The American International School of Nouakchott is a private, non-profit, co-educational day school that provides educational services for students from Pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. AISN was founded in 1978 and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The school has about 63 students, about one-third are American citizens. Of the nine faculty members, five are Americans.
Mission
The school mission is to provide students an excellent American-based education.
image: Francois Colin
The school is located on the U.S. Embassy compound. It has 8 classrooms, a science lab, a computer lab, an art room, a library, a kitchen, a playground, an outdoor stage, a basketball court and a soccer field. The school also has use of the Embassy swimming pool.
Curriculum
AISN uses American-based standards from Project AERO that are similar to most U.S. public schools. Teachers use these standards to develop the school curriculum. The school offers the usual specialist subjects and core courses.
Extracurricular Activities
AISN has an after school program that offers a variety of activities including journalism, soccer, basketball, swimming, band, arts and crafts, swimming, American football, cooking, Arabic, and more.
Technology
The school has a computer lab with internet access, and students take computer classes as part of the regular curriculum.
Professional Development
No information is available.
Employment
All teachers in the school are certified and most have advanced degrees. The school lists openings online. No information is available on the hiring process. A salary schedule is online. Starting salaries run from $19,000 to $39,462 depending on degrees, certification and experience. According to the director of the school, most new teachers average around $30,000 and after 10 years with a Masters teachers can get $34,000. He also notes that most teachers are able to save money. Benefits include retirement pay, dental and medical, an annual trip home, furnished housing with utilities and an interest free loan to purchase a car.
About Mauritania and Nouakchott
OK, geography quiz. How many people know where Mauritania is located? None? I’m not surprised. Well, Mauritania is located in West Africa with Mali to the east, Algeria and Western Sahara to the north and Senegal in the south. The country has a population of around two million. Most of the country is desert, and while it gets hot, overall the climate is said by the school to be pleasant most of the year.
Nouakchott is the capital and has a population of around 900,000. It lies along the Atlantic Ocean and was just a small fishing town 50 years ago, so Nouakchott still has a relaxed feel about it. The beaches are a popular place to hangout on the weekends, and many teachers enjoy shopping in the traditional market for handicrafts. The city does have large supermarkets for teachers who prefer modern over traditional. This city sounds like a great place to teach for teachers that enjoy small schools and have a great sense of adventure.
Our salary scale as published online goes up to $39,000. Most new hires average $30,000. 10 years experience with a master’s degree will net you $34,000. It is 100% tax free. Most of our international teachers have non-teaching spouses yet still manage to save money. The benefits are listed online. They include housing and utilities, yearly trip home, retirement, international health and dental, professional development that often includes trips to the AISA conference.
That being said, it is a post for the adventurous. Teachers need to be able to build their own vibe. It is an outstanding post for kite surfers as the wind is great year round.
Thanks for the updated information, Matthew. I know that international teachers appreciate schools that list salaries and benefits online. As I wrote before, sounds like a great place for teachers that like small schools and have a sense of adventure. Something like my first overseas job in New Guinea.