School Profile

The American International School Kuwait (AISK) is a private independent day school serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. AISK is overseen by a Board of Owners that operates similarly to that of an American School Board. AISK is an International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum School that is fully authorized for the Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma (DP) Programmes. At AISK, students are at the center and teaching and learning and are seen as pivotal to the growth and development of students, faculty, and the AISK community.

The educational side of the organization is divided into three divisions; Elementary (PK-4), Middle (5-8) and High School (9-12), and accommodates leadership and teaching teams within and across those divisions. AISK was reaccredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) in 2013 which was reaffirmed in May 2017. As an IB Continuum School, all three IB Programmes were reauthorized in the spring of 2017. The business side of the organization includes finances, admissions, and human resources. The Superintendent, the Board of Owners, and the Business Manager work closely together to ensure that the needs of the student are best being met within both sides of the organization.

The school has grown steadily since it opened in 1991 and currently has a student population of just over 2100 in a 7-section school, with 8 sections now in KG1 and KG2. English is the language of instruction although roughly sixty percent of the students are Kuwaiti. Another twenty five percent are Arabic first-language speakers from elsewhere in the Middle East. The remaining fifteen percent are from North and South America, the United Kingdom, Northern and Central Europe, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Korea and elsewhere.

The ethnic diversity of the Middle East layered with the complexity of an otherwise international student body provides a stimulating and endlessly fascinating environment in which we live the IB Learner Profile of the Graduates. Students of all nationalities study Arabic either as a first or second language through grade 9, as required by the Ministry of Education (MOE). Muslim students are also required to study Islamic religion throughout their education.

AISK students strive for balance and take part in a wide range of athletic and activities through the Near East Schools Activities Conference (NESAC) of which AIS is a full member and in 2018 took the lead of this organization. AISK also participates fully in KASAC, a local activities and athletics conference that saw its first year in 2017/18. Our annual International Day, Arabic Culture Day, Sports Day, and Fine Arts and Math Nights are other examples of AISK celebrating the holistic student and inquiry-driven nature of the curriculum.

AISK hires qualified, experienced teachers and leaders with North American equivalent degrees who are licensed or certified via one of the many international recruitment organizations and virtually. AISK faculty is first language English speaking with the exception of Arabic, Islamic Studies and language acquisition teachers. AISK is known for the high level of professional development training that is ongoing and relevant to the growth of leadership and teaching teams. Collaboration at AISK is the norm and generates enthusiasm and creativity within the structures of curriculum development and the AISK institutional memory. In the last several years, instructional coaching has improved teaching and learning at AISK and provides opportunities to support teacher and leader efficacy.

Teachers at AISK are heavily involved in curriculum development and implementation, and integrating technology into the student learning experience. Student demographic information and communication with students and parents is facilitated through the use of the Rediker suite of software. Rubicon Atlas serves as virtual curriculum and improvement planning development and storage. Microsoft 365 offers virtual folder and file storage, as well as the full suite of Office software usage. Seesaw, Survey Monkey, and other online tools are used to deepen student-teacher lesson engagement.