American International School of Budapest

Your Bridge to the World

The AISB learning experience is a continuous journey of

self-development from Pre-K3 to High School graduation…

and life beyond.

WELCOMEWelcome to the American International School of Budapest!

Wherever you are from, whatever your age or cultural background, every

day of your life offers a new opportunity to learn. At AISB we embrace

this belief and strive to enable all our students to achieve their highest

academic potential, while at the same time develop their individuality,

interests and special talents. With over fifty-five nationalities, we fully

live our motto of being ‘your bridge to the world’. We celebrate our rich

cultural differences and live out our deep-rooted principles that foster

respect and understanding.

Choosing the right school for your children is a difficult task. The aim of

this booklet is to provide information that will be useful in helping you

make that important decision – the right school for the next stage of your

child’s education and personal development. You can also find information

about AISB in greater detail by visiting our website at www.aisb.hu.

Best of all, come for a visit. Our admissions office staff will be more than

happy to meet with you, answer your questions and take you on a tour of

our superb campus.

A Message from the School Leadership Team

Thank you for considering AISB as the school of choice for your children.

We look forward to meeting you.

Our Mission:

The American International School of

Budapest prepares its students to be

responsible global citizens and inspires in

each a passion for knowledge and lifelong

learning. We are a nurturing and diverse

community that instills respect for self

and others, develops the whole child, and

strives for academic excellence.

Passionate about your Child’s Success

Our Vision:

AISB will be a leader among the

international schools of Europe,

recognized for its outstanding

students, dedicated faculty,

excellent facilities, and rich

and challenging programs for

students and the community.

Our Values:

• We are an inclusive and involved community of students,

teachers and parents.

• We appreciate each member of our community as an

individual with unique talents and abilities.

• We embrace the American philosophy of education and

its approach to teaching that emphasizes critical thinking

skills, creativity and inquiry-based learning.

• We deliver an internationally focused curriculum that

encourages open-mindedness, tolerance and cross-

cultural understanding.

• We respect our host country’s culture, traditions and

environment.

• We require personal integrity and ethical behavior.

• We advocate social responsibility and community service.

• We promote an open and caring dialogue in which each

voice is heard.

The American International School of Budapest (AISB) is a private and independent co-educational

day school governed by a Board of Directors elected and appointed from the parent community.

The school was established in 1973 by the United States Embassy originally to serve United States

Government employees’ dependents. AISB currently serves the needs of a rapidly expanding

international population, including families of the local and expatriate business and diplomatic

communities, as well as host-country nationals.

American International School of BudapestWhere Children of the World Come to Learn

AISB offers an international curriculum, based upon the best practices

of American pedagogy from Pre-K3 through grade 12 and offers

the full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program at the

High School level. Our language of instruction is English. In grades

7 through 12, prospective students need to demonstrate increasing

levels of language proficiency, as determined by an English language

assessment administered at AISB. There are currently no English

competency level restrictions for grades pre-kindergarten through 6.

Our curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creativity and inquiry-

based learning. We are a dynamic, nurturing community that believes

in the importance of developing the whole child and strives for

academic excellence.

Our student body is currently comprised of 850 students representing

more than 55 different nationalities. We are committed to preserving

this international character to foster and maintain a positive learning

environment for developing engaged, lifelong learners and globally

responsible citizens of tomorrow.

DISCOVERY

An Enriching Experience in a

Diverse Community

We at AISB are proud of our vibrant international community.

Our culturally diverse student body is matched by the vast

international experience of our faculty, with all the richness that

this represents in terms of different languages and cultures. We

strive to create a learning culture in which respect for one another

and an appreciation of diversity lives throughout the school.

Our aim is for all students to achieve their highest academic potential

and at the same time develop their individuality, interests and special

talents. Our restricted class sizes, dedicated faculty and unparalleled

student support programs enable us to see that each child’s individual

needs are met.

Our rich and challenging program provides the foundation upon which

our students will grow intellectually, responsibly and successfully. In

addition, our co-curricular programs are first-class, giving students

access to a wide range of sports, activities, theatre productions, clubs,

environmental protection action, student leadership roles and the very

important community service contribution.

Our state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities and spectacular campus

grounds offer the perfect setting for an engaging and stimulating

learning environment.

In sum, AISB has all the elements in place to give each student an

exceptional educational experience that will spark their curiosity and

instill in them a passion for lifelong learning.

Curriculum

Framed by the school’s Mission, Vision, and Values, the curriculum of the American

International School of Budapest is based on an American educational model within an

international approach and context. In this way, the curriculum is enriched to provide a

stimulating program for our diverse international student body. From the Early Childhood

program to the IB Diploma program, our teachers employ engaging, research-based

instructional methodologies that highlight critical thinking, inquiry and creativity. These

methodologies will give our students the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will

enable them to take their places as leaders in the 21st century. All subjects in all grade

levels have established units of work within agreed curriculum standards and benchmarks

and have articulated the specific learning outcomes that students must achieve.

In order to ensure a high-quality dynamic and aligned curriculum, AISB has established

a Curriculum Review process, and each subject area is examined in depth once every 5

years on an ongoing basis.

Academic Excellence.Leaders in the Making.

Curriculum Development

Based upon AISB’s Strategic Plan, the school has embarked upon

an ambitious curriculum development initiative resulting in the

improvement of an already strong educational program. This includes:

• A fully developed concept of “Academic Excellence” that is reflected in all grades and courses.

• A clearly articulated, vertically aligned curriculum that facilitates smooth transitions between grades and divisions.

• A clearly defined assessment program that measures the achievement of curriculum objectives.

• A curriculum based on externally recognized content standards with grade level and course benchmarks for all academic programs.

English as an Additional Language

All students in grades 1 through 12 who are not yet proficient in

English are enrolled in the English as an Additional Language (EAL)

program. The goal of the EAL program is the full integration of the

students who are still developing English language skills into the social

and academic routines of their English-speaking peers.

Learning Support

A Learning Resource Center (LRC) is available in support of

students needing additional organizational or academic assistance.

A recommendation for enrollment in Learning Resource is made

in collaboration with teachers in partnership with parents and the

student.

PASSIONFaculty

The responsibility for teaching and guiding our students lies in the hands of a highly

talented faculty of 123 teachers, counselors, and administrators. We follow very rigorous

standards aimed at recruiting and retaining the best qualified, talented, dynamic, and

highly motivated educators who are committed to the spirit of internationalism, global

understanding and working with students. The vast majority of our faculty have Masters

degrees and they are all committed to a personal professional development program that

aims to keep them at the forefront of their area of expertise.

AISB employs 113 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members. 54% of the full-time

faculty are U.S. citizens, 14% are Canadian, 13% are British. The remaining 19% of the

faculty are from 15 other countries. In total, 65% of faculty have advanced degrees,

including four doctorates.

In addition to their classroom teaching responsibilities, teachers serve as club sponsors,

coaches, mentors, activity supervisors, and in many other roles that help students enjoy

rewarding and meaningful experiences at AISB.

Teachers at AISB tend to stay longer than the average tenure enjoyed in most

international education institutions, with all the resulting benefits for both the school and

the students.

Inspiring Role Models.Compassionate Mentors.

GLOBALCITIZENSHIP

Uniting our Community

A vital component in the AISB experience is the parent community. A

strong bond between parents and the school enhances the lives of the

students and their families. Our Parent School Association (PSA) is a

very successful and active organization that offers many opportunities

to parents who wish to get involved in school life at AISB. It is a fun

and rewarding way to make friends, settle in to your new community,

and play an active role in your children’s learning experience. Every

spring, the PSA organizes an International Festival, a celebration of the

diversity and dynamism of the school community. It is also a major

fundraiser. All proceeds from the event support student participation

in humanitarian and cultural activities and contribute to the school’s

‘service learning’ component, the overall objective of which is to

develop in students a lifelong commitment to reaching out to others

and contributing to the larger community.

Other ways parents can be involved include the athletic Booster Club,

homeroom parent contacts, career day, field trip chaperones, drama

productions, and many more.

Community Engagement

In the fall of 2010, the AISB Community Engagement Program was

introduced to create opportunities for our community to come together

and pursue meaningful educational, social, cultural and recreational

activities.

As part of this initiative, an Adult Enrichment Program was created offering

parents a variety of language classes, sport activities, and computer skills

training. The program is fashioned to enable participants to improve

certain skills, discover new interests and make new connections in a

friendly, relaxed environment. Most of the classes are offered during school

hours, to facilitate parents who need to pick up their children after school.

Some of the courses offered include: Basic Hungarian Language,

Conversational English for non-native speakers, guitar lessons, multi-media

for Apple Macintosh , Kundalini Yoga and more.

INNOVATION

From a Small Platformto a World Stage

Facilities

When the school first opened its doors in 1973 it operated out of a

few apartments, which were rented by the US Embassy in a building

on the Pest side of the Danube River. In February 1988, the school

moved to a beautiful, new, purpose-built facility on Kakukk út, in the

Buda hills. There were 100 students at that time. By September 1990,

however, the school outgrew this facility and began renting facilities

at nearby Csillebérc. With the continued growth in enrollment, AISB

bought land in 1998 and started to plan the building of the second

campus, which was completed and opened by August 2000 in

Nagykovácsi, some fifteen kilometers from the center of Budapest.

The Nagykovácsi campus received students from grades 3 to 12, thus

leaving the Buda campus to cater for grades Pre-K through grade 2.

Today, AISB operates three divisions on the beautiful 32-acre

Nagykovácsi campus. In the fall of 2009, a brand new Elementary

School facility was built on an expanded campus, thus uniting the

entire school community in one state-of-the-art facility. The two

buildings, linked by a bridge, provide a high quality educational

environment for students aged 3 to 18.

The Elementary building (Building A), houses students Pre-K3 to

grade 5. The facilities are very age-appropriate. The ‘classroom-cluster’

concept and the Early Years Center help create the small, cozy and

inviting environment that is so important for young children.

The building also includes a cafeteria and library dedicated to our

youngest learners as well as specialized rooms for music, art, drama,

technology and PE. Throughout the school there is flexible use of IT to

support our technology integration programs.

The Middle and High School building (Building B) houses students

from grades 6 to 12 and is complete with 51 classrooms, library,

cafeteria, 4 computer rooms, double-sized gymnasium, auxiliary

gymnasium, 25-meter indoor swimming pool, performing and visual

arts facilities and 350-seat theater. Within the grounds are tennis

courts, outside basketball courts and beautiful playing fields.

Environmental Stewardship

The way that we use and protect the environment has never been

more sharply in focus than today. The new Elementary building closely

followed ‘Leadership in Educational and environmental Design’ (LEED)

certification standards and our own concept of ‘sensible design’. These

sensible-design features include efficient energy use, water efficiency,

indoor environmental quality and increased use of natural light.

The new Elementary building aesthetically merges with the current

‘award-winning’ NK building, thus giving a value-added setting for our

educational programs.

Technology

AISB recognizes the critical contribution of a solid IT infrastructure

to the education of tomorrow’s global citizens. Strong infrastructure,

coupled with reliable technical support, provide the basis for teachers

and students to take advantage of the educational tools available for

an enhanced learning experience. Our facilities, materials, hardware

and software provided through the IT program are integrated

throughout all subject areas in such a way that they play a central role

in providing students with an outstanding academic program as well

as supporting the present and future needs of the school community.

Student Numbers

Enrollment currently exceeds 852

students Pre-K3 through grade 12.

Approximately 20% of the student

body are United States citizens,

20% are host countries nationals

with South Korea and China being

the third largest other nationality

grouping with 8%. The remaining

39% represent 54 other nationalities.

The average class size is fourteen,

the student-teacher ratio is 1:8.

The average tenure of non-host-

country-national students is three

years.

AISB Nationality Breakdown June 2013

School Board

The AISB Board is composed of 11 voting members and 3 non-voting members (The Honorary

Chair, School Director, and Faculty Representative).

The voting members of the AISB School Board are parents of AISB students. They are

professionals from a variety of different fields and backgrounds, who work together with the

school’s Administration and Faculty to accomplish the school’s mission. They are committed to

providing a superior education that inspires and empowers our students to become productive

and creative world citizens.

The Board’s primary responsibilities are to ensure the provision of a quality education for the

students, a qualified teaching staff, safe and appropriate facilities and high-quality strategic

planning as well as to give sound financial leadership. The Board serves as a policy-making

body, determining direction for the school and providing oversight of the school’s finances.

20% United States20% Hungary

8% South Korea

8% China

5% Netherlands

Belgium

Canada

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

India

Israel

Japan

Poland

Romania

Russia

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

2% and under

Accreditation

Council of International Schools (CIS)

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)

Memberships and Associations

Council of International Schools (CIS)

European Council of International Schools (ECIS)

Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA)

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)

Our Academic Year

The school year is comprised of 176 school days beginning in mid-

August and extending through mid-June, allowing for three one-week

breaks throughout the year plus a three-week holiday in December.

The year is divided into four quarters (two semesters) in Middle and

High school, and three trimesters in the Elementary division.

© Karl Gray

A Chain Bridge at night

B Heroes Square

C Parliament

A, B

Every city has a story, and Budapest – one of the most attractive cities

in the world – is no different. It is a city of many hallmarks: the Pearl

of the Danube, the Paris of the East, the City of Spas. It is also a rich,

bustling capital with much to offer. Between the hills of Buda and the

wide, grand boulevards of Pest flows the legendary Danube River, a

lifeline from Germany all the way to the Black Sea. With an intricate

tapestry of cultures staking claim to the city since the first century BC,

one can find everything from Roman ruins to Turkish baths to amazing

Art Nouveau architectural masterpieces right here! With all this

richness, Budapest is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Hungary is not only a country with a complex and interesting history.

Its inventors and entrepreneurs have contributed much to the world.

In fact, the ball-point pen, nuclear engineering, seat belts, binary code,

the NASA Moon Rover, safety matches, full-length motion pictures, and

the carburetor – just to name a few – are all inventions that owe their

existence to Hungarians.

Life in Budapest is exhilarating and accessible. Typically, our families

love this school and thoroughly enjoy living in Budapest. So come, and

be inspired! We welcome you to our story and to help write the pages

of our future!

Budapest, Hungary

C

Thank you for considering The American International School

of Budapest for your child’s education. Prior to sending an

application, we invite you to contact our Admissions Office to

discuss your child’s educational needs and learn more about how

AISB can be the right choice for your family.

AISB is committed to an admissions policy that enables the school

to accomplish its mission and fulfill its vision in a manner that is fair,

transparent and consistent with its core purpose. Candidates will be

eligible for admission based upon:

• The potential of the applicant to benefit from the educational services available

• The capacity of the School to meet the educational needs of the applying student

• The extent to which the student’s admission will enable the School to maintain diversity as well as the integrity of its English-language learning environment.

Admissions

We have a rolling admissions system which means that, although

most of our new students are enrolled to start at the academic year in

August, we also admit students throughout the year, provided space is

available.

Detailed information regarding the admissions process and the list

of documents required for application are available on our website.

However, the Admissions Office is available to help guide you through

the application process and answer any questions that you may have.

Please feel free to schedule a visit at a time that is convenient to you

to come meet us and tour the school facilities.

admissions@aisb.hu

www.aisb.hu

An invitation to get to know us better We understand the importance of choosing a school that suits the

needs of your children and meets the standards that you, as parents,

wish to have for their education. AISB has all the elements in place to

offer each student an exceptional education and each faculty member

a richly rewarding professional experience.

We invite you to come and see for yourself. We would be delighted to

welcome you! So please contact our Admissions Office to arrange for

a visit. You will have the opportunity to learn more about our programs

and philosophy, meet members of our faculty, see our students in

action and tour our school facilities.

Our doors are open! We look forward to seeing you.

Address: 2094 Nagykovácsi Nagykovácsi út 12 Hungary

Mailing: P.O. Box 53 1525 Budapest Hungary

Email: admissions@aisb.hu

Website: www.aisb.hu

Telephone: +36 26 556 000

Fax: +36 26 556 003