About Our School

SHAPE International School (SIS)

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) was established on April 2, 1951, in Rocquencourt, France. It was intended to be a military arm of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The headquarters remained there until 1967 when, upon France's withdrawal from NATO's integrated military structure, SHAPE was relocated to its current location in Casteau, Belgium.

SHAPE is currently composed of NATO member countries and additional Partnership for Peace (PfP) nations, making it one of the most unique military settings in the world. Within this vital and varied community, SHAPE American Elementary School (SAES) exists not only to educate the children of American servicemen and women assigned here, but also to educate the children of all other NATO and PfP nations. In addition, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) SHAPE school coordinates with 11 other nation schools on the international installation.

In August 2014, SAES moved to its brand-new building with an area of over 114,057 square feet housing over 58 classrooms. Over six hundred students are currently enrolled in SAES, ranging from Preschool through Fifth Grade. American students make up just over half of the student population, while NATO and PfP nation students comprise the remaining half. This international component results in SAES having the most varied student population among the 11 nation schools on SHAPE, as well as among all schools in the DoDEA system.

SHAPE Elementary School is proud to have been named a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School. The Department of Education bestows the honor on schools for high academic achievement, as measured by performance on state assessments or nationally normed tests.

Continuous School Improvement (CSI) Goals:

Literacy Goal:  By the end of SY 2025-2026, grades 3-5 will decrease the
percentage of students in the did not meet or partially met
performance levels by 5% over two years from 22% to 17% and
increase the percentage of students scoring at the met or exceeded
performance levels by 5% over two years from 54% to 59% as
reported on DoDEA’s CCRSL Summative Assessment.

Math Goal:  By the end of SY 2025-2026, grades 3-5 will decrease the
percentage of students in the did not meet or partially met
performance levels by 5% over two years from 18% to 13% and
increase the percentage of students scoring at the met or exceeded
performance levels by 5% over two years from 59% to 64% as
reported on DoDEA’s CCRSM Summative Assessment.