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Secondary School

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Welcome to the Secondary School at AISL! 
​Please use this site as your first location for  information on what is going in the Secondary school. Additionally, this site is intended as a resource for our families to learn more about our wonderful academic program, as well as Secondary school policies. If there is something that you are looking for and can’t find here, please don’t hesitate to let us know. It is our intention to communicate in as comprehensive and transparent a manner as possible, so we are always looking for ways of improving our approach. 

In the Secondary school, we celebrate our diversity: over 40 nationalities are represented by our faculty and students, and we bring an empathetic and student-centered approach to our teaching and learning. We believe in having high expectations, and providing high levels of support in order to meet those expectations. We believe in creating an environment of mutual consideration and civility, where the fundamental humanity of our faculty, parents and students is respected, and where the focus is on holistic human development. In short, our goal is for every student to thrive. 
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Our graduates regularly matriculate to some of the most prestigious universities in the world; however, what brings us the most pride is seeing our students become incisive thinkers, empathetic caregivers, excellent communicators, principled leaders, and overall amazing human beings. 

I look forward to getting to know you and your children better in the future, and please, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out. 

Dr. Rick Odum
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Secondary Principal
American International School of Lusaka
rodum@aislusaka.org
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Secondary Handbook
Secondary Handbook

Meet the Leadership Team

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Rick Odum
Secondary Principal
rodum@aislusaka.org
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Fiona Moss
Secondary Assistant Principal 
fmoss@aislusaka.org
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Monica Murphy
Diploma Programme Coordinator
mmurphy@aislusaka.org
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Ingrid Turner 
MYP Programme Coordinator
iturner@aislusaka.org
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Julie Baldry
Grade 9-12 College and University Guidance
​jbaldry@aislusaka.org
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Driekie Smith
Social Emotional Guidance Counselor
​dsmith@aislusaka.org
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Chantra Reinman
Director of Inclusion

creinman@aislusaka.org
Meet the faculty
Go to the Primary Page

In Focus...

Curriculum
Subject Summaries
Advisory Program
Assessment & Examinations
University & Career Guidance
Handbooks
Curriculum
Middle Years Programme
Diploma Programme
High School Diploma
Middle Years Programme
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The Middle Years Programme serves as a framework for our curriculum here at AISL. You will find more specific information regarding subjects offered within the MYP Guides.

​The IB Middle Years Programme

The MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16. It provides a framework of  learning which encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective  thinkers. The MYP emphasises intellectual challenge, encouraging students to  make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and to the real  world. It fosters the development of skills for communication, intercultural  understanding and global engagement, essential qualities for young people who are becoming global leaders. The MYP is flexible enough to accommodate the  demands of most national or local curricula. It builds upon the knowledge,  skills and attitudes developed in the IB Primary Years Programme (iBPYP) and  prepares students to meet the academic challenges of the IB Diploma Programme  (IBDP) and the IB Career-related Certificate (IBCC).

Over the five years of the programme, the MYP holistically seeks to address students’ intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being. It provides students  with opportunities to develop the knowledge, attributes, and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future. It ensures breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding through the study of eight subject areas and requires the study of at least two languages to support students in understanding their own culture and that of others. The MYP empowers students to participate in service with the community and helps to prepare students for further education, the workplace, and a lifetime of learning. 

The Curriculum
The eight subject groups are language and literature, language acquisition (French/Spanish),  (as part of their multilingual profile), individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education and design. Learning is inquiry based, conceptual and aligned with global contexts for meaningful learning. 

Projects

In Grade 8 students take part in the Community Project where they take action in their local communities. In their fifth and final year of the MYP, students choose an independent Personal Project to demonstrate their skills and understanding of the programme. The Personal Project provides the opportunity for students to explore an issue or idea they are passionate about, learn a new skill or knowledge and develop a product .

For further information about the programme, please access the IBO directly.

Diploma Programme
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The Diploma Programme: preparing students for success in higher education and life in a global society.

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is an academically challenging and balanced program of education with final examinations that prepares students aged 16 to 19 for success at university and life beyond. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. The programme has gained recognition and respect from the world’s leading universities.  

The Diploma Programme prepares students for effective participation in a rapidly evolving and increasingly global society as they:
  • develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
  • acquire breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, studying courses from 6 subject groups
  • develop the skills and a positive attitude toward learning that will prepare them for higher education
  • study at least two languages and increase understanding of cultures, including their own
  • make connections across traditional academic disciplines and explore the nature of knowledge through the program’s unique theory of knowledge course
  • undertake in-depth research into an area of interest through the lens of one or more academic disciplines in the extended essay
  • enhance their personal and interpersonal development through creativity, action and service
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The curriculum
IB Diploma Programme students must choose one subject from each of the five subject groups, ensuring breadth of knowledge and understanding in their best language, additional language(s), the social sciences, the experimental sciences and mathematics. For their sixth subject, students may choose either an arts subject, or a second subject from groups 1 to 5.

The Diploma Programme Core
The Extended Essay asks students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the DP subjects they are studying.  The world studies extended essay option allows students to focus on a topic of global significance which they examine through the lens of at least two DP subjects.
Theory of Knowledge develops a coherent approach to learning that unifies the academic disciplines. In this course on critical thinking, students inquire into the nature of knowing and deepen their understanding of knowledge as a human construction.
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies. "Creativity" encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking. "Activity" seeks to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity. "Service" with the community offers a vehicle for a new learning with academic value. These three strands of CAS enhance students’ personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning and enable journeys of self-discovery.

High School Diploma
To obtain the AISL High School Diploma, students must successfully complete a balanced educational high school course of study, Grades 9 to 12, and must attend AISL for at least the entire Grade 12 year and fulfil the following requirements:
  1. Complete CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) in the final two years (or pro-rata for students transferring in their senior year).
  2. Obtain a minimum of 23 credits over the four years of high school.
Students transferring from other schools will be awarded credits after their previous school(s) record has been evaluated.
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Every effort will be made to accommodate the fact that students can have very different educational backgrounds and/or future plans. ​
high_school_profile_2019-2020_final.pdf
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Subject Summaries
Language & Literature
Language Acquisition
Individuals & Societies
Mathematics
Sciences
MYP Design
Arts
MYP Physical and Health Education
Language & Literature
Language and Literature instruction at AISL reflects the belief that using authentic texts and applying language in real-life situations yields students who can write honestly and clearly, and who can respond to literature in a personal and critical fashion. Language Arts is taught using a spiralling curriculum in which skills are introduced and consistently reinforced throughout different year groups. We place great emphasis on ‘student centred’ or ‘active’ learning, and students take an active part in their own assessment through regular self-appraisals. 

​In the DP, students can choose to study "Literature".  In addition, they can earn a bilingual diploma by studying "Literature" in a different mother tongue as a Self-Taught student.

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Language Acquisition
Language Acquisition expands students’ cognitive and analytical abilities and encourages an appreciation of other cultures. AISL offers French and Spanish as language acquisition courses. MYP students must study the same additional language in each year of the MYP.  To transfer to another language, they must achieve a "satisfactory" proficiency in phase 4. Native speakers or functional bilinguals of either French or Spanish are not eligible to pursue those languages, and will therefore be automatically enrolled in the other whenever their fluency is determined by the Language Acquisition Department. A "functional bilingual" at AISL is, to all effects, a student whose proficiency in the language matches all objectives considered for end of Phase 4 in MYP. Phases 5 & 6 are not offered at AISL.

In the DP, students can continue studying French or Spanish, or they can earn a bilingual diploma by studying Literature in a different mother tongue as a Self-Taught student.
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Individuals & Societies
In Individuals and Societies, AISL students learn about "human experience and behaviour, the varieties of physical, economic and social environments that people inhabit, [and] the history of social and cultural institutions" ("Individuals and Societies"). AISL's MYP Individuals and Societies course takes an integrated approach to the study of geography, history, and economics. For example, students may study the same region from both a geographical and a historical perspective. Throughout the MYP, the fundamental concepts of time, cause and consequence, continuity and change, and similarity and difference will be developed and facilitated through a thematic and/or a chronological approach to teaching. 

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In the DP, students select Psychology, History, or Economics, which are offered as separate subjects.
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Mathematics
The aim of the MYP Mathematics curriculum is to help students develop mathematical knowledge, understanding, and skills, as well as awareness and appreciation of the powerful connections that link mathematics to other disciplines.  The framework of Mathematics from Grade 6 through to Grade 10 consists of the study of the five main branches of Mathematics: numbers, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, and discrete mathematics. The teaching techniques and strategies applied in the classroom encourage students to use tools, resources, procedures and relationships of mathematics to effectively deal with problems in both familiar and unfamiliar situations.

In the DP, students take either "Analysis and Approaches" or "Applications and Interpretations".  The "Analysis" course focuses on "developing important mathematical concepts in a comprehensible, coherent and rigorous way, achieved by a carefully balanced approach. Students are encouraged to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve abstract problems [and to] construct, communicate and justify correct mathematical arguments" ("Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Subject Brief").

The Applications course focuses "on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics. Students are encouraged to solve real-world problems, construct and communicate this mathematically and interpret the conclusions or generalizations" (Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations Subject Brief").



Sciences
MYP Sciences are designed to promote Science as a cooperative venture between individuals and among the international community, as an activity that is constantly evolving and which is influenced by its social, economic, technological, political, ethical and cultural surroundings.  MYP Science comprises the traditional subjects of biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as topics, concepts and issues from other branches of science, such as earth science, health science, and environmental science. Student work is comprised of three components: essays that allow students to research and write about an application of science, reports on laboratory investigations, and traditional quizzes and tests. Much attention is given to scientific writing and scientific investigation in an atmosphere of hands-on, minds-on learning, as well as to the more traditional mastery of scientific concepts through tests. Students are also encouraged to use technology in their study of science, allowing them to see the relevance of science to the real world and assisting students in the clarification and extension of their ideas.

In the DP, students choose between Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Systems and Societies.
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MYP Design
Inquiry and problem-solving are at the heart of MYP Design. The design cycle provides the methodology used to structure inquiry and analysis of problem, the development of feasible solutions, the creation of solutions, and the testing and evaluation of the solution, ensuring that the focus is on the entire design process rather than the final product/solution. A solution can be defined as a model, prototype, product or system that students have developed and created.

MYP Design challenges all students to:
  • Apply practical and creative thinking skills to solve design problems,
  • Explore the role of design in both historical and contemporary contexts
  • Be aware of their responsibilities when making design decisions and taking action.
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Arts
The Arts
Students learn how to communicate and express themselves through visual arts, music and drama.  The Arts foster critical higher levels of thinking that carry over to learning other subjects and in life.  Students build self-esteem and awareness while learning to think creatively.

Performing Arts
​MYP Music 

The music program explores the expression and creation of music using voice and some instruments including keyboard, recorder, percussion, guitar and xylophone. Students in Grades 6-8 may opt to participate in a general music class that has either a band or choir focus.  Students develop critical listening skills, knowledge and understanding of music theory, and an understanding of the cultural context of different types of music in order to become well-rounded musicians. Students work in groups, while developing individual talents as this allows students to encourage the development of skills of their peers.  Students are provided with multiple performance opportunities to a variety of audiences. Participation in an evening performance, MYP Music Night, is required for all students.
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MYP Drama  (Performing Arts)
Students work collaboratively to learn the craft but, more importantly, to learn about their own strengths and their ever-changing role inside the group.  Students have plenty of opportunity to participate in dramatic productions several times a year, either as an actor or by being involved in lighting, sets, and sound.

DP Film
The DP film course aims to develop students as proficient interpreters and makers of film texts. Through the study and analysis of film texts, and through practical exercises in film production, the film course develops students’ critical abilities and their appreciation of artistic, cultural, historical and global perspectives in film. Students examine film concepts, theories, practices and ideas from multiple perspectives, challenging their own viewpoints and biases in order to understand and value those of others.  DP film students experiment with film and multimedia technology, acquiring the skills and creative competencies required to successfully communicate through the language of the medium. They develop an artistic voice and learn how to express personal perspectives through film.  The film course emphasizes the importance of working collaboratively. It focuses on the international and intercultural dynamic that triggers and sustains contemporary film, while fostering in students an appreciation of the development of film across time, space and culture. DP film students are challenged to understand alternative views, to respect and appreciate the diverse cultures that exist within film, and to have open and critical minds. 

MYP/DP Visual Arts

In the visual arts program, students learn techniques for drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography and ceramics. In addition, students learn about social commentary and art history to inform their own artwork.  Students develop visual awareness through critiques of their own art and the art of others. Students exhibit their art at least once per semester in grades 6-10. ​
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Find out more about the arts program at AISL
The Arts
MYP Physical and Health Education
AISL offers a wide range of activities in the MYP Physical and Health Education (PHE) program to develop positive attitudes toward health and fitness, and to develop skills that apply to a wide range of sporting activities both within and outside the school environment.  Developing effective teamwork skills is a fundamental aspect of Physical Health Education.

In addition to our curricular PHE program, AISL's after-school program offers dozens of outdoor and indoor activities. We encourage students to participate in at least two outdoor/team sports or activities per year, as we believe that balancing academic and athletic activities enables to students to be happy, healthy, and successful.
To view the AISL course syllabi please visit the parent portal 
Advisory Program
As an IB school, Personal and Social Education (PSE) is integral to the development of students’ well-being. Personal and Social Education “is concerned with the individual’s well-being through the promotion and development of concepts, knowledge, attitudes, and skills that contribute to this well-being. Well-being is intrinsically linked to all aspects of a student’s experience at school and beyond. It encompasses physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and social health and development, and contributes to an understanding of self, to developing and maintaining relationships with others, and to participate in an active, healthy lifestyle,” according to the IB (p. 1).
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Our Personal and Social Education curriculum integrates the IB’s beliefs about PSE together with the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education 3rd Edition from the Sexuality-Information and Education Council of the United States in order to provide a well-balanced program for our students. Our written curriculum is outlined according to grade levels. Key concepts and standards for the PSE program are integrated through Advisory and subject level classes depending on the existing course content.
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The PSE program was launched during the 2018-2019 school year through feedback from parents and teachers.  You can find the Personal and Social Health Handbook here.
Personal & Social Education Booklet
Assessment & Examinations
Overview
Standardized Testing
Personal Project
Testing Center
Overview
Assessment is the gathering and analyzing of information about student progress and performance as well as program effectiveness. It identifies what students know, understand, and can do at different stages in the learning process. Assessment is integral and crucial to the curriculum and to all teaching and learning. It is the means by which we analyze student learning and the effectiveness of planning, teaching and learning.

At AISL, effective assessment:
  • Improves and encourages student learning by providing effective feedback on the learning process and outcomes.
  • Informs planning and teaching.
  • Is a tool to collect evidence of student understanding, knowledge and skills.
  • Is a continuous, on-going process.
  • Is directly related to learning outcomes/curriculum standards.
  • Has clear criteria that are known and understood in advance.
  • Involves frequent opportunities for students to be assessed in authentic contexts.
  • Is rigorous and relevant.
  • Engages students in reflection on their learning.
  • Is differentiated by learning needs, for example level of English, cultural background and learning style.
  • Provides opportunity for peer feedback and self-reflection.

AISL is committed to the process of assessment in order to:
  • Enhance the learning of the students.
  • Monitor the progress of individual student learning and achievement.
  • Determine the effectiveness of teaching.
  • Inform curriculum review.
  • Help evaluate suitability of programs and courses.
  • Inform others of student progress and performance, including students, teachers, parents, other schools, and colleges/universities.

IB assessment standards are consistent around the world. In order to maintain the rigor for which the IB is renowned, the assessment model is criterion-related. Teachers structure varied and valid assessment tasks so that students can demonstrate achievement according to objectives defined by the IB. Tasks are assessed against established criteria, not against the work of other students.
Additional Assessment Practices MYP Grades 6 through to 10:
  • Assessment is a continuous process and is designed to address the MYP objectives in each of the eight subject groups and the Personal Project, according to the criterion-related approach.
  • Grades 6-10 use or modify the IB’s published assessment criteria, as appropriate.
  • Assessment criteria in rubric format are presented to the students with the task instructions prior to starting the task.
  • Judgments of each student’s performance against the assessment criteria are recorded.
  • Mid-semester, end-of-semester, and end-of-year subject-specific levels of achievement are not weighted/averaged, but reflect the level of performance of the student at the time of reporting, in terms of the level descriptor, using the ‘best-fit’ approach.
  • Internal standardization work within subject groups takes place at regular intervals.

The assessment of students within the MYP takes place on a continuous basis in relation to a number of skills defined by the IB.  The award of final grades at the end of Grade 10 will be based on this continuous assessment carried out by the school.
Standardized Testing
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Test
Standardized tests are designed to give a common measure of students' performance. Because large numbers of students take the same test, they give educators a common yardstick or standard of measure. AISL uses standardized tests results to:
  • Acquire a picture or snapshot of the skills and abilities of an individual student or a group of students.
  • Inform curriculum and instruction.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of programs.
  • Measure how well our students perform in relation to students who attend other like schools or other students around the world.
The Secondary School administers the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test in reading, mathematics, and language to students in grades 6-10. MAP is a computerized adaptive assessment that provides students, their families, and educators with student growth and achievement data over time.  

Personal Project

Personal Project


The Personal Project encourages students to practise and strengthen their approaches to learning (ATL)
skills, to consolidate prior and subject-specific learning, and to develop an area of personal interest. The
personal project provides an excellent opportunity for students to produce a truly personal and often
creative product/outcome and to demonstrate a consolidation of their learning in the MYP. The project
offers many opportunities for differentiation of learning and expression according to students’ individual
needs. The personal nature of the project is important; the project should revolve around a challenge that
motivates and interests the individual student. Each student develops a personal project independently.
MYP projects are student-centred and age-appropriate, and they enable students to engage in practical
explorations through a cycle of inquiry, action and reflection. MYP projects help students to develop the
attributes of the IB learner profile; provide students with an essential opportunity to demonstrate ATL skills
developed through the MYP; and foster the development of independent, lifelong learners.

The aims of the MYP projects are to encourage and enable students to:
• participate in a sustained, self-directed inquiry within a global context
• generate creative new insights and develop deeper understandings through in-depth investigation
• demonstrate the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended
period of time
• communicate effectively in a variety of situations
• demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of, learning
• appreciate the process of learning and take pride in their accomplishments.
​Projects guide. May 2014 (updated September 2017).
Testing Center
Please view the embedded doc below (also accessible here) for more information.
University & Career Guidance
AISL has a High School and College Guidance Counselor who leads the school's university and career guidance program. In Grade 10, students attend a retreat and are interviewed and advised by the Counselor and the IB Diploma Coordinator on choosing the appropriate IB or High School program and subjects to pursue in Grades 11 and 12. The Counselor meets with all students and their parents to guide them through the university application process or to explore other post-secondary opportunities. Meetings generally begin to take place from Grade 10 onwards. Some university information is presented in a group format during parent presentations, in Advisory classes, and through university representative in-person or virtual visits.
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100%

100% of students
who applied for 2022 entry are attending degree-awarding college
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33

33: average IB Diploma points-total score*
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95%

96% of the Class of 2022 accepted to their first choice university
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44/45

44/45: historically highest IB Diploma score by AISL student
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50%

50% of 2022 applicants awarded scholarships to attend university
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$2.1m

$2.1m of scholarship awards offered to students from the Class of 2022
*AISL has a non-selective IB Programme and does not exclude scores
More specifically, AISL provides the following university preparation and career guidance support:
High School Profile
Click here to download the AISL High School Profile
  • Grade 11 and 12 program and course selection (with the IB DP Coordinator)
  • Introduction to international university admissions processes
  • Parent information sessions concerning international university admissions processes and transitioning to university
  • Career assessment
  • PSAT, SAT, and ACT  administration
  • Cambridge Assessment Tests for university applications
  • Personality & strengths inventories
  • University exploration
  • Scholarship search
  • Coordinating university admission representative visits to AISL campus
  • Personal statement/ Essay writing workshops
  • Curriculum Vitae (Resumé) and Letter of Intent writing advice
  • Assistance with obtaining letters of recommendation
  • One-on-one parent meetings to discuss the application process
  • One-on-one student meetings throughout the exploration and application process
  • Transcript requests for university applications
  • Assistance with financial aid applications
  • Mailing or uploading application materials at specified times
  • College test requirement advice - check out the College Admission Test Schedule here.
  • Student study visa advice
  • Transition to university activities and information
  • Assistance with GAP year decisions
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Handbooks
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AISL High School Diploma Program Guide
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AISL Diploma Programme Handbook
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AISL Middle Years Programme Guide
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Personal & Social Education Parent Booklet
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Secondary News & Events 

  • The Secondary School at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia, AISL
  • The Secondary School at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia, AISL
  • The Secondary School at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia, AISL
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Contact Us

AISL Switchboard: Shantall | info@aislusaka.org
  • +26 0978 772 600
  • +26 0967 967 325
Admissions: Natasha | admissions@aislusaka.org | +26 0973 937 629
​Primary: Janke | primaryoffice@aislusaka.org
Secondary: Maché | secondaryoffice@aislusaka.org

Address

487 A/F/3 Leopards Hill Road
PO Box 320176
Lusaka, Zambia

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