Middle School

The middle school curriculum is driven by the following 

1. Highly trained teachers with international experience.
2. AERO (American Education Reaches Out) standards. 
3. Curriculum indicators approved by the Middle States Association (MSA) for accreditation. 
4. An inquiry framework based on The Power of Inquiry by Kath Murdoch
5. A standardized criterion based assessment model 
6. Power Standards to ensure that each student is prepared for the essential understandings of each grade level and course. 

Counseling at AISZ takes a three-pronged approach in that not only is emotional support available to students but also to the care takers of children, the parents and the teachers. The philosophy behind the counseling of students at AISZ is that the emotional needs of children go hand in hand with the academic needs.

As a small school, we strive to design an English as an Additional Language (EAL) program tailored to individual student needs. 

Prior to acceptance as a full time student at AISZ, students may be required to take the Versant placement (an English proficiency assessment) test to determine if the prospective student's English level is sufficient for the coursework and entry to the school. 

The expectation for the coursework is that students will do grade-level appropriate work with minimal alterations. Students who need more support will have a combination of in class and outside of class enrichment with a teacher. (Please note these adjustments may impact scheduling of classes). 

As the student progresses with English, the support will decrease until that student is able to work independently with class material. This will be determined by conversations with the EAL specialist and teachers as well as by their English proficiency scores. 

If AISZ cannot provide adequate services for the student's level of English, he/she may not be admitted to the school.