American School of Madrid

Not to be confused with American School of Paris.
American School of Madrid
Address
Apartado 80
Madrid
Spain
Coordinates 40°23′N 3°43′W / 40.383°N 3.717°W / 40.383; -3.717
Information
Type International, Non-profit
Established February 20, 1961 (1961-02-20)
Founder Kelly Gardener
Mary Adah Curbera
Closed Sunday
Dean Kim Cullen
Principal Joanne M. Reykdal
Grades K-12
Colour(s) White and red
Mascot Don Quixote and Sancho Panza
Nickname Lancers
Accreditation Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges
Affiliations NAIS, MAIS
Website American School of Madrid

The American School of Madrid (or ASM) is a private school that is located on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain. It is an independent school and non-profit. The student population consists of one third Americans, one third Spanish, and one third international from over 50 countries. English is the language of instruction but courses are also available in Spanish, French and also Mandarin.

ASM has an American high school curriculum, but also offers students the International Baccalaureate program and the program's official Selectividad for Spanish students.[1] The school year consists of two semesters and extends from the period of September to late January and early February to late June.

History

ASM was founded in 1961 to respond to the needs of international executives and their families and to provide a curriculum in English that would prepare graduates for entrance into American, Spanish and other universities around the world. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees. Board membership is self-perpetuating. Legally recognized as a Spanish Association, the School operates under statutes approved by the Spanish Ministry of Education.

ASM’s alumni program was established in 1996 as a common meeting ground in order to facilitate communication amongst all students, alumni, and alumni parents that have attended the American School of Madrid.[1]

Campus

The ASM campus is located 12 kilometers west of the center of Madrid in the town of Pozuelo de Alarcon close to Aravaca. Its campus is 10 acres (40,000 m2) in size and made up of 3 large buildings, surrounded by a concrete wall. The lower school program is located in one building while the middle school and upper school programs are located in another. Within these two buildings there are two libraries containing a 40,000 volume library with both English and Spanish books, 3 computer centers and 5 science laboratories. In the third building is the Center for the Arts. This building consists of 3 music classrooms, 8 music practice rooms, 3 art centers, a photography lab and a 600-seat auditorium/gymnasium. The campus also contains 2 outdoor tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, a grass soccer field and a baseball diamond. ASM contains the largest and most complete English library in all of Spain (33,000 volumes and computerized research facilities).

Education

The Lower School program at ASM is based on their belief that a good education for young children incorporates principles of child development and recognizes the role of maturation in the learning process. Students are motivated to acquire a curiosity for knowledge from pre-school onward.

The Middle School of the American School of Madrid provides a challenging academic program in a warm and caring environment that seeks to meet the intellectual, physical, psychological, aesthetic, and social needs of the middle level students.

The Upper School of the American School is composed of a four year high school with an American curriculum and an IB program of studies designed to meet the requirements for entrance to American and international colleges and universities.

The American School of Madrid offers three distinct academic programs:

Accreditation

ASM is accredited by:

They are affiliated with:

Demographics

The population at ASM is made up of 34% of U.S. citizens, 30% Spanish citizens and 36% of international students from 52 countries from all over the world.[1]

Faculty

A group of students of Academy

ASM employs a number of highly qualified personnel, including administrators, teaching specialists and teachers, most of who are trained and experienced in the American system of education. The average teaching experience is ten years and more than 75% of the faculty holds graduate degrees. The 2009-2010 school year consists of 90 full-time and 7 part-time faculty members, 1 technology coordinator and 4 technology assistants, 3 guidance counselors, 2 librarians and 2 library associates, 1 science laboratory assistant, 7 administrators, 1 full-time school nurse and 1 part-time nurse, 10 administrative support staff, and a crew of 5 in the maintenance department. The Upper School faculty/student ratio is approximately 1/20 with class sizes ranging from 5 to 23. An ongoing in-service training program keeps teachers current within their specific fields and education in general.

Student activities

American School of Madrid (ASM) offers a wide variety of extra curriculum activities for its students. These activities take place from October to May few times a week at afternoons. Most of these activities are included in tuition fees.

Extra curriculum activities that AMS offers:

Start

The American School of Madrid was founded in 1961 but before the school was built the administration and some tutoring took place in an apartment in the Torre España for over a month with Kelly Gardener as the first Headmaster and Mary Adah Curbera as the first teacher of the school.

Athletics

In addition to many extra curriculum activities ASM also offers a wide range of different sport clubs. ASM has 2 outdoor tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, a grass soccer field, a baseball diamonds and gymnasium.

Baseball Rugby

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "American School of Madrid Alumni Home Pages". American School of Madrid.

External links

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