Q: What does the olive tree stand for ?

The first school established in 1886 was surrounded by olive groves. Olive growing was an important source of food and livelihood, and an essential part of the lives of many people in the area. It was regarded as a symbol for a productive long life.
Today it is an international symbol of peace. These reasons made it a natural choice as the logo of the member schools of the SABIS^® School Network.

Q: Where did the SABIS^® name originate from ?

The name is a conflation of the two founding families' names: SAad and BIStany. SABIS^® is a family-run business managing schools worldwide for profit and offering top quality education for K-12 students. The SABIS^® Educational System emphasizes academic excellence.

Q: What does the SABIS^® IEP stand for ?

IEP is a common abbreviation for "Individualized Education Plan". As the name suggests, the IEP is a tailor-made curriculum accommodation plan for students with special needs and/or learning disabilities. An IEP outlines specific or additional support services that a student should receive. Such support services could be of an academic or non-academic nature, catering to intellectual as well as emotional, physical or other needs. An IEP is established after a rigorous period of testing (what is called "core evaluation") and meetings between the school, the parents, and possibly professionals such as a school social worker. Once a learning disability has been identified based on already-established state and federal government guidelines, an IEP is drafted and its implementation begin

Q: What does the SABIS^® AMS™ stand for ?

The SABIS^® Academic Monitoring System™ (SABIS^® AMS™) is a testing tool used to monitor student learning on an ongoing basis. It checks student mastery and retention of learned concepts and detects any gaps that may form. This feedback is used as a teaching tool, giving administrators, teachers, and students alike the necessary information needed to enhance the learning process. The SABIS^® "building block" approach to learning requires that students master the essential concepts (the pillars) before they move on to new material.

Q: What is the SABIS^® Extended Day program?

The Extended Day program is a before/after school, tuition-based program offered by some member schools to its enrolled students. A variety of activities and programs are conducted by the school staff, including Study (homework and study), Sports, Art, Music, Leisure (Movies, Computer Games), and other clubs that operate on a seasonal basis. The aim of the Extended Day program is to offer students a safe and productive environment after school hours while they wait for their parents/guardians to pick them up.

Q: What does the SABIS^® Point System™ stand for ?

The SABIS^® Point System™ is a teaching methodology used in classroom instruction. By applying it, teachers ensure that students understand the objectives of the lesson and can focus on these objectives. It also allows teachers to check the students’ work and make sure that each point is grasped before proceeding to the next point/lesson.

Q: Does the academy provide student transportation?

The Academy does not have school busses. However, in a partnership with the MTA (Mass Transportation Authority), which is the public transportation system for Genesee County, International Academy of Flint has arranged for students who need transportation to utilize two types of service:
The 2008-2009 cost of Your Ride is $30 per month, per child, for a Student Bus Pass, or students may pay $1.25 per way (to and from school) each day. The $30 bus pass is more economical.

It is important to note the MTA provides International Academy of Flint with "Direct Route" service. By arranging for Direct Route service, absolutely none of the International Academy of Flint MTA busses ever travel through the downtown bus terminal. Transfers are not necessary. Student Bus Passes can be purchased by parents at area Kroger Stores, the downtown bus terminal on Harrison Street, or the MTA administration offices on Dort Highway at the I-69 Freeway. International Academy of Flint does not sell bus passes. For students who participate in our after school programs, the MTA provides a 5:00 P.M. bus to return students home. A Student Bus Pass, or $2.50, is acceptable for the 5:00 P.M. bus.

Q: What is a charter school ?

A charter school is a secular, tuition-free public school that is freed from many of the regulations governing traditional public schools. It controls its own curriculum, staffing, organization and budget. In exchange for this freedom, it must maximize student potential, deliver programs tailored to educational excellence, and meet and exceed the academic standards of the sponsoring state.

Q: What does the SABIS^® Student Life Organization™ stand for?

SABIS^® encourages student participation in every learning step. The SABIS Student Life Organization™ is a body of students appointed by the school administration and organized in various departments such as the academic department, the discipline department, the extra-curricular activities department, etc... The SABIS^® Student Life Organization™ encourages team participation and accountability, enhancing students' management skills and sense of leadership.

Q: Fund raising by parents. Is this acceptable ?

As long as the funds raised do not go to the school, and as long as the money raised does not support programs that contradict the SABIS^® philosophy, fund raising is allowed.

Q: How are charter schools funded?

Charter schools are public schools, are publicly funded, and do not charge tuition to families of students enrolled in them. The schools receive payment from the state. This payment is based on the number of students enrolled. All public funds received by a charter school are accounted for in independent audited financial statements that are filed with the state every year.

Q: How are students enrolled in a charter school?

As public schools, charter schools are open to all students and are tuition-free. Charter schools typically serve students who reside in the district in which the school is located. If more eligible students apply than there are places available, the school holds a lottery. Charter schools may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or ancestry, nor may they discriminate on the basis of a student's mental or physical disability, athletic performance, special needs, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language, or prior academic achievement. A charter school can administer diagnostic testing after students are admitted for the purpose of determining proper grade level placement.