History
The story of SABIS® dates back to 1886 when The International School of Choueifat was founded in the village of Choueifat, a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. There, the founders Reverend Tanios Saad and Ms. Louisa Proctor brought together their vision, dedication, and ambition to provide basic education for Lebanese girls. Soon thereafter, the school became co-educational in response to market demand.
Despite two world wars, The International School of Choueifat continued to grow over the years and embarked upon an expansion program outside Lebanon in the mid-1970s. The expansion was met with substantial success, which is currently reflected in a well-reputed global network consisting of schools and a university in 15 countries on four continents.
Roots in the 19th century have provided SABIS® with a solid foundation in the world of global education management. Today, the SABIS® School Network is managed by a knowledgeable team of skilled individuals and overseen by two regional corporate offices located in Beirut, Lebanon and Minnesota, USA.
In Eden Prairie, Minnesota, SABIS® operations in the US, Europe, and the Far East are run by SABIS® Educational Systems, INC. Established in 1985, SABIS® Educational Systems, INC. owns the exclusive rights in North America, South America, and Europe to the SABIS® Edge™ Education Program, a system at the forefront of global education. Following its incorporation, SABIS® Educational Systems, INC. established a range of schools starting in the private sector and expanding into the public sector. In 1995, the first of SABIS®'s U.S. charter schools was established in Springfield, Massachusetts. Functioning with a Board of Directors contracting with SABIS® for the day-to-day management and organization of the charter school, the SABIS® International Charter School (SICS) in Springfield set the bar for achievement in SABIS® charter schools to come.
In the US, SABIS® Educational Systems, INC. currently operates eight charter schools (Arizona, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio), four licensed schools (New York, Michigan), and one private school (Minnesota). In Europe, it operates three private schools (Germany, UK) and one licensed school (Romania).