2006-2010 Strategic Plan
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CHARACTER
Students are prepared to complete successfully the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma programme, are well prepared for admission to selective and distinguished colleges and universities worldwide, and become at least communicatively proficient in two or more languages. They model the following attitudes (open-minded, lifetime learners, adaptive and well-rounded) as described by the core values of AIS. Students who leave AIS prior to graduation are prepared to transfer successfully to other international, national or local schools.
PROJECT GOALS
The principles of mutual respect and understanding, as captured by the acronym RAVA - Respect All Value All - will be reinforced as part of a school-wide educational effort so that these principles become fully understood and integrated into the curriculum and the day-to-day experience of faculty, staff, students, parents and the Board of Trustees. A task force has been formed, reporting to the Headmaster and Education Committee of the Board, to identify action steps to reach this goal.
A review of all appropriate external challenge options for students, such as Robotics, Model United Nations, science and mathematics competitions, will be made and these will be strengthened and used to promote a wide range of opportunities so that students achieve to their highest personal potential.
Criteria for measuring student language target proficiency levels will be established at key grade levels 4K - 12; once established, these targets become a continuous improvement goal.
Regular annual mechanisms for tracking the academic achievement, career choices and other areas such as degree of engagement in community service for AIS graduates, will be created; similarly we will create mechanisms (e.g. exit interviews, 6 month reviews) to follow-up with students who leave AIS prior to graduation to gather feedback and identify successes and potential issues and actions for AIS.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
School-wide, student performance on individual IB subject exams and the IB diploma pass rate will be equal to or above AIS benchmark schools (local, national, and international).
Students, individually and collectively, will develop and model the character traits and attitudes described by the IB Learner Profile and the core values of AIS as captured by the principles of RAVA. *
Students will achieve an average SAT math score equivalent to or better than the average scores of AIS benchmarks. They will maintain or improve the current average verbal scores, which exceed those of AIS benchmarks.
The rate at which AIS seniors are admitted to highly selective colleges, universities and programs within a college or university worldwide will be equivalent to or better than that of AIS benchmarks. The success of any placement will be measured against the student's ‘fit' with the college or university, rather than any absolute, quantitative criteria.
Individual student Educational Records Bureau (ERB) results will improve on average, over time, and each student will reach target achievement level in writing within three years of his or her enrollment at AIS. Grade-level wide ERB results will, on average, meet or exceed average independent school norms.
Each student will pass a core Information Technology and Research skills assessment prior to entering grade six and prior to entering grade eleven.
* The creation of the metric to measure goals noted with an asterisk needs to be developed.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Every student at AIS is educated in a rich and challenging academic setting distinguished by its coherent philosophy, curriculum and methods of assessment based upon the best international and U.S. standards. Low student/teacher ratios and small class sizes ensure all students receive the personal attention needed to help them develop to their potential. Faculty, staff and students are provided with the appropriate tools and resources to meet the curriculum goals for each grade level and for each subject area.
PROJECT GOALS
The IB Middle Years Programme, grades 6 - 10, will be adopted as a bridge between the IB Primary Years Programme and the IB Diploma programme, so that a coherent curriculum continuum is created school wide.
The K-12 science curriculum will be reviewed and select changes made to embed more fully science and technology (information and design) into the academic framework and vision of AIS. The evolving curriculum will more actively engage students and create inter-disciplinary connections. A task force has been formed, reporting to the Headmaster and Education Committee of the Board, to complete this curriculum and resource review and suggest improvements and enrichment in the fields of science and technology.
The mathematics curriculum, and student achievement in mathematics, will be reviewed school-wide to determine the best approach to making improvement in student performance in mathematics with the aim of having students meet or exceed the IB world average in each of the three levels of mathematics.
The pedagogical approach to learning languages, with the goal of encouraging students to become bilingual, will be examined against current research and best practice. Changes will be implemented, accordingly; for example, in the percentage of time dedicated to the second language in the early primary years and in the middle and upper schools. A task force has been formed, reporting to the Headmaster and Education Committee of the Board, to review, assess and implement changes in this aspect of the curriculum.
The feasibility of implementing a required international exchange program for all students prior to the IB Diploma years (likely in 10th grade), combining language and service learning, will be completed and, if feasible, implemented.
The feasibility of implementing a 4th track (Chinese and English as most likely candidates) starting in the early primary years will be completed and, if feasible, implemented.
The feasibility of creating an off-site early learning program for 2 - 3 year old students will be completed and, if feasible, implemented.
The changing qualifications of distinguished and selective universities, particularly those in the United States, which demand that students demonstrate subject specific learning by taking the appropriate SAT subject tests in addition to the traditional math, verbal and writing exams, will be reviewed and curricular changes made accordingly to prepare optimally students to meet these qualifications.
AIS will expand our college placement support to ensure that all students enroll in the best possible college or university, which matches their personal situation and aspirations. We will proactively work with students, beginning in 9th grade, to help each student define their unique set of personal differentiators when pursuing the college placement of their choice.
STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND COMMUNITY PROFILE
AIS has established a balance of motivated local and international students who can thrive in its highly challenging academic program. It maintains an enrollment level that makes optimal use of the available facilities and resources and that allows each division to build a strong sense of community. Students are actively recruited from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and national backgrounds. AIS strives to have a similarly diverse faculty, staff and Board of Trustees.
PROJECT GOALS
Over the next few years, total AIS enrollment will stabilize at approximately 1000-1050 students.
The educational leadership team structure school wide will be restructured to ensure that the divisions in the primary school more closely match those in the secondary school. Each educational leader should be responsible for approximately 250 students to ensure that both students and the academic program can be optimally supported.
Partnerships with key constituents, for example, consuls, major community groups and other schools, such as the International Community School, will be strengthened and supported so that AIS's objectives related to its vision, student enrollment and community profile can be achieved.
The desired components, characteristics and interactions of a ‘model international community' will be identified and implemented. Once identified, these will be monitored and become a continuous improvement goal.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
Native speakers of French, German and Spanish and other language tracks will comprise at least one third of the students in each language track in the primary school, respectively. (Note: the Language Task Force will develop an updated definition of ‘native' speakers).
AIS will strive to spend 10% of revenues on financial aid, with expenditures in excess of the current 7% of revenues being funded from sources other than tuition, such as grants, scholarships and endowment, in order to augment the socioeconomic diversity and distinction of the student population.
AIS will increase the diversity of its students, faculty, staff and Board of Trustees, with particular emphasis on under-represented minorities*
AIS will attract and retain more native language speakers in the middle and upper school language programs.*
* The creation of the metric to measure goals noted with an asterisk needs to be developed.
FACULTY AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT
AIS attracts, retains, and supports the development of the best faculty and staff available locally, nationally and internationally. Our objective is excellent teaching with a focus on the process of student learning and on measuring, against clear standards, what students know and are able to achieve. AIS supports and encourages each teacher to become communicatively proficient in at least one language other than English. All who work at AIS model the high value that the school places in, ‘joy of learning, a nurturing and diverse community, mutual respect and purposeful effort to set and achieve high standards', that are consistent with each individual's full potential.
PROJECT GOALS
A comprehensive human resource plan will be established for faculty and staff to enhance recruiting, retention and development efforts to ensure excellence in teaching and student learning.
AIS will continue to revise its annual performance review process to align it with the goals and action imperatives of AIS's strategic plan. Compensation of faculty and staff will be tied, in part, to performance as gauged by this review process.
A methodology to assure that each teacher develops and maintains competence in the appropriate use of information technology as a productivity tool and as a tool for teaching and learning will be established. Once implemented, this will become a continuous improvement goal.
More formal links will be established with CASIE (the Center for the Advancement & Study of International Education) for members of faculty to collaborate on teacher training and research on international education.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
AIS faculty and staff salaries and benefit package, including key aspects such as investment in professional development, will equal or exceed those of Atlanta area benchmark schools.
Faculty attrition at AIS will be less than attrition at benchmark international schools in the United States.
TECHNOLOGY, TOOLS, BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
AIS provides an optimal and safe place for learning and teaching, and students, faculty and staff have the necessary tools and resources required to serve the mission, values and objectives of the school. AIS's infrastructure supports the academic program as well as athletics, the arts and other co-curricular programs.
PROJECT GOALS
The necessity for enhancing the science labs and equipment school-wide and the need to provide more space for implementing the inquiry based approach of the IB Primary Years Programme will receive highest and immediate priority, with implementation ready for the start of the 2006-07 school year.
On a longer term basis, in order to serve the demands of the academic program school wide, the following elements of a campus-wide master plan will be designed and constructed:
- Primary school - address inadequate square footage, other space issues
- Science - renovate existing labs, add new labs
- Visual arts - increase space and improve environment (lighting)
- Cafeteria - need to increase space
- Auditorium - reclaim balcony space
- Library - separate primary from secondary and increase space
- Faculty room - create adequate meeting space for faculty
- Parking & traffic flow - improve for safety, traffic flow and relationship with Garden Hills neighborhood
- Athletics / PE - Construct a track and space for field events.
AIS Board will have a standing sub-committee to evaluate additional adjacent land acquisitions as well as to monitor the feasibility and timing of the purchase of the leased portion of the campus from Atlanta Public Schools.
AIS will improve and expand upon its outreach to the wider community in the creation of partnerships that make use of the AIS facilities and resources with organizations such as the Alliance Francaise and the Goethe Institute.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
AIS will regularly conduct a facilities and major systems audit to guide preparation of the AIS maintenance plan and budget.*
* The creation of the metric to measure goals noted with an asterisk needs to be developed.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT, OPERATIONS AND PLANNING
AIS has in place the funds, financial controls and management systems that ensure the perpetual fiscal health of the school. Fundraising complements tuition, allowing AIS to implement fully its mission and objectives. All expenditures are cost-effective, balancing the importance of quality of results with the disciplined and frugal use of resources that is essential to fulfilling the school's mission and objectives.
PROJECT GOALS
AIS will launch and complete, within three years, a capital campaign to support the implementation of the master plan for buildings and grounds.
Indicators and benchmarks to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of all major non-educational operations, such as the business office, the development office, food-service, safety and security, transportation, preventative maintenance, HVAC, energy usage and tuition collection, will be developed. Once benchmarks are established, these will become continuous improvement goals.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
AIS will maintain a cash operating reserve equal to two months of operating expenses.
Tuition charged by AIS will be comparable with that of appropriate benchmark schools.
Annual unrestricted giving will equal or exceed that of appropriate benchmark schools.
AIS will aggressively work to increase the endowment. Ten percent of all future unrestricted capital campaign gifts will be directed towards the endowment.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
AIS continues to enhance its local, national and international reputation for educating students in a highly challenging academic program with a curriculum based on the best international and U.S. standards and with values that have universal application. Within Atlanta, AIS is recognized as one of the leading private independent schools and as an important contributor to the economic development of the region. AIS is also recognized as a valuable partner in the preservation and improvement of Garden Hills and the Buckhead community.
PROJECT GOALS
A restructuring of AIS's marketing and communication functions and staffing will be completed so that AIS can dramatically raise its profile locally, nationally and globally.
AIS will implement a comprehensive marketing and communications plan, which will include a review of the AIS ‘brand' and image.
AIS will develop and maintain readily available educational materials and talking points on AIS and the IB for all members of the community to use in discussing AIS externally.
The AIS website will be enhanced to include substantially more interactive options for parents and members of the community, for example, making donations on-line, paying bills on-line and reviewing student reports of academic progress on-line.
AIS will actively work to educate target U.S. colleges and universities on the value of the IB diploma in relation to student accomplishments and test results when evaluating placement for our students.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GOALS
AIS will effectively communicate with parents, encouraging them to act as partners in learning. AIS communications will inform parents on the progress of individual students, on school programs, and on other events.*
AIS will increase its coverage in local, national and international press. *
* The creation of the metric to measure goals noted with an asterisk needs to be developed.
