Email: wbaisisrael@wbais.net
Web: http://www.wbais.net
The Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel (WBAIS) is an independent, coeducational day school, which offers an educational program from kindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1958. In addition to the main campus in Even Yehuda, AIS operates a preschool for children ages 2-4 in Kfar Shmaryahu and an elementary/middle school in Jerusalem (JAIS). The school year comprises 2 semesters, extending from August 15 to January 27 and January 30 to June 13.
Organization: The School is a non-profit corporation registered in the State of Delaware. The ultimate powers of the corporation reside in the corporate membership, which has delegated the policy-making responsibility for the School to a seven-member School Board. Two ex-officio members are on the Board.
Curriculum: The curriculum is that of U.S. academic, college-preparatory public schools. The School offers 13 AP courses at the high school level. AIS is a secular school with no religious instruction. The School’s testing program includes the College Entrance Examination Board tests and the MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) test. Instruction is in English. Hebrew, Spanish, and French are taught as modern languages. Special education services provide support for students with mild learning disabilities. An extensive after-school program, including arts, crafts, sports, and other recreational activities, serves grades 1-12. Most of the AIS graduates go on to colleges and universities in the United States. The School was fully reaccredited, including the international credential, in May 2009 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Faculty: In the 2011-2012 there are 87 teachers in total, 68 full-time and 19 part-time faculty members. Additional faculty is employed at the preschool and JAIS.
Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, enrollment was 565 (Kdg.-grade5: 210; grades 6-8: 147; grades 9-12: 208). 144 students attend JAIS and 38 attend the preschool.
Facilities: In August 2007, the School moved to a new, purpose-built, state of the art facility on 19 acres in the town of Even Yehuda. This campus houses separate ES, MS, and HS buildings, a fine and performing arts building with a 400-seat auditorium and Black Box, a library media center with 15,000 volumes and five computer laboratories, a cafeteria building, and a double gymnasium. Extensive athletic fields, a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a fitness center, and playgrounds complete the campus. Wireless Internet is available in most areas of the campus, and MS and HS students are required to participate in the 1-to-1 laptop program.
Finances: In the 2011-2012 school year, about 90% of the School's income derives from student fees (registration, tuition, building fees). A one-time registration fee of $5,440 per child is assessed upon initial enrollment. The annual tuition rates are: Kdg.-grade 5: $21,511; grades 6-8: $23,162; and grades 9-12: $24,824. The annual building fund levy is $1,735 for all K-12 students. Annual transportation fees vary from $2,450-$3,300 per annum, depending on the distance from the school. These fees are payable by check in Israeli shekels (NIS) or U.S. dollars at the exchange rate on the date of payment.
