Awty International School

AIS has no religious affiliation.

The Awty International School’s campus covers 15 acres of land and includes two covered basketball/volleyball courts, an athletics center, two soccer fields, and three gymnasiums. In 2012, it opened a new, three-story, 65,000 square foot LEED certified building to house more of everything, including 33 classrooms, a new dining hall, and art classrooms. It also opened a new five-story parking garage. In the summer of 2013, it added an additional 15,000 square feet to its Lower School building.

AIS is located just outside the 610 Loop, off of I-10 and Post Oak, in an urban area of professional offices and shopping centers. The campus is gated, with a security checkpoint at the entrance.

To apply to AIS, students must take the WPPSI, the WISC-IV, the OLSAT, or the ISEE, depending on grade level:

• Applicants to Kindergarten and 1st grade must take the WPPSI.
• Applicants to grades 2-4 must take the WISC.
• Applicants to grade 5-12 must take the ISEE.
• Local applicants to grades 6-12 must also take the OLSAT.

For the ISEE for grades 6 and 9, we recommend that applicants target a stanine of 7 or better in all test sections. We have seen a preference for strong testers, but Awty equally weighs a candidate’s other talents when considering admission.

Students must choose to apply to one of the two academic programs offered at Awty: the International Section or the French Section.

An online application form must also be submitted along with a $200.00 USD non-refundable application fee. A parent statement and a photograph of the applicant are also required. Finally, students entering grades 6-12 must also submit a Student Statement.

Students applying to the Middle and Upper Schools are invited to attend an Open House in November to get an inside look at the campus. Daily tours led by Upper School student ambassadors are also available. Shadow visits will be available to students who are accepted.

Students applying to the Primary School (PK3/PS-5/CM2) are invited to campus for a Group Observation Visit on a Saturday morning as part of the application requirements.

Awty gives priority consideration to the children of a parent affiliated with the school in one of the following ways:

• is a graduate or an employee of the school
• has children already enrolled or concurrently applying, or
• is being relocated to Houston by an Awty-recognized corporation.

General Academic has more than 16 years of experience helping thousands of students prepare for the ISEE. Inquire about private tutoring or register for ISEE prep courses starting December 21st at our Rice Village Study Lounge.

Awty features two different academic programs, the French Section and the International Section. The French Section follows the requirements and curriculum determined by the French Ministry. The French Section’s curriculum is no different from any other international French accredited school, and students earn a French Baccalauréat based upon their 11th and 12th grade test scores.

The International Section follows a curriculum similar to those used in American schools up until the 10th grade. During the students’ 11th and 12th grade years in the International Section, the curriculum follows the required path towards an International Baccalaureate diploma. In order to graduate, students are required to complete six subjects, three “Higher Level” and three “Standard Level” courses. These subjects include: first language, second language, math, science, social science, and an IB elective. Students must also complete 150 hours of CAS (creativity, action, and service), a 4,000 word research essay, and a capstone course titled “Theory of Knowledge.”

No information concerning AIS’s accommodations for students with special needs is available at this time.

Awty’s student body is made up of children from more than 50 countries, and Awty’s foreign language curriculum represents that diversity. Awty emphasizes fluency, and all language programs are structured with this emphasis in mind.

PreK students are enrolled in a dual-language program wherein one day is in English and the next is in either French or Spanish. Middle School and Upper School language programs include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Norwegian.

Awty integrates the fine arts into its curriculum as a demonstration that students who participate in the fine arts are more well-rounded individuals.

In the visual arts, students are exposed to many different types of media throughout their entire education, such as digital studio and photography.

In the performing arts, 6th and 7th grade students participate in either the band or the Triple Switch program, a set of six classes lasting one term each that includes music and theatre arts. Students in higher grades can participate in Awty’s choir, orchestra, dance ensembles, IB Art and Theatre courses, jazz band, and more.

No information concerning AIS’s technology policy is available at this time.

As part of the requirements for the IB program, students attending Awty must earn CAS hours (creativity, action, and service). Students may earn these hours through a number of extracurricular programs, including community service projects. Students may also participate in a variety of clubs, such as language clubs, the Book Club, the Anime Club, Guitar, Knitting, and the Culinary Club. Awty also hosts a literary magazine, a speech and debate team, a Model United Nations, and much more.

Students in grades 6-12 may participate in any of the sports programs available at the Awty International School. Awty fields teams in Cross Country, Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Golf, Swimming, Track, and Tennis. Middle school students compete in the Greater Houston Athletic Conference and Upper school students compete in The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. Students may fulfill a portion of their CAS hours requirements by participating in sports.

The APPA is the main volunteer organization at The Awty International School. It oversees parent involvement at all grade levels, as well as hosting several Awty community building events. The Awty Dads Club provides a community for Dads to socialize, as well as to support the development and cultivation of the school and its mission. Awty’s Fine Arts Booster Club (FABC) is a group of Awty parents, faculty, and staff who are dedicated to working for the advancement of the arts at Awty. The Awty Rams Booster Club supports, promotes, and fundraises for all sports teams (Middle School and Upper School).