About Our School

Bahrain School began in Awali, Bahrain in August 1968, as the Bahrain American Elementary School, a Department of Defense School with a staff of one teaching principal and three teachers. They provided for the educational needs of forty students in grades one through eight. By 1970, the school began accepting English speaking Bahraini students and other non-Department of Defense sponsored students. With the addition of these students, the school grew rapidly until, by January 1972, the enrollment was approximately two hundred elementary and correspondence course secondary students. In January 1972, in expectation of even further expansion, the school was moved from Awali to a twenty-four acre campus in Juffair.

From the beginning, foresighted members of the community had anticipated the need for a comprehensive school originally encompassing both American and British Curricula. As a result of an immeasurable amount of donated time, energy and money, the Bahrain Middle High School emerged as it is today, with an American Curriculum for grades 6-12, the opportunity to take advanced placement examinations, and the AP Capstone program for academically oriented students in grades 9 - 12. Integrated into all of this is a full Arabic as a First Language program for students with a passport from a GCC or country with Arabic as the national language.

Special programs include music, art, physical education, English as a Second Language, and enrichment programs. Reading as a separate class is offered to students who qualify. The Career Education program includes courses in video production, web design, coding, business enterprise, computer applications and AP Computer Science. The school includes a library of over 25,000 volumes plus multi-media materials and equipment. There is a facility for drama or musical productions and at least one major production is offered each school year. There are complete guidance services for students including SAT, ACT, PSAT and other standardized college entrance examinations. Information is also available on the dates and location of the TOEFL test. Numerous opportunities exist for participation in student government. Basketball and volleyball courts, soccer and softball fields, a swimming pool, four tennis courts, an athletic track, and two purpose built sports halls are included in the school’s facilities.

Bahrain International School Association (BISA)

The Bahrain International School Association (BISA) was officially formed under the laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain on February 2, 1978 and assumed the responsibility for the Bahrain International School and its operations. BISA succeeded the Bahrain School Trust, which had been responsible for joint coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Under a twenty year Lease Agreement signed May 15, 1978 between the Ministry of Finance and National Economy and BISA, BISA has leased approximately twenty-four acres in Juffair, Bahrain, where the Bahrain School is situated. The objectives of BISA are exclusively educational and charitable and no profits are allowed from the operation of the school or from its property. An agreement for operation and administration of the school exists between BISA and DoDEA. The scale of tuition fees is set annually by the U.S. Federal Treasury, and school tuition fees are paid by students in US dollars directly through the school’s DoDEA administration to the U.S. Federal Treasury.

BISA imposes a mandatory annual building levy on all students attending Bahrain Middle High School. All students other than U.S. Federal Government dependents pay BISA’s building levy. In lieu of the building levy for the U.S. Federal Government dependents, an annual fee is paid by DoDEA for the use of the school facilities based on a formula, which closely equates to the building levy for non-U.S. Federal Government Students. The levy (the rate which is established and announced by the BISA Board) is payable in one lump sum at the commencement of the school year. Attendance at Bahrain Middle High School will be terminated for those students whose building levy is not paid within thirty (30) days of the due date.

BISA is responsible for all the new buildings for Bahrain Middle High School, e.g. new gymnasium and classrooms extension and for capital investment type of improvements. Routine maintenance, custodial care, teachers’ salaries, utilities and all other operating costs are paid by the DoDEA system through federally appropriated funds. The principle purpose of the building levy is to provide BISA with the funds required to repay the loan taken out from the National Bank of Bahrain for the construction of the school buildings, related facilities and ground improvements, and for the subsequent maintenance and repair to retain them in a safe and effective operating state. BISA is also called upon from time to time to assist the DoDEA School Administration in the provision of goods and services to meet special needs, such instances being reviewed and considered for approval, on a case by case basis, by the BISA Board. The building levy is only applicable to the main school building and related facilities. The building levy is not used for BISA Dormitory operations, which are managed on a self-funding basis, derived from the Dormitory fees paid by the student boarders.

BISA owns, manages and operates a 120 bed Dormitory adjoining the school grounds for students whose parents are not resident in Bahrain. The BISA Dormitory normally caters for students in Grades 9 to 12 inclusive. Dormitory fees are payable directly to the BISA Administrator in Bahraini Dinars. All Dormitory enrollment inquiries should be directed to the BISA Dormitory. The BISA Dormitory operates under its own rules and regulations as outlined in the Dormitory Handbook.

BISA Board meets monthly; meetings are closed. Board membership includes the DoDEA Principal and Assistant Principal, Chairman of the Local School Advisory Committee, Chairman and Treasurer of the PTSA, Dormitory Director and Dormitory Sub-Director, the BISA Engineer, BISA secretary to the Board, Commander NSA and Legal Advisory NSA, Bahrain Government Private School Directorate representative and leading members of the Bahrain Industrial and Commercial Community.