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ADMISSION GUIDELINES
Asmara International Community School serves the educational needs families living in Eritrea through an international curriculum delivered in English.
All students meeting the educational criteria of AICS are offered admission to the student body regardless of nationality or ethnicity. Since AICS has an obligation to foreign national families in Eritrea, preference of admission will be based upon the following categories:
- Category 1: Both parents (or single parent in single parent family) holding foreign passport with valid residence visa;
- Category 2: Head of household holding foreign passport with valid residence visa;
- Category 3: Both parents (or single parent in single parent family) holding Eritrean passport and paying tuition in nakfa.
Student attendance at AICS will be permitted ONLY after all of the following conditions have been met:
- Submission of all application forms,previous school records, and results of any standardized or national tests
- Payment of nonrefundable fee
- Participation in the assessment process
- Receipt of a letter of acceptance
- Submission of :
a. Health forms
b. Medical records
c. Two passport photos
d. Signed Internet usage form
e. Signed Library contract
- Fulfillment of tuition requirements and payment of Capital Fund Fee
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Asmara International Community School (AICS) was founded in 1994 with seven students. Today, there are 170 students representing 18 nationalities. We are a Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 12 School. Our first graduating class was in June 2005. Our graduates have been accepted into internationally recognized universities in the United States.
Our school is governed by a 7-member Board of Governors. Five are elected during the annual Association Meeting and any parent of an enrolled child can run for the Board. Two members are appointed; one by the US Embassy and one by the UN.
Classes begin in mid-August and end in mid-June with vacation breaks at the end of the First, Second, and Third quarters. (October, December and April). National and religious holidays, both Muslim and Christian, are celebrated. The school calendar provides for at least 180 school days.
AICS currently employs 13 full-time teachers and 2 part time teachers to address the needs of our diverse student population. The instructional program is conducted in English and the curricular materials are primarily from the US. The curriculum strategies are international in nature, and we are currently at candidate status with the IBO for the IB Primary Years Programme in the elementary school.
Classes begin at age 3 for Pre-Kindergarten. The Early Childhood program focuses on physical, social, and emotional development. Beginning in Grade 1, language arts, science, social studies, and Mathematics are taught in self-contained classrooms up to Grade 6. The middle and high school of Grades 7-12 has each subject taught by a subject specialist. Visual Arts, Physical Education, French, and ESL also form part of the program.
In May, 2004, AICS was accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA). A process was chosen called Accreditation for Growth (AFG). In conjunction with students and parents, we selected goals to improve student outcomes in Reading, Writing, and Problem Solving. These improvements were pursued for a 7-year period. Our focus for such things as teacher in-service training was on these three school wide goals. As of Spring 2010, AICS is beginning the self-study process for reaccreditation with a Visiting Team from MSA anticipated in Spring 2011.
In September 2004, the United States Department of Overseas Schools declared that AICS was adequate (9-12).
We are proud of our past, but continue to make changes and improvements to meet the demands of our current and future student populations. We are happy to discuss their needs and concerns at any time. Report cards are sent home quarterly and there are several occasions for teachers and parents to sit together and formally discuss the progress of their children. There is an active Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) which plans special events. We have after school activities for all the students to enjoy.
N..B. Our program does not necessarily prepare students for integration into the Eritrean system. Parents may be required to sign a statement that they understand our curriculum does not prepare students for the Eritrean National Grade 8 Exam and that AICS will bear no responsibility for securing a seat for this exam.
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Asmara International Community School (AICS) is a non-profit, independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program to children from Pre-Kindergarten (age 3) through Grade 12. The school was founded in 1994 to serve the needs of the international community and other students seeking English-language education. The school year is divided into two semesters extending from mid-August to December and from January to mid-June. There are a minimum of 180 teaching days in the school calendar. AICS is accredited from Kindergarten to Grade 12 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Organization: AICS is governed by a 7-member Board of Governors. Five of the Board members are elected by the AICS Association. Two board members are appointed, one by the U.S. Embassy and one by the United Nations. Membership in the Association is automatically conferred on the parents or guardians of children enrolled in the school as well as teachers.
Curriculum : The curriculum is similar to that of other international schools. Imported textbooks and teaching materials are used. The Early Childhood section (PK and KG) is based on a traditional approach. Grades 1-6 are self-contained and since 2004 have pursued the International Baccalaureate's Primary Years Programme (PYP). Middle School and High School are departmentalized by core subject: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. In addition to the regular academic courses, specialist teachers for Music, Art, Physical Education, and French are offered. Information Technology is integrated into classroom learning. At all elementary grade levels, English language support (ESL) is provided to students whose first language is not English.
Faculty : In the 2009-2010 school year, there are 13 full-time and 2 part-time faculty members from 4 different countries including 7 Americans, 6 Eritreans, 1 Australian, and 1 Canadian. The teaching faculty are certified and degreed from their respective home countries. In addition to the faculty members, we have 5 instructional assistants.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, enrollment was 172. (PK-KG: 34; grades 1-6: 82; grades 7-12: 56). Students from 18 nationalities are enrolled in the school.
Facilities: The school consists of a purpose-built brick building with 10 large classrooms and 4 small classrooms. The school has a library containing 4500 volumes for reference work, supplemental reading, and pleasure reading, as well as networked computer work-stations for internet research. Across the campus there are 33 computers used for instruction of which 19 are in the Computer Lab for computer literacy classes. The school has a gym/auditorium attached to the building for use in physical education, drama productions and other group gatherings. The school maintains self-contained classrooms wherever it is possible. There are grounds with ample area to play as well as playground equipment, basketball court, and paved soccer pitch.
High School Diploma The Asmara International Community School high school diploma is awarded to individuals who have earned a minimum of 24 units of high school credit as prescribed below. One unit of credit is awarded for the successful completion of a course that meets the equivalent of once a day, five days a week, for 55 minutes for a full school year. One-half unit of credit is awarded for a course that meets three days a week for 55 minutes for the entire school year (or the equivalent).
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Courses
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credits
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English Literature
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4
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English writing
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4
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Social studies
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4
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Mathematics
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3
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Science
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3
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Modern foreign language
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2
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Fine arts
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1
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Physical education
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2
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Community Service
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1
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Total
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24 credits
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- Exceptions to AICS graduation requirements will only be made through consultation with the student, parents, and teachers. Exceptions will be authorized only by the Director. In exceptional circumstances, the Director may waive a particular graduation requirement.
- Course credits from other schools will be transferred on a case by case basis.
The grading system used at AICS to determine over all grade point average (GPA) for the 7-12 grade students is on a four-point -three (4.33) system as follows:
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A+ (97-100%)
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4.33
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A (93-96%)
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4.0
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A- (90-92%)
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3.67
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B+ (87-89)
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3.33
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B (83-86)
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3.0
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B- (80-82)
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2.67
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C+ (77-79)
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2.33
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C (73-76)
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2.0
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C- (70-72)
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1.67
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D+ (67-69)
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1.33
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D (63-66)
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1.0
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D- (60-62)
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0.67
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Admission toAICS is subject to satisfactory performance on past academic achievement, entrance tests, and additional evaluations deemed necessary. After meeting admissions requierements, admission is open for all who seek to benefit from our instructional program. The instructional program primarily reflects an international education, but small class sizes allow for individual student programs to be tailored to meet personal needs. The international character of the faculty means most educational needs can be met. Each child is placed in a classroom setting, usually with similarly aged students. Age guidelines are based on those common in international schools and based on school policy (child must reach ‘normal' age for grade by 1 October). Topics and concepts are introduced in the various grades and subjects using the pace, sequence of presentation and curricular models from international schools around the world.
The school strives to recruit the best available teaching staff regardless of nationality. Teachers come from locally available candidates or are recruited from overseas. There is no set ratio of locally hired to foreign hire staff. The numbers will be influenced by availability of local candidates and the school's financial resources. Teachers are expected to be familiar with and use the best teaching methods practiced in schools worldwide. The program will place maximum emphasis on the basic skills of language (English), Mathematics, social studies, and science. As resources and staff permit, the school incorporates programs of PE, Music, French, and Art. The school regularly reviews and renews instructional materials and technology.
No one institution can provide an exact replica of the instructional programs existing in the schools of each of the 20+ nationalities represented at AICS. However, strong emphasis on basic skills provides children with a foundation to move successfully into other educational settings.
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