FAQs

SABIS^® is a global education network with a long history that dates back to 1886. Today, SABIS^® schools are present in 20 countries, on 5 continents, and educate over 70,000 students in both the private and public sectors.

SABIS^® schools are dedicated to providing students with a top-quality international education through the implementation of the SABIS^® Educational System, a 360 ̊ approach to education that places students on the path to success in university and beyond.

The SABIS^® Philosophy is based on three important tenets. We believe that:

• A university education should be accessible to almost all students, not just a select few.
• Admission to any SABIS^® school should be conducted through a non-selective admissions process.
• The success of a school should be measured by the value it adds to each student.

As a member of the SABIS^® Network, SIS-Adma implements the SABIS^® Educational System, which has proven itself over the past 135 years and is built on 6 important pillars:

1. The Curriculum:
   Students in SABIS^® schools follow a dynamic, rigorous, international curriculum that gives them the strong foundation of knowledge and skills they will need to achieve future success.
   The curriculum is aligned to national and international standards and prepares students for internationally recognized standardized examinations, such as the American-based SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement^® (AP^®), or the British-based IGCSE, IELTS, as well as AS and A Level exams.
   SIS-Adma students will also be prepared for the Lebanese or French Baccalaureate.
   This allows our students to apply to both local and international universities around the world.
2. SABIS^® Book Series:
   Students in all SABIS^® schools use books that have been specifically created and developed for them. This allows students to follow a natural, sequential progression as they build their knowledge base.
   The SABIS^® Book Series is specifically tailored for every grade level and subject and is aligned with national and international requirements, effectively preparing students for a wide range of international standardized examinations.
   The SABIS^® Book series includes over 2,500 titles in both electronic (e-books) and traditional formats.
   Students in Grade 2 upwards will have access to our book series in an electronic, interactive format, allowing them to use the technological systems to improve their learning in and outside of school.
3. Teaching Methods:
   Teachers in all SABIS^® schools, including SIS-Adma, deliver their lessons using the SABIS Point System^® of instruction, which is a proven instructional method that keeps students engaged and learning efficiently, through the use of interactive flipcharts, paced content, and the Integrated Learning System (ILS).
   Every instructional period has distinct learning objectives to be met and includes opportunities for students to work independently and in groups under their teacher’s guidance.
4. Testing and Monitoring:
   SABIS^® schools, including SIS-Adma, use regular assessment to help students build a solid foundation of knowledge, particularly in the subjects of English, math, and science. What we teach in one week, we test in the next.
   Informative and summative examinations occur regularly throughout the school year, mainly AMS, Periodic, and Homework exams. Exams are generally computer-based, using the SABIS^® Integrated Testing and Learning (ITL).
5. Follow-up and Support:
   The progress of every student is continuously monitored through a series of regular tests. In addition to praise and encouragement, students are given the support they need. All available means are used to help those students who fall behind. Students are advised on study techniques, motivated by the academic staff, and encouraged by receiving help from peer tutors or teachers.
6. SABIS^® Student Life Organization (SLO):
   Students in SABIS^® schools are encouraged to take an active part in their school and lead an engaging and meaningful social life. This is done through the SABIS^® Student Life Organization or SLO, which is the beating heart of every SABIS^® school.
   Through the SLO, students benefit from many opportunities for academic, emotional, social, and moral growth. Students also develop essential 21^st century skills through real-life experiences.

SABIS^® International School – Adma (SIS-Adma) opened in September 2005. Ever since, we have continuously and consistently offered our students from both the local and international communities a top-quality education that has prepared them for success in university and beyond.

SIS-Adma is a non-selective, co-educational, independent, English-medium day school that welcomes students aged 3 to 18+.

Our school offers the world-class SABIS^® education to its students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, which is a top-quality, international, and trilingual education (English, Arabic, and French).

Every student at SIS-Adma is treated the same way, regardless of their roots, race, or nationality. Every opportunity is offered to all students, which will support them tremendously while engaging in the local habits, culture, and language. We believe everyone is part of our school community, and consequently we work effectively to integrate every member into our community. There are many activities that support that environment, and our SABIS^® Student Life Organization (SLO) makes sure of that.

Like all SABIS^® schools, SIS-Adma adopts the international academic calendar, by which the academic year starts in early September and ends in June. The academic year is spread over 3 terms, each term having End-of-Term summary academic results.

A school day at SIS-Adma starts at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.

The purpose of this schedule stems from our belief in the benefit of stimulating students at an early age. Our students’ typical day includes a wide variety of learning sessions, activities, sports time, and recess. KG1 students have nap time after their lunch break. We like to focus on group learning and activities to allow children to enjoy learning and playing together.

We have three to four sections in each grade level. In KG1, the maximum number of students in each section is 24 students, and in KG2 and KG3 the number is 28 students. In Primary classes and above, we have an average of 30-32 students per section.

From KG1 to KG3, each section is overseen by the main teacher and her assistant.

As the world becomes more and more competitive, parents are more aware than ever of the importance of choosing the right school for their children. By choosing SIS-Adma, parents can rest assured that they have chosen a school that is committed to providing a top-quality education that helps all students achieve their full potential.

SIS-Adma offers your children an international, trilingual education in a safe and nurturing environment. Our curriculum follows local and international education regulations, offering a fully integrated Lebanese, international, and French program, allowing students to choose to go to any top university locally or abroad.

The SIS-Adma campus is set on a spacious 70,000 square meter land situated in the beautiful hills of Adma, Lebanon. Our state-of-the-art facilities include science and computer laboratories, a computerized exam hall that can hold up to 200 students, a performance hall, as well as extensive sports facilities including a semi-Olympic-sized swimming pool, an indoor basketball/tennis court, and an Olympic soccer field surrounded by a running track.

The KG Department is an independent unit with its own indoor heated swimming pool, a multipurpose indoor court, a large playground, and a specialized car track.

We are very keen on keeping high standards of security on campus and we take the needed measures to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Security guards are placed on all main gates 24/7, and security cameras are installed in areas where there is a need for surveillance (i.e. hallways, stairwells, entryways, outside areas, and other areas open to public view).

Students are not allowed to leave the school campus for any reason without the approval of the Administration. Parents wishing to pick up their children before the end of school day must submit a request in advance. Students leaving early have to be collected by a pre-approved person assigned by their parent/guardian.

The school caters for a hot meal service at breakfast and lunch time. Parents can subscribe to the hot meal service if they wish at the school’s Accounts Office.

KG students are not allowed to bring money to buy from the cafeteria, as parents either register them at the school’s canteen service or send food from home with them.

We have an intensive language program that helps our students develop their language skills as per their proficiency level. Based on the results of their diagnostic tests, we will engage them on the path they need to improve as fast and as efficiently as possible through intense support within the classroom or pull-out lessons.

The SABIS^® curriculum is well structured, comprehensive, and rigorous. It is aligned to cater for national requirements and international standards.

The SABIS^® way of teaching in class, which is called the SABIS Point System^®, is an interactive step-by-step teaching method that ensures that all students are engaged and active participants in class. In addition, it allows teachers to detect gaps and make sure that students reach mastery of every concept taught.

Frequent testing allows us to monitor student performance and pinpoint any gaps that need to be filled – this approach ensures targeted student support. Testing serves as a learning process that develops the student’s ability to focus and sustain concentration for increasingly longer periods, and prepares students to successfully tackle difficult situations under pressure in university and beyond.

KG1 – Grade 1 students are asked to keep their books in class, and take only their reading books home.

As it is our aim for teaching to be done in class, homework is purposely not assigned until Term 3 of Grade 3, after which students will be assigned homework as a means of extra reinforcement and revision.

Although the time spent on homework differs for each child, the average time spent to complete an assignment (per subject) is 15 minutes for students in the Primary Level, 20 minutes in the Intermediate Level, and 30 minutes in the Secondary Level.

Parents are encouraged to provide a quiet and healthy study environment for their children.

SIS-Adma is a provider of top-quality education. We strive to help our students achieve their full potential, equip them with civic, ethical, and moral values, and prepare them for success in college and beyond.

We make sure that students have a healthy balance between academics and social life skills, and this is the main role of our SABIS^® Student life Organization (SLO), a student-led society that is the heart of the school and a main pillar of our Educational System.

By choosing to take an active role in the SLO, students gain essential life skills which include leadership, problem solving, critical thinking, independence, communication, teamwork, and many more.

SIS-Adma offers a variety of interesting extracurricular activities, including swimming, taekwondo, art, chess, computer, tennis, ballet, gymnastics, piano, football, basketball, etc. Some students have the opportunity to participate in school teams, representing the school in regional and international competitions.

Through these enriching activities, our students learn many new skills, challenge themselves, and have lots of fun!

SIS-Adma is a caring community that strongly believes in the principles of respect, responsibility, and accountability. The goal of the disciplinary code is to foster future citizens of the world, who respect themselves and others and who are responsible members of society.

Our educational experience has shown us that, without structure and discipline, learning would become very difficult and not as beneficial.

Throughout the academic year, SIS-Adma holds a wide range of lively events that students may join and even organize, in order to feel as an integral part of the school community. Our main annual school events include KG Shows, KG Fun Day, Choir Concerts, Talent Shows, Local/Regional Sports Tournaments, Open Day, Poetry Night, Musical Performance, SABIS^® Stars, and many more.

Students also benefit from both educational and recreational trips to touristic sites, camp areas, historical attractions, natural and ski resorts, and more.

Regarding study habits at home, it is essential to do a daily revision of what has been taught during the school day.

Homework is an essential part of the curriculum, the extra practice at home is necessary for the learning process and is implemented starting Term 3 of Grade 3.

If any learning gaps form, the needed assistance is provided through additional support channels at the school without any extra cost. These channels include teacher-led study groups, peer tutoring, power study sessions, on-demand tutoring videos, and more.

In our school, Academic Quality Controllers (AQCs) will meet and discuss student progress and development with parents, as AQCs have a complete, objective, and impartial picture of all aspects of the child’s life at school. This is achieved through the AQC’s frequent class visits, automated analysis of full reports from all sides, and regular teacher meetings.

Another means of directly monitoring your child’s academic and behavior progress is through the SABIS^® Digital Platform, an in-house application that allows parents to view up-to-date information about their children’s progress at any time, and which provides both parents and students with the latest school announcements, material, timetable, video tutoring, school calendar, academic performance, and more.

Students educated in the SABIS^® Educational System have been accepted by and succeeded at universities around the world, mainly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, the Middle and Far East, and Australia.

Our students have a long track record of acceptance to top and prestigious universities worldwide. In 2020, SABIS^® schools around the world graduated over 2,100 students, who received more than 6,000 offers from colleges and universities in 45 different countries.

Yes, university counselling begins in Grade 9. With the support of our dedicated and highly skilled university counselor, we make sure our students have access to their universities of choice.

The SIS-Adma University Counselor helps students:

• Understand national diploma equivalence requirements
• Create a superior high school résumé featuring academic achievement, extracurricular activities, etc.
• Select the most suited university and navigate the college application process
• Use the SABIS^® Online University Application, Common App, UCAS, OUAC, and other platforms to apply to universities in Lebanon and abroad
• Develop college application essays and personal statements
• Complete application requirements (letters of recommendation, etc.)
• Prepare for standardized college entrance exams including ACT, SATs, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.

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Most of the international universities work on a semester basis and consequently have their admissions process every semester. Our academic calendar is split into three terms, the first ending by mid-January, which allows prospective students to send updated grades should these be requested. Based on that, our calendar allows our students to participate in the universities’ admission process as any other student would.

When the pandemic hit, all schools around the globe shut down suddenly, and over 1.5 billion students found themselves confined to their homes in the middle of the academic year.

SABIS^® seamlessly shifted to its full-fledged E-learning solutions, which included live virtual lessons, the student learning environment, teaching videos, and more. And today, as countries began to reopen, many SABIS^® schools implemented a hybrid model that allows students to study online and on campus. Regardless of their physical location, SABIS^® students are continuing their education without missing a beat.

In all SABIS^® schools, including SIS-Adma, the E-learning experience:

• Encourages independence
• Increases retention
• Improves technology skills
• Allows for continuous learning
• Has proven effective results

Despite the current pandemic and subsequent disruption, and regardless of their physical location, SABIS^® students are continuing their education without missing a beat, thanks to:

• The right infrastructure at our school
• The SABIS^® approach to teaching
• State-of-the-art education technology
• The SABIS^® Digital Platform and other E-learning solutions
• Continuous staff training