Atlanta International School

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
--Submitted by a parent

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.
--Submitted by a parent

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.
--Submitted by a parent

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.
--Submitted by a parent

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.
--Submitted by a student

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!)
--Submitted by a parent

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.
--Submitted by a student

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!
--Submitted by a parent