Carlucci American International School of Lisbon

Carlucci American International School of Lisbon
Location
Sintra (São Pedro de Penaferrim)
 Portugal
Coordinates 38°46′07″N 9°22′51″W / 38.7687444°N 9.380741700000044°W / 38.7687444; -9.380741700000044Coordinates: 38°46′07″N 9°22′51″W / 38.7687444°N 9.380741700000044°W / 38.7687444; -9.380741700000044
Information
Established 1956
Founder Anthony A. McKenna
Director Blannie Curtis
Secondary Principal Nate Chapman
Elementary Principal Katie Morris
Grades pre-school – 12th
Enrollment 675
Medium of language English
Color(s)          Blue and Red
Mascot Wolves
Accreditation CIS
NEASC
Annual tuition €10,000-21,000
Website caislisbon.org

The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (known as CAISL) is a prominent private international school in Sintra, Portugal, a wealthy suburb of Lisbon on the Portuguese Riviera. Founded in 1956, CAISL is the oldest American international school in the Iberian Peninsula and the only one in Portugal. It is named in honor of Frank C. Carlucci III, former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal and U.S. Secretary of Defense.[1]

CAISL operates as a dual American and International Baccalaureate (IB) program. As one of Portugal's most prestigious international schools, CAISL's student population is largely international, with most students connected to diplomatic missions and embassies in Lisbon, followed by Portuguese nationals, and a sizable minority of Americans.[2]

History

A panel of azulejos celebrating CAISL's 50th anniversary with an image of the old crest of St. Columban's School superimposed in front of CAISL's current emblem.

CAISL's history begins in 1956 when the school is founded as St. Columban's School, by Irish professor Anthony A. McKenna, to serve the children of the American engineers who were in Portugal working on the Salazar Bridge (now 25 de Abril Bridge), in Lisbon, so that the children would be able to reintegrate back into the American system upon their departure from Portugal.[3] During this time, the school was housed in the Quinta da Casa Branca, an 18th century manor house and estate in Carnaxide, Oeiras, outside of Lisbon.[4]

The school renamed itself the American International School of Lisbon (AISL) in 1995, when management of the school passed from private owners to the Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa (American School of Lisbon Foundation; FEAL), a not-for-profit foundation was created by the American Delegation to Portugal, the Ford Motor Company, and Espírito Santo Financial Group. These three entities became the three, equal members of the school's board of trustees. With the school's new not-for-profit mission and with a new oversight organization, through FEAL, AISL became a U.S. State Department-recognized school.

After the creation of FEAL in 1995, the foundation's main priority was to localize all of the schools of AISL onto one purpose-built site, as the secondary school, elementary school, and early child center had found themselves spread across the Oeiras-Cascais area over the years. In 1997, in cooperation with the municipal government of Sintra, a new purpose-built campus was built in Linhó, in the freguesia of São Pedro de Penaferrim, on land granted on a permanent lease by the municipality near the Quinta da Beloura. In 1998, the campus was inaugurated by Hillary Clinton, then the First Lady of the United States.[5]

In 2001, the school officially changed its name to its current designation as the Frank C. Carlucci American International School of Lisbon, in honor of American diplomat and politician, Frank C. Carlucci, who served as American Ambassador to Portugal, from 1974 to 1978.[6] Carlucci, who went on to serve as Deputy Director of the CIA and U.S. Secretary of Defense, played a prominent role in Portugal following the events of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, especially in maintaining good Luso-American relations.

Administration

Bust of Anthony A. Mckenna, CAISL school founder.

CAISL is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Council of International School (CIS).[7] The school is licensed by the Portuguese Ministry of Education and an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. CAISL is the only school in Portugal with support from the U.S. State Department.

Governance

The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) is governed by the Fundação Escola Americana de Lisbon (FEAL). FEAL consists of three Trustee representatives. The Trustees--Visteon Portuguese and the American Embassy in Portugal--played a major role in taking the school in 1995 from a for-profit to a not-for-profit structure and continue to appoint representatives to the Board. There are three Trustee Representatives appointed from the American Embassy (2 representatives) and Visteon (1 representative). Each Representative has a three-year term of office which is renewable at the discretion of the Trustee.

For the 2017-2018 school year, the Trustees are represented by Martin Schwartz and Michael de Mello (American Embassy) and Paula Sá (Visteon Portuguesa), Michael de Mello also serves as the President of the Board.

Management of the School is delegated by the Board to a Director, Blannie Curtis, who assumed the position in the 1997/98 school year. She is assisted by a Senior Management Team (SMT) consisting of Katie Morris, Elementary Principal; Nathan Chapman, Secondary Principal; and Paulo Parreira, Chief Business Officer.

Program

All students who complete CAISL’s graduation requirements earn an American high school diploma. Additionally, those who fulfill the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program requirements, earn an IB diploma. CAISL graduates are eligible to apply for entrance into universities around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal and other European countries.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) awarded CAISL with its 2016 Award for Innovation in Education.[8]

Iberian Model United Nations

CAISL has hosted one of Europe's largest model United Nations conferences, the Iberian Model United Nations, since 1995. The conference is held in the Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon.[9]

TEDx Talk

Since 2017, CAISL has hosted its own edition of TED Talks: TEDxYouthCaisl.[10]

Student body

At the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year, enrollment was 675 (EC3 through grade 5: 295; and grades 6 through 12: 380). Of the total, 94 were U.S. citizens, 267 were host-country nationals, and 314 were third-country nationals.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ Jornal de Noticias - Frank Carlucci diz que a Democracia Portuguesa esta a envelhecer
  2. ↑ Expresso - Alunos do Brasil e da China enchem escolas internacionais
  3. ↑ The Journal of the Association for the Advancement of International Education - The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon Celebrates 50th Anniversary
  4. ↑ Público - Há 50 Anos, um Professor Irlandês Criou um Colégio Americano
  5. ↑ Revista Pontos de Vista - Uma Líder que Tem como Missão Formar Líderes
  6. ↑ Pares e Ímpares, Memórias de um Bairro - Uma Escola Americana
  7. ↑ CAISL - Accreditations
  8. ↑ ComputerWorld - HP Portugal Premeia Clientes
  9. ↑ CAISL - Iberian Model United Nations
  10. ↑ TEDx - TEDxYouthCaisl
  11. ↑ CM Jornal - A Escola Portuguesa de Bryan Adams
  12. ↑ https://issuu.com/leonelbrites/docs/akademicos43
  13. ↑ "CAISL Commencement 2014". Carlucci American International School of Lisbon. 6 June 2014.
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