School Profile 2017-2018 Mission We challenge and inspire students to be critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and responsible global citizens through a comprehensive, English-based education. Vision A model of excellence in educating students. School and Community Founded in 1955, ACS is a private, non-profit, non-denominational, international school that offers an American curriculum for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, with English as the language of instruction. Most of our students are bilingual, and many are trilingual. Student enrollment at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year was 557 (KG3-grade 5 = 347; grades 6-8 = 103; grades 9-12 = 107). Of the total student population, 62 were U.S. citizens, 73 were third country nationals and 422 were host country nationals. Class size ranges from 8-20 and the student teacher ratio is 7:1. Located in the midst of a developing country, La Paz embodies a rich variety of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples, with a population of 764,617 (census 2012). Exposure to many cultures and values prepares our students to live as global citizens. Faculty and Staff There are 53 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members, along with 18 Instructional Assistants. The Administration is comprised of a Superintendent, a Secondary Principal and an Elementary Principal. Learning Support staff is comprised of one school Psychologist, two School Counselors, and four Learning Services Support Teachers. Our faculty is comprised of 22 North Americans, 38 Bolivians, and three third country nationals. School Calendar The academic year runs from August to June for a total of 180 school days. Courses that meet four days per week (60-minute sessions) earn 0.5 credits per semester, while courses that meet two days per week earn 0.25 credits per semester.

Accreditations: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and Bolivian Ministry of Education

CEEB Code: 905-150

Administration

1

Superintendent: Jamie Otis [email protected]

Elementary Principal: María B. Inarra [email protected]

Secondary Principal: Grace Kerscher [email protected]

College Counselor: Valeria Aramayo [email protected]

Mailing Address: c/o American Embassy La Paz, Bolivia Contact Information: E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: 591-2-2792302 Fax: 591-2-2797218 Website : www.acslp.org

ACS School Profile 2017-2018 Preparing Students for the 21st Century Graduates develop a unique world view by learning in an educational setting where diverse and predominantly indigenous populations live harmoniously in the fast paced urban setting of La Paz. Additionally, living in Bolivia exposes our students to some of the world’s largest challenges. ACS provides opportunities for students to engage meaningfully in our extended community by combining a rigourous academic curriculum with enrichment activities (see below) that challenge them to make decisions grounded in solid moral fiber and with a strong sense of justice. Community Service To grow as responsible, ethical, and compassionate citizens, ACS students are involved in a variety of student driven Community Service Projects (CSP), such as volunteering at local orphanages, hospitals, homes for the elderly, and supporting international NonGovernmental Organizations such as Operation Smile, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center. High school students must complete a minimum of 20 hours of community service each year (80 upon graduation). Classroom Without Walls (CWW) We strongly believe in the value of experiential education in developing the whole-child. Our CWW program provides opportunities for our students to engage in cultural exchange and service learning projects both locally and internationally. Extracurricular Activities Varsity and middle school sports include boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball, basketball, track and field and cheerleading. Swimming, karate, chess, and tennis are also offered. Non-athletic activities include Student Council, National Honor Society, Technology Student Association, Mathletes, Band, Global Issues Network (GIN), and Classroom Without Walls. Class Rank ACS does not rank students because we believe that class rank is an unreliable performance indicator. Graduation Requirements All students enrolled in High School must complete graduation requirements to earn both a U.S. High School Diploma and the Bolivian Bachillerato.

Diploma

US

Bolivian

English

4

4

Mathematics

3

4

Science

3

4

Social Studies

4

5

Foreign Language

2

4

P.E. /Health

2

2

Fine Arts

1

1

Technology

2

2

Electives

4

2

Total

25

28

Grade Point Average/Distribution

Grading System/Grade Point Average Grade point averages are based on the letter grade earned in each course and the credit value. Only courses completed at ACS are included in the student’s GPA.

Letter Grade

Numeric Grade (%)

GPA Points

A+

100-97

4.00

A

96-93

4.00

A-

92-90

3.7

B+

89-87

3.3

B

86-83

3.0

B-

82-80

2.7

C+

79-77

2.3

C

76-73

2.0

C-

72-70

1.7

D+

69-67

1.3

D

66-63

1.0

D-

62-60

.7

Class of 2018 (27 students) Average GPA: 3.22

2

3.7-4.0

11%

3.3-3.69

30%

2.7-3.29

30%

Reading/Writing

549.50

2.3-2.69

19%

Math

578.50

0-2.29

10%

Composite

1128

SATr Results (Average)

ACS School Profile 2017-2018 Advanced Placement In the 2016-2017 school year, over 50% of high school students were enrolled in an AP course. These students scored an average of 3.4 earning a 75% pass rate. The following AP courses were offered during the last four school years (some on a rotating basis):

English Applied English English 9 English 10 English 11 English 12 AP English Language AP English Literature SAT English Prep Class Languages French 1 French 2 Spanish 9 Spanish 10 Spanish 11 Spanish 12 Foundations Spanish AP Spanish Literature Independent Spanish Spanish as a Second Language 1 Spanish as a Second Language 2 Spanish as a Second Language 3 Spanish as a Second Language 4

3

Subject

Number Students

5

4

3

2

Calculus AB

9

2

1

5

1

Calculus BC

3

0

2

0

1

Biology

8

0

1

4

3

Computer Science

2

0

1

1

0

English Language

7

0

2

4

1

English Literature

10

0

2

1

7

Macro Economics

1

0

0

1

0

Micro Economics

10

1

3

3

3

Psychology

11

3

3

4

1

US History

5

1

3

0

1

World History

19

3

1

5

9

Spanish Language

17

10

7

0

0

Spanish Literature

16

7

8

1

0

Totals

118

27

34

29

27

Academic Course Offerings (2017-2018) Social Sciences Global Issues Network World History AP World History AP Human Geography Bolivian History and Geography US History AP US History Introduction to World History World History II Economics Psychology Philosophy Fine Arts HS Art 1 Studio Art AP Studio Art HS Art - Wet Media HS Art - Design HS Drama Band 1 Band 2 Band 3

Sciences Biology Honors Biology AP Biology Introduction to Chemistry Chemistry Honors Chemistry AP Chemistry Physics Honors Physics Math Algebra I Geometry Algebra II Foundations of Geometry Pre-Calculus SAT Math Prep Finance Math AP Economics AP Calculus AB Statistics

Technology Introduction to Computer Science Web Design Computer Science Print Design Programming Advanced Programming Graphic Design Health and Wellness Health Physical Education Individual Sports-Health Other Freshman Seminar Senior Seminar Entrepreneurship College and Career Planning

ACS School Profile 2017-2018 College Entrance (2013-2017) One hundred percent of our graduates are admitted to post-secondary programs, with an average of 75 percent of graduates attending U.S. colleges and universities. The other 25 percent enroll in Bolivian or international post-secondary institutions.

United States Academy of Art University Adelphi University Amherst College American University Augustana College Babson College Bentley University Boston University Brown University Bryant University Bradley University Bryn Mawr College Binghamton University Butler University Brigham Young University Carnegie Mellon University Colorado School of Mines Concordia University Montreal Cornell College Cornell University College of Saint Benedict College of the Siskiyous Columbia University College of William & Mary Claremont McKenna College College of Charleston Columbia College at Chicago Cornell University Dartmouth College Drexel University Elon University Emory University Eugene Lang Liberal Arts College Ferris State University Flagler College Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Fordham University Florida State University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Harvard University Hofstra University Hult International Business School Indiana University Iowa State University

United States Johns Hopkins University Johnson and Wales University John Cabot University Kansas State University Jerusalem University Kendall College Laser College Long Island University Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University of Maryland Lynn University Lehigh University Manhattanville College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Menlo College Miami University Oxford Michigan Technological University Minnesota State University Mount St. Mary’s University New Hampshire University New York University New College of Florida Notre Dame University Northeastern University Ohio State University Oklahoma State University Old Dominion University Pace University Parsons The New School for Design Princeton University Pepperdine University Pitzer College Providence College Penn State University Purdue University Quinnipiac University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rollins College Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers University San Jose State University St. Johns University St. Marys University St. Edwards University San Francisco State University Santa Reparata International School of Art Smith College Savannah College of Art and Design

Post High School Destinations Class of 2017 (24 students)

4

College Acceptances

University Location

Total

U.S.

14

Europe

5

South America

2

Asia

3

Gap Year

0

United States South Dakota State University Stetson University Suffolk University Syracuse University Seoul University Temple University Texas A&M University Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University University of Arkansas University of Arizona University of Berkeley University of British Columbia

International

Universidad Católica (Argentina) Universidad de San Andrés (Argentina) Universidad Austral (Argentina) Universidad del Salvador (Argentina) Universidad Privada Boliviana (Bolivia) Universidad Católica Boliviana (Bolivia) Universidad de São Paulo (Brazil) Universidad Adolfo Ibañez (Chile) Universidad Andrés Bello (Chile) Universidad del Valle (Colombia) Universidad Los Andes (Colombia) Universidad Sergio Arboleda (Colombia) Universidad Francisco De Paula Santander (Colombia) Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile) McGill University (Canada) University of British Columbia (Canada) American University of Paris (France) Maastricht University (Holland) Jerusalem University (Israel) Universita Della Santa Croce, Roma (Italy) Santa Reparata Int’l School of Art (Italy) The American University of Rome (Italy) Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) Universidad del Pacífico (Peru) Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (Peru) University of Edinburgh (Scotland) Universidad de Navarra (Spain) Swiss Hotel Management School (Switzerland) New York University- (Shanghai, Abu Dhabi)

ACS students at Classroom Without Walls

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia