History
In 1999, the US State Department, in conjunction with the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, approached the Walworth Barber American International School in Israel and requested they open a branch in Jerusalem. They wanted a secular, American school to serve the US and Foreign diplomatic missions in Jerusalem.
In August of 2001, JAIS opened its doors with eight students. Four students were in preschool and four were in kindergarten. After many years, JAIS has become home to students in preschool through eighth grade. Multiple additional buildings have been aquired and renovated on campus in order to accommodate the growth.
Governance
JAIS operates as a branch of the Walworth Barbour American International School (WBAIS). As such, the WBAIS superintendent has oversight over the JAIS campus operations and policies. JAIS policies are in line with WBAIS’s policies, and are ratified by the WBAIS Executive Board, with some adaptations which take into account our differently situated campus. JAIS is accredited by the Middle States Association as part of the WBAIS’s accreditation process.
JAIS has an elected advisory board of five parents, one of which serves as an ex-officio member of the WBAIS school board. The current members are James May, Margaret Cohen, Marisha Caldeira, Daniel Schwake, and Maysaa Abu Elhaija.