2014 global exchange (spring)

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STEM to STEAM at AISSPOTLIGHT ON GEOGRAPHY

Global ExchangeT H E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E O F AT L A N TA I N T E R N AT I O N A L S C H O O L

GLOBAL EXCHANGE Spring 2014

AIS GLOBAL EXCHANGE / Spring 2014

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2012-2013DEB SUDBURY, CHAIR

CHRISTIAN FISCHER, VICE-CHAIR

KEVIN O’HALLORAN, TREASURER

MEMBERSCHARLIE BOSTWICK SCOTT BRITTON

WENDY CLARK SUSIE COGAN

CHI COLBERG MARC FLEURY

JIM HARVEY WENDIE HAYLER

ROLAND JOHN FADLO KHURI

CRISSY KLAUS DENNIS LOCKHART

CHRIS LOWE TRISH MARCUCCI

MIKE MCCARTHY LARRY MOCK

CECILE NOZIERE DAN REARDON

FRANK THOMAS BENNY VARZI

CHIARA VISCONTI DI EMILY WILLINGHAM ADAIR

MODRONE-PERVANAS ‘95 LAURA WINCHESTER

EX OFFICIOKEVIN GLASS, HEADMASTER

GERRY HULL, TRUSTEE EMERITUS

OLGA PLAUT, TRUSTEE EMERITA

ROY PLAUT, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

MONIQUE SEEFRIED PH.D., TRUSTEE EMERITA

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONHEADMASTER KEVIN GLASS

HEAD OF CURRICULUM & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RACHEL HOVINGTON

HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PATRICK HURWORTH

DEPUTY HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL/HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL JEFF HOLCOMB

DEPUTY HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL/ HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL JENNIFER WEYBURN

HEAD OF UPPER PRIMARY SCHOOL ALAIN POIRAUD

HEAD OF LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL DUSTY FRETWELL

DEPUTY HEAD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHRIS THOMAS

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT STEWART LATHAN

HEAD OF ADMISSION, FINANCIAL AID & MARKETING REID MIZELL

HEAD OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCE PAUL SAEGER

DEVELOPMENT OFFICEANNUAL FUND MANAGER KATHRYN BANKS

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NATALIE KEEN

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE MANAGER MANDY GEE

ALUMNI COORDINATOR SANDY FERKO

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT MELANIE MANN

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COURTNEY FOWLER

MANAGER, DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS & DESIGN LAURA STIDHAM

ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL School

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4 Letter from the Editor

Around AIS5 STEM to STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math

8 Photo Story: ELC 4K Spanish Classroom

AIS Globetrotters10 A Galapagos Adventure

11 The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

12 Mock Trial Team Blazes Trail Back to the Empire State

Curricular Spotlight: Geography13 IB DP Students Examine Effects of Katrina

13 AIS “Falls” for Geography

Arts Wrap-Up14 Holiday Madrigal Feast

15 ”You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”

Sports Report

Alumni News18 AIS Alumni Speaker Series

19 A Tale of Two Sisters

AIS Gives21 “Read to Feed” Book Week

22 Annual Fund 2013-14

Scene on Campus

Global ExchangeT H E M A G A Z I N E O F AT L A N TA I N T E R N AT I O N A L S C H O O L

ARTS WRAP-UP

A royal occasion at AIS, Page 14

EDITORCOURTNEY FOWLER

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORLAURA STIDHAM

CONTRIBUTORS KATHRYN BANKS

RACHEL HOVINGTON

SANDY FERKO

ANTHONY GILLETTE

PELUCHI FLORES

ALEXIS DOYLE

SHERRY WEEKS

GREG HUCKS

ILSE ORTEGA

JENNIFER RUPPEL

SASHA SZILAGY

DUSTY FRETWELL

RUPAL ROMERO

NATALIE KEEN

CHRISTINA BARNIAK

BILLY HOWARD

NAVID YAVARI

JOHN AMOSA

ROCIO FABBRINI

SILVIA OBISPO

DESIGN BYTWEET DESIGN

ON THE COVER: Sophie Archer ‘14 and Iman Khoury ‘14

All material, except where specified, copyright Atlanta International School, 2013. All rights reserved.


Dear AIS Community: We’ve reached another milestone in the way we share news and information with our AIS family! The means by which we humans “talk” to each other in general has changed so dramatically since the school was started – and especially in the last five or so years – that it seems a good idea to revisit the evolution of AIS news.

The school archives contain the very first issue of the Globetrotter newsletter – which wasn’t event called the Globetrotter yet – dating back to the fall of 1988 and called AIS News. Clearly produced on a typewriter, the second monthly edition issued on November 6, 1988 proudly proclaims the purchase of property for the school…over on Long Island Drive! In an effort to provide more frequent updates, the school began publishing the newly named Globetrotter on a weekly schedule in 1994-1995, eventually going back to a monthly schedule (2000), then quarterly (07-08) and finally to biannual publication in 2009. Looking almost identical to the Globetrotter in format, AIS’s second publication, the Global Exchange, made its debut in October 1994 with the signing of the lease of our current North Fulton Drive property on its cover. By 1996-1997, this “alternate month newspaper” had morphed into a magazine format and was published twice per year until it became an annual publication in 2008. While the school’s print communications production has slowed over the years, its means of digital communications correspondingly exploded. Our website, www.aischool.org, was officially started in 1997, although it didn’t really get going in earnest until 2001. A much more robust and badly needed website was launched in 2009, followed by Facebook (2010), Twitter (2011), YouTube (20110) and Instagram (2013). As “breaking news” from AIS is now delivered on such a frequent basis (sometimes hourly!) by our website, email and social media channels, we have decided to yet again evolve how we employ our print communications. The Global Exchange magazine will return to a biannual publication so that we have two opportunities per year to focus more in depth on issues and ideas that really express the essence of what makes this school community special. As part of this evolution, the Globetrotter newsletter will “retire” as a stand-alone publication; however, we will continue to honor its 25-year run with a “Globetrotters” section in each issue of the Global Exchange magazine that will focus on our community members’ adventures afield. Technology continues to transform the way we communicate with each other at an as-tounding pace, but one thing remains true: the many voices of this vibrant AIS community have fascinating stories to tell! We look forward to sharing them with you, both online and in print, and invite you to share your feedback and ideas with us. Very best regards,

Courtney Fowler, Global Exchange [email protected]

The Evolution of AIS NEWS

COURTNEY FOWLERGlobal Exchange Editor

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At AIS, Science Olympiad and Robotics teams are at an all-time high in terms of teacher support and student participation. Mid-dle School students now have an extra science option in grades 6-8, and science and math results at the diploma level have improved at a statistically significant level and at their fastest rate in the school’s history (although always at or above the worldwide average). With all of these developments, there is certainly a sense around here that the school’s reputation in these areas is chang-ing, and current and prospective families alike are starting to see that AIS offers not only a world class language and liberal arts education but also a rigorous, world class Science, Technology, Design (Engineering) and Math program.

By Rachel Hovington, Head of Curriculum

Other changes have also contributed to this progress. The new ASD Science labs and the new greenhouse space have improved the hands-on experience of students, allowing longer and more substantive experimental set up. And, the creation of area-specific 3K-12 strategic plans in technology, science and math in 2011 has resulted in the planned implementation of the changes we see at AIS and the associ-ated success indicators.

It’s not enough to make change, however. Measuring our programmatic success is particularly important in science and math, and we have developed several benchmarks to help us measure different indicators of success moving forward. Perception is an extremely important mea-

STEM TO STEAM:Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math

Around AIS


sure, and the change in community perception over time will be a result of our ability to both measurably strengthen our programs and accurately communicate them to our community. By modify-ing questions on the annual parent survey and implementing new types of student surveys, we have been able to develop a Net Promoter Score (NPS) for not only math and science but all other subject areas in the school (the NPS is a tool developed by Bain & Company to assess consumer loyalty and how likely a customer is to recommend a brand). Parents and 12th graders were asked to rate, on a scale of 1-10, their answer to the question, “How strongly would you recommend the AIS Math program to others?” The same question was asked for every programmatic area of the school from Athletics to Languages. Through this process, we have developed a benchmark NPS for our specific programs; track-ing these scores over time will give us an idea of our progress. Using this tool has become industry standard for many types of businesses, including airlines and cell phone companies. However, so far we believe AIS is the first independent school using Net Promoter Scores.

When 12th grade students were surveyed in 2011 about their intended majors in college, the results were 25% in favor of STEM-related subjects. This number rose to 34% in 2012 and to a whopping 44% in 2013! This does not seem surprising in light of global emphasis on STEM subjects, but it is a measure of the confidence in, and enjoyment of, the STEM subjects that our programs have been able to develop in students. Fig. 1 shows a breakdown of desired majors of seniors from the class of 2013.

Uptick of math and science scores has also coincided with an increasing number of students entering the more cognitively difficult math higher level. That increase in rigor and accompanying increase in achievement is testimony to the support that teachers are offering students in the diploma program within the framework of an innovative new schedule

DESIRED MAJORS OF SENIORS 2013

Arts 9%Business 10%

Other 9%Psychology/Experimental Psychology 3%

Sociology 2%Environmental/Conservation 2%

Language 10%Science/Technology/Engineering/Math (STEM) 40%

Communication/Jour-nalism 7%%

Philosophy 1%Architecture 2%

Marketing 2%

Law3%

Around AIS

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that is devoting extra time to math preparation, SAT prep, and science for higher-level students. It would be easy to raise scores by having students choose courses that didn’t stretch them, but quite the opposite has occurred. In their accreditation report on AIS in the fall of 2013, the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) noted that, “Science and math test scores are very strong, also reflecting success in these subject areas as well.”

When we look at the relevance of high math and science test scores to the quality of the preparation that AIS students receive to enter the current and future workforce, there is more to the picture than just Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It is increasingly the case that STEM achievement is only going to get them so far. Since the opening of the ASD, we have seen a fusion of the convergent thinking of STEM and the divergent thinking of The Arts that leads to innovation and risk-taking in problem solving in the STEM field. Accordingly, we are offering Design classes to all students 6-10 for an entire block in our schedule. We think this gives students exposure to design and science thinking, problem solving and creativity in context that will prepare them for the entrepreneurial workforce of today and the future. Much research exists about the cognitive benefits of art, theatre and music, not least its ability to allow creative risk-taking, reflection and design modification in a safe environment. The resulting skills and confidence compliment STEM skills, leading to the design of innovative products and services. Our future economy and workforce depend upon a curriculum that encourages students to combine design thinking skills, creative arts ability and STEM to powerful effect. Our 12th grade captain of Robotics is currently

taking courses in math and physics at the higher level. His third higher level? Visual Art! The current president of the Georgia Tech Robotics Club 2010 - alumnus Nikolaus Mitchell - is a bilingual diploma holder. Liberal Arts meets STEM… a winning combination.

STEM DESIRED MAJORS 2013

Around AIS

Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Space Engineering 1%

Animal Science 1%

Technology/Computers 2%

Chemical Engineering 2%

Fishery Science 1%Genetics 1%

GeophysicalScience 1%

MarineBiology 2%

Pharmacology and Toxicology 1%

Psychology 3%

Premed 2%

Military Technologies and Applied Sciences 1%

Civil Engineering 1%

Biology/ Biomedical Science/Bioengineering 10%

Engineering 9%

Mathematics 3%

Mechanical Engineering 2%


4K SPANISH: how we express ourselves By Laura Stidham, Manager, Digital Communication and Designand Rocio Fabbrini and Silvia Obispo, ELC Faculty

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An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

Una indagación sobre las maneras en que descubrimos y expresamos nuestra naturaleza, nuestras ideas, sentimientos, cultura, convicciones, creencias y valores; las maneras en que reflexionamos sobre nuestra creatividad, la ampliamos y la disfrutamos; la forma en que apreciamos el valor estético de las cosas.

INTERACTIVE STORYTELLINGStudents mimic playing trumpets during story time. Reenacting the story as a group helps new learners bridge the language gap with more fluent students.Los estudiantes imitan como tocar la trompeta durante la hora de contar cuentos. Recreando el cuento entre todo el grupo, ayuda a los nuevos estudiantes a cerrar la brecha del idioma con los estudiantes con mayor fluidez.

SPANISH LIBRARYThere is an ever-growing collection of beloved Spanish books in the classroom.Hay una colección cada vez mayor de libros en español que a los niños encanta en el salón de clases.

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERYAt the science table, a student sifts through a bottle searching for letters and hidden treasure.En la mesa de ciencias, los estudiantes buscan letras y tesoros escondidos en las botellas de descubrimiento.

IMPRESSIONISTIC EXPRESSIONFinger painting is a great way for preschoolers to express themselves (and recreate a Monet!)La pintura digital es una excelente manera para que los preescolares puedan expresarse (¡Y recrear una obra de Monet!)

ADDING SHAPESStudents’ Spanish skills have grown enough between 3K and 4K to add mathematics to the mix. Students use shapes and colors for simple addition problems.Las habilidades y conocimientos en el idioma español han sido desarrolladas lo suficiente en los estudiantes durante su trayecto por 3K y 4K que se puede agregar matemáticas. Los estudiantes utilizan formas y colores para realizar problemas básicos de adición utilizando el idioma español.

BODY LANGUAGEUsing their bodies, students create letters to learn consonants and vowels sounds.Utilizando sus cuerpo, los estudiantes crean letras para aprender las c onsonantes , vocales y los sonidos de las mismas.

COLORFUL IMAGINATIONArt is a fun and important way for preschoolers to express themselves.El arte es una manera divertida y muy importante para que los preescolares puedan expresarse.

PERFORMANCE PIECEThrough drama, people communicate in ways that transcend language barriers. Students created dramatic masks from plaster to embody different characters.A través de las artes dramáticas, las personas se pueden comunicar de diferentes maneras y trascender las barreras del idioma. Los estudiantes realizaron máscaras con yeso para crear diferentes personajes.

MORNING CAFFEINECaffeine is a necessary part of a full immersion teacher’s morning ritual!¡La cafeina es muy necesaria. Es parte del ritual matutino de las maestras del programa de inmersión total!

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Last July, nine AIS students, two teachers and three parents embarked on the school’s first-ever cultural, environmental, and wildlife adventure to the Galapagos islands of San Cristobal and Sta. Cruz in Ecuador. In San Cristobal, the AIS delegation visited three local schools. AIS students, parents and teachers enjoyed the welcome programs, attended classes, participated in sports, and exchanged conversations and contact information - all in Spanish. In the afternoon, local students joined the AIS delegation at the beach to swim with the sea lions, marine iguanas and sea turtles. They also attended presentations on the different community programs hosted by the local youth organization as well as a scientific study of the sea lions at the island. Day excursions included a boat trip to see the sea lion island, blue-footed boobies, frigate birds and more.

On Santa Cruz - a two-hour boat ride from San Cristobal - students and teachers visited the Charles Darwin Center, which houses tortoises and has successfully bred thousands of the different species of tortoises in the Galapagos. They also visited different geological formations, such as fissures and lava tunnels in the islands, as well as a local farm where giant tortoises roam in the wild.

Their guides, Whitman Cox (a native guide) and his daughter, Daniela Cox (the first marine biologist from San Cristobal) made the trip a very fun and unforgettable adventure!

By Peluchi Flores and Alexis Doyle, Secondary School Faculty

A Galapagos ADVENTURE

“Being such a small island (San Cristobal) - with the population of about 6,700 - everyone knew everyone. Almost every day, I would see some of the same people which was really cool and quite different from Atlanta. During the trip we visited three schools. It was a nice chance to visit schools that were completely different from the ones in Atlanta. One thing I thought about was that at AIS, in one grade not everyone interacts together, but that is the opposite from the Galapagos. We were able to see what the children studied and how they studied. I got a chance to talk to many of them and make new friends; we even exchanged email addresses. – Itohan Nosegbe, 9th grade

“The first day in the Galapagos was very interesting. I like how the town is very small and everyone knows each other. The views are absolutely surreal! It’s something that cannot be captured by a camera and has to be seen in person to see how beautiful it actually is. A lot of walking is being done, but I can get through it. I think it’s hilarious how there are sea lions EVERYWHERE! I would walk along the sidewalk and see some sitting near a bench.” – Sabrina Light, 9th grade

“Santa Cruz was much busier and a bigger city in general. We checked in to our hotel there and then went to the Charles Darwin Center, where we saw many iguanas and land tortoises. Dani talked to us about “Lonesome George,” the last tortoise of his subspecies, who died not too long ago. The next day we went out to the beach. Everything was walking distance which was very convenient. The walk to the beach was about 2 km, but it was worth it. When we got there the water was just gorgeous. I kayaked and saw a stingray, a small shark, and a sea turtle.” – Denver Roberts, 8th grade

“I liked going to Galápagos because there was wildlife that you couldn’t see anywhere else in the world: Galapagos tortoises, lots of beautiful fish, cute sea lions and fur seals, sea turtles, marine iguanas, land iguanas, blue footed boobies, and crabs. One day we went to an island called Bartólome and saw Gálapagos penguins, pelicans, sea lions, fish, blue-footed boobies, crabs, and marine iguanas. We also went walking up a volcano (not active) and learned about tectonic plates and how the islands were formed.” – Emil Shulz, 4th grade

“We saw a lot of land tortoises in Santa Cruz. They were huge! We visited a farm, and I saw about seven in one area. They just roam around and don’t

care about seeing people. We walked about two miles to get to the tortoises. On the way, we saw lots of plantain and banana trees. Before we began walking, our tour guide pulled some yuccas out of the ground, and we were able to chop them with a machete. The man who owned the farm was our bus driver. His farm was 64 acres. He had lots of chickens everywhere and even a few horses.” – Clarke Britton, 8th grade

“Monday, we woke up and ate a fabulous breakfast looking out onto the city and ocean. After breakfast we walked to a middle and high school and met many boys and girls. We were introduced and greeted by many friendly people. Later on we ate fresh fruit and talked about our different countries. The students were so curious and eager to learn about our life back home. Later that day we met 12-15 students on the beach and snorkeled and played on the beach with them.” – Ashley Scott Armstrong, 9th grade

“Galapagos es mas o menos un lugar perfecto. No es solo el sol brillante y los animales fantásticos, pero también son las personas. Todos están tan cariñoso incluyendo nuestros guías: Sr. Whitman y Sra. Maria Daniela. Los lobos del mar están muy interesantes y curiosos. No puedo esperar para lo que viene en los siguientes días.” – Pablo Patel, 7th grade

“When we checked into a small airport with its walls covered in ads, I didn’t ex-pect San Cristobal to be a big city. We met a good friend and guide, Mr. Whitman and his daughter, Daniella. We all introduced ourselves and took a short bus ride to casa de Jeimy. There, we all introduced ourselves again and looked around the casa. We were all assigned bunkmates. I was assigned to Pablo. This place was called casa because it was actually a house with lots of rooms. The people who lived there tended to us.” – Austin Shluz, 7th grader

” My adventure on the trip to Galapagos was extraordinary. This trip included many activities: swimming, snorkeling, hiking, walking and more. Swimming with the sea animals in the clear water was so much fun. One of the baby sea lions swam up and touched my leg; I quickly jerked my leg back because we were not supposed to have contact with the Galapagos animals. Another day while we were hiking up the hills, we saw some of the popular birds, such as the frigates and the boobies; the scenery was so heavenly as if it was a postcard picture. We also visited many different local schools, where we were able to speak Spanish and to learn about the local culture and tradition.” – Yannie Tan, 7th grade

Here are some excerpts from the group’s blog:

AIS Globetrotters

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For some, the most wonderful time of the year is not the winter holiday, but summer. This is the time of the year when we enjoy a long vacation, visit family, recharge our batteries, travel and savor leisure days. This is also true for those students that participate in the exchange programs organized by the Spanish Department every year.

Barcelona, Madrid and Mar del Plata, Argentina were their destinations this past summer, and they had indeed the most wonderful time of the year (perhaps because they were speaking Spanish!).

Miles Taylor and Myhana Kerr, students who are learning Spanish as a second language, went to Barcelona for three weeks, while Langston Peterson and Julia Plott (students learning Spanish as a first language) went to Mar del Plata for six weeks. These are their firsthand impressions and some of their pictures.

Compiled by Ilse Ortega, Secondary School Faculty

I lived with the best host family that I could have asked for and can honestly say that I truly connected with my host sister, who showed me the ropes of her amazing city. While in Barcelona I was able to read the local newspa-pers, speak with younger students who were the US

equivalent of high school and use all of this to my advantage when writing my Extended Essay. My Spanish improved tremendously, which helped me complete my Extended Essay in Spanish. All in all, this trip was all that I could ask for and more! – Myhana Kerr, Grade 12 (Barcelona)

Learning about the tradition and culture of one of the oldest empires in Europe firsthand is an experience in and of itself. Some memories include staying up all night and dancing on the beach during the Sant Joan Festival to celebrate the shortest night of a very long year…also sitting in the rooftop pool of a home that overlooks the city that Galileo left when he found the New World. This city, like the nation around it, seems a land of contradictions: holy yet irreverent, expensive and broke. Many of the fantastic images I saw in “The Land of the Setting Sun” will not leave me for years to come. – Miles Taylor, Grade 12 (Barcelona)

During the week, we attended school with our hosts and did after-school extracurriculars: play rehearsals, sports, and from time to time going to the gym. The weekend was a time to relax and have fun. There were also many opportunities to visit some very special places, including the beach, which was a two-minute walk from the school. Although it was too cold to swim in the ocean, the view was still amazing. Being in Argentina was a great experience, improving my verbal Spanish-speaking skills, getting in touch with the Argentine culture and having fun throughout the trip. – Langston Peterson, Grade 10 (Mar del Plata)

“As I learned more about the Argentine lifestyle, I began to appreciate everything around me. Monday through Thursday, I at-tended Holy Trinity School with Camila, my host sister, who was in her first year of the IB Diploma. The system is very different than AIS: students stay in the same classroom all day, while the teachers rotate through. One part of the school day that I will cherish forever: the morning drive. We would head out every morning around 7:50 a.m. – and on the way, we passed by a small section of the ocean just as the sun was coming up. As

I caught a brief glimpse of the beautiful sunrise I began to think: It’s the little things in life make such a difference. People here see the sunrise every day and consider it routine. But for me it is something really special.”

This trip gave me newfound confidence to travel on my own, speak Spanish as if it were my first language and to embrace a beautiful culture. – Julia Plott, Grade 10 (Mar del Plata)

The Most Wonderful TIME OF THE YEAR¡La mejor época del año!

AIS Globetrotters


Although last year’s competition was more than eventful – including a several-day stay in New York due to Hurricane Sandy – the AIS Mock Trial team again headed north this fall to the Empire VII Mock Trial Invitational, which is a worldwide Mock Trial competition. Forty teams from around the world were selected to compete. AIS started the tournament ranked third from the bottom in our division. By the end of the four rounds of competition, the team won 11 of 12 ballots, earning first place in the division – a division that included the previous two-time world champions – and a spot in the final round. Sarah Stebbins was also named Outstanding Attorney, earning 28 out of 30 possible points.

In the final round, our prosecution competed. They were highly praised by the judges, which included litigators, judges, law students, and other Mock Trial coaches. It was a close match, but in the end, our competitors won out, and we placed 2nd in the competition overall. We are now the 2nd place team in the World. Not bad, especially when we consider where we started.

The competition took place over three very intense days. Rounds began at 10 AM and lasted until 1 PM, and then a second round began at 3 PM and lasted until 6 PM. The final took place from 9:30 AM until 12:30 PM. Our students were tireless in their desire to perfect their cases. The level of teamwork, dedication, knowledge, and presentation was truly outstanding. We couldn’t be prouder.

CAPTAINSLiam Simkins-Walker - Attorney for Prosecution Sarah Stebbins - Attorney for Defense PROSECUTION Shayann Hendricks - Attorney Matias Ferandel - AttorneyNaomi O’Halloran - Witness Edouard Goguillon - WitnessJulika Schmidt - Witness Daniel Hurworth - WitnessDeniz Sezer - Witness DEFENSESean Koval - Attorney Iain Schmitt - Attorney Claudia Leslie - Attorney Neeki Memar - Witness Raja Khuri - Witness Estella Dieci - Witness Robin Boudard - Witness Leah Towery - Witness Keira Waites - Witness MANAGERSReza Daftarian Laura Schweigert TIMEKEEPERSAdrienne Lodise Ana Ioachimescu

MOCK TRIAL TEAM blazes a trail back to Empire StateBy Jennifer Ruppel, Middle School Faculty

AIS Globetrotters

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On a hot, steamy morning in Louisiana, Grade 12 Geography students completed a cycle tour of the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans. This area was severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the effects are still being felt today. During the tour, students were able to identify how the physical geography of the city ensured that some areas were impacted more than others, to understand who was, or was not, involved in the rescue and how flood management strategies failed, and the short-term and long-term depopulation of the area.

In addition, students also visited some of the houses that have been rebuilt after Katrina. These new developments include many sustain-able houses that contain features to minimize their ecological footprint, such as green roofs and solar power. This tour connected with the IB Diploma Geography syllabus in order that students would be able to see an example of forced migration, experience an example of urban tourism and view sustainable housing in an urban area. The tour also connected to the German literature course, in that many landmarks from the play A Streetcar Named “Desire” were pointed out.

The cycle tour included a stop at the museum, the House of Dance and Feathers, which is dedicated to preserving the culture of Mardi Gras Indians. It was here that lunch was eaten, with most students opting for a po-boy in order to indulge in some local cuisine. Everyone made it around the area in one piece, and the calories from the po-boy sand-wiches were soon burned off.

Along with a cycle tour of New Orleans, the students also had the opportunity to visit the National World War II Museum, where they were able to immerse themselves into the historical legacy of the most destructive conflict the world has ever seen. The exhibition focused mainly on the contribution made by the United States to victory by the Allies, but students were able to set these against the wider context of the war. Among the many first hand experiences, we interviewed a veteran who landed on the beaches of Normandy, studied a surviving Spitfire Fighter Airplane and admired the human ingenuity behind the Enigma code-breaking machine.

This fall, students in Grade 7 Geography invited Grade 3 students to a presentation of a series of books they produced about the world’s major biomes. In 7th grade, students examine the interactions between climate and the surface of the planet, and the books they put together are for use by Grade 3 students as resources for future projects. On the day of the presentation, the 3rd grade students formed teams to listen to brief presentations, skim through the books and finally give the book a grade, along with adding any comments or questions that they had. A special thanks to the Spanish classes who divided up their classes into hot and cold biomes and managed to decorate their rooms accordingly. Thankfully, no students suffered from heat exhaustion or frostbite!

Geography students in Grades 11 and 12 went to watch the play Third Country at the Horizon Theater along with some students from English and Spanish B classes. The play, which is based on the experiences of refugees in Clarkston, Geor-gia, is a story about a community in transition and examines the different challenges faced by the groups involved. The play connected with the syllabuses in all three Diploma subjects, such as the benefits and problems that forced migration can bring to the destination. Students also had the opportunity to question the writer at the end of the produc-tion. Thanks to all the teachers who chaperoned the group.

All students in Grade 6 completed their annual Geography fieldtrip during October. As they walked around Garden Hills, their task was to collect information in order to produce a booklet that visitors to the local area could use and increase their knowledge. The booklet had to incorpo-rate a map drawn to scale, and utilizing lessons from their Geography classes. Thankfully the weather was kind to staff and students, and an enjoyable educational experience was had by all involved. Many thanks to the Grade 12 Geog-raphy students for chaperoning as well as all the Grade 6 teachers/chaperones.

IB DP Geography Students EXAMINE EFFECTS OF KATRINA

AIS “Falls” for GEOGRAPHY

By Anthony Gillett and Sasha Szilagy, Secondary School Faculty

By Anthony Gillett, Secondary School Faculty

EDITOR’S NOTE: Studying geography has become more and more important as a tool to understanding our increasingly barrier-less world. The International Baccalaureate has long recognized the value of the subject, which is defined as “The study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these, including the distribution of populations and resources, land use, and industries.”

Geography is included in all three IB curricula, starting in the PYP, where it features in various programs of inquiries. In the MYP and DP, geography is part of the Individuals and Societies subject group. At MYP level, geography is studied across four different languages (from grades 6 to 8) as well as featuring in the Humanities course, which is an elective offered to students in grades 8, 9 and 10.Finally, in the DP, geography students study a broad range of topics such as population, urban environments, hazards and disasters and globalization; fieldwork is also completed for their Internal Assessment. It is a key subject with the portfolio of DP subjects, since it has so many links with other disciplines.

Curriculum Spotlight: Geography


Second Annual AIS HOLIDAY MADRIGAL FEAST

Planning for the second annual Holiday Madrigal Feast in December actually began many months before, starting with a focus on design and construction of costumes as well as an overall concept for the music that would tie in each of the four languages offered at AIS. Thirty-four PS school musicians, twenty-nine MS musicians and forty-one US musicians joined forces with a cast and crew comprised of administration, teachers, parents, students and guest artists to bring the evening to life, a highlight of which was a meal expertly prepared by Gloriosa Catering and served by cast members to over two hundred guests. Save the date: this festive biannual event returns in December 2015!

The numbers:The King’s Court cast: 13 teachers, administrators and spousesInstrumentalists: 13 student and guests artistsProduction Team: 4 teachers, 35 students, staff and parentsPS Singers: 34MS Singers: 27US Singers: 37

By Greg Hucks, Secondary School Faculty

ARTS Wrap-Up

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Thoughts on the Upper School Production of “YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN”Compiled By Sherry Weeks, Secondary School Faculty

Both the cast and crew of this year’s Upper School Production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” were very young, and mostly inexperienced. For many, it was their first high school production, and it was evident that they had a lot to learn! Whether it was building the massive set, painstakingly painting twenty four “Peanuts” comics on the floor, memorizing lines, or the performance itself, everybody in the cast and crew had to work together to learn and make this show a success. I loved seeing the upperclassmen in the cast be-friending the ninth and tenth graders, seeing them offer help running lines, or asking to go through a song with them. It was amazing to me that by the time we reached tech week, the ensemble was so strong that the underclassmen were confident enough to approach the juniors and seniors and ask to work with them, taking that initiative themselves. As a senior, it was an amazing experi-ence to watch this incredibly talented, dedicated, and hard-working group of people grow, knowing that I will be able to come back to AIS and cheer them on in years to come. – Caroline Hutchison, Backstage Manager

I can honestly say I enjoyed working on “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” more than any show I’ve ever been a part of before (which I’m sure sounds generic but is completely genuine in this case). I made so many great friend-ships and connected with so many new people whom I adore whole-heartedly. We truly became an ensemble, a family…a crazy, chaotic, melodramatic family, but a family nonetheless! By the end of the process, I had a team of people volunteering to hold ice packs to my incredibly sweaty neck, and if that’s not love plain and simple, then I don’t know what is. I am so proud of everyone in our ensemble and know we really left it all on the stage. We gave it all we had

and when I stood, in our last performance singing “Happiness,” looking around at all of your lovely smiling faces, I cried (obviously trying to hide it because a song titled “Happiness” doesn’t exactly warrant tears) not because I was sad that the show was done, but because I was so intensely happy and proud that I just couldn’t hold myself together. This show isn’t a show that I’m going to look back on and feel sad that it’s over, but feel so happy and grateful that it happened and I was a part of it. – Emma Nigut, “Snoopy”

In “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” I was in the chorus, playing a Girl Scout. I remember auditioning during the first week of school, wondering why I once again was in this theatre. But then we started rehearsing, and I remembered: this was what I love to do.

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” was a show that taught me many things, but most importantly how much I truly love being in the chorus. The chorus is not simply a few extra bodies on stage- we sing, dance, and act to create the environ-ment. And to be in the chorus is something I loved in this performance. The freedom to make a few of my own lines, to develop my character through not only spoken word but also through singing and dancing is something only the chorus gets. Our characters were cartoony, but so much fun to play. Some kids need to be center stage. But some like it just fine as long as we can share the stage as well.

I made friends, who I laughed and cried with (and often laughed until I cried with). I danced as a blanket. I sang for Beethoven. I reminded Charlie Brown that he was a good man, and I made sure to keep selling my cookies. – Gabrielle Ivanier, Chorus Member

ARTS Wrap-Up


The Middle School Boys “A” team topped off an undefeated season with an im-pressive performance at the cup final, winning the 2013 MAAC championship!

AIS boasted five qualifications for the state finals in February. Varsity swim-mers competing included: Jon McKenney (fly), Jack Cohen (relay), Naomi O’Halloran (breast), Satoshi Abe (relay) and Hayden Bartsch (free, back).

The Middle School Girls Volleyball “A” team entered the cup final in third place but emerged as the 2013 MAAC champions after defeating St. Martin’s.

The Varsity Boys and Girls basketball teams played through tough seasons to go to the regional tournament (boys) and the regional quarter-finals (girls). Middle school basketball teams also advanced to the quarter-finals and finals, with the Middle School “B” girls winning the MAAC B2 tourney.

Eagle Sports Report: FALL AND WINTER 2013/2014Compiled by John Amosa, Athletics Director, and Christina Barniak, Athletics Intern

SPORTS Report

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The Varsity Girls Volleyball team qualified for the state tournament for fifth time in the last six years, earning a #13 ranking in the state. Outside hitter Ana Benkeser (pictured) earned All-Area honors for a second straight year.

The Cross Country teams performed well this season, competing in an unusually challenging 5-A group. Freshman Helen Audrey Williams set a school record and ran in both regional and state 5-A meets; Bosho Sale was the top AIS runner at the state meet.

SPORTS Report


Like many independent schools, AIS boasts a wealth of interesting and successful alums...although they may be spread a bit further around the globe than most!

In recent years, several have come back to Atlanta to share their stories and experi-ences with current students and families. Movie and television actor, Chris Lowell ‘03 (The Help, Veronica Mars, Enlisted), has been a frequent visitor to campus and is scheduled to come again this spring to discuss his directorial debut of the film, “Beside Still Waters.” Actor Brian McElhaney ‘04 (“Arthur,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Young Adult”) and singer Juliana Finch ‘00 (“The Walls of Pompei”) have also come on campus to discuss their careers in the performing arts.

The alumni artists are not alone in their desire to give back to their alma mater. Author and founder of the foundation “Winning the Minds,” Francisco Martin-Rayo ‘02, discussed the three months he spent as a Harvard Master’s student conducting research in refugee camps in Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan regarding the recruiting tactics of Al Qaeda and Al Shabbab. And Alex Avendano ‘03, a digital strategist and entrepreneur, visited campus to speak to both students and parents about digital citizenship.

In her new role as Alumni Coordinator, Sandy Ferko looks forward to spending more time making connections between current families and alums and alumni families through the speaker series and other programming:

By Courtney Fowler, Global Exchange Editor

Speaker Series Brings ALUMS BACK TO AIS

“Khadivi’s debut novel, remarkable for its beautiful and brutal poetry, tells the story of a lost Kurdish child and the history of ‘this invisible thing called Iran’”

–THE INDEPENDENT

Meet Author and Filmmaker

Laleh Khadivi ‘95Reading & Conversation

Sunday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m.Atlanta International School Auditorium

2890 NORTH FULTON DRIVE , ATLANTA, GA 30305 / www.aischool.org

AIS ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS

Winner of the Barnes and NobleDiscover New Writers Award

After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Cornell University, Duden studied at Science Po

for one year and earned a Masters of Public Administration from Syracuse University’s highly

acclaimed Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Before joining the Foreign Service staff of the US embassy in Bamako, Mali, Düden served as

the founding US Representative of Turkey’s largest business organization – the Turkish Union of

Chambers & Commodity Exchanges.

Düden will meet over coffee with AIS parents and then spend the day in AIS classes. One topic of

conversation will be fellowships and internships offered by the US State Department. She will also

talk about her work in Mali as well as life in Africa.

Meet Foreign Service Officer

Düden Yegenoglu ‘01

Wednesday, April 2, 2014



“How had I ended up here? Less than a year ago I was sitting on the 46th floor of a building in midtown Manhattan, part of the indistinguishable group of young college grads working in finance, and now I was seconds away from disappearing into a Yemeni prison. What turn of events, what decisions, had led me to this moment?” –Francisco Martin-Rayo, “Winning the Minds”


“Winning The Minds is a thought-provoking analysis rooted in impressive on-the-ground research. A valuable read.” -Graham Allison, Founding Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School and Director of the Belfer Center at Harvard University

Meet Author and Difference MakerFrancisco Martin-Rayo ‘02Friday, October 19, 2012


“Part travelogue, part analysis of American counterterrorism policies in the region, (Francisco’s) ground breaking treatise is an eye-opening look into the heart of terrorist recruitment.” (from the book jacket) Upon returning home, he wrote the book and started a tax-exempt foundation with the same name, designed to fund college education for young people who have grown up in the camps. In return for the education, they return to the camps during the summer to teach and give a year of teaching after graduating.

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES AT AISWe love to have our alums back on campus! If you’d like to find out more about speaking to the AIS community, please contact Sandy Ferko at [email protected]!

- Sandy Ferko, Alumni Coordinator

ALUMNI News

‘‘ My relationships with many of our 1,071 AIS alumni have enriched my life so much for 25 years and certainly expanded my view of the world! I am so fortunate to be able to continue working with them - and their families - and look forward to bringing many of them back to AIS to share their expertise and experiences with our community.”

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Sarah Leff ’06 left AIS with an interest in fashion to attend Parsons School of Design in NYC. During her first year, she was hired as an intern at Vera Wang, which took her to fashion shows and advanced her studies as well as her passion. Upon graduating, she and a classmate, Jonathan Cohen, launched their own collection which can be found in the top luxury boutiques around the world. Additionally, their designs can be seen through partnerships with L’Oreal and Saga Fur. Most recently, Lupita Nyongo –Academy Award winner for her role in Twelve Years A Slave – wore a dress from the Fall/Winter 2014 collection to an Oscars event. She was also featured on Vogue’s Best Dressed List and on the cover of Yo Dona wearing the dress in the days following the event.

Sister Sashi Leff, on the other hand, left AIS in 2007 to pursue a totally different passion, start-ing off with a gap year in Africa after three summers spent there. While in Africa, she applied to the School of Africa Studies, University of London (and helped her students in Africa apply to the UK as well). She did both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree and then applied to the prestigious university’s School of Medicine and Tropical Health after speaking with AIS alum Francesco Chec-chi ’94 at a reunion in London, shortly after he had earned a Ph.D. from the school (small world – one of her lecturers would eventually be Francesco!) She has recently taken a position with an NGO called Raising Voices. Based in Kampala, Uganda, the group works on advocacy, research, and prevention of violence against women and children. Sashi’s role in Boston and Kampala will be to build a cohesive movement that brings together activists, leaders and experts working in the developing world in the “violence against women” field.

With such different passions and directions, were they raised in the same home and school? Yes…different directions but similarity in their risk tolerance and incredible drive toward important goals. Good luck to both of them, and hopefully they’ll have time to visit with AIS students when they are back in Atlanta!

A Tale of TWO SISTERSBy Sandy Ferko, Alumni Coordinator

Liya Khaimova ‘09, an American-Russian operatic soprano who graduated from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, has performed roles in both the United States and Europe. Currently a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Liya met with AIS theater and music students in March and performed for the Upper School.

Chris Lowell ‘03 returned to AIS again in March, this time discussing the directing and screenwriting process for his film directorial debut, Beside Still Waters, a jury award-winner at the 2013 Austin Film Festival.

ALUMNI News


Several Grade 3 Spanish parents organized a volunteer event at the Atlanta Community Food Bank in October, in which 14 AIS parents and 10 students participated. Our group inspected, sorted and packaged over 9,000 pounds of donations. The kids worked diligently the entire time and seemed to enjoy every minute of it; everyone had a blast! This was a test run, and we are hoping to make this a gradewide event next semester.

Commitment and dedication to a cause is the cornerstone of service. Over the years, Christiane Box has shown her dedication time and time again by organizing the annual German Bake Sale to support underprivileged children in India. This year, together with Marina Brand (a senior, pictured), the parents of students in the German program and volunteers, she raised funds that make it possible for the boys at Dayavu Home to see some of their dreams come true. SABHA gratefully accepts a check for $2,270.00 raised at the Bake Sale this February. This amount will be added to SABHA’s annual fundraising drive to begin construction at Dayavu of a much-needed structure to house a kitchen, dining/study hall/volunteer’s room.

A special thanks to Marina and Lizzy Sandlin for their tireless effort in making this Bake Sale such a great success! Thank you, Christiane Box, for your leadership and inspiration, even after your retirement. Thanks to all those enthusiastic bakers for their heavenly cakes. And finally, thanks to the entire AIS community for supporting Dayavu.

This fall, we held an exciting Book Week event in conjunction with the Scholastic Book Fair in November, setting an additional challenge this year of joining in with “Read to Feed”. This fundraising event was to benefit Heifer International, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to end poverty and world hunger by providing livestock for needy families. Students gained sponsors for their reading and collected the donations after the reading challenge period finished. This first annual event raised an astounding grand total of $6,893.34 by the Primary School students! Congratulations to the Grade 2 team, who developed the idea in connection with their Unit of Inquiry.

BOOK WEEK and Lower Primary’s Inaugural “Read to Feed” Fundraiser

GRADE 3 SPANISH pitches in for a Good Cause

By Dusty Fretwell, Head of Lower Primary School

By Rupal Romero, Grade 3 Parent

By Urmilla Sethuraman, Secondary School Faculty

A Rewarding GERMAN BAKE SALE!

AIS GIVES

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AIS ANNUAL FUND Reaches Unprecedented Participation Rate

In an effort to increase parent participation in the Annual Fund, AIS issued a challenge this fall to current parents to reach 100% partici-pation in the Annual Fund in 100 days. Kicking off in September, 50+ volunteers worked relentlessly to help AIS reach its goal. By early December, AIS surpassed the 2012-13 participation rate of 72%. The final day of the competition found AIS at an incredible 83%. With little more than 200 gifts left to close the gap, the Development Office, along with its wonderful parent volunteers, is still going for the GOLD!

Kudos to Grades 3, 4 and 5 for reaching an amazing 100% parent participation. All grades, 3K through 12, exceeded last year’s overall participation rate-nine grades reached 80% or more.

Your donation, not matter the dollar amount, has a huge impact on

For the third year in a row, the Class of 2005 dominated the AIS Alumni Annual Fund competition. What started as bragging on Facebook a few years ago has turned into an annual, full-blown competition between the classes during the month of March. Congratulations to the Class of 2005! Thank you to all who participated and to those alums who volunteered their time to be Class Agents. Your generous participation in the Annual Fund is a strong statement that you support AIS and its future students. If you have yet to donate, there is still time. Donate online at www.aischool.org/donate to leave your legacy.

life at AIS. Donate online at www.aischool.org/donate or in person in the Development Office. Participation in the Annual Fund shows corporations and foundations that you support the mission and goals of the school, which helps AIS secure larger corporate donations and grants.

Also, be sure to find out if your company offers a matching gift program. In many cases, you can double or triple the amount you donate. For more information, contact Kathryn Banks at 404.841.3887 or [email protected].

Our very sincere thanks to all who have participated so far!

By Kathryn Banks, Annual Fund Manager

ANNUAL ALUMNI GIVING CHALLENGE HEATS UPBy Kathryn Banks, Annual Fund Manager

AIS GIVES


SCENE at AIS

Nordstrom Scholarship Prize Patrol Team Surprises Senior, Kesha Kanakiya, with $10K College ScholarshipScholarships were awarded to 80 students nationwide out of 11,700 applicants. Kesha also received a new Mac Airbook from Nordstrom in addition to her check.

Shanghai High School Delegation Enjoys Annual VisitEighteen students and four teachers - the largest group ever from the school - arrived at AIS in late September for their yearly visit, during which the students attended classes with their AIS buddies. AIS students will visit the Shanghai school in May; the exchange program between the schools dates back to 2006.

ELC Students in the Driver’s SeatAs part of their unit on transportation, ELC students got a close look at vehicles (and horses!) used by the Atlanta Police Department’s Mounted Patrol, Atlanta Motorcycle Squad, Atlanta Police Unit, Atlanta Fire Department and Ambulance/EMT.

King Family Visits 5K In Honor of MLK, Jr. DayStudents were delighted to meet some special visitors in honor of the celebration for the Martin Luther King holiday. The King family, (Martin III, Arndrea and Yolanda,) shared the important message of loving one another, being fair, and participating in community service. 5K students brought books to donate to Hope Elementary School, and Martin Luther King shared his own story by reading his book, “My Daddy”.

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SCENE at AIS

GCIV Brings Uzbeki Health Officials to Visit AISA group of doctors from the former Soviet Bloc republic came to campus this past fall to talk to US Biology students about the challenges of treating tuberculosis in their country. The visit was arranged by the Georgia Council of International Visitors.

I Never Saw Another ButterflyFor their annual theatre production, Middle Schoolers staged a play about the experiences of Jewish children imprisoned in the Terezin concentration camp during World War II. The one-act play by Celeste Raspanti is based on the eponymous book, a collection of works of art and poetry created by children in the German camp.

Special Delivery: GT Acceptances!AIS was one of only five schools visited by the Georgia Tech admissions department for hand-delivery of early decision acceptances. The visit was in honor of AIS’s unusually large group of females accepted.

Royalty Descends Upon UN DayQueens, Beefeaters and many more Primary students in fantastic costumes represented 63 countries in this beloved annual event, held in conjunction with Grandparents and Special Friends Day.


2890 North Fulton Drive / Atlanta, Georgia 30305 USA / 404.841.3840 / www.aischool.org

Our MissionTo meet the challenges and opportunities of our interdependent, fast-changing world as responsible citizens, young people require flexible intellectual competence, self-discipline, and a global outlook. To achieve these goals, they need rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be. To thrive in and contribute to this world, they must have a solid sense of self and respect for others—as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nations, and as members of the global community. Extraordinary individuals will be called upon to shape the 21st century. The mission of Atlanta International School (AIS) is to develop such individuals.

To fulfill this mission, AIS commits itself to the following goals:– to sustain and grow the exemplary level of teaching and learning that has earned it a world wide reputation for excellent standards in international and multilingual education within the framework of the International Baccalaureate; – to develop each child fully by helping each one to live our core values: the joy of learning and purposeful effort as well as mutual respect and understanding in a diverse setting; – to maintain an optimal size and composition of faculty and students to maximize the opportunities for learning and shared understanding that are necessary for a healthy community;– to help shape and improve local and global communities through the committed participation of its multilingual students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff.

Our Core ValuesWhat We Believe Is Fundamentally ImportantWe believe that encouraging each student to discover the intrinsic joy of learning and purposeful effort will help each one to set and achieve high academic standards. Furthermore, we believe it is vital to nurture mutual respect and understanding among all members of our commu-nity. Together we cultivate a spirited sense of hope in human potential. We believe the diversity of our community provides an extraordinary opportunity to enable our students to communicate, create, and collaborate in order to build a peaceful future.

The joy of learning and purposeful effort We want our students to experience joy in their intellectual, physical,social, and emotional development. At AIS we will create a safe, stimulating educational environment, promoting the wonder and curiosity that motivate a student to explore learning in and beyond the classroom throughout life. We believe that achievement derives from sustained, purposeful effort and that our potential is best developed by learning to think critically, debate confidently, and push our limits. Ours is a community that nurtures and celebrates disciplined and myriad intelligences, and we approach teaching with the expectation that every student will be successful.

Mutual respect and understanding in a diverse community We believe that every human being is valuable and deserves respect. We further believe that respect springs from understanding and that the best way to understand others is by learning to see the world from other points of view. Since each language reflects the values, history, and way of thinking of those who use it, learning another language is a particularly effective means of understanding and respecting others. We believe that a cohesive community of students, faculty, staff, and parents from many backgrounds—socio-economic, ethnic, racial, linguistic, national, and religious—provides an ideal setting for the development of respect and understanding and helps prepare students to thrive in a diverse, interdependent world.

AIS Non-Discrimination StatementAtlanta International School practices a full non-discriminatory policy in all school-administered programs and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender preference in all of its admissions, educational and employment policies, programs, and practices.

2014 global exchange (spring)

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