to the entire convoluted system. As a freshman in the high school we are begins subjected to yet another new head Kevin Glass. Hopefully he'll rev up what was once a fantastic school and fire some of the most notorious teachers.

AIS has lofty goals but the quality of its teachers is below average. Also the MS program involves too much discipline and not enough true challenges for the students. The schedule of ever-changing daily classes (every 8 days and then that again changes due to holidays field trips guest lectures etc.) is very confusing for the students to keep up with and offers no real benefits. The curriculum for Math and Sciences need to be more rigorous (and maybe silly classes like 'PSHE' and 'DEAR' could be done away with please?) and the teachers need to be nicer and more involved. A disappointing experience for us for MS for sure. The teachers we've had in European and American public schools were MUCH more impressive than at AIS! This school should focus on improving its staff first NOT its buildings and athletic fields. (AIS Athletics are very weak anyway!)

Great school; the I.B program is simply excellent compared to the American curriculum which only provides students with the bare minimum and no view on the 'outside' world. It provides students with life-long skills and it simply makes you a better overall person. You learn to be hard-working due to the loads of work and you learn to be a responsible and tolerant young adult. At this school I have made friends from all around the globe and the atmosphere at this school is like no other.

AIS is an interesting place. Can be an enchantment (as you will find in several reviews) or a disappointment (as it was for others). The main difference stems from what teachers your children had in primary and especially in middle school. If you were lucky to have a good teacher (as some of them were) great; if not then you would have to deal with teachers which are really subpar and with a leadership body that is like a perfect stone ie rigid non-reflective and dull. Math and science are in great need of improvement otherwise the SAT scores will continue to look as bad they are now. Hence in order to be successful the new principal will need to stick to his guns (hopefully the right ones and well calibrated) fire a few teachers and institute a house of rules consistency and high standards throughout. Good luck!

Hi I am a student at AIS and I have some thoughts for the new Headmaster. I have heard that the old-fashion principals were pacing the classes regularly trying to monitor the quality of classroom teaching in the entire school. That sounds like a great forgotten tool for all school heads and principals! One of the reviews about AIS brought up the idea of quality surveys and feedback another great way of finding the truths that generally get berried in various offices overtime. Giving feedback to the teachers and asking for regular feedback from parents and children need to be paired with dynamism zero-tolerance for byzantine relationships and inadequate quality. If these changes won't happen soon some children will be attending other schools in the meantime and the school reputation will be then more difficult to repair. There is great momentum in the next 6 months!

AIS has great potential due to its multicultural exposure but middle school has many things to improve. For example it has few excellent teachers but the overall quality is not above average for public schools especially in math and science. Also consistency regarding regulations tests and content of report cards is needed. Each teacher applies the rules that fit their style and personality without a uniform approach across school. Giving feedback to AIS middle school office is useless since all they try to prove the student was wrong or misinterpreted the rule. This is a slipery slope since teenagers should be encouraged respected and taken seriously in order to develop self confidence and learn to evaluate themselves. The new principal has a lot of work to do! A feedback questionnaire from students on each teacher after each semester is done by other schools with good results. Why not AIS?

AIS is a great school. My son has been enjoying the IB program for several years. The transition from overseas was very smooth

We have had a very positive experience at AIS. With two students in primary school we find that the curriculum is challenging because of the foreign language yet there is sufficient support for the children as needed. The school is somewhat transient because of international expat families. AIS may not be equipped to support children with severe learning challenges but is certainly equipped to proactively manage the more basic challenges such as dyslexia. AIS provides a unique and encouraging learning environment that prepares students to be independent responsible creative and solution-oriented thinkers.

AIS is an excellent school which provides a well-rounded educational experience in a community which is diverse accepting and nurturing. My children have attended AIS from 4K through graduation and I can honestly say that the School contributes to the creation of wonderful young people who are interested in the world around them who are capable of critical thought and analysis and who care for their classmates and others. The students at AIS have many opportunities to experience firsthand the cultures and customs of others--they are well-traveled as a group and they become engaged citizens. The IB program at AIS is superb--it prepares the students well for university and it is taken by all 11th and 12th grade students. On the whole the faculty is committed and extraordinarily hardworking. The diverse community supported by the Community Principles result in a special uniquely diverse and close-knit community. AIS is a wonderful school.

AIS teachers give great testament to those who are first-rate educators of our youth in this community. We couldn t be more impressed with the teachers and their superb teaching skills support and encouragement that they have given our daughter. She really enjoys and responds well to their teaching style. We are very proud of her achievements and we know that we have the teachers to thank in large for it. We are an American family with no foreign languages. Her language teachers have a system that has taken her from hating language days to loving them. They have given her the tools to feel confident in her language speaking reading and writing. If you understand that your child the teachers and you are partners in the education experience your family will thrive. If you believe you can just drop off your child at school and the school must identify and solve all of problems we suggest you apply someplace else.

We have children in the 4-K AND 5-K Spanish track and could not be more pleased with AIS. It has by far exceeded our expectations on every level.