Welcome from Dr. Pratt

Dear Community,

Welcome to our website! This platform represents an opportunity to share the purpose and culture of the WBAIS community and to explore our strategic direction. The mission of our school is to educate and prepare students for engagement in a changing world.  We expand our understanding of that mission through a vision which focuses on the importance of Learning, Community and Character.  Our Mission and Vision statements are aspirational and serve as maps clarifying our path. They become milestones allowing us to grow and improve while keeping a true heading.  Our world is dynamic, and as we travel its ever expanding boundaries within and without ourselves, we must take our students with us as we explore, evaluate, and map out new understanding. The guiding documents reflect the understanding that we live in a rapidly changing world and our work is to prepare our students to have the skills and dispositions to successfully navigate their futures.  

Our Profile of a Learner clearly states the characteristics of the learners we aspire to be.   While we honor and build on the work of those who established and developed the school since 1958, past practices alone will not offer our students the tools they need on their journeys, we must be constantly reflective and open to changing our practices to meet student needs.  We aim to provide our students with the confidence and resilience they need to embrace new challenges, an open mind that is international and inclusive in its outlook, and a desire to be a force for good in the communities they serve. 

Finally, those larger ideals become actionable through a strategic plan and accreditation process, with input from faculty, parents, and students, that offers concrete steps we can take to get traction on our journey. Our strategic plan includes the following vision-aligned, action oriented initiatives:

• We will CULTIVATE INSPIRED LEARNING that empowers students by promoting higher order thinking, developing students’ abilities as innovators, and providing students varied opportunities to demonstrate their learning.
• To STRENGTHEN OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY and to cultivate cultural sensitivity, empathy, we will integrate diversity into our learning, partner with local communities to offer authentic learning opportunities, and build community .
• We will DEVELOP STUDENT LEADERSHIP  by emphasizing student agency, encouraging risk-taking, providing opportunities for collaboration and communication, reinforcing the Profile of a Learner, and mentoring leadership ideals.

All travelers depend on the support of others they meet on their journey.  The effectiveness of a school can be measured in the strength of the partnership between parents, students, and faculty.  Each of these groups make contributions, and the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts.  Working together and supporting one another ensures our students will be well served.  Take some time to explore our website. If you are already a member of the AIS community, we hope that you will gain a deeper understanding of our purpose and culture.  If you are considering our school,  we hope you will join us on our journey.

Dr. Devin Pratt, Superintendent