About Us
Greetings!
Welcome to our corner of the web from our corner of the world - where the smiles and the warmth of the community are palpable and genuine!
My family and I are thrilled to have joined the AISM community. Coming from the neighboring country of Zambia, we have a deep love for Southern Africa and have long admired AISM and beautiful Mozambique. The global pandemic has indeed changed many aspects of our lives, but it has not changed the essential elements of the AISM experience to which we were drawn: dedicated teachers working with engaged students and committed parents to create a school where students thrive.
We look forward to working with the entire school community to ensure that AISM remains the school of choice in Mozambique.
Our Name
So what's in a name?
So what's in a name? Our identity starts with our name: the American International School of Mozambique.
What’s American?
Our founders were American expatriate workers who wanted to provide their children with an English language education underscored by an American ethos. With the US Embassy’s support, they founded the school, joining the other 190+ American schools worldwide. We still maintain a relationship with the US Embassy and benefit from a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Republic of Mozambique.
What’s International?
We have more than 50 nations represented in our student body and teachers from around the globe. The tenets of the International Baccalaureate Programmes are foundational to our school identity, and our school was the first IB World School in Mozambique.
What’s Mozambican?
We are honored to be residents of this rich and diverse part of southeastern Africa. Over 20% of our students and staff are native Mozambicans. Our celebration of Mozambique's rich heritage reaches well beyond Capulana Friday, when we wear with pride the bright fabrics that you see worn everywhere, or the flavors of the peri-peri chicken, which we love! The spirit of Mozambique is found in our love of our neighbor, the peaceful and warm spirit that exudes from our community, and the grit and determination that accompanies the “anything is possible” optimism of Maputo. And that’s just the beginning!
While our name is important to us, we are so much more than our name
Imagine a place that transcends your imagination of what school is all about. A place where students from early years through high school experience a program that is completely focused on what they need to succeed—one that is developmentally appropriate, effective, progressive, and empowering. For teachers, it’s endlessly stimulating to teach at a place where there is palpable excitement about learning. Where teaching means inspiring our learners by giving them a voice in their education and giving teachers the opportunity to help students succeed. A place where teachers are committed to learning and advancing their own pedagogical skills. AISM is committed to being a hub for professional development on the continent, attracting the best teachers from around the world.
In educator-speak, our program is focused on the whole child. We are learner-centered and committed to giving our students voice and choice in how they learn—we call this student agency. We strive to create an educational experience that is personalized, authentic, and contextualized; it’s based on inquiry and is open-walled and based on competency. That may sound like a lot, and it is. But we firmly believe this is the best way to learn and teach. Want to know more?
As you weave your way through our website, you will learn how the International Baccalaureate Programme provides a critical framework empowering us to provide the best education for our students. Our aim is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will transform their world and propel them to success in the present and future.
When our classes end, learning continues. From our primary school through high school, our students participate in a wide range of after-school activities. We are deeply committed to physical health through competitive sports. Additionally, throughout the year, members of our school community dedicate their time and talent to our community connections program, where they make lasting and valuable contributions to our city and country.
As you can see, AISM is much more than its name. I’m confident that the more you explore, the more you will, like me, be smitten with the spirit, warmth, energy, and joy of AISM.
Russell Menard, Ed.D.
School Director
Our Place
Mozambique is a young country, but its history stretches back many centuries. It’s a long coastal country that touches South Africa at its southernmost border and Tanzania and Malawi on its north. In between are 30 million people from myriad nationalities and cultures who find common ground in enjoying Mozambique’s natural and cultural riches.
Maputo is the capital city, where AISM calls home. Nearly 1.8 million people live here, including the greater metropolitan area. Its fine architecture includes distinctive late-19th-century buildings and a significant number of buildings from the 1930s Art Deco era through the early mid-century period. Maputo is a city that is changing for the better: after a period of disruption and social unrest, it is attracting new businesses and widespread investments in infrastructure. (link to Wikipedia page)
NEIGHBORHOOD
The AISM campus is between the neighborhoods of Costa do Sol and Sommershield, a five-minute walk to the Indian Ocean. We share a street with two other international schools, bringing plenty of activity on most days and weekends.
Our lives at AISM are enriched by the area’s notable flora, fauna, foods, and cultural icons. A sampling of the what you’ll see, smell, and enjoy follows.
THE SUN
Every day, we are treated to beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets. The days start early here, with sunrise generally at around 05:00 and sunset at around 18:00. This allows us to orient many of our activities around the plentiful sunshine and warm, subtropical climate. Even AISM’s neighborhood, Costa Do Sol (Sun Coast) describes our daily reality!
FLORA—FLOWERS & ACACIA TREES
The pinks, the oranges, the greens, the reds—these colors surround you when you walk around the school grounds, the city, and the neighborhood.
FAUNA—WEAVER BIRDS
When you walk onto the school grounds, you immediately hear the colony of southern masked weavers that nest in the trees on campus. The nests that the male weaver makes for his mate are either used or cut away and “discarded,” and are fun to collect and display.
PERI-PERI
This habanero pepper spice is everywhere! And it is tasty! It’s used on grilled chicken and on shrimp. Whether you purchase it in a store or use your own homemade recipe, peri-peri adds to the spice of the city.
DHOW BOATS
All along the shore, you will see colorful dhow boats. The dhow is the traditional style of boat indigenous to this region of Africa. Fishermen make their own sails and cast out every day to make their catch and then sell it along the roadside or at the fish market.
CAPULANA
Have you noticed the design on the web site? The banner is our own custom capulana design. The capulana is the traditional bright patterned fabric worn by many many people in Mozambique. At AISM, we even have Capulana Friday!
Our Learners
What does a typical day look like at AISM?
The day starts at 08:00, and classes end at 15:00. Either side of the regular school day, there are a wide variety of 'Before School Activities' (BSAs) that begin at 07:00 and 'After School Activities' (ASAs) that typically run until 16:30. Days at AISM are busy and varied. Students’ schedules differ depending on which programme they are enrolled in.
The role of play is important in the elementary school, although we work hard. Every day and in many ways, our students engage in supervised play around campus.
Athletics & Activities
Three times a year, students and parents eagerly await the announcement of next season’s BSAs and ASAs - programs that enrich students’ lives and begin/end their day at school. It could be ballet, or basketball. Many of these offerings emerge when willing parents or teachers step up to share their interests and passions.
Week Without Walls
Upper primary, middle and high school students kick off each year with a week-long program that weaves together bonding and adventure with a trip-specific curriculum. These adventures might include spending a week in a village or in a bush camp, or riding horses or canoeing. These grade-specific programs help form friendships and provide a memorable shared experience to start the school year.
Student support and well-being
We make sure we help students succeed in myriad ways. That means making sure they can get additional support if needed. Our professional counselors meet with our students from their primary years through secondary school, and we provide college counseling. For students who may feel physically ill during the school day or who might get injured on the playground or the sports field, a team of professionals attend to these needs. For those who need additional educational help, we have EAL services and learning specialists to help students succeed.
Our People
STUDENTS
From the Early Years through Grade 12, AISM students are our raison d’etre and our backbone. Walk around the school and you’ll see smiles everywhere. It’s a happy place with happy students. Our students, from 60+ countries, are a diverse group that are supportive of each other’s interests. Buffalo Pride is palpable, in everyday classes and activities as well as major events from International Day to sports competitions to Extended Essay presentations.
FACULTY & STAFF
Talented and dedicated. AISM is fortunate to have a faculty and staff who share the common goal of student success. Our teachers come from around the world. Some have been at the school for more than 15 years, while others are recent arrivals who enrich our community with their array of international experiences. Our teachers are committed professionals who are always learning themselves and who willingly share with one another.
PARENTS
AISM benefits from an engaged and helpful parent community. The formal organization of parents, the PTA, has an active presence in campus and assists in an array of programming, from Orientation to International Day to Family Fun Days to sponsoring learning evenings for parents. They are a wonderful extension of the school and an invaluable resource.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Throughout the year, students and faculty get the chance to hear from parents who are experts in their field. Whether on topics of diplomacy and statecraft to childhood poverty, our students’ education is enriched by the generosity of our parents.
ALUMNI
The AISM alumni body is young and growing. The school welcomes any student who attended for one year or more to self-identify as AISM alumni. The alumni network is growing, and many alumni show great interest in connecting with one another to share the pride and community spirit that was formative and important to them as students.
Our alumni now live around the world, in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa. Together with former teachers, they build connections with the school and with each other that last a lifetime.
Our History
From humble beginnings, the American International School of Mozambique has grown and flourished. In the 32 years since the US Embassy and its staff founded the school to provide an American-style education for the children of those who worked at embassies, NGOs, and multinational corporations, the student population has grown from 60 to our current student population of over 450. In the early years, the school was housed in a small building in the heart of the city. Today we occupy 20 acres about 500 meters from the Indian Ocean.
In 2000 the school adopted the International Baccalaureate framework, and since 2003 AISM has been a full IB school.
While our original mascot was the Dolphin, today we are proud to have the Cape Buffalo as our official mascot. You can see the curved horns of the Cape Buffalo in various designs on campus, including our custom Capulana design and our school logo.
AISM is accredited by the Middle States Association.