In August of 2007, Dr. Mark A. English assumed leadership of AISJ as the new Superintendent. He brought in an exceptional new administrative team which has completely turned around the school. There is a new era and a new attitude in the school which has translated into increased enrollments, longer contracts for teachers, sound financial management, and improved learning conditions. The school’s emphasis on technology and engaging students in critical inquiry in the classrooms has attracted an extraordinarily talented group of staff and faculty. The school now has 5 Ph.D.’s on its staff and over a third of the faculty have graduate degrees.
With the wide diversity of its student population (47 countries) and an American based standards curriculum which develops critical thinking through a problem-based, student-oriented approach to learning, AISJ is poised to set a new foundation of excellence in education as its reputation grows in the international school community.

In October 2003, Saudia stated that they were not going to sponsor Saudia-Saudi Arabian International School of Jeddah. This created great chaos among the administration, faculty, parents and students. The word was out: there was not going to be a school next year and every member of S.A.I.S. was asked to have a alternate to S.A.I.S. for the academic year of 2004. Teachers were looking for new jobs, students for new schools and security for new jobs. S.A.I.S. was on the verge of closing. Keeping in mind those there us no other academically sound school with an American Curriculum in Jeddah, parents were unwilling to send their children away. Thus, parents approached Superintendent Bennet, Principal Ford and Assistant Principal Wade to find every way possible to keep the school open next year. Certain parents were even willing to help in every way possible to help open a school next year. With all the requests and persuasion, Mr. Bennet and Dr. Wade decided to stay back and work on the school for next year.

There were many offers to sponsor the school, but choosing governance is a very critical issue and requires a great deal of reasoning, patience and caution. Faculty too was another concern. There were a handful of teachers who were skeptical about the certainty of there being a school next year. Many had already set their hearts and minds on leaving the school; a few were already leaving even before the unfortunate news was declared. So the only members of faculty that were staying back were around a handful. Therefore, in March, the Thaxters flew to the United States of America to recruit new teachers. When they came back, they had promised the students a great set of well-qualified, well-experienced teachers who were willing to work at Saudi Arabia.

Finally, in April, the opening of the new school was declared. It was announced that there was going to be a school next year with a new identity. The school was no longer going to be known as Saudia- S.A.I.S. but the American International School of Jeddah which will be a private school, owned by the parents and governed by the Board of Trustees. Registration forms were distributed to the students to enroll for the next year at the new school, and the number of students enrolled was nowhere close to disappointing. S.A.I.S. closed down for good on 29th June 2004 and on 28th August 2004 opened the American International School of Jeddah.

In the year 2002, Principal Ronald Ford worked no less hard than his predecessors. He too worked day and night to make the best out of the school in every aspect possible. He made sure that the recent changes that were made at S.A.I.S. were not only maintained but improvised as well. However, it was one small glitch towards the end of the year. S.A.I.S. had to close down 2 months prior to the assigned date because of the bombing at Riyadh. This created a stir so great that certain parents were skeptical about whether the school laws going to reopen or not. Some parents were keeping other schools as backups, in case S.A.I.S. did not reopen. However, the end of S.A.I.S. was not to come so soon, and thus on the 28th August 2003, the school reopened and many students returned.

In the year 2001, the second 12th grade graduation was held! After working so hard with S.A.I.S. for over 6 years, Mr. Blenke decided to depart and leave for back home. But in his place was another wondrous member of S.A.I.S., Mr. Stephen Bennet. He had served as a P.E. teacher for around 8 years and now was upgraded to a higher rank because of his display of great hard work, loyalty and creativity towards the school. Mr. Bennet worked hard to recruit British teachers to teach the British Curriculum and his efforts were visible along with those who were recruited.  S.A.I.S. was turning into a bigger school than before with the best faculty and student body in Jeddah.  

During the year of 1990, Saudia- Saudi Arabian International School had a diverse student body with students from 46 countries and faculty from North American, South America, Asia and Africa. The theme of the year at school was “We are the World”. Under the administration of Mr. Paul Combs and Mr. John Thomas, the school continued to thrive. This exhibits the steady hard work put in by the entire administration of both, North Campus and South Campus. Mr. John Hazelton, the Director of Personnel and Curriculum, made a strange yet remarkable achievement with the introduction of the British Curriculum at an American school. 

In 1991, Mr. Paul Combs continued to administer S.A.I.S. along with Mr. Thomas and Mr. Hazelton. The school was doing extremely well with the overall budget. With Mr. Kopp as the special advisor for 20 years, the school was more close to achieving the sky. Despite all the positivism, 1991 was a very unusual year with the return of Mr. Dick Lenman as the principal of North Campus School after 10 long years.

In 1992, Mr. Combs continued to work his magic at S.A.I.S. Along with Mr. Hazelton; the principal was able to make tremendous changes at the campus with the introduction of new facilities and every other aspect that could improvise the school to its level best. North Campus had visitors from the Red Sea Unit that excited the students to no extent. The school was always in action, working hard to benefit everyone from the maintenance staff to faculty students. 1992 was also a very depressing year with the departure of Mr. John Kopp who served at S.A.I.S. since 1967 commencing as a math teacher for 6 years, then moved to Elementary School and finally to Administration as the business Manager in 1975.

1993 came and Mr. Combs continued to administer at S.A.I.S. Both South Campus and North Campus flourished with harmony. The budget was now under Mr.Taweeli, the new Director of Personnel and Finance.

In 1994, Mr. Combs departed and in his place came in another charismatic addition to the administration, Mr. Paul Frank. Elementary School continued to have guests who benefited in terms of entertainment and education. S.A.I.S. had a lot of students graduating every year along with a great number of students admitting in as well. The school was doing very well for itself with the complete aid of a wonderful administration. 

In 1995, Mr. Frank and Mrs. O’Reilly, the Director of curriculum began to speculate about the addition of 10th grade to South Campus. It was, obviously, not an easy decision keeping in mind how expensive an investment it was going to be. But yet they tried their level best to put their idea into implementation. Mr. Syed Akhtar, the new Business and Finance Manager began to work on the budget and concluded that the school needed a little more than what they had to support the cause. Therefore, recruits were being interviewed, budgets were being worked out and space was being constructed to add the new classes. But this was unable to be put into implementation until another 3-4 years.

Another year came in, the year of 1996. Work continues with the addition of the new classes; administration is on the roll, traveling to job fairs in search of qualified teachers willing to travel to Saudi Arabia and more students were being enrolled in. Saudia said it would not have contribution in entirety to the implementation of the new classes. They said they would not fund for the building of new classes. So the school had to depend on non-Saudia students for the funding. But nothing stopped Mr. Frank from reaching his aim.

Mr. Blenke comes in as Vice Principal to Mr. Frank in 1997. This started a whole new team of true workmanship with contributions from every member of S.A.I.S. With multiple requests from Mr. Blenke and Mr. Frank, Saudia was convinced to fund for the commencement of the new classes.

1998 proved to be a hectic year for every member of S.A.I.S. and Saudia. Mr. Frank, Mr. Blenke and Mr. Akhtar worked day and night to make it. Their efforts were in demand by the minute with regard to the new classes. Along with construction and budget watches, recruitment was a major issue. A lot of teachers were willing to come in but with high demands in terms of payments and benefits. This was a challenge for Saudia and Mr. Akhtar and with a lot of coordination between the Business Managers, a final deal was prepared. It was going to cost the school a lot but they could not delay their plans anymore so the school readily increased salary offers and benefits. Grade was going to start from 1999.

After four years of unremitting struggle, the administration of S.AI.S. succeeded in making the change that they had challenged themselves to.

It was no easy task. It had led to the spending of a lot of sweat and money. But in the end, all the pain was worth it. Superintendent, Mr. Blenke and Principal, Mr. Frank were proud to introduce admission forms for grade 10 in 1998. And now, in 1999, S.A.I.S. held its first 10th and 11th grade prom! S.A.I.S. had a new identity now and in the year 2000, S.A.I.S. would have the first 12th grade graduation.

In December, 1971, the Saudia Board had voted SR 609,805 to complete and enclose the gymnasium. Construction did not start until July 15, 1972, due to problems with the architect. This work was not completed in time for the start of school in September, so the physical education department had to improvise classroom space until November. The Jeddah Players and the Saudi Equity Theatre amateur theatrical groups were rehearsing to present the musical, "Oklahoma!" amid the drilling, hammering and general construction noise and in and around scaffolding. It was a race between the presentation date and the air conditioning installation but the production came off on schedule, although in a still slightly unfinished auditorium. The completed work provided a fine, enclosed, air-conditioned space for school and community use and it has been used! ! ! The evaluation team, again headed by Dr. Beck, visited PCS in the fall of 1972 and their report was good. Five-year service pins were presented in the spring to Ellen Berryhill, Ellie Doran, Ray and Kay Horton, Christine Petrou, Jean Silvey and George and Mary Anne Wright.

With a total of 480 students attending school in the old apartments by the spring of 1968, everyone was eagerly anticipating the completion of the new building. With the exception of the gym, it was ready for the beginning of school in the fall of 1968. In May the airline had voted an additional SR 64,500 for various items, which were needed for completion. The final cost was reckoned at SR 3,132,765. At this time the Saudi Riyal was 4.5 per US$. Enrollment in the new building was over 500 for the first time. About 90% of the students were American and the balance were from eleven different countries. An evaluation team headed by Dr. William R. Beck, University of Toledo, Ohio, was invited to come to Jeddah and make a study of all aspects of the school, from the physical plant to staffing to curriculum. Dr. Jack Hornbeck, Superintendent of the San Diego City Schools, California, was a member of this team and, from this visit, PCS became a sister school to the San Diego City Schools under a program sponsored by the U .S. Department of State. This partnership continues to the present and has proved of great value to PCS from ad- vice on curriculum adoptions to teacher exchanges.

Jack Hylton arrived in Jeddah to be the new principal at the beginning of school in September. Another apartment was added for school use. Mr. Hylton worked hard to obtain needed books and supplies and establish rapport in the community. Captain Lester Cruse was elected president of the board and the staff had six teachers plus a music teacher, Mrs. Lois Scott. Tuition was set at $45 per month plus a one-time $40 book fee

Mr. Lundvall returned to the States at the close of school in the summer and Charles Murray arrived in Jeddah as his replacement after the opening of school in the fall. Mr. Murray remained only six weeks and returned to the States. Once again ARAMCO came to the rescue by releasing one of their teachers, Marvin John- son, to take up the duties of a teaching principal for the balance of the school year.

In 1956 another certified teacher, Mrs. Genevra Crowder, hired by the airline from the States was included to the pool. The forecast of attendance was such that a budget had been prepared and it was determined that tuition would be nominal. To keep the tuition to a minimum, the parents had various fund-raising activities which included weekly bingo. This was very successful and the board soon found itself with a surplus in the treasury. The question arose about what to do with this money (the school was a non-profit organization) in the event there had to be a sudden evacuation of the expatriates. Who was eligible for a share and how would it be distributed? Argument was vigorous. The hypothetical possibilities were so great that no agreement was ever reached on a contingency plan for the disbanding. This question may still be carried in the board meeting minutes under unfinished business. The matter of desks was becoming desperate. When a new student was expected to enroll, the parents had to make a new desk and chair. As a result, the school was using a mix of tables, chairs and benches borrowed or built by hand. A plan was devised to purchase desks in Europe and put them on one of the planes that had been sent for overhaul. The need to get the DC-4 air- plane back into service when it arrived in Jeddah was so great that the new desks and chairs were unloaded without the usual customs' formalities. Nothing was ever said other than a discussion with an official about who was going to pay the air freight on the shipment. This official left the airline soon after that so the board considered the matter closed.

The name came later. But it was truly a parents cooperative in the beginning. There were no schoo1 age airline children in Jeddah before then. Parents were discouraged or forbidden to bring families. The families who did come got their own teaching materials and made own arrangements. The bachelor quarters 'W A personnel were barracks-type build- with few amenities. The population of ah was approximately two hundred thousand; almost 25 years would elapse before there was an official census. The city had been walled a few years earlier and remnants of the old were still standing. There wasn't much in v ay of buildings outside the walls even yet. The airport had drawn most of the foreign community in that direction and the city was begin- to expand to the north. Paved streets were Medina Road (the present northbound side) was paved for only a short distance and anyone wanting to drive to the "creek" had to take out s the open desert. If you were smart, you in a four-wheel drive vehicle and in convoy as driving alone could be very dangerous and 19 stuck in the salt flats is still a hazard. e use of paper money in Saudi Arabia had 'et begun -all transactions were in coin. e who were there recall visiting a bank 1952 where the coins were piled in the center of the floor with young Saudi men counting them and stacking them in trays. Charles Benner, a TWA pioneer, had the responsibility, as Superintendent of Purchasing and Stores, of paying the freight bills for the shipment of aircraft engines for overhaul. These bills were payable in cash and the weight of the bags of coins would be- come quite awesome. The start of PCS was pretty shaky. "Classes" were organized using materials from the Calvert System and parents doing the teaching. Mr. Gary Owen, an Aramco lawyer who had two children to go to the school, obtained permission from King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud to organize the classes so long as the “school” was not used and only children of English – Speaking origin were admitted. The members of the British community were involved wand Horace Phillips, Charge d' Affairs of the British Embassy, was on the original school board. His wife, Idena, was one of the first teachers as was Mary Lou Derfler, wife of Donald Derfler, with the airline. The choice of this time period as the starting date of the school is entirely arbitrary, but from that time to ~ present day there has been some type of formal education available to non-Muslim children in Jeddah