Bricks and Mortarboards
As this is our last Globetrotter of the school year and with the graduation ceremony for the class of 2004 complete, it is time to wish all members of the AIS community a wonderful summer vacation.
Last week we graduated our 401st to our 459th student in the history of AIS. The class of 2004 is an exceptional group of young women and men by any measure. They achieved our highest average SAT score ever (above 1300), 14 were national merit scholars, and they were awarded millions of dollars in grants and scholarships. Of those applying to colleges and universities in the US, 85% were admitted to the top 50 colleges and universities in the nation (according to US News & World Report) and 95% were accepted to the top 100. Nearly half of them joined AIS in the primary school and eleven of them were AIS “lifers,” having started with us in either Kindergarten or 1st grade and completed the full journey to graduation. They have built houses with Habitat for Humanity, initiated an organization called Children of Hope to prevent children from becoming soldiers, dedicated hundreds of hours tutoring refugee children, redesigned student government at AIS and broadened the International Students Against Landmines program across the globe. Clearly, we have high expectations for what they will do next.
While our graduates are heading off to study around the world, we are working to build our new Sports & Activities Center in time for use in the 2004-05 school year. I wish that I could report exactly when the SAC will open but there are too many aspects that are unpredictable, including the weather and delivery dates of key components such as the steel beams. However, I can provide a current update on the schedule according to our contractor and project manager. We anticipate re-opening our old gymnasium, renovated to include three new music rooms, five new music practice rooms, a multipurpose room and new bathroom facilities, the first week of September. The new SAC is scheduled to open in December. We are working with the contractors to move up both of these dates so that we have the old gym renovation ready for the start of the new school year (19 August) and the SAC ready in time for the basketball season in early November.
It will be a busy summer but I hope that all members of the AIS community can find time for relaxation and for family and friends. For returning families, you will be receiving two mailings this summer with all the information you will need to get the new school year off to a smooth start. Happy holidays to all!