THE American International School of Kingston (AISK) has completed major expansion and upgrading work on its College Green Avenue facilities, including the addition of the latest technology and state-of-the-art laboratories.

AISK is a private, non-profit educational institution catering for children from pre-school to the high school years, and is representative of 32 nationalities.

Director Sean Goudie said the new facilities, officially opened at a dedication and unveiling ceremony on March 18, marked another milestone in life of the institution.

“We have 32 classrooms, all air-conditioned and built with the lastest teaching technology, including built-in-multimedia equipment, four state-of-the-art science laboratories, a dance studio, e-School infrastructure with Wi-Fi available all throughout the campus, playing fields, among other facilities,” said Goudie in a release to the media.

The new infrastructure is intended to enhance student life at AISK, while preparing them for college and beyond. Board chairman Peter Melhado declared that the school aims “to become a role model for what is possible in education in Jamaica”.

“A high-quality international school makes Jamaica competitive with other countries by attracting companies considering doing business in Jamaica, as well as offering Jamaican students an opportunity to participate in a cosmopolitan environment,” Melhado said in the release.

AISK has been in existence since September 1994, but recently relocated to its new facilities at College Green Avenue. Goudie said that the new home for the school stands in stark contrast to what existed 15 years ago. Back then, AISK catered to 30 students in a converted residence, with bedrooms serving as classrooms.

“Today we have a state-of-the-art school facility, 270 students and a world-class teaching faculty. We have also implemented the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme which is perhaps the fastest-growing curriculum among secondary schools the world over, and an E-school infrastructure that readies our students technologically for college and beyond,” he noted. “While the scale of facilities is one thing, it is the subtle details that make the institution stand out. For example, the college campus feel encompassed in the layout and the individual bathrooms have been incorporated within the lower elementary classrooms for enhanced supervision.”

With approximately 40 per cent of its population being Jamaican, and the remaining 60 per cent comprising more than 30 other nationalities, Goudie described AISK, like so many other international schools, as “a mini United Nations”. He also revealed that the mission is “to build a community of enthusiastic and reflective life-long learners who are passionate, caring and who will become responsible world citizens”.

With the recent expansion and upgrading goal now achieved, AISK is busy planning its next project — an art studio and a 300-seat performing arts auditorium. Meanwhile, Goudie was quick to note that the improvements at AISK go far beyond the physical facilities.

“We are also focused on constantly improving our educational offering, both in terms of content and delivery,” he said.

Goudie added that a major objective of the school is to expand the merit-based scholarship programme from its current level of five student places per annum, and to increase its community outreach, primarily by expanding its current teacher training and administrative capacity development programmes.