Academy of International Studies (Bloomfield, Connecticut)

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Academy of International Studies (AIS), located at 1551 Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield, Connecticut, is a magnet middle and high school run by the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC). It serves students in grades 6–12 and has about 740 pupils from several towns, including Bloomfield, Hartford, Enfield, Windsor, East Windsor, and Windsor Locks.

AIS began as the Metropolitan Learning Center in 1996, a global and international studies school created by CREC with participation from nearby communities. The state funded construction in 1997, and the school opened in September 1998 in the old Bloomfield Junior High building. Enfield joined the program in 2000. In 2001, the school moved to its current building at 1551 Blue Hills Avenue.

Public Act 07-3, passed in 2007, allowed students from non-participating towns to apply for a seat if spots were available, making AIS accessible to students from any town.

The two-story campus is arranged with four grade-area pods on each level, a central library, and dedicated spaces for art, television studio, and technology. The second floor houses the art, TV studio, and tech areas, while the separate building contains the cafeteria, gym, auditorium, and music department. All rooms have wireless internet and Smartboards.

AIS began offering athletics in 2013 and now provides a variety of middle- and high-school sports through CREC’s Interscholastic Athletic Program. In 2016, AIS became part of a joint program with Metropolitan Learning Center, Two-Rivers Magnet High School, and the Academy of Aerospace & Engineering. The current principal is Yesenia Hernandez.