The American School of Santo Domingo

Academic Policies

It is the desire of the members of the School Board to establish an educational environment that provides every child with the opportunity to develop his/her potential according to his/her abilities. Administrators and teachers foster a warm and caring learning environment that meets the needs, interests, and learning styles of all students.

Academic Priorities

At the American School, our educational priorities are as follows:

1. To provide students with a safe, stimulating environment conducive to learning and to both moral and social growth, an environment that includes a non-coercive, structured disciplinary program.
2. To provide students with a solid foundation in all subjects required for graduation by both the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Ministry of Education of the Dominican Republic, while simultaneously challenging them to develop the necessary skills in analysis and critical thinking, writing and public speaking, and the social conscience needed to achieve successful world citizenship.
3. To continually evaluate students’ progress and adjust the teaching method and academic curriculum as needed to ensure that each student achieves his or her highest possible levels of cognitive (factual knowledge and judgment), affective (emotion and expressiveness), and physical development.
4. To demonstrate that education is not only enjoyable, but also an ongoing, lifelong experience whose subjects are not limited to reading, writing, and arithmetic, but are in fact limitless and self-defined.

Academic Program Emphasis

Our academic program emphasis is on the following points.

1. Develop an understanding, awareness, respect and appreciation for outstanding aspects of the cultures in the United States, the Dominican Republic, and other nations of the world throughout the curriculum, especially in the social studies program, and to expand and reinforce this learning through extra-curricular activities whenever possible.
2. Develop and maintain a math program that challenges students, reinforces their problem-solving skills and prepares them for success in both university and a wide variety of professional settings.
3. Develop and maintain a science program that, in addition to enriching students’ field of knowledge and problem-solving abilities, assists them in informing scientific concepts through observation, experimentation, analysis, and interpretation of natural phenomena.
4. Develop and maintain a computer science program that will keep students abreast of the most up-to-date technology.
5. Develop and maintain a social studies program that challenges students to know not only the basic foundations of geography, history, government, and economics, but also to know their place and potential in today’s world and in the future.
6. Develop and maintain English programs that fosters creativity, analysis, and effective oral and written expression in English (preparing students for the rigors of university level studies in English as well as for professional careers where a good knowledge of proper English is a requirement for success) and literature programs that not only provide a basic knowledge of classic works and literary forms, but that also encourage students’ interest in and appreciation for higher-level thinking in the literary arena.
7. Develop a basic knowledge and an appreciation for art and music through classes in the fine arts program as well as through active participation in extra-curricular activities.
8. • Develop and maintain a foreign languages program to provide students with basic communication skills, emphasizing Spanish, the official language of the Dominican Republic.
   • Encourage all students to participate in the Spanish social studies programs that provide the basic Dominican history, geography, and culture required by the Dominican Ministry of Education (optional for those students who will not be enrolling in Dominican universities).
9. Develop physical coordination skills and lifelong interest in a healthy lifestyle through a comprehensive physical education program that is enriched by a competitive extra-curricular sports program.
10. Maintain Advanced Placement courses at the high-school level in several disciplines (varies from year to year), and provide constant re-evaluation for students with special learning needs at all grade levels so that they can participate in programs designed to bring out their best skills and abilities.
11. Provide special training throughout all levels to promote and expand students’ research skills by teaching them how to effectively use the library, internet, and other information sources.
12. Develop students’ social awareness through involvement in intra-school and community-wide events and organizations throughout curricular and extra-curricular activities.
13. Foster honesty, cooperation, good citizenship, and ethical leadership in each student throughout curricular and extra-curricular activities, while encouraging each student to develop positive self-image and good decision-making, and organizational, time-management, and interpersonal skills.