American International School of Bucharest

The American International School of Bucharest is a multicultural and international school located in the town of Voluntari, 5 km outside central Bucharest, Romania. It is set on a campus 10 hectares in size. English is the primary medium of instruction. The school was founded in 1962 by the United States Embassy. AISB is the only school in Romania authorized to offer students the entire International Baccalaureate(IB) program. This includes the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes.

The school currently serves a population of over 700 students from over 50 countries globally.

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The school is also involved in numerous Community Service projects such as

City of Hope

This Romanian organization provides shelters and homes for street children is a Romanian organization, offering, food, clothing, and a stable daily life. City of Hope has one home for girls, housing about 20 children and the equivalent number of boys are in foster care families waiting for construction of the Village of Hope. The City of Hope also has a facility from which they feed a further 200 children a day near the Gara de Nord Train Station.

Victor Babes Hospital

Victor Babes is a state-run hospital for HIV-positive children which houses 50 - 80 children, most without families. AISB has been involved with the program for many years. Students visit the hospital each month and provide activities and projects for the children.

Children's Respiratory Hospital

Working with Children's Relief Network, AISB students are trained in infant play therapy and have been assisting each week in small groups. Fund-raising activities accompany each of the service projects. AISB students visit infants weekly and work to involve these small children in engaging physically and emotionally with others, thus making up for the lack of human contact in many of the state institutions.

Jesus Loves Romania Orphanage

This project comprises four orphanage homes in Bucharest with 100 children ranging in age from infant to 18 years old. This Romanian Foundation also feeds street children at the Gara de Nord Train Station. AISB is working to provide games, tutoring in computers, English instruction and other various activities campus. The orphanage provides a stable and calm environment for the children.

Back to School Foundation

This program is a tutorial project in which AISB students help other students from a Romanian school devoted to re-integrating Romanian students back to their school system. The Foundation operating this program was set up five years ago to help rescue school dropouts who cannot easily re-enter the Romanian education system if they have missed two or more years of schooling. The Back to School Foundation also trains Romanian teachers in western methods and conducts small classes to bring students up to grade level. Presently, there are over 100 students involved in grades 1 though 8. Small groups of these students come to AISB weekly for tutoring in computers, English and Math. They conducted their first graduation ceremonies at AISB in June 2002.

Pipera House

Added as a new program this year, this foster care home has been recently established near the AISB campus. Students travel weekly to tutor and play with the 5 HIV/AIDS students who are new to family life, having previously spent their years in institutions. The children vary in age from 9 to 16.

International Children's Center

This project is a middle school initiative and is not available as an option for senior students. ICC is an orphanage situated outside of Bucharest, visited regularly by 8th grade students.

Counselling at AISB

The AISB Counseling Program seeks to provide the full range of counseling services necessary to ensure that each child has the strongest support possible for maximum growth on an educational and a personal level. The program consists of elementary, middle school and high school programs.

Middle school

The purpose of the middle years guidance counseling program is to assist students in developing competencies in academic achievement, career planning and personal/social development.

The aim of the program is achieved by implementing a variety of measures. These include:

Secondary School

The purpose of the high school guidance counseling program is to facilitate age appropriate academic, career, personal, and social development for all students to enable students’ normal growth and development and assist with higher education decisions.

The aim of the program is achieved through a variety of measures. These include but are not limited to:

The counseling program offers personal and academic counseling, group counseling discussing age appropriate issues, development of career goals, and guidance through the university research and application process. The counselor is available to students and families regarding personal, academic and vocational counseling. Consultation with teachers and administrators is an important aspect of the counselor¹s role. The counselor maintains an active informal role in establishing and maintaining rapport with the students, teachers and community to maintain strong communication and understanding between all groups, while remaining an advocate for the students.

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