AISCT Bulletin Board

If you would like to view the recent school newsletters or programs from school plays, just click their links below. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. These publications will help you "get a feel" for the special projects and activities that happen at AISCT.

School Hours

• All classes (PreK-Grade12) begin promptly at 8:00 a.m.
  
• Students should arrive 10-15 minutes before class, but no earlier than 7:45 a.m.
  
• Pre-Kindergarten dismisses at 12:15 p.m.
  
• Grades K-12 dismiss at 2:50 p.m.

Lunch

Uniforms

The American International School of Cape Town has created a comfortable, attractive uniform, which is to be worn by all students during school hours. Please see the attached uniform policy.

Classroom Materials

• School bags, notebook paper and writing utensils are the responsibility of the student.
• Basic school supplies and all textbook resources are included in the tuition fees.
• In special circumstances such as an advanced mathematics course, other materials may be required by the student.

Aftercare

• After-care for our Pre-Kindergarten students is available from 12:15-2:45 at reasonable rates.
• If you require the after-care service, please let us know as soon as possible what arrangements you will need so we can plan accordingly.
• Payment of after-care must be made in advance in the school office.

Transportation

• AISCT provides transportation upon request and on a first-come, first-served basis
  
• A reasonable fee is assessed for use of transportation services.
  
• Times of collection and drop-off are determined by the addresses involved.
  
• In the event a family lives too great a distance from the school for easy access, arrangements may be made to work out a pick-up and drop-off point. AISCT reserves the right to determine whether a geographic area will be included in the transportation service.
• School transportation is not available after After School Activities.

Security

• We feel the students at AISCT should learn in a safe, beautiful environment and their protection is of utmost importance. AISCT provides 24-hour security.
  
• Entrance gates are closed at all times during school hours and the guard requires sign-in of every vehicle before raising the inside boom.
  
• Families are provided with Authorized Vehicle passes to be displayed on the dashboard for inspection by our guard. This allows for an expedient entrance and exit at drop-off and collection times.
  
• Families with multiple vehicles or alternate drivers should obtain additional passes.
  
• Please provide Mrs. Roberts (secretary) with information regarding each of the vehicles that will normally be entering AISCT grounds on behalf of your child (make and model, license plate number).

Absences

• Children are expected to be in attendance each school day, unless they are ill or there is an important family matter.
  
• If your child should become ill or will be absent from school for any reason, please notify Mrs. Roberts at 713-2220 before 8:00 a.m. or send a note to your child’s teacher.
  
• All absences will be expected to be excused by parents with a note or phone call, and a record will be kept of your child’s attendance. Undue tardies or absences will result in an inquiry as to the circumstances.
  
• All parents must report to the school office when collecting children during school hours to sign them out, and should not go directly to the classroom.

Communication

• Feel free to call AISCT at any time with questions or concerns, (021) 713-2220.Please note that all calls received after 3pm will be directed to an answering machine, so please leave a detailed message and a staff member will get back to you.
  
• Appointments to speak with teachers or the principal may be made through Mrs. Brenda Roberts, secretary, at the above number.
  
• Teachers will provide parents with frequent information regarding classroom or school details. Please respond quickly to notes sent home with your child.
  
• Individual teachers may provide home phone numbers at their own discretion.

School Conduct

• In order to provide a safe learning environment for all students at AISCT, we will expect children to respect established classroom and school rules.
  
• Teachers will create a set of reasonable expectations for their students and will make certain all students understand the rules.
  
• Respect for adults and other children should be displayed at all times.
  
• Respect for school property and that of other children should be displayed at all times.
  
• A clear explanation of our rules is outlined in a family handbook.
  
• Questions regarding any aspect of student conduct should be addressed to the classroom teacher or to the principal.
  
• Our motto to all children at AISCT is, "Do the Right Thing." It works!

Excursions

• The American International School of Cape Town endeavors to create the most stimulating learning experiences possible, and to honor the very real need of many students to see, hear, and feel materials related to their studies.
  
• Lessons at AISCT are developed using a Multiple Intelligences approach, which includes frequent field trips to sites that can enhance the understanding of the subject matter. The "real-life" nature of our excursions aids in true knowledge and establishes memorable learning experiences.
  
• Parents are notified of all AISCT excursions well in advance, and may be assessed a nominal fee for entrance to a venue. Transportation to sites is arranged by the school.

Parental Involvement

• One of the hallmarks of a successful student is the involvement of the family in the child's education. At the American International School of Cape Town, we understand that each parent's involvement in the student's academic life is essential. Making time to read together, joining class field trips, supporting a school team, or visiting the classroom throughout the year are but a few of the ways parents help kids know that school is important. We also understand that family involvement means participation in activities which enhance school life. At AISCT, we provide a wide array of choices and opportunities for parents to become involved:
  
  • Chaperoning excursions
    Providing materials for special projects
  • Helping to coach a sports team
  • Donating time to help in the classroom
  • Attending presentations and events
  • Organizing fundraisers
  • Providing transportation

• When parents enroll their children in the American International School of Cape Town, the parents become part of our family, too!

Origins and Governance

• The American International School of Cape Town was originally established in 1996, and later re-incorporated in March 2001, to provide schooling for the children of expatriates residing in Cape Town, and for those South African families who might be interested in a U.S.-based program run on a northern hemisphere calendar.
  
• AISCT is one of a consortium of schools operated under the aegis of the International School Development Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation domiciled in Lansing, Michigan (U.S.A.), and accorded 501 C3 status by the Internal Revenue Service. The foundation has established entities in the countries in which it operates in order to adhere to regulations for school establishment in each respective nation.
  
• ISDF is overseen by three directors: Lawrence Lee Balli, residing in St. Helena, California; Michael S. Dougherty, residing in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; and Kristy D. Seng, residing in Jakarta, Indonesia. Mr. Balli has been a teacher and administrator in international schools since 1972, and is a former Principal of Jakarta International School, one of the largest such schools in the world. Mr. Dougherty has been a teacher and administrator in international schools since 1976, and was founding Principal of the North Jakarta International School, which he headed for eleven years. Ms. Seng is the Chief Financial Officer of ISDF, and manages the budgets and financial plans of six schools in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
  
• ISDF currently oversees schools in Jakarta (North Jakarta International School, founded 1990 and accredited by the European Council of International Schools), Shanghai (Shanghai Community International Schools, founded 1996 and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges), and Cape Town.
  
• Each school has its own appointed Board of Governors, comprised of the three Directors of ISDF, and additional members representing the host country and the local school community. The Foundation has chosen this governance model over annually elected boards. Research from the European Council of International Schools confirms that the appointed board model results in more effectively and successfully managed international schools world wide.
  
• In addition to the school boards, each school has a parent-managed body called the Parents and Friends Association (PAFA). Membership in PAFA is automatically conferred on parents of students enrolled in the school, and can be extended to any member of the school community interested in supporting the mission of the school. PAFA elects its own administrative team each school year, normally comprising a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Details about PAFA activities and authority can be found in the "Parent Student Handbook" at each school.
  
• In addition, AISCT is supported in local governance and financial planning by a 7 member School Council, 3 of whose members are appointed by the Board of Governors, 3 members being elected by the parents, and 1 elected teacher annually.

Brief Philosophy

• Schooling should be a multifaceted experience which allows students to learn to think creatively and critically, to gain practical skills which will equip them for ensuing stages of education and life in general, to explore areas of interest, including their own selves, and to learn to work with and appreciate other people. We recognize that in addition to preparing students for each successive stage of their education, schooling forms a significant chronological segment of a person's life and, therefore, has its own intrinsic value and importance, a value beyond simply preparing for the next chapter or the next grade level. This lends an added significance and responsibility to all of the work we do at AISCT.
  
  Our aim in every classroom is to create a dynamic and interactive learning environment with challenges and expectations appropriate to the complex world our students will inhabit. We focus on the development of each student's skills, sense of logic, and general academic and social discipline. Most importantly, we aim to foster a lasting love of learning which will extend outside the school curriculum, and beyond the student's years at AISCT.
  
  Our students are inheriting a world in which the discovery, assimilation, understanding, and management of information undreamed of today will be vital to them. Our goal, accordingly, is to reach beyond a content-oriented curriculum and to provide students with the academic skills and intellectual confidence to apply knowledge to thoroughly new problems and situations.
  
  In doing so, we seek to take advantage of the many learning opportunities unique to the international school setting and, more specifically, to our location in South Africa. In our increasingly interdependent world, students with an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of nationalities and cultures represented at a school like ours are better prepared to tackle the challenges which such a world presents.