The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) is a not-for-profit private international school in Linhó, Sintra, Portugal. Founded in 1956, CAISL is the oldest American school in the Iberian Peninsula and the only U.S. State Department sponsored school in Portugal.Revista País Economico - Olhos Postos nos Lideres de Amanhã It is named in honor of Frank Carlucci, former United States Ambassador to Portugal.Jornal de Noticias - Frank Carlucci diz que a Democracia Portuguesa esta a envelhecer
CAISL offers an American High School diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. The student population is about 21% Portuguese, 32% American, 7% Brazilian, 8% Chinese, and 32% coming from over 50 other nations. With the teacher population being about 44% Portuguese, 41% American, 2% Brazilian and 13% from other countries. CAISL has partnerships with other institutions, such as the Gulbenkian Foundation, to support research initiatives into teaching methods, philanthropic outreach, and to host international conferences and cultural exhibitions.RTP Noticias - Professores aprendem novo método de ensino através de experiências In 2016, Hewlett-Packard (HP) awarded CAISL with the HP Award for Innovation in Education. CAISL alumni have gone on to hold influential positions, both abroad and in Portugal, and have included Grammy Award-winning artists, Presidents of Portugal, and Portuguese nobility, among others.
History
CAISL's history begins in 1956, when the school was founded as St. Columban's School, by Irish professor Anthony A. McKenna, to serve the children of the American engineers who were in Portugal working on the Salazar Bridge (now 25 de Abril Bridge), in Lisbon, so that the children would be able to reintegrate back into the American system upon their departure from Portugal.Journal for the Advancement of International Education - The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon Celebrates 50th Anniversary During this time, the school was housed in the Quinta da Casa Branca, an 18th-century quinta (manor or estate) in Carnaxide, Oeiras, outside of Lisbon.Público - Há 50 Anos, um Professor Irlandês Criou um Colégio Americano
The school renamed itself the American International School of Lisbon (AISL) in 1995, when management of the school passed from private ownership to the Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa (American School of Lisbon Foundation; FEAL), a not-for-profit foundation was created by the American Delegation to Portugal, the Ford Motor Company, and Espírito Santo Financial Group. These three entities became the three, equal members of the school's board of trustees. With the school's new not-for-profit mission and with a new oversight organization, through FEAL, AISL became a U.S. State Department-recognized school.
After the creation of FEAL in 1995, the foundation's main priority was to centralize all of the schools of AISL onto one purpose-built site, as the secondary school, elementary school, and early child center were housed in different facilities spread across the Portuguese Riviera. In 1997, in cooperation with the municipal government of Sintra, a new purpose-built campus was built in Linhó, in the freguesia of São Pedro de Penaferrim, on land granted on a permanent lease by the municipality near the Quinta da Beloura. In 1998, the Linhó campus was inaugurated by Hillary Clinton, then the First Lady of the United States.Revista Pontos de Vista - Uma Líder que Tem como Missão Formar Líderes
In 2001, the school officially changed its name to its current designation as the Frank C. Carlucci American International School of Lisbon, in honor of American diplomat Frank Carlucci, who served as the American ambassador to Portugal from 1974 to 1978.Pares e Ímpares, Memórias de um Bairro - Uma Escola Americana Carlucci, who went on to serve as Deputy Director of the CIA and U.S. Secretary of Defense, played a prominent role in Portugal following the events of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, especially in maintaining good Luso-American relations during the Hot Summer of 1975 as the U.S. stationed the air craft carrier USS Saratoga on the Tagus River in front of the Presidential Palace of Belém.https://www.flad.pt/en/the-path-to-democracy-u-s-portugal-relations-during-the-carnation-revolution-and-beyond-may-8-at-flad/
CAISL has maintained a friendly school rivalry with the British St. Julian's School in Carcavelos, as competitive leading international schools in Portugal.
Administration
CAISL is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA).CAISL - Accreditations The school is licensed by the Portuguese Ministry of Education and an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. CAISL is the only school in Portugal with support from the U.S. State Department.
Leadership of the school's direction over its curriculum is entrusted by the Board of Trustees to the School Director, currently Mr. Nathan Chapman, who assumed the position in 2022. CAISL is divided into two sections, which are led by their own principals: the elementary school (EC3-5) and the secondary school (6-12). The current Elementary Principal is Katie Morris and the current Secondary Principal is Ted Fuller.
Governance The school is governed by the Fundação Escola Americana de Lisboa (FEAL; Portuguese for "American School of Lisbon Foundation"), a private foundation under Portuguese Law, which is in turn governed by a three-member Board of Trustees. The Embassy of the United States, Lisbon and Visteon, having played important roles in the formation of CAISL's non-profit status, each appoint trustees (2 from the Embassy and 1 from Visteon) which serve for three-year terms.
The current Board of Trustees of the Fundação Escola Americana de Lisbon is composed of: Miguel Espírito Santo Silva de Mello, a member of the banking family Espírito Santo, Sábado, 4 September 2014. Accessed 8 August 2026. (representing U.S. Embassy, Lisbon and President of the Board) Sara Krumm (representing U.S. Embassy, Lisbon) Sérgio Mourão (representing Visteon)
The management of CAISL's financial matters is delegated by the Board of Trustees to the Chief Business Officer, currently Paulo Parreira.
Academics
All students who complete CAISL's graduation requirements earn an American high school diploma. Additionally, those who fulfill the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program requirements, earn an IB diploma. CAISL graduates are eligible to apply for entrance into universities around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal and other European countries.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) awarded CAISL with its 2016 Award for Innovation in Education.ComputerWorld - HP Portugal Premeia Clientes
Sciences CAISL is known within the region as a leader in sciences education, with numerous initiatives and partnerships with institutions, like the Gulbenkian Foundation, Silicon Valley giant Hewlett-Packard, and technology education nonprofit Code.org, to develop innovative methods of teaching science and technology.
Since 2005, CAISL and the Gulbenkian Foundation, one of the wealthiest foundations in the world, have partnered together to form the Experiential Learning Methods in Sciences Initiative, a project aimed at researching and developing innovative methods and best practices in science education.Gulbenkian Foundation - Annual Report 2010 The initiative, led by a team of Gulbenkian researchers and CAISL professors, has been stated to have had profound effects in the teaching of science education in Portugal.Journal of Science & Children - Lessons from Portugal: What Can We Learn from Professional Development Efforts in Science Education in Portugal?Educare - Por uma ciência mais experimental
CAISL is an affiliate school of Code.org in Portugal in participating in the Hour of Code initiative.CAISL - Technology
CAISL has participated annually in the FIRST Lego League National Championship, and in the MAIS Middle School Robomed, international robotics competitions, since 2018.CAISL - Lego First League
Arts CAISL is a member of The Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) and sends a student delegation annually to the AMIS International Music Festival.CAISL - AMIS International Music Festival
CAISL students also participate annually in the ISTA Theater festival, having hosted the first ISTA Inter-Arts Festival.
CAISL hosts the annual Sintra Theatre Showcase (), a showcase of school drama departments from across the Sintra area of the Portuguese Riviera.CM Sintra - Entrega de diplomas da 23ª Mostra de Teatro das Escolas de SintraSintra Noticias - Entrega de diplomas e apresentação das Menções Honrosas da Mostra de Teatro das Escolas
CAISL hosts art exhibitions throughout the year.
CAISL is also part of the International Thespian Society, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
Athletics CAISL's athletic teams, known as the CAISL Wolves, compete in sports tournaments on regional, national, and international levels. CAISL is a member of the European Sports Conference, a sports conference of international schools across Europe.CAISL ESC Tournament
CAISL is a host school of both the Iberian Volleyball Tournament, the Iberian Soccer Tournament, the Iberian Basketball Tournament, and competitions of international schools across the Iberian Peninsula.CAISL Iberian Volleyball TournamentIberian Basketball TournamentEl Mundo - Marina d'Or acoge un torneo de fútbol internacional entre estudiantes de España, Francia y Portugal
Initiatives
Research CAISL partners with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon in supporting research and development of new teaching methods, allowing CAISL to utilize innovative pedagogical methods in its curriculum.
Since 2011, CAISL has had a partnership with the BPI Portuguese Investment Bank to facilitate investments in primary and secondary education.Banco BPI - Relatórios e Contas 2011
In 2013, CAISL hosted its 1st Conference on Early Childhood Learning, in cooperation with Pais&Filhos, an international child education publication.CAISL - Early Childhood Event "Vale a pena ir à pré!" Debuts at CAISL
In 2018, CAISL hosted the Symposium on Intercultural Learning, an event held in partnership with the Council of International Schools.CAISL - Internationalism
Philanthropy Since 2006, CAISL has partnered with Novabase, the largest information technology firm in Portugal, in an initiative to promote and support English language education in public schools across the Portuguese Riviera, through teacher training and school outreach.Novabase - Cursos de Verão Novabase / CAISLThe Portugal News - American school promotes teaching English to Portuguese public school students
In 2018, CAISL has become an affiliate of the Sharing Foundation, an international philanthropic organization dedicated to promoting literacy and early childhood education.NovAFrica - Angola é dos países prioritários do projecto da Sharing Foundation
CAISL and Habitat for Humanity have partnered together since 2007 to send a delegation of students annually to help provide humanitarian relief to disadvantaged people.CAISL - Habitat for Humanity CAISL also has a long standing partnership with Banco Alimentar, the Portuguese food bank, providing volunteers for goods collection twice a year. In 2022, CAISL also started collaborating with Associação Humanitária DOMUS/The Fuller Center for Housing, among other local and international charities.
Culture CAISL has regularly partnered with institutions, such as the American Embassy, the Portuguese Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Culture of Cabo Verde, among other cultural organizations and government institutions, to host and promote cultural events and awareness.ClubK - Mais de 50 títulos angolanos expostos na Escola Americana de Portugal
Iberian Model United Nations