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Inspiring Successful Futures

Annual Report2012-2013

Inspiring Successful Futures

A Year of Inspiring

Leadership2 3

HEADMASTER’S REPORT

A message from the Headmaster’s Desk 4

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

A message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees 6

FINANCIAL REPORT

2012-13 Annual Finance Report 10

STUDY RESULTS

IB Diploma Programme 2012-13 results 14

IGCSE 2012—2013 results 16

LIFE AT AIS

A student’s perspective 18

CONTENTS

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“We have had another stable year financially and another year in which our excellent academic outcomes have allowed allstudents to chart a course into anappropriate university education.”

A MESSAGEFROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK

The 2012-2013 academic year was a year of growing stability and planning for the future and a setting of goals and development. The school continues to rest on its unique community as a foundation for all else that it does. Elsewhere in this report you will see that we have had another stable year financially and another year in which our excellent academic outcomes have allowed all students to chart a course into an appropriate university education.

It is essential that we, as a school, continue to analyze and rethink ourselves to ensure that we are, as far as possible, preparing students for their future rather than for our present. Such attempts to predict the future of education is always a difficult task, but is also a fascinating debate and an essential part of our appropriate planning.

Our focus on the future and the development of the school has been made possible by a more consistent Board of Trustees and an increasingly well-established Leadership Team.

Our community, our size and our excellent staff allow us to pause and focus on each individual student, on their needs, their support, their challenges and their direction. No student passes through AIS without being inspired by the people they meet and the opportunities they have. The outcome is a sense of affection for the school and their peers, which is unusual in any school, but particularly in international education.

The school has had a busy, enthralling, but very productive year. Any review of our calendar will reveal the wide array of opportunities that our students are presented with. Over 70% of our students are involved in sports activities, others in the arts and dramatic arts and yet others in Model United Nations and field trips. The list goes on and on. As a school we are firmly committed to a breadth of activity that allows students the best opportunities to excel and develop in all areas, whether academic, physical, emotional or social. It is wonderful to see this philosophy put so clearly into action.

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A MESSAGEFROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK

Another feature of this year has been the publication of our development plan, covering the next five years. The plan covered: the Provision of an Outstanding Education, Educational Facilities for the 21st Century, Growth and Sustainability and Community Engagement. Work has begun on making this vision of the future a reality. The year has, of course, had its challenges. We continue to have to work very hard on our marketing and admissions in the phase of a diminishing market and tough economic conditions. The need to recruit, train and retain the very best staff is something that the leadership team regards as central to its responsibilities. As a school we rely on having outstanding teachers who are committed to their vocation and professional development. I would like to thank our staff for their continued commitment to the care and development of our students. The 2012-2013 school year was Dr. Gwyn Underwood’s last year at AIS. Gwyn spent three years as our principal of MS/HS, and his hard work, expertise and determination have proved to be essential factors in the school. I would like to thank him for his contribution and

to wish him every success in Beijing where he takes up his first School Director’s post. In replacing Gwyn, I was delighted that Dr. Vinny Sant-Wade, who worked in the school from 1994 to 1999, and rejoined us in 2012 as Director of Studies, accepted my offer for the post of MS/HS principal. The year’s developments included a new website that reinforced and built on the communications platform and the “look and feel” established in the 2011-2012 year. The website includes a new internal communications platform, AIS-Net, and provides the opportunity to have academic, public and private areas. In addition, the first of what will be annual parent and staff surveys took place.The feedback was incorporated into our planning and the high levels of satisfaction were celebrated. I would like to thank all who have been involved in the school this year, but particularly the staff and students who make AIS such a lively, interesting place to be.

Dr. Geoffrey Fisher, Headmaster

“I would like to thank our staff for their continued commitment to the care and development of our students.“

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The past school year started with a Headmaster commencing his second year at AIS and a mostly new Board, with eight new members joining after September 2012, as well as a new Board President, all sharing a common sense of excitement and passion for the school and a desire to protect its legacy and secure its future.

The Board’s priorities for the school year were driven by a number of key considerations:• the need to bring the organizational structure of the school to a higher level of stability and maturity, with the Board

focusing on its Governance role and effective functioning and the Leadership Team being accountable for operationally managing the school

• the core mission of the Board to ensure the sustainability and financial stability of the school• renewed focus on better connections with the local educational and institutional environment and with Flanders and

federal authorities. In terms of its own functioning, the Board has focused this year on efficiency and effectiveness, aiming to focus on its governance role and run meetings more efficiently. The Board meets eight to ten times a year. All regular Board meetings start with an open session where formal matters are discussed and necessary voting is carried out. The minutes of these meeting are public. The open meetings are immediately followed by closed meetings dedicated to confidential and strategic discussions. For the past school year, the Board has decided to invite the full Leadership Team (LT), as well as Faculty and PTO representatives to attend three of the seven open meetings, to ensure alignment and direct communication between the Board and these key representatives. In addition to regular meetings, the Board has Governance training with an external consultant at the beginning of the school year, and an informal meeting in February to review both the Headmaster’s and its own performances. Special meetings on strategic topics are organized whenever necessary.To support decision making and operational alignment between the Board and the LT, an Executive Committee composed of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary meets on monthly basis with the Headmaster.

Once a year, the Board organizes an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AIS Association, where financial reporting, academic results, budgets and strategic plans are discussed and approved, followed closely by an Annual Community Forum (ACF) where parents and staff are invited to discuss the same topics. Operationally, the Board works on key topics through Committees and Task Forces. These committees undertake the ground work necessary to achieve the Board’s objectives.

“The core mission of the Board is to ensure the sustainability and financial stability of the school.”

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A MESSAGE

FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Policy Committee was led by Sweta Mehta for this school year. The mission of this committee is to define and maintain all relevant governance documents, policies and procedures. Thanks to the hard work of many previous years, the Board Policy Manual is concise, current and aligned.

The committee’s core objective this year was to align the Dutch and English By-Laws in time for the November AGM voting, which was successfully accomplished. Along the way, two other Policies, 6.30 Instructional Groupings and Class Size and 4.01 Financial and Business Management Responsibility, were also updated. The process of updating policies on AIS-net still needs to be improved. Completing and communicating the five-year development plan was another key Board objective for this year. Continuing on the work started in the previous school year, the Development Committee and Building and Facilities Committee have been advancing our development agenda.

The Development Committee was led by Adrian Ridge for the academic year 2013/13. We now have a clear development roadmap in place for the school. Central to the development plan is the proposed new “Learning Center”, which shall significantly enhance the learning experience and optimize the current campus facilities. Development requires actions on both the short and medium term and, given the current environment of economic uncertainty, it is critically important that the school remains agile and adaptable. Under the guidance of our new Development Director, Jeff Snyder, during 2013/14 additional focus will be given to short term activities to ensure that current student numbers are maintained and increased. The Building and Facilities Committee, chaired byMr. Herman Van Hoeve, met quarterly, with a focus on the Learning Center Project and the general maintenance level of the school, including small improvement projects.

The Committee of Trustees and the FinanceCommittee have been instrumental in achievinganother important Board objective, which was stability in terms of governance and finances, so that the school community can remain focused on quality of education. The Committee of Trustees (COT), led by Magda Honffy van Damme, coordinates the recruitment and orientation of new Board members. Its key goal is to recruit Board members with diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences, representing key stakeholders and influencers of the school environment.

This school year, the COT recruited two new Board members, Anneliese Monden Wascher and Claude Marinower. Anneliese is an AIS parent and brings valuable experience as a former member of the International School of Brussels’ Board. Claude joined us as Alderman of Education of the City of Antwerp, an important step in better connecting the school with the educational environment of Antwerp. Three of our 12 Board members have started a second term of three years, thus providing well needed continuity in Governance. The Finance Committee, led by Nina Tytgat, is in charge of overseeing the school’s finances and ensuring that the finances are responsibly managed. Our business model requires us to hold reserves, which are deployed to smoothen cyclical movements in enrollment and to fund development projects. Our target is to achieve balanced annual budgets and to hold an adequate level of reserves to ensure long-term stability and consistency of education. In school year 2012-13, AIS achieved its financial goals and realized a balanced annual budget, while adding to its reserves and investing in its current IT program. Last but not least, the Board has decided to refresh its focus on institutional relationships through its Public Affairs Task Force, aiming to generate goodwill with authorities and potential partners in Flanders.

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The Public Affairs Task Force started operating this year under the leadership of Ludo de Keulenar and defined its overall objective as “to better integrate AIS in the local community, and enhance the relationships with the various authorities”. They defined action plans at four levels: local communes (Ekeren, Brasschaat), the City and province of Antwerp, the Flemish region (having authority over education) and the Federal government. Plans have been made to invite local mayors on school visits and generally involve them in AIS events. A key plan was to have the Alderman for Education of the city of Antwerp join the BOT, which has already happened. Meaningful cooperation with the Flemish region still needs to materialize. Contacts at the federal level have been established around the boarding project; further action is planned with the Minister of Finance on the tax status of the School and its employees. Overall, we are pleased with the progress made this year on all four Board objectives:

• A more focused way of working has allowed the Board to focus on strategic topics and on its governance role.

• The five year development plan has been defined and communicated to key groups of stakeholders. Progress was made with key components of the plan: the Learning Centre project, strategy for Fundraising and assessment of regulatory environment relating to a potential Boarding project.

• Membership of the Board was kept reasonably stable; the new school year has started with a full Board of 12 members, of which two are new and three are starting their second three-year mandate. Financially the school has reached its objectives, while focusing on quality of education, despite a still uncertain economic climate

• The major “win” of the year with regard to institutional relationships was having the Alderman of Education of the city of Antwerp join the Board. This represents recognition of the importance of our school in terms of the attractiveness of Antwerp for foreign investors, as well as of the role we can play as a benchmark for best educational practices.

Thank you to all Board members who have served in the 2012-2013 school year. Board memberships, committee chairmanships and executive positions are all voluntary, and people who serve in these roles dedicate their time and passion to governing and developing the school.

Mihaela Andronic, Board Chair 2012-2013

A MESSAGE

“A more focused way of working has allowed the Board to focus on strategic topics and on its governance role.”

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A MESSAGEFROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President Andronic, MihaelaMember Buckmaster, RuthMember De Keulenaer, LudoMember Fisher, GeoffreyMember Hechter, GrahamMember Honffy-Van Damme, MagdaVice President Jurgens, StevenMember Mehta, MihirSecretary Mehta, SwetaMember Ridge, AdrianTreasurer Tytgat, NinaMember Van Hoeve, Herman “Thank you to all Board members

who have served in the 2012-2013 school year. Board memberships, committee chairmanships andexecutive positions are all voluntary, and people who serve in these roles dedicate their time and passion to governing and developing the school.”

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2012 - 2013 ANNUAL

Purpose AIS is an independent not-for-profit organization that does not receive any governmental support. It is entirely funded from tuition fees, donations and sponsorships. Our business model requires us to hold reserves, which are deployed to smoothen cyclical movements in enrolment and to fund development projects.

Our target is to achieve balanced annual budgets and to hold an adequate level of reserves to ensure long-term stability and consistency of education.

The school’s finances are managed by the administrators of the school, while the Finance Committee acts in an oversight role to ensure that the school’s finances are responsibly managed and that the administrators adhere to sound business policies with our students as the focal point.

The Finance Committee provides guidance to the Board of Directors on financial matters.

Summary of 2012-13 Financial Results AIS has a stable enrolment level and the school year was concluded with 439 students, an decrease of 10 students compared to the previous year. The tuition fee increase was in line with the cost of living index and as such was less than comparable international schools in the area. AIS continues to be competitively priced compared to schools with similar offerings in Belgium.

Total expenses increased compared to the previous year, targeting improvement in quality of education and learning, primarily via an increase in teaching staff (2.9 teaching FTEs) and additional field trips and instructional activities. In addition, the school suffered an increase in bad debts and insurance costs. During the year, the school continued to invest in IT, with 85% of its total capital investmentsgoing towards supporting one-to-one laptop program, Smart Boards and IT infrastructure.

The combination of stable enrolment, sound costmanagement and carefully chosen investment priorities led to a healthy financial result for the year. The year was concluded with net P/L surplus of €144k, and netcash surplus of €756K, adding to the healthy reserves of the school.

In addition to overseeing operating and capital budgets, the Finance Committee worked on a number of initiatives including:• evaluating development plan options• reviewing capital and loan structure resulting in a loan

repayment• monitoring of the investment portfolio.

Priorities for school year 2013-2014 The Finance Committee will continue to:• review operating and capital budgets• evaluate development plan options• monitor reserves and portfolio movements to ensure

long term sustainability• support the Leadership Team in Salary & Benefits

2014 review

2012-13 Financial Highlights

• 439 students• 77 teachers, administrators and supporting staff (FTE)• 8.0 student/teacher ratio• Investments: 85% of total investment in IT such as One-to-One Laptop program, SmartBoards,

software and hardware• Overall Financial result: annual net P/L surplus of € 144k and net cash surplus of € 756k

FINANCE REPORT

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2012 - 2013 ANNUAL

AIS Profit and Loss Account (Euro'000) Note No Actual Actual Budget

2011-12 2012-13 2012-13

REVENUE

Gross tuition revenue 1 9.537 9.403 9.742

Other income 1.127 1.296 1.217

Total Revenue 10.664 10.700 10.960

OPERATING EXPENSES

Salaries* 2

Instructional (5.426) (5.491) (5.604)

Admin, IT, Marketing & Support (1.890) (2.141) (2.068)

(7.316) (7.632) (7.673)

Operating costs 3 (2.024) (2.192) (2.311)

Total Operating Expenses (9.340) (9.825) (9.983)

OPERATING PROFIT Before Depreciation 1.324 875 976

Non Operating Costs 4 (645) (731) (818)

NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) 679 144 158

Financial Statements for School Year 2012-2013 ending 30 June 2013

AIS Balance Sheet (Euro'000) Note No Actual Actual Budget

2011-12 2012-13 2012-13

NET ASSETS

Tangible and Long Term Assets 5 7.242 6.845 6.874

Cash & Investments 7.610 7.702 7.661

Short Term Receivables 247 180 254

Loans 6 (3.448) (2.785) (2.785)

Current Liabilities (2.894) (3.042) (3.094)

Net Assets 8.756 8.900 8.909

CAPITAL AND RESERVES

Capital 5.164 5.164 5.164

Dedicated Reserves 7

Contingency Fund 593 593 593

Endowment Fund 1.032 859 832

Building Fund 1.577 1.676 1.528

3.202 3.128 2.953

Accumulated Profit/(Loss) 390 608 792

Capital and Reserves 8.756 8.900 8.909

FINANCE REPORT

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Note 1 - Number of Students Actual Actual Budget

2011-12 2012-13 2012-13

Early Childhood / Elementary School 160 147 155

Middle School 94 106 110

High School 195 186 189

Total Enrolment 449 439 454

Student / Teacher Ratio 8,6 8 8,3

Note 2 - Number of Employees (FTE)* Actual Actual Budget

2011-12 2012-13 2012-13

Instructional 52 54,9 54,9

Admin, IT, Marketing 16,6 16,6 16,6

Support 5,4 5,3 6

Total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) 74 76,8 77,4

* 2011-12 salary figures reclassified to be comparable with 2012-13

Note 3 (Euro'000) - Operating Costs Actual Actual Budget

2011-12 2012-13 2012-13

Administration and Marketing 337 267 317

Instructional cost 187 241 219

Bus, Catering, Library, Stage Production & Other

413 399 425

Operating, Maintenance & Repairs 621 595 664

IT 104 81 139

Field Trips, Activities & Sports 308 385 410

Bad debts (26) 117 50

Taxes & Insurance 81 107 88

Total Operating costs 2.024 2.192 2.311

2012 - 2013 ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT

Note 4 - Non Operating Costs

Non Operating costs include Financial Income & Costs, Depreciation and Exceptional costs.

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2012 - 2013 ANNUAL FINANCE REPORTNote 5 (Euro'000) - Capital Expenditure Actual Actual

2011-12 2012-13

IT (Macs, Network, SW, HW) 301 197

Fine Arts 8 15

Interactive Whiteboards 17 15

Lockers - 8

Other 15 14

339 249

Note 6 - Loans

In 2013 Dexia loan of Euro 500K was repaid. Regular loan repayment during the year was Euro 163K.

Note 7 - Dedicated Reserves

Contingency Fund - No changeEndowment Fund was used to fi nance student grants in total amount of Euro 173K.Building Fund is increased with Capital Building Fee of Euro 219K and used to fi nance CAPEX in total amount of Euro 119K.

Note 8 - Source

Statutary Financial Statements audited by PWC in September 2013.

Charts to Financial Statements for School Year 2012-2013

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Sources of Revenue SY 2012-2013 % Euro'000

Gross Tuition Revenue 88% 9.403

Other Income 12% 1.296

100% 10.700

Cost Structure SY 2012-2013 % Euro'000

Instructional Salary 52% 5.491

Admin, IT, Marketing & Support Salary 20% 2.141

Operating Costs 21% 2.192

Non-Operating Cost / Depreciation 7% 731

100% 10.556

Purpose

The International Baccalaureate Programme provides students with various opportunities to be independent thinkers and to be thoroughly prepared for their tertiary education.

Diploma Results

The May 2013 IB Diploma results were again very good this year. The overall average score for AIS was 33 points, compared to the world average of 29.81. The AIS pass rate this year (85%) was well above the world pass rate of 78.5%. Our grade point average per subject (5.33) is also above world averages and at the same level as other selective international schools. Four of our students attained 40 points and above, and our highest score was 42.

Out of a total of 59 students, eight did not succeed in attaining their IB Diploma. Half of these students missed their Diploma by one point. A detailed analysis of the results has now been completed in an effort to identify the underlying factors.

2012-2013 IB DIPLOMA

The major ones are as follows:

• The IB Diploma Programme at AIS is available to all students and is therefore not a selective programme. This has been a long-standing tradition at the school and we pride ourselves in supporting and guiding all of our students in trying to achieve to the best of their abilities.

• Several of our students are non-native speakers and often join us in Grade 11. Many of them come from varying educational systems and thus have to overcome the challenges of a new programme and a new way of learning.

• Other aspects of school life also play an important role in the analysis of the results and include class size, student support, internal assessment and coursework. Predicted grades and their compatibility with the actual scores attained by the students have also been examined.

All departments have reviewed the IB component grades in their respective subjects and are now in the process of creating an action plan that will address specific issues in each subject, with the aim to improve the individual

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PROGRAMME REPORTIB DIPLOMA

marks of students in the upcoming May 2014 examination session. Nearly all of the Class off 2013 graduates, 56 out of 59, planned to commence their university studies in the Fall of 2013, with two students taking a gap year and one student undertaking military service. Over half - 32 (54%) - of AIS graduates are studying at a university in the UK, ten (17%) are studying in The Netherlands and eight (14%) in the US. Of the remaining six, four are studying within Continental Europe, one in Russia and one in South Africa.

A total of 20 (34%) students matriculated at their ‘first choice’ university, which is an excellent result, one that reflects well on the support that graduating students received from parents, teachers and their peers throughout their time at AIS.

Priorities for school year 2013-2014

• Continue to focus on bonus points in Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay. In order to enhance support for all Diploma students, the position of an Extended Essay Coordinator has been created for the new academic year.

• The TOK teachers are working collaboratively to provide students with sample guidance in their essay writing. The school has also established a relationship with the library at the University of Antwerp, in order to enable students to further develop their research skills.

• Provide IB students with strategies for success through time-management and stress-management skills.

• In order to ensure overall success, continue to counsel students in Grade 10 regarding their IB subject choices. This is particularly important for the Higher Level subjects. To help students with the Initial planning, the subject choice form has been modified to include recommendations from the relevant subject teachers. This process will be developed further in the coming academic year.

• Continue to emphasize the significance of coursework and Internal Assessment in order to maximize the component marks attained by students.

Dr. Vinny Sant-Wade, HS Principal

“A total of 20 (34%) students

matriculated at their ‘first

choice’ university, which is

an excellent result, one that

reflects well on the support that

graduating students.”

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Priorities for school year 2013-2014

• Encourage the uptake of the Cambridge Professional Development Programme, especially the bi-lingual teacher certifi cate aimed at teachers in schools with a large number of students who do not have English as a fi rst language.

• Celebrate and advertise the success of AIS IGCSE students.

• Continue the development of the business and economics course to a full IGCSE subject to further support students in their IB choices of business and economics.

• Consolidate the move towards A* and A grades and ensure consistency in assessment across subjects.

AIS IGCSE Results 2011 - 2013

AIS Overall grades achieved

Total AIS A*-C grades 2013 85% (UK average 2013 A*-C 68.1%).

Purpose

The 9th and 10th grade curriculum at AIS is designed to serve primarily as a prerequisite to the teaching of the International Baccalaureate Programme in 11th and 12th grade. This the IGCSE programme more than accomplishes.

Summary of Accomplishments

This was the third year of IGCSE exams at AIS for all grade 10 students. The programme is now an integral part of the High School curriculum. It is the culmination of two years study. The majority of students are enthusiastic about the programme and work ambitiously towards an internationally benchmarked grade.

This was the fi rst year for IB Diploma students to have also sat IGCSE. In comparing the IGCSE results from 2011 with the IB Diploma results of 2013 it was found overall that those who were successful at IGCSE continued that success in IB, often achieving an IB grade closely related to what they achieved at IGCSE.

An advisory programme was held for all grade 10 students on study skills, revision, examination technique and time management. In order to assist students in preparing for their examinations, they were given access to Smart Phone apps, websites, student forums and revision guides.

A number of students who were highlighted as being at risk of not fulfi lling their potential were given a mentor. The mentor was someone who the student had a positive relationship with and felt comfortable working with. This has proven successful in raising attainment and was positively welcomed by parents.

As with previous years, the parent invigilators were very professional and ensured that students felt at ease. Inspectors from Cambridge International Examinations have praised the running of examinations at AIS.

Online professional development was offered to IGCSE teachers. Those who undertook this training found it very benefi cial. This included the opportunity to discuss questions with the examiners through an open forum.

The IGCSE exam experience has helped to prepare students for the IB programme. Grade 11 teachers have found successful students progressing on to IB from IGCSE well prepared.

2012-2013 IGCSE REPORT

A* A B C D E

2011 11% 11% 18% 41% 14% 4.5%

2012 11% 17% 26% 27% 10% 7%

2013 18% 28% 23% 16% 9% 5%

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Closing statement

The IGCSE programme has continued to evolve over the past three years. A strong focus has been on ensuring that all AIS students succeed, giving students the skills and confidence to progress into the IB programme and tertiary education. Students have shown increased confidence and a desire to build upon their success. This has been confirmed by the close correlation between attainment in grade 10 and in grade 12. The IGCSE programme has also enabled a smooth transition for students leav-ing AIS, being recognised in over 140 countries. The time and dedication put into studying for the final assessment by the majority of IGCSE students, along with the support of their parents and teachers ensured their successful results and has prepared a strong foundation for future success.

Achievements

• AIS students attained 85% A* - C in their June 2013 IGCSE exams. This is an increase of 3% on the previous two-year average of 82%. In addition and more impressive is the move towards the higher A* and A grades.

• The best performance once again was in languages. All students in Dutch Foreign Language achieved either A* or A. This is a great result considering that many students have only been studying Dutch for a short period of time. Congratulations to Magda Gommeren for all of her effort.

• AIS students attained 100% A* - C grades in English as a Foreign Language, French First Language, French Foreign Language, Spanish Foreign Language and Dutch First Language.

• English Language students attained 84% A* - C against a world average of 80.2%. This is a very satisfactory result as 80% of our students do not have English as their first language. It is a policy of the English Department to enter as many candidates as possible in the first language exam in order to prepare them for IB. Three candidates sat English as a Second Language this year; all other candidates sat the first language exam.

• AIS mathematics students achieved 81% A* - C against a world average of 78.7%. The curriculum in mathematics has been strengthened in order to allow students to achieve the higher grades. The IGCSE International Mathematics course followed by AIS is a course developed to support students in IB schools and contrasts from the IGCSE mathematics course.

• History has not only attained 80% A* - C, over 7% above the global average, but made significant increases in the higher grades attaining 43% A* and A grades compared to 12% last year. Student feedback continuously indicates not only confidence in their teacher, but that they feel fully prepared for their IGCSE exams.

Richard Todd, IGCSE-Coordinator

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Over the years, the AIS faculty has managed to transform a beautiful green space into a place of education filled with the necessary facilities. The campus includes a Fine Arts Centre, a playground, elementary, middle and high school buildings, a library, a cafeteria (that serves both hot and cold meals during lunch time and snacks during break time), a gym for students to spend their recess time in and a new gym complete with a cafeteria. These facilities, together with the faculty and the willingness of the students themselves, lead to an education that inspires students to work to their maximum ability. Antwerp International School is more than great facilities and a devoted and highly qualified faculty. It is a community of people coming from all different corners of the planet, bringing their own heritage, culture and history, their lifestyle and habits and their way of life. These differences are recognized and respected and students are encouraged to learn from them, making AIS an all-inclusive school, shaping a spirit of community based on many different cultural pillars. The education supersedes the local and international dimensions; it inspires students to think across borders, to respect others and to recognize there is so much more than globalization. Even though education is very important throughout the AIS community, this successful school has managed to allow students to contribute to many different sports, including volleyball, football, basketball, cross country and tennis. These sports are optional and do not include the regular physical education lessons that make an AIS student not only educated but also fit.

LIFE AT AIS

“Education, andpreparing students for colleges and universitiesthroughout the world, remains the principlechallenge.”

Life at Antwerp International School (AIS) is a combination of a

great education, helpful teachers and students of different cultural

backgrounds who grow to inspire and challenge one another.

Antwerp International School provides its students with a worldwide

perspective that opens the gates to many more opportunities than

other schools could offer.

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A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

“Antwerp International School is a community of people coming from all different corners of the planet, bringing their own heritage, culture and history, their lifestyle and habits and their way of life. “

Besides sports, AIS offers many opportunities to develop the artist in each of us: musicians, painters, sculptors, actors, etc. The Fine Arts Center, including a well-equipped theater, is an asset that is one of the jewels on the AIS-crown. AIS is part of the local and international community and students are involved with and actively participate in many CAS initiatives. Each year, many trips are organized, bringing students to places nearby but also as far away as India and Argentina. AIS challenges its students to do more than just study.

Education, and preparing students for colleges and universities throughout the world, remains the principle challenge. IGCSE, and even more important the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB-DP ), are both demanding programs. If, however, they are successfully completed, they open the door to a successful continuation of the student’s education, securing their best possible future. The IB program ensures a more complete education by adding aspects such as Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. AIS is devoted to make the absolute best of this IB experience, by not only focusing on the grades, but also by ensuring each student is ready for the final anddecisive part of his or her education.

Due to all of the above-mentioned factors, Antwerp International School, by inspiring and challenging all of us, without a doubt manages to fulfil its promise to ‘inspire successful futures’.

Sophie Ceulemans, Belgian11th grade student

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Veltwijcklaan 1802180 Ekeren-Antwerp, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)3.543.93.00Fax: +32 (0)3.541.82.01Email: ais-community-office@ais-antwerp.beWeb: www.ais-antwerp.be

Headmaster: Dr. Geoffrey Fisher

2180 Ekeren-Antwerp, Belgium