Morrison Christian Academy
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| Morrison Christian Academy (at Taichung Main Campus) 馬禮遜美國學校 |
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| Motto: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -- John 8:32 | |
| Established | 1952 |
| Type | Private International School Christian School |
| Principal | Dan Robinson |
| Chaplain | Josephine Wong |
| Faculty | 92 |
| Students | 242 high school, 101 middle school, 137 elementary, about 900 (system-wide, includes Bethany, Taichung, and Kaohsiung campuses) |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Location | 136-1, Shui Nan Rd. Beitun District, Taichung City 40679Taiwan Republic of China |
| Accreditation | ACSI, WASC |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Blue and white |
| Mascot | Mustang |
| Yearbook | Morrisonian |
| Newspaper | Echo |
| Phone | +886-4-2292-1171 |
| Website | www.mca.org.tw |
Morrison Christian Academy (Chinese: 馬禮遜美國學校; Wade-Giles: Ma-li-hsün Mei-kuo Hsüeh-hsiao; Hanyu Pinyin: Mălĭxùn Měiguó Xuéxiào; literally: Morrison American School; abbreviation MCA) was established in 1952 and offers a college-preparatory and American-based Christian affiliated education to expatriate children living in Taiwan. Morrison Academy is founded in Taichung, where the main campus is located, but branch campuses have been created in Taipei (Bethany) and Kaohsiung (Morrison Academy Kaohsiung).
Although established in 1952 to serve the needs of missionary kids, Morrison Academy has attracted a large number of business children located in Taichung. Morrison Academy is currently the largest international school in Taichung and the largest Christian school in the country of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The school is recognized by the Republic of China (Taiwan) as an international school and is restricted from accepting Republic of China nationals who do not possess a foreign passport.
Graduates from Morrison Academy often attend North American colleges and universities. Because Morrison Academy is comprised primarily of missionary kids and business expatriates, a wide range of countries is represented in the faculty and the student body. However, the teachers and the students primarily come from the United States and Canada.
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[edit] Mission Statement
The school states its mission as follows: "Morrison Academy exists to meet the educational needs of the children of missionaries throughout Taiwan, helping fulfill Christ's commission to go into all the world. Morrison seeks to provide a Christ-centered school culture where all students, from missionary and non-missionary families, experience a Biblically-integrated quality education. Therefore, Morrison structures learning so that students may develop the knowledge, discernment, and ability to dynamically impact their world as Christians."
[edit] Campus
The current Taichung campus is located in the Beitun District of Taichung, a 20-minute drive from the Taichung Train Station. Morrison is one of the largest schools in Taichung City, with the school possessing:
- two parking lots,
- three soccer fields,
- one tennis court,
- one swimming pool,
- one 400-meter track,
- two gymnasiums (upper and lower, major events such as varsity games are held in lower gyms.),
- two libraries,
- one auditorium,
- three computer labs,
- five dorms,
- one science building equipped with advanced laboratory material,
- over ten staff housing complexes, as well as
- individual classrooms for all of the students at the Taichung campus.
One notable campus structure is "The Plaza," or the courtyard between the high school and middle school wings. Flanked by archaic bunyan trees, the Plaza serves as a congregational location for high-school and middle-school students between classes and after school. Annual events are often held on the plaza, including the Junior Carnival and the Senior Flea Market.
The school is undergoing renovation starting in 2007 to merge the high school and the middle school wings and to upgrade the school's athletic facilities.
[edit] Student Body
Currently, the Taichung campus accommodates about 450 students. The school is subdivided into three schools in accordance to the American school system: Elementary School (Kindergarten to Fifth Grade), Middle School (Sixth Grade to Eighth Grade), and High School (Ninth Grade to Twelfth Grade).
At the head of Morrison administration is the Morrison Academy Board of Trustees, a 12-member board elected to foresee the daily operations of the Morrison System.
The current ratio of missionary to business students at the Taichung campus is about 1:3. Although in the earliest phases of Morrison history foreign expatriates in Taichung were granted admission solely on a space-available basis, currently any foreign national residing in Taiwan with a valid foreign passport is eligible to apply for admission to Morrison Academy. However, it is to be noted that acceptance rates are low because Morrison evaluates prospective students using a standard on English proficiency and the Board of Trustees does not wish to expand student enrollment at the Taichung campus rapidly.
[edit] Academics
Morrison Academy describes its academics as thus:
"Because Morrison is a Christian school, a Christian worldview is integrated into all areas of the American-based curriculum. Bible class and weekly chapel attendance are required for all students. Instruction is in English and is college preparatory in focus. The school year for students extends from mid-August to the first week of June, for a total of 180 instructional days."
At Morrison, 97% of all graduates attend higher education in different countries worldwide. Advanced Placement level courses are offered formally in five subjects. In 2005, 54 candidates from the school took 86 Advanced Placement examinations and merited a pass rate of 87%. In the class of 2006, one student was named Finalist of the National Merit scholarship competition, three students were named Semifinalists, and eight were named as Commended students. In 2005, one student from Morrison qualified for the United States of America Mathematics Olympiad.
[edit] Extra-Curricular Activities
Morrison provides a wide array of extra-curricular activities to develop individual student interest and abilities. At Morrison, students can chose to participate in one or more of the following:
[edit] Music and Drama
- Concert Band
- Chamber Orchestra
- Three Instrumental Ensembles
- Two Choirs
- Chamber Singers (Voice Ensemble)
- Worship Team
- Drama
[edit] Art
- 9 Western and Asian art selections
[edit] Student Government
- STUCO
- Class councils
[edit] Publications
- Yearbook ("The Morrisonian")
- Journalism ("The Echo")
[edit] Model United Nations
[edit] Student Organized Clubs
- Various clubs organized and conducted by high school students.
[edit] Athletics
Possessing an athletic program over 50 years old, Morrison offers its students the opportunity to play in several sports. Men have the option of JV-B (Junior Varsity B Team), Junior Varsity, and Varsity teams in the following sports: basketball, soccer, and track and field. Women have the option of JV-B, Junior Varsity, and Varsity teams in the following sports: volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track and field. All Morrison Varsity athletic teams compete internationally at Far East tournaments against Department of Defense schools and other Christian schools in East Asia. Swimming had been added to the repertoire of Morrison athletics starting from the 2005-2006 school year.
Middle school students at Morrison Academy are divided into three teams according to their grade level and abilities. Both men and women have the option in participating in the following sports: volleyball, softball, soccer, and basketball. At the conclusion of each season, middle school students at Morrison Academy compete against teams from other international schools in Taiwan at tournaments hosted at Taichung by Morrison Academy and Taipei by Taipei American School.
The “Chopstick Game” is a basketball game, held every January, between the Men’s Varsity basketball teams of Morrison and Taipei American School. The winning team is awarded a trophy that consists of two large, roughly six-foot long, wooden chopsticks which have a list of the years the game was played and its past champions. In 2006, Morrison won the Chopsticks for a record seventh year in a row.
[edit] Morrison Intramural Activities
[edit] Junior Carnival
Occurring every year in October or November, the Junior Carnival is a theme-based fair conducted by high school Juniors to garner class funds. The Junior class is divided into groups of two or three students who design, create, and run individual game booths for the Morrison community. Entrance fee is traditionally 10 New Taiwan Dollars (about 30 USD cents), with each "ticket" costing 10 New Taiwan Dollars as well. An average customer spends around 200 to 300 New Taiwan Dollars (about 10 USD) throughout the course of the Carnival. Although the fair had traditionally been held during daytime, in recent years it had shifted to nighttime.
"Traditional" booths include: dunking, the Jail, sponge throw, and the "maze".
[edit] Missions Trip
Each year, the High School Missions class conducts an off-island mission trip to spread the Gospel to and conduct volunteer work in other nations. Traditionally, this 12-day trip occurs during Easter break. Each year, anywhere from 10 to 30 students from Morrison go on the Missions Trip. In recent years, Morrison teams have visited Nepal, Kenya, and the Philippines. The Mission Trippers visit orphanages, churches, and slums during their trip, interacting with many people from different economic backgrounds and walks of faith.
[edit] Spiritual Life Weeks
Twice a year, the high school chaplain invites different Christian speakers and missionaries from around the world for a one-week visit to the Morrison campus. Throughout the week, Morrison students attend chapels every single morning before their regular classes. In addition, visiting speakers often supplemented their visit by hosting nighttime devotionals and worship sessions.
[edit] Intramural Concerts
Three major musical concerts are scheduled throughout the year. Chamber groups have additional concerts throughout the school year.
[edit] Intramural Banquets
At least one banquet is held by STUCO through the course of the school year, although STUCO reserves the right to call additional banquets. Banquets provide an occasion for Morrison high school students to gather and socialize in a night of food and entertainment. A separate banquet (Junior-Senior Banquet) is held in the months of April or May for the graduating seniors.
[edit] Drama Productions
Although Morrison does not have a Drama class, Morrisonian thespians sacrifice their after-school free time to work on plays, musicals, and madrigals staged throughout the year. Musicals and madrigals occur biennually, alternating from musicals in one year and madrigals the next. The music department works closely with the drama department for musicals and madrigals.
[edit] Senior Flea Market
Conducted in the spring by the Seniors, the Senior Flea Market is an opportunity for Seniors to clear their house of unwanted junk before graduation. In addition, the Senior Flea Market provides an opportunity for the Morrison community to mingle and socialize.
[edit] Taipei Campus (Bethany)
The Taipei Campus of Morrison Academy was founded in 1961 under the name of Bethany Christian School. When the school joined the Morrison Christian Association in 1967, it was incorporated into the Morrison System. Located in Downtown Taipei, Morrison Academy - Bethany Campus offers expatriates residing in Taipei a quality Morrison education from Kindergarten to Ninth Grade.
The K-9 enrollment at the Bethany Campus is about 200. About half of each graduating class on the Bethany campus attend Taipei American School while the other half continue their Morrison education at the Taichung campus. The majority of the latter reside in dormitory halls located on the Taichung campus.
Bethany possesses both Middle School and JV-B teams that compete in island-wide tournaments under the banner of the Bronco.
Morrison Academy-Bethany Campus
97, Section 3, Ting Chou Rd.
Taipei, Taiwan
Telephone: +886-2-2365-9691
[edit] Kaohsiung Campus
Morrison Academy Kaohsiung[1] (MAK) was founded in 1974 to serve missionary families working in the Southern part of Taiwan. Following its establishment, the campus had moved twice. The current MAK campus is located in Dashe Hsiang of rural Kaohsiung County, about a 30 minute drive from Downtown Kaohsiung. The campus was built in 2000 on land leased from the Taiwan Sugar Corporation.
The current total enrollment at MAK is about 170 (K-9). Graduating students attend either the Taichung campus as boarding students or transfer to Kaohsiung American School. In addition, MAK sponsors a satellite campus at Chiayi City with a current enrollment of sixteen.
MAK possesses both Middle School and JV-B teams that compete in island-wide tournaments under the banner of the Shark.
Morrison Academy Kaohsiung
42, Chia Cheng Rd.
Dashe Hsiang, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
Telephone: +886-7-356-1190
[edit] See also
- Taipei American School
- Dominican International School
- Kaohsiung American School
- American School in Taichung
