Atlanta International School (AIS) has finalized the purchase of the 25-acre campus of the former Brandon Hall School, which closed in May.
The additional property, located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, will more than double AIS’s physical footprint. The new acreage will enable the school to expand its academic offerings, according to a press release.
The press release said school leaders spent six months negotiating the purchase agreement.
Brandon Hall’s attorney Ian Falcone told Rough Draft in early October that the school had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an attempt to sell its assets and pay its creditors in full.
AIS has been housed on its 17-acre campus in the Garden Hills neighborhood of Buckhead since 1995. While the private school will remain in Garden Hills, the Sandy Springs property will allow AIS to increase its student body and diversify its academic programming.
The former Brandon Hall School site has classrooms, large meeting spaces, laboratories, student dormitories, employee residential units, tennis courts, a gym, and a playing field. School officials said the direct access to the Chattahoochee River and the wooded surroundings offer many possible uses.
“This is a hugely significant step in the story of Atlanta International School, opening up previously unimaginable opportunities to our whole community – now and for generations to come,” said Head of School Kevin Glass.
The exponential growth of the school in its nearly 40 years had school officials looking for additional space to accommodate the needs of a growing student population, he said.
“We now look forward to working closely with the River Gate Housing Association, the communities neighboring our new campus and Sandy Springs, nurturing an equally close relationship to the one we enjoy with our Garden Hills campus neighbors and Buckhead district,” Glass said
“This is a transformative moment for the Atlanta International School community. I thank my fellow trustees and the school leadership team for modeling the courageous leadership we seek to develop in our students,” AIS Board of Trustees Chair Scott Britton said.
Immediate uses being considered for the new campus include:
- Current students and programs using woodland spaces, buildings, and sports facilities.
- Expanded AIS summer camp offerings.
- Development of an innovation hub.
- Expanded AISx (the non-traditional education pathway student program, such as for student-athletes)
- The potential for a greater number of students, from anywhere in the world and from the local Atlanta and Sandy Springs communities, to experience an AIS education.
Announcements regarding summer camps and admissions are expected in Spring 2024, according to the release.
