Summary of Contents
Elementary School. Art Projects Using Shades
At the Cutting Edge of International Education. Dr. Alberto Domingo A New Vision of the American School of Valencia. Mr. Michael L. Smith 2014-2015 Annual Infographics How Do ASV’s Students Scores: External Assessment Results One Family, Two Sisters… Different Path Ways Extraordinary Student Achievements ASV is a Caring Community The Adventures of Studying Abroad. Success Beyond ASV’s Doors Academics and Athletics: Opportunities for ASV’s Student-Athletes ASV Going to the World… the World Coming to ASV A Global Vision: ASV’s Model United Nations Programs A Helping Hand: US University Student-Teachers Bringing Extracurricular Activities to Life through ASV+ ASV’s Got Game: Sport Events and Other Extracurricular Experiences A Summer Success: ASV’s Summer Program Infographic: ASV Next Steps ASV Foundation: Forging Ahead ASV by the Numbers: A Brief View of the School’s Progress: Mr. Ildefonso Segura CREDITS Concept, graphic and editorial design: Photos: Artwork:
American School of Valencia ASV photographic archive Elementary School students
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American School of Valencia
At the Cutting Edge of International Education By Dr. Alberto Domingo Cabo
Dr. Alberto Domingo Cabo President, Board of Governors
This is an incredibly exciting time for the American School of Valencia and our school community. As we begin preparations to celebrate our 35th anniversary in 2015-2016, a buzz is in the air with new changes, innovations, achievements, facility improvements and an energizing spirit of reimaging our school and the future for our students. As our Director frequently reminds the Board of Governors, “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” So, it is inspiring to be at ASV and watch our growth year after year. Before many of you begin travelling for your summer holiday, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a few words and some observations about the 2014-2015 Academic Year. In the Parent Association Meeting (Associacion de Padres de Alumnos) on July 2, 2015, some parents commented about improving communication to our school community about our vision and goals. If you missed our Director’s presentation at the Parent Association Meeting, then I am confident that publications such as this Annual Review will help to inform you about the myriad of improvements that our school is tirelessly pursuing. Actually, as parents and shareholders, it is also our responsibility to read through this Annual Review. So, please take a few minutes to read through this report carefully and feel as proud as I do about the progress, developments and accomplishments of our school community. As happens each year, I was immensely impressed with the composure, words of wisdom, emotion and sentiments of gratitude that our Class of 2015 students so eloquently expressed during the High School Graduation and Award Ceremony on June 5, 2015. Without a doubt, these forty-nine students have a promising future awaiting them, and we can all be proud of their achievements. Their poise, wit, humor and eloquence as they delivered their speeches was nothing less than impressive, and they bear witness to the outstanding education they have received while in our care. We wish them success, happiness and joy in all of their future endeavors.
Annual Report 2014-2015
The Class of 2015 is not only preparing for today or even tomorrow’s world. Rather, they are preparing for a world for the next fifty years that is bound to change exponentially. Therefore, it is always essential for a school, like ASV, to continue to adapt, not only to the needs of our students, but also to the world for which we are preparing them. From the greater integration of technology in the classroom, to examining some of the critical economic and political questions of our time, to looking at how we can preserve this fragile planet which we inhabit, or working toward a mutual understanding of one another, we must continually adapt our curriculum and the manner in which it is instructed to meet the needs of our students for tomorrow and the decades to come. Our students have certain advantages as a result of their multilingualism, exposure to the world at-large through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Model United Nations, student exchange programs, as well as their daily interactions with students from the twenty-four nations that attend our school. This is what we are calling the “ASV Difference”, and I believe we can all agree that traits such as diversity, multilingualism and open-mindedness are all important ingredients of the success of our children, now and for a lifetime. Fortunately, our children are surrounded by a truly caring staff of teachers, administrators, coaches, and support personnel who understand and have even personally experienced the demands of the real world. Ultimately, it is our students who benefit from the vast experiences of our community of educational professionals. Students will continue to learn the values of perseverance and problemsolving, but they will not need to forge ahead as independent learners. In today’s complex world, we continually strive to provide our students with the skills necessary to be lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and assertive problem-solvers. As I am writing this letter, as well as through my own professional experiences with ASV students at the university level, I am confident that our students are truly prepared
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to make an impact in the world. It is no coincidence that as we have implemented a variety of changes and innovations over the past two years that our twelfth grade students have also earned the two highest Selectividad results in the long and distinguished history of our school: 7.90 in 2014-2015 and 8.20 in 2013-2014. It is equally important to note that twelve students graduated this year with an International Baccalaureate Diploma. Once again, our IB students excelled and earned results above the International Baccalaureate average. Successful academic results such as these are a continuing testament to the commitment ASV makes, day after day, year after year, and student after student to provide the best international education. It is also with much sadness that due to the graduation of their children from ASV, I “Successful academic results such as these are a must announce that continuing testament to the commitment ASV three of our distinmakes, day after day, year after year, and guished ASV Board student after student to provide the best of Governors M e m be r s : Mr. international education.” Joaquin Martínez Gómez, Ms. Carmina Oliver Saez and Dr. Debra Westall, will be leaving the Board of Governors after the General Shareholder’s Meeting in February 2016. They have served our school community faithfully through their volunteer positions on the Board of Governors for a cumulative of 34 years. No words can express my gratitude for their unflinching commitment and dedication to our school community and wise counsel on a variety of issues for so many years. They will be missed tremendous-
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ly and we wish them our most heartfelt best wishes. Thank you once again Joaquin, Carmina and Debra for all you have done to make ASV what it is today . . . a great school. Lastly, I am exceptionally proud to report that the American School of Valencia Foundation has continued to expand its activities and events for our school community, as well as the Valencian community at-large. Throughout 2014-2015, we have been promoting the ASV Foundation’s Mission of: “Creating opportunities through languages, education and community service.” The ASV Foundation was created in March 2014 to fulfill three objectives: 1.) Participate in multicultural education 2.) Promote access to studying abroad 3.) Growth through community service On October 31, 2014, the ASV Foundation sponsored a very successful Halloween Party with over 800 attendees, which was followed on November 21-23, 2014 with the Foundation’s support of the Valencia Model United Nations (VALMUN) conference, which was hosted by ASV. The Foundation also hosted the Second Annual BBQ on June 19, 2015 with the support and participating of many of our local and school community, including the Berklee School of Music. Collectively and as a result of the generosity of our local and school community, the ASV Foundation raised over €16,000.00 to support its Mission. The ASV Foundation is planning additional events for 2015-2016, and the support of our school and local community is paramount as we endeavor to
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make a difference in the lives of children – locally and abroad. As we all know, the altruism and kindheartedness of the ASV school community is what sets us apart from many other school communities. Collaboration is one of the key 21st Century skill sets, and we have this in abundance at ASV. The education of each and every student at ASV is a collaborative process between parents, teaching staff, support personnel, administrators, and most importantly our students. I am continually impressed with the sacrifices so many parents make to enroll and maintain their children in ASV, as well as the dedication and commitment of the ASV staff to our children’s’ holistic welfare. It is truly an exciting period for our school, and working together as one school with one vision creates the foundation for years of success yet to come.
couragement: parents, teachers, the school administration and my fellow Board Members. In closing, on behalf of the entire Board of Governors, it is exhilarating to see the positive progress in academics, programs and facilities at ASV. Our school is really on the move and there is no doubt that continual progress will be made in the coming years. Our constant and unwavering commitment is to promote ASV as a vanguard in international education. Enjoy your summer and we look forward to seeing you again in September 2015.
The ASV Board of Governors, of which I am honored to serve as the President, established three major goals five years ago: creating a true communi“We are planning on new community wide ty, with a commitment to society around us; creatgoals to continue to improve our school in key ing the appropriate areas: academics, technology, activities and environment in which infrastructure.” teachers and staff can work towards our common objective of providing excellence in educating and instructing our children; and creating an institutional inertia respected by all our community members. Today, with pride, I can assure that we have fulfilled all these goals and are planning on new community wide goals to continue to improve our school in key areas: academics, technology, activities and infrastructure. I would like to thank everyone in our community for their hard work, support and en-
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American School of Valencia
A New Vision of the American School of Valencia By Michael L. Smith
Mr. Michael L. Smith Director
Attempting to summarize and encapsulate an entire academic year into as few words as possible is definitely a challenge, especially for someone like me, who typically has a lot to say. Although it is the traditional end of the academic year, it is also the beginning of new adventures and challenges for many of our students. For those forty-nine students who participated in the wonderful and emotionfilled Graduation and Award Ceremony on June 5, 2015, their new lives will entail attending university and mastering a new craft. For those students returning to ASV next year, they will have new classes, some new teachers and many new experiences. Consequently, change is an inevitable part of our lives, and it should be something that we embrace as we strive to grow, rather than something we fear. As some of you know, I am an educator by choice after a successful career in politics, banking and private business in the United States. So, when I talk about risk-taking, overcoming adversity, learning new skills, or change, I am not talking theoretically based on a book I have just read but rather as a result of my life’s cumulative experiences. What I have found most rewarding is that each change, risk and even some failures, have made me a better person and much more able to connect and understand the real world. At the Parent Association Meeting on July 2, 2015, I began my presentation with a quote from a legendary American educator, John Dewey, who writing in 1944 said, “If we teach children as we did yesterday, we rob them of their future.” We all know that the world has changed exponentially since the 1940s. Nevertheless, what has not changed is the mindset necessary to continually push new boundaries and reinvent our lives and world. As a student from the 1960s and 1970s, I am excited about the opportunities students have in the second decade of the 21st Century to learn differently and to prepare for a bold new world. I mean, how many of us really want to return to the pre-Internet and precellular phone age?
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Therefore, in the space that I have, I would like to share with you some of the changes, innovations and ideas we are planning and implementing to create a relevant and inspiring learning environment for all of our current and future students, or what we are calling a “New Vision of ASV.” Firstly, this “New Vision of ASV” starts with how we think about our school community. Our 21st Century world requires a new set of skills that are frequently called the Five C’s: Communication, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Character. These skill sets are not only for students. They are equally applicable to our staff and parents. So, we will be offering a greater variety of workshops and informative meetings throughout 2015-2016 in order that we can all advance as a school and learning community to create a “One World Schoolhouse” as Salman Khan of Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) so appropriately expresses. Secondly, in a global, increasingly transparent, and boarder-less world the concept of where learning takes place has changed. Especially with the advent and proliferation of technology, learning can and does take place anywhere . . . not just in a classroom. So, we will be reimaging what is a “Learning Space” beyond the classroom. Consequently, as we rethink our school facilities, we will be re-imaging the different styles of learning and about the actual learners themselves. Thirdly, we must continue to bring the world to ASV and take ASV to the world. This can be accomplished in multiple ways: virtually, technologically and physically as follows:
We have already begun and will continue implementing Google Classroom throughout ASV in multiple stages over the next few years. This offers our school an exciting, innovative and collaborative manner to change the paradigm of how we learn,
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communicate and connect with learners and educators throughout the world.
In September 2015, we will begin piloting a new technology program in 1st and 2nd grades where iPads and laptops will be used in conjunction with Google Apps for Education (GAFE). Our 1st and 2nd grade teachers have been training and collaborating for this new experience, and our intention is to introduce these technologies in subsequent grade levels. Of course, there is always the proverbial first step, and we will learn from our experiences this year as we implement this concept in other grade levels next year.
We have and will continue to look for collaborative agreements with schools abroad to offer student exchange opportunities. In January 2015, we began a student exchange program with the Community School of Naples in Florida, United States. In February 2016, we will begin another high school student exchange program with Foxborough Regional Charter School, a private “If we teach children as we did yesterday, we school in the Boston, Massarob them of their future.” John Dewey chusetts area of the United States. These two student exchange programs will offer an exciting and enriching experience for 7th through 10th grade students to experience living in the United States, attending a different school, living with a host family and making international friends. It will also allow more 7th through 10th grade students to partic-
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ipate meaningfully in the student exchange programs than in 20142015..
With the creation of ASV+, our school has opened entirely new opportunities for our students and school community. It is exciting when our students can meet Olympic caliber athletes, participate in dance competitions, begin learning new world languages, express themselves and their interests differently through sports, languages or dance, or by traveling to different cities to meet new friends through sports exchanges. This is an integral part of the “New Vision of ASV” and without doubt, we will continue to grow and expand these developmental activities. This is just one more way in which our students discover new interests, new worlds and new potential that perhaps they did not even know they possessed.
Fourthly, our students are consistently earning outstanding academic results whether it is through MAP, ACT, SAT, IB or Selectividad – all external assessment results that validate the quality and rigor of our academic programs. As Dr. Domingo indicates in his introduction, we can continue to be very proud of our students’ academic achievements, as well as their community service and university prospects. Increasingly, our graduating students have the opportunity to study at universities abroad. There is no doubt that this is also a success story for our school community, especially when our students are earning academic and athletic scholarships. Nevertheless, we must tirelessly pursue improvement, and we cannot be complacent and glow about our
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American School of Valencia
please be sure to read on. As our school begins to prepare for its 35th anniversary, there is no more exciting time for our school community. Expectations are high, academic results are good, productive changes are taking place and the school is flourishing with activity. Of course, our success is only possible with all members of our school community collaborating in unison. Therefore, I hope you will join our dedicated Board of Governors, world-class staff and hundreds of committed school community members in forging ahead with this new vision of ASV. We are building a new future for our children and successive generations to come. Nothing should be more important to our school community at this critical time of accelerating change.
successes of yesterday or today. As the legendary author and business guru Jim Collins wrote, “Good is the enemy of great.”
I hope all of you have a relaxing and enjoyable summer. Travel safe during the summer holidays and I look forward to welcoming all of you back for an action-filled 2015-2016 Academic Year on September 7, 2015. In the meantime, thank you for a truly magnificent 2014-2015!
Fifthly, effective September 1, 2015 ASV will launch a new and exciting website. Our website team has been working to give our school website a new and fresh look, as well as to make accessing school and student information through the website and PowerSchool easier and more accessible. We will continue to make improvements throughout the year, so please take a few moments to look at our new ASV website at the beginning of September 2015 Lastly, as you may have noticed from last year, we are making significant capital investments in our facilities, as they must continue to keep pace with our outstanding academic results “As our school begins to prepare for its 35th and the interests of our stuanniversary, there is no more exciting time dents. We are working dilifor our school community.” gently on a comprehensive Master Facility Plan that will transform and upgrade our facilities, and most importantly, create learning spaces that are relevant for 21st Century learning. Our Financial Director, Mr. Ildefonso Segura, will elaborate more on some of these facility improvements later in this Annual Report. So,
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Annual Facts
Elementary School. Art Project representing Fall colors
American School of Valencia
How Do ASV’s Students Score: External Assessment Results Our school has a philosophy of continuous assessment where students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate their mastery of the course material through exams, projects, presentations, daily work and class participation. In addition to these internal evaluations, specific organizations offer a series of external assessments in order to provide the students, parents, staff and the school with an objective evaluation of our students’ academic performance. Below are some of our school’s external assessment results. Selectividad As an American school, ASV students earn both the American High School Diploma and the Spanish Diploma and take Selectividad through the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). In 2015, 28 ASV students took the Selectividad exams and earned an average of 7.90 out of 10 in the fase general. This is the second highest result in the history of ASV. International Baccalaureate (IB) Students following the International Baccalaureate Diploma have specific exams in May. In July 2015, 12 students earned their IB Diploma with an average of 30.68. Once again, this result is above the IB world average. PSAT and ACT Testing ASV administers the PSAT or ACT Plan to all grade 10 students. These two exams allow students to become familiar with two of the most important American college admissions exams, the SAT and ACT. PSAT and ACT Plan assesses academic knowledge and reasoning skills in Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. The ACT Plan assesses science as well.
study abroad take the SAT or ACT at ASV as it reading, 66.7 percent of our students scored is one of the official test centers in Spain. above expected proficiency and 57.6 percent These tests are offered on ten different dates scored above typical growth for the year. throughout the academic year. Our greatest gains were in mathematics, where Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) our students achieved a 7 percent school wide At the American School of Valencia, based on increase above expected proficiency. In 2014our Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) 2015, 81 percent of students in grades 3-10 external assessments, we continue to show scored above expected proficiency in matheIn Grades 11 and 12, students who plan to gains in the areas of reading and math. In matics.
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Experiencing ASV
Elementary School. Project about Comparing and Contrasting Techniques
American School of Valencia
One Family, Two Sisters… Different Path Ways Since September 2000, Andrea and Irene Plantada Cortés have known only one school: the American School of Valencia. After the Graduation and Award Ceremony on June 5, 2015, ASV is saying farewell to these two sisters as they take different university pathways. Andrea will attend the University of Tennessee at Martin in the United States as a tennis scholarship student-athlete. Irene will also attend university at the University of Valencia where she will study elementary education. So, how did one family of twin sisters, attending the same school take different pathways? As ASV’s Communications Coordinator, Carlos Minuesa, discovered, each sister had her own ideas about their future. Regardless of their chosen and different paths, we are confident that they will both excel wherever they go. That is the “ASV Difference.”
Andrea and Irene, during the interview
How do you feel after graduating from ASV? Andrea: It’s been a very tough year, lots of work, lots of studying, but at the end it has definitely been worth it and we’ve accomplished what we wanted. Irene: The school year is a lot of exams, projects and work, but at the end we earned good results which have helped us attend the university of our choice.
Andrea: I started in 11th grade taking Selectividad as if I were going to study here in Valencia but at the end of 11th grade I decided that I wanted to leave Spain to study in the US with a scholarship, taking advantage of being a tennis player. So, I continued taking Selectividad and with my grades at school and other tests I took another path and I will end up studying in the US next year.
What were your goals last year?
Have you met your new teammates on the tennis team in the US?
Irene: First of all you have your goal to achieve the best grade possible and then you focus on what you want to do as a career. In the end being happy about yourself, your effort and your ultimate results are the important goals. In my case, I was preparing to study to be a Elementary teacher here in the University of Valencia. So, goal achieved!
Andrea: Yes, I met my tennis coach and team online, have explored the university and people there through the Internet, and then I meet them when I arrive in August. It will be difficult to leave but I think will be definitely worth it.
Did you have any idea about the path you
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were going to take to go to University?
Some things make this school different. Which features have been really helpful for
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Left: Irene, participating in a workshop during the Arts Day 2014. Right: Andrea waits during a soccer game at ASV in May 2015.
your future at University?
family.
Andrea: Here at school they prepared me to be open-minded, meet new people from other countries, and make friends. You have to be open minded.
12th grade students leave a lot of memories behind. Do you have some memories of your life here to share?
It will be useful for me in the future since I’m leaving I have to meet people that will probably not be from Spain, which will be really helpful. And then for example to accomplish my goal here at school, one of the things that stood out for me is the all of the help and support I received over the years from the teachers, counselors, etc. . . . to accomplish my goals Irene: The school prepares us really well to attend university It is like a big family. The fact that they teach us to be open-minded, and the curriculum, prepares us to think about issues differently and of course we et to meet new people. This school prepares us really well . . . it has been an incredible experience. You described this as a big family. Sometimes high school students are close to elementary students, or elementary students are close to preschool students. Is that helpful for your future as teacher? Irene: I think it’s really helpful. I believe we grow up as a big family. It’s nice that you have those values. It’s good for me as a future teacher to teach my students like that big
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But with the good friends that I made in the school they will be here when I come back, and when I’m there I will still be able to see them. Friends are friends no matter the distance.
Andrea: One of the things we will talk about a Do you have any advice for 11th and 10th lot are all of the trips we’ve made since first graders? grade, when we went to la granja escuela, or the ski trip that was our last trip in Elementary Andrea. It’s going to be really tough, hardand then work, studyour last ing, there will Andrea: “One of the things that stood out for H i g h be times when me is the all of the help and support I School trip you would like that was to quit but received over the years from the teachers, to Paris. then when you counselors, etc. . . . to accomplish my goals.” come to the Irene: I will end of 12th remember the nicknames we had when we grade, you think it’s definitely been worth it. were little like Piglet, a teacher called me Then you´ll start saying “I don’t want to leave Piglet. the school”, but you know that once you come back you know that here are your family and Will it be difficult to stay in touch with your your friends. classmates? Many of them are prepared to start a new life in different parts of the Irene: Like Andrea said, it’s tough but enjoy world. the last year with all your classmates because at the end we never know what can happen Irene: With some of them it will be tough, but and when we will see one another again. with the close, close friends it’s easy to get in touch. Nowadays with Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram I think today it’s more easy to be in touch with them. Andrea: For me, for example, it’s going to be a little more difficult since I’m living far away.
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Leading Events and Players
Elementary School. Recreating The Scream with self-portraits
American School of Valencia
Extraordinary Student Achievements
Left: Dr. Kristy Beam (ASV Preschool and Elementary Principal) and Michael L. Smith (ASV Director) after handing the diplomas to Ricardo Sáez and Olga Ballester. Right: Spanish Teacher, Ms. Asunción Barrachina, and Clara Kei March Okuyama, talking with HM King Felipe VI. Between paragraphs: Work made by Clara Kei for the competition.
American School of Valencia is pleased to have two students who were finalists in the 2014-2015 Robert Sills Student Award. This award is granted to those exemplary sixth through eighth grade students enrolled in MAIS member schools who model the character traits that we value most in our students: persistence, a willingness to take risks, acceptance of other cultures and points of view, and a genuine interest in a sustained commitment to others. Once again, the Sills Award Selection Committee was privileged to receive numerous applications and portfolios from many MAIS member schools and carefully reviewed all of them for their completeness, quality of content, presentation, visual appeal, and creativity. This year's finalist award recipients represent students from four different nations and three international schools on two continents. The 2014-2015 Robert Sills Student Award Finalists, who will each receive a $500.00 cash prize are two students in 6th grade, Ms.
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Olga Ballester and Mr. Ricardo Sáez. Many congratulations to these deserving students who serve as role models not only in their schools but for all students worldwide. MAIS encourages them to continue their exemplary work and leadership, and we are proud of their achievements and the high standards they set for our school communities. ASV Student Meets King Felipe VI In October 2014, Clara Kei March Okuyama, an ASV 8th grade student, was received by His Royal Highness King Felipe VI as a winner of the competition What Does Being a King Mean to You?. Clara and the 41 children who were awarded in 2013 and in 2014 spoke with the King and presented him their projects about the Spanish monarchy.
had the awards ceremony on Sunday, October 26, during an official dinner. On Monday morning there was an audience with the King. All our projects were exhibited and just one minute before I reviewed my work to be sure that I could explain it. When the King came I was really surprised”, Clara recalled. Organized by FIES Foundation the competition is open to students ages 9 to 14. At the American School of Valencia, Ms. Asunción Barrachina coordinates the participation of the 6th grade students as a complement of the Social Studies Curriculum. Our school has been competing since 2006. Past winners include Sergio Gimeno in 2009 and Ana Villena in 2010.
Clara went to Madrid with her parents and ASV teacher Ms. Asunción Barrachina. “We
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American School of Valencia
Art work by Ms. Jackie Paarhuis
ASV is a Caring Community ASV students are involved in many community service activities, whether it is through IB Creativity, Action and Service program (CAS for those who study the IB Diploma) or those other activities lead by our faculty, or the ASV Foundation. As indicated on the ASV Profile of the Graduate, our school wishes to inspire a personal commitment to service, and the students’ willingness to make a positive difference in the lives of others and to the environment. CAS students collaborate with organizations such as Pásalo Puzol, Create for Children, SOS Sagunto and Tramundi. This year, all classes from 1st to 10th grade prepared 20 holidays baskets for families in Puçol. Collaborating with Pasalo Puzol, each class collected special treats, decorated the baskets and prepared messages and greeting cards. As we do throughout the year, the Sandwich Run group delivered afternoon snacks to needs persons throughout Valencia. Grade 6 students donated also money to buy small winter gifts (socks and scarves) for them as well Collaborating with the NGO, Create for Children, ASV donated 50 food parcels and collected 6 supermarket carts of goods for the children’s home El Preventorio in Real de Gan-
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dia. Stationary and exercise books were recycled and reused and also put into the donation. Finally, grade 11 students had a creative and fun day of holiday craft activities with the children at the Preventorio as well.
Beach clean up day, trash and artwork created with cans.
All of these activities make our school mission come alive as we prepare globally-conscious students in a collaborative and caring environment. Beach Cleanup collaborating with American Space Valencia The art exhibition Trash for Some, Treasure for Others showed in November 2014 at the Polytechnic University in Valencia was the culminating piece of a coastal cleanup project promoted by American Space Valencia to raise consciousness about the importance of preserving our seas. A group of ASV 11th and 12th grade students were invited to participate. On Saturday, October 25, 2014 the students picked up trash from a section of El Saler beach. A first count totaled 4,390 cigarettes, 240 food wrappers, 139 plastic wrappers, more than 600 bottles and cans, and more than 5,000 juice straws and café stirrers. Two days later, at the UPV, four Fine Arts undergraduates guided the students in conceptualizing and designing sculptures.
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American School of Valencia
The Adventures of Studying Abroad: Success Beyond ASV’s Doors
An increasing number of ASV students are deciding to study abroad. So, their next steps are a little more complex than other students who study in Spain. Nevertheless, their journey is equaling rewarding. Of course, they have a lot of support from ASV’s staff. This year, eleven members of the Class of 2015 were accepted into international universities. We offer an overview of their destinations. The American
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School of Valencia offers guidance counseling to High School students beginning in 9th grade. “University fairs, career day and the university placement assistance that ASV provides are how the majority of students determine what they would like to study. Students are more conscious about the options they have, and the entrance requirements for studying abroad,” ASV Guidance Counselor Veronica Cinosi explained.
Annual Report 2014-2015
American School of Valencia
Academics and Athletics: Opportunities for ASV’s Student-Athletes
Andrea Plantada and Antonio Villuendas signing the National Letter of Intent.
Two students from the ASV Class of 2015 received scholarships to study in the United States combining their academic life with an experience on a university sport team. Andrea Plantada Cortés is joining the University of Tennessee at Martin and will play tennis with the Sky Hawks beginning in August 2015. This scholarship will allow Andrea to earn her university degree while she is part of the UTM women’s tennis team. Although she has not yet decided on her major, she is confident that she will be happy at university with their expansive facilities, large offering of classes, as well as the opportunity to play competitive tennis on a regular basis. Compared with other university sports, university tennis teams have smaller rosters and play a significant number of matches against other NCAA university teams. Andrea signed her National Letter of Intent
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committing to UTM on June 2015, with her family, ASV’s Director, Michael L. Smith, and Assistant Director, Robyn Chapel, present. According to Mr. Smith, “Andrea will love the team environment, the opportunity to play a lot of competitive matches, travel across the US, and she will definitely improve her tennis game. Academically, she will thrive and be a star after her stellar academic performance at ASV.”
Oakland, he explained he liked “the level of its soccer team and the reputation of the Sports Administration Degree.” As part of his new life as a student-athlete, Toni will train every morning from 06:00 to 10:00 and then attend daily classes after training. He will then play competitive matches against other NCAA university soccer teams on weekends along with his teammates.
Her classmate Antonio Villuendas Pina has been accepted at Oakland City University in Indiana, to study and train with the OCU soccer team. Antonio will study Business Administration and Sports Administration. Based on his academic and athletic achievements, he will earn a dual academic and athletic scholarship to attend the university.
According to ASV’s Director, Michael L. Smith, “this is an amazing opportunity for Toni to complete his university studies, play a sport that he is very passionate about and as a result of both his academics and athletics, he has an opportunity to study in the United States with a nice scholarship. He has the best of both worlds.“
“Oakland is a small city in Indiana and this university has great sports facilities,” Antonio explained. Regarding the reason he chose
On behalf of the staff, faculty and students of ASV, we certainly wish Andrea and Toni the best at university and on their new teams.
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American School of Valencia
ASV Going to the World… the World Coming to ASV
Photos above and on page 18 show several moments of the ASV-CSN student exchange.
This year, the American School of Valencia started a cooperative partnership between the Community School of Naples in Naples, Florida (United States) for a High School Student Exchange Program. ASV students in Grades 7-10 had a fantastic cultural and educational opportunity to attend the Community School of Naples and live with an American host family from their school. As part of this cooperative agreement, students from the Community School of Naples (CSN) attended our school and lived with an ASV family from March 17, 2015 to April 1, 2015. The exchange program is intended to foster international mindedness with our students as well as provide them with a global education. On January 8, 2015, the group of sixteen
ASV high school students travelled to Naples. For over two weeks, they attended school in the United States and lived with host families from the CSN school community. “Depending on their grade level, students attended a variety of classes at CSN and they also had a study hall in order to complete some of their ASV classwork”, ASV Director Michael L. Smith explained after coming back from Naples for a short stay during the first week of the exchange. “Our students acclimated quite easily to life at CSN and they were soon making presentations, taking quizzes and tests, just like any other CSN student”, Mr. Smith commented. They also had frequent meetings with ASV teacher Ms. Susan Belmonte, who accompanied and supervised the students. Additionally, ASV students practiced sports
with CSN teams in the afternoons, as well as attended various activities with their host CSN student. CSN organized visits to various attractions throughout Naples and the surrounding area. During their first week, ASV students went to the Florida Everglades and during their second week they visited Florida Gulf Coast University, a nearby university in Fort Myers. A multitude of other activities and trips were planned by the CSN host families. “I know that a lot of them had the opportunity to travel to other cities like Miami, Orlando, or Tampa”, Mr. Smith said, “and I am very grateful to the CSN host families for accepting our students into their homes and making them feel so welcome. I also believe our students were simply outstanding ambassadors of ASV and its phi-
August 2014
October 2014
November 2014
January 2015
March 2015
As of July 2015
Preliminar visit to CSN by Mr. Smith
Announcement to ASV community
Application and selection process
ASV students visit Naples, Florida
CSN Students and staff visit Valencia.
Preparing exchanges programs for 2015-2016
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American School of Valencia
losophy, and we can be very proud of them and their accomplishments.” CSN students visited Valencia in mid-March 2015 in order to have the opportunity to experience the traditional Valencian holiday of Fallas. They arrived in Valencia on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 and used the first four days here to enjoy Fallas with their host families. The students were in 7th and 8th grades and joined ASV classes on March, 23. In addition to the activities at ASV, they had time for study hall to complete assignments from their teachers in Florida. They also enjoyed special activities such as the High School Assembly and a field trip to Peñiscola. Being comfortable around the world As Dr. David Watson, Head of Community School of Naples, explained during his visit to ASV in March, “These sort of trips and exposures to international schools and schools in different countries, being comfortable going around the world, … makes you different. Admissions offices in universities are looking for these kind of experiences.” ASV Director, Michael L. Smith, added that “It has been an incredible experience, and both schools are benefiting enormously from it.”
different families, going through different routines, attending different types of classes, and not having their families and friends close by, “but I think it was a great experience for our students to see a different side of education and American life” Mr. Smith declared. Expanding the experiences in 2016 Our school will continue the exchange program with the Community School of Naples in Florida, offering it to 16 students in 7th and 8th grades. The exchange will take place in January and March 2016. Students in 9th and 10th grade will have a different opportunity, applying for the new exchange program with Foxborough Regional Charter School near Boston, Massachusetts (USA). This program will be open to ten (10) students and will take place in February and April 2016.
What students think about the exchange . . . Nikita Parfenov. American School of Valencia
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I had really good time there and I think it is a really good opportunity. I learned a lot from the school and improved my English to the next level.” Inés Montoto. American School of Valencia
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Some classes were challenging and harder. Everyone did sports after school, I went to tennis in the afternoons.” Eleanor Wood. Community School of Naples
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People was so open, the classes were so fun and teachers got you involved. The culture is amazing, is so different and I loved to experience all this. “ Ethan Miles. Community School of Naples
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It’s one in a life time trip: Go outside of America, enter a different school… and Fallas was ten times better than any other holidays in America. It was louder and fun.”
Students faced a lot of challenges: living with
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American School of Valencia
A Global Vision: ASV’s Model United Nations Programs
Left: ASV representatives with Mr. Ismael Tradjic (second on the left) and Mr. Lino Puertas (fifht on the right). Right: A moment of the VALMUN 2015 General Assembly.
ASV High School Students are invited to participate in one of three Model United Nations (MUN) programs in 7th through 12th grades in order to have an opportunity to learn about world affairs through simulating the role of United Nation delegates. Students conduct research on global issues, write resolutions, and develop formal debating skills in preparation for the conferences. They also learn about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda. The Valencia Model United Nations (VALMUN) is the MUN conference organized by American School of Valencia: and was held on November 21 to 23, 2014.
In addition, students have the opportunity to work with other students from a variety of American and international schools from different cities and countries.
Being a part of VALMUN teaches students to:
Successful second edition of VALMUN From November 21 to 23, 2014 American School of Valencia hosted the conference VALMUN 2014. For three days, one hundred students came from schools in Valencia, Madrid and Oporto, Portugal, as well as the ASV Delegates. All VALMUN delegates acted as diplomatic representatives discussing resolutions on issues such as the situation of refu-
Debate issues concerning the world today Gain confidence in public speaking
Meet many students from all over the world Work in the field of diplomacy
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VALMUN also offers the opportunity to train delegates who in the future will join THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations) conference which takes place every year in Holland at the end of January. Addressed to students in grades 10, 11 and 12, THIMUN is recognized as one of the most important MUN conferences for high school students and is highly recommended in university applications.
gees in Middle East, the rise of militias and terrorist groups in central Africa and the impact of new technologies on global security. VALMUN 2014 had four different committees (Environmental, Human Rights, Disarmament and Security Council) in which delegates discussed two pre-assigned topics. VALMUN General Secretary Francis García Westall explained that “each country should come to the conference with something written that expresses the beliefs of that country on the issue. Then, they must negotiate and compromise in order to form a union between the countries in order that the resolution can pass and a solution for the topic can be adopted.” By participating in VALMUN, students in grades 8 and 9 are better prepared for the Madrid Model United Nations (MADMUN) they can begin mastering MUN proceedings. “The first stage during lobbying you could see certain students staying with their schools, or the people they know, in this comfort zone”, Francis García Westall described. “Eventually,
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American School of Valencia
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5
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Collage showing moments of VALMUN 2015 (1-4), how ASV students prepare THIMUN (5) and how they work at the MUN conferences (6-7)
especially Saturday afternoon, more students were raising their hands, they wanted to make their points.”
THIMUN 2015
ASV Teacher and VALMUN Co-Coordinator Ms. Susan Belmonte added that “ASV delegates were very impressed with the other schools and their preparation and I think that in the future, with this experience, they will work very hard for MADMUN or eventually THIMUN when they are in 11th and 12th grades.”
A group of 12 students and 2 High School teachers will travelled to The Hague (The Netherlands) on Saturday, January 24, 2015 to take part in THIMUN 2015. Once again, the American School of Valencia sent a delegation to this conference where 3,500 students from 200 international schools perform a five-day simulation of the United Nations. The ASV students acted as delegates from Uganda in the General Assembly, the Environmental Commission, the Disarmament Commission and two special forums reviewing the UN’s Millennium Goals.
Mr. Ismet Traljic, Chief of Service Management of the UN Support Base in Valencia, was the keynote speaker of the Opening Ceremony scheduled on Saturday, November 22, 2014. On Sunday morning, the delegates visited the UN Support Base and learned about the role technical support offers to all the UN missions around the world.
The THIMUN team met once a week since October 2014 in order to prepare their performance. According to the ASV Community Activities Coordinator, Marc Boyer, “delegates must write resolutions on certain topics and when they meet other students in The Hague they are going to lobby to get their resolutions passed as individuals submissions or as a group submission”. Grade 12 Student Nacho Ortega pointed out that “it is important to be clear on your goals and practice the discussion with mock-up debates. Writing our resolution early is important so students who know THIMUN can give advice to the other delegates to help them prepare”. His classmate Francis Garcia Westall added that “THIMUN is a really large conference and you must have a high level of critical thinking to understand a resolution or quickly made up an speech in front of 200 people”.
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American School of Valencia
A Helping Hand: US University Student-Teachers Student-teachers are an asset in the classroom, as they bring with them the latest teaching strategies, enthusiasm and another educator in the classroom. In 2014-2015, the American School of Valencia was pleased to host six different students from American universities.
Ms. Allison Flores from Florida State University worked with Mr. Robert MacLarty in sixth grade from January 12 to April 22, 2015.
Ms. Anastasia Fox of Northern Arizona University worked with Ms. Amanda Crespo in third grade from January 7-March 13, 2015.
Ms. Haley Shukert of Northern Arizona University worked with Ms. Mary Cass in fifth grade from January 7-March 13, 2015.
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Ms. Alexandre Scott of the University of Northern Colorado worked with Ms. Deanna Williams in second grade from March 2-May 8, 2015.
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Being able to be in an atmosphere where you are not only working with them in Math, in Reading, in Science… you go out with them and have fun… this creates that atmosphere of a comfortable classroom.
I am really satisfied, much smarter, getting more knowledge than I had… I feel very positive about the experience.
Mr. Keaton Morris and Ms. Hanna Rodenhausen, two student-teachers from Ohio Northern University in Ada (OH) arrived in September 2014 Valencia to start their student-teacher experience. Ms. Rodenhausen worked at ASV supporting Ms. Jackie Paarhuis inn the ASV art classroom. Mr. Morris collaborated with Mr. Mike Melin and worked with several high school groups teaching Biology and Environmental Systems. Hannah Rodenhausen: It’s been really cool to see how students grow and change what they learn. It’s been exciting.
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Keaton Morris
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The weather is nice. In December it’s six centimeters of snow in my house, I don’t want to go back to that!
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American School of Valencia
Bringing Extracurricular Activities to Life Through In June 2014, the American School of Valencia introduced a new extracurricular program called ASV+, offering sports, dance and additional languages to Preschool and Elementary Students. The activities were offered within the school day, permitting students to combine their extracurricular interests without modifying their lunch or park times. ASV+ included athletic, cultural and artistic activities taught by native or bilingual professionals, which provide quality and immersion in English. The program enriched the curriculum while developing their own unique abilities. Starting with 278 s t u d e n t s , throughout the
Annual Report 2014-2015
academic year the school community was invited to enjoy ASV+ Days, open events including games, tournaments, dance performances and learning shows developed in the classroom. ASV+ Day. November 2015 On November 15, 2014, ASV organized an encounter for children enrolled in the sport activities of Elementary. The event hosted 84 students with their families. Players performed special training sessions and an exhibition match and parents attended a formative workshop. “The purpose of the day was for our families to come together, for them to meet the coaches and to see them play, and learn what they have achieved.” ASV+ Coordinator Escarlata Casas described. The day started at the ASV Sports Hall where Ms. Casas gave an opening talk and introduced the ASV+ coaches to the families. Then the two basketball groups performed their training in this facility while multisport, soccer and field hockey groups moved to the ASV parks. Around these areas, parents gathered and had the opportunity to watch the practices. The schedule included a parents works h o p
focused on how to support children during their sport development with two invited speakers: Mr. José María Server, Technical Director of the Valencia Field Hockey Federation, and Mr. Vladimir Babic, former basketball player and first coach of C.B. Jovens Almàssera. ASV+ Day speakers valued the higher presence of sports in the ASV community inside the school timetable. Thanks to initiatives like ASV+, the new programs will enrich the students’ curriculum. “It is important that children will be able to practice sports within the school day”, Mr. Server declared. “It is true that teenagers face higher demands, both in sports and school, but I think they can deal with them being organized”, Mr. Babic declared. Dance Performances in and out the school Ballet, Music and Movement, and Hip Hop groups had several opportunities to show what they learned during the year in and out of the school. All these students participated in the ASV Winter Concerts in December 2014 and had a
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specific show on May 29, 2015, after the Celebration of Learning Day held in Elementary School. This concert was a compliment to the hours they spent learning and dancing during the week. Language groups (Fun German and Fun French) were present by singing and performing short plays. Also this year, the students in ballet and hip hop participated in the international competition La Pointe, held on Saturday, April 25, 2015, in Xàtiva (Valencia). The ASV group was divided into three different teams: the girls in ballet (1st to 3rd grade) competed in the category fusion and won the first prize with a special mention, as well as a little gift for being the youngest participants. Hip hop (4th to 6th grade) competed with one girls team in the category fusion, which received the second prize, and one mixed team in hip hop, which received the first prize. Extended ASV+ Program for 2015-2016 Throughout the year, we listened to parents and students about how we can continue to improve ASV+. In addition to the decision of offering new activities, a significant change will be the extension of ASV+ to High School students in 7th to 9th grades. We are proud to announce the following ASV+ activities for 2015-2016: Multisport, ballet, yoga, soccer, basketball, field hockey, Français, Deutsch, Street Dance, Hip Hop, Robotics, Judo, Creative Writing, and Journalism. The schedule for 2015-2016 will be: PRESCHOOL PK2—Monday and Wednesday
Kinder—Tuesday and Thursday PK2 and Kinder (Yoga)—Friday ELEMENTARY 1st to 3th—Monday and Wednesday
4th to 6th—Tuesday and Thursday HIGH SCHOOL 7th to 9th grade—Tuesday and Thursday Find complete information on the ASV Website or read the new brochure for 2015-2016 on Issuu.
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Left: Ms. Scarlett Casas, referee during an ASV+ soccer game. Right: Students and coaches who participated in the ASV+ Olympics on May 23, 2015.
Whay do ASV’s staff think?
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Elena Corchs. Preschool and Elementary Vice Principal As a school, it is important to offer opportunities to learn further than the traditional academic disciplines. The success of ASV+ is due to the high quality of this program and I am sure that our school life is now richer than it was before.” Andy Ojelade. Athletic Director As Athletic Director one of my main goals is to make sure that as school we look to promote a healthy, sporting way of life. I’ve seen with ASV+ so many of the children are active in the school day. There’s no question that ASV+ is a big step forward in that area.” Miguel Pompa. Elementary P.E. Teacher I think the activities strengthen children’s self-esteem and encourage them to fight for their goals. Break times are now full of that sport spirit we always wanted for our school.”
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John Stapleton:. 6th Grade Teacher What I love from ASV+ is that is giving the children the opportunity to learn and to express themselves in different ways. Children who are choosing for example Fun French, Fun German, are having the opportunity to learn a new language. On the physical side the experience what can be life-long activities.”
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Chelo Roig. 3th Grade Teacher ASV+ has been a great idea. One of the reasons is that besides offering a variety of activities the plus is that they are doing these activities at the school with friends of the school, also it’s in English, which is another plus, at is during the school day which doesn’t make the day longer.”
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Mila Casalvázquez. Elementary Spanish Coordinator Children of different grades, lower and higher, stay and play together. I think this is really positive for their social skills. The fact of developing the activity within the school day is another good feature; it is perfectly fitted within our curriculum and school philosophy.”
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ASV’s Got Game! Sport Events and Other Extracurricular Experiences
In addition to PE, ASV students have a wide range of sport activities completing their curriculum. Best known from Preschool to High School are the Sport Days, a full day in which students take part in diverse games and enjoy the emotion of sport competition. In Elementary School, Sports Day is an excellent opportunity to build team work and friendship with other classmates as teams are made up of children from 1st to 5th grades and 6th grade students serving as captains. High School also celebrates several sports days, some for specific groups or sports, and others open to the participation of other schools. That is the case of the tournament known as Valencia International Schools Cup. The first VIS event held this year at ASV brought together 600 students from 7th to 12th grades from the American School of Valencia, British School of Vila-real, Cambridge House and Caxton College who competed in both soccer and basketball tournaments. Other VIS events celebrated this year
Annual Report 2014-2015
were focused on volleyball, track and field and swimming. VIS Cup complements the school´s physical education program as well as promotes team work and sportsmanship among high school students: “Basically we are trying to give the students as many opportunities as possible to experience competition . . . healthy competition”. ASV players were selected for the team by assessing sport skills, general performance and behavior. “The children know if they want to play on the team, they have to behave correctly in the school, they have to be on top of their work. It is complete package”, Mr. Ojelade explained. “That was the first time ASV hosted “more than one sport tournament so it was a challenge”, Mr. Ojelade declared. Soccer Exchange with ASB In April and May 2015, our High School soccer teams had an enjoyable soccer exchange with the American School of Barcelona.
“Students acquitted themselves very well against strong Barcelona teams who are playing weekly in local leagues”, Mr. Ojelade recalled, and “there was an excellent atmosphere among all players and with the host families.” Teams from American School of Madrid joined and took part in the second leg, held at ASV on May 15 and 16, 2015 ASV community gathered around running Sport is a good way to congregate the ASV community, not just as spectators cheering our athletes. On Sunday, April 19, 2015, American School of Valencia was present as a team in the Women Race 2015. This popular race of 6,6 kms is open to any woman who is 12 years old or older and is a fundraising activity in favor of AECC (Spanish Association of Breast Cancer). One hundred women, including High School students, teachers, mothers, staff and colleagues from Colevisa made a great effort running along an urban circuit in Valencia.
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American School of Valencia
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Outstanding Student-Athletes in our Community ASV students practicing sports out of the school also have outstanding performances in their disciplines. Wrestling This year, 9th grade student Amon Manville competed and placed 3rd in Freestyle, Cadet level at the Spanish National Wrestling Tournament held in Madrid. His brother Levi (6th grade) placed 3rd in Greco-Roman wrestling, Schoolboy level. Levi’s team took 1st place in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle.
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Prior to this event, both ASV students won the Valencia Regional Championships in Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Their brother Abel Manville (4th grade) wrestles, as well, but is not old enough to compete in these major tournaments. They train with Club De Lluita Camp de Morvedre in Puerto de Sagunto, the oldest continuously run wrestling club in Spain. Field Hockey Being part of Xaloc Hockey Club, High School students Victor Estela, and sisters María and Sara Domingo were selected this year to participate in the specific training plan for players under 15 and 13 leaded by Valencia Hockey Federation. Throughout the year, while they compete with their club, they have specific clinics with FHCV coaches to improve their skills.
Page 28: VIS Cup held on November 10, 2014. This page: (1) Flash of one High School sports day. (2) Girls soccer teams from ASV and ASB. (3) Community members participating in the Women Race 2015. (4) Boys receiving a trophy in Junior FC hockey camp.
In June 2015, other ASV students playing hockey joined Valencia Federation and attended an international U18 tournament organized by Junior FC in Sant Cugat del Vallés, Barcelona. For three days they enjoyed high level hockey and competed with players from England, Germany, The Netherlands, and several clubs from Catalunya. Students enjoying this experience were: Victor Estela and María Domingo (8th grade); Sara Domingo (6th grade); María Sánchez, Adriana Morillas, Rodrigo Rebelo, Javier Marqués, Óscar Estela, Mateo Tirado, Aaron Böking, Manel Orts, and Pablo Esteban (5th grade); Ismael Minuesa, Marco López, Rodrigo Olmo, Luís Gayán, and Jaime Esteban(4th grade); Hugo Olmo (3th grade); Elena Minuesa and Irene Morillas (2th grade). Tennis In addition to Andrea Plantada, who was mentioned on pages 13-14, there are other outstanding tennis players in our community like Javier García Peris and Clara Kei March Okuyama. We congratulate them for combining highperformance athletics and academics.
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The Spanish Olympic Women's Field Hockey Team visited the American School of Valencia and had a special training session with the students who play field hockey at ASV. The Red Sticks practiced technical exercises and played a short game against our team, as well as taught them some basics of field hockey. Afterwards they enjoyed a lunch in the ASV Dining Hall and exchanged gifts with our students. “This sport is great and not many students know it”, ASV+ Coordinator Scarlett Casas said, “so it was a great opportunity to everybody to get to know this sport, to get to know professional players, and enjoy the day.” Ms. Casas thanked the Spanish federation for their generosity because “it’s very difficult for a national team to find the time and come; they have done it, it has been a great success.” Coach Raul Gómez explained they try to do these type of activities “to promote field hockey among children. Our players were very satisfied after the training session because children learn really fast. Although the ASV team was created less than one year ago they have a good level.” From May to June 2015, the Spanish Women’s Field Hockey team was in Valencia preparing and competing in the World Hockey League 2015, an international tournament to qualify for the next Summer Olympic Games. A group of teachers and students attended the game United States vs. Uruguay during the first round of the tournament and met with the captain and the American players.
Annual Report 2014-2015
Top pictures: Training with the Spanish Women Field Hockey Team at the ASV Sports Hall. Above: Students and teachers with some US hockey players after their game at the Valencia 2015 World Hockey League.
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American School of Valencia
A Summer of Success: ASV’s Summer Program
American School of Valencia organized a new edition of the ASV Summer Program, an immersion English course for children aged 2 to 16 offering daily English lessons, creative workshops and other playful activities. The activity took place at our campus from July 131, 2015. This year, 672 students were enrolled, the highest enrollment since the school began organizing this program, and about 90 percent of enrollment was complete before May 1, 2015, a vivid example of how families from ASV and many other schools in Valencia are interested in the ASV method. Our Summer Program encourages children to think, create and have fun using English. Students also have workshops on science, art, drama, a wide range of sports and outdoor activities and exciting excursions. Qualified bilingual and native staff takes care of classroom activity, sports and workshops. According to the Summer Program Coordina-
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tor, Ms. Felicitas Berazay, “It was a huge success, we have received excellent feedback from our parents and students. Children have enjoyed enormously all the great variety of activities, sports, excursions, and have proudly exposed their learning at assemblies, preschool show and elementary and high school celebration of learning where we had a great number of parents attending.” Daily routines Throughout the day at the ASV Summer Program, children in Preschool have different activity centers. Songs, rhymes, and shared reading are effective ways to start their engagement with a new language. Elementary students followed the books “Our World” edited by National Geographic, but most of their time is guided by interactive activities using the digital whiteboards, the school IT labs, and other games and activities. Weekly excursions inspire some activities so Bioparc and L’Ocreanografic are reflected on craftworks and presentations. Students also
met once a week in assemblies where they shared this work and some students received awards for their effort in speaking English, cooperating with their classmates or participating in the activities. Rotating activities including sports Students in Elementary and High School groups have two rotating activities every week led by additional teachers. A wide variety of activities were offered this year including arts and crafts, music, cooking and USA Style, an introduction to American culture and society. A second group of activities was sports led by specialized coaches, some of whom come from our ASV+ extracurricular program. A key to success was the qualification and the educational experience of our Summer Program staff: “They collaborated intensively to provide a strong, high quality curriculum, but most of all, they have shown their love and care for their students,” commented Ms. Berazay ton he last day of this program.
Annual Report 2014-2015
Moving Forward
Elementary School. First Grade. Artistic expression through stimuli.
American School of Valencia
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ASV Foundation: Forging Ahead A significant fact of this academic year is that the American School of Valencia Foundation continued to expand its activities and the ASV Community showed huge support for the events and organizations it supports. In September 2014, several events showed the positive impact of the fundraising activities for Kapita School. Notice boards and presentations at ASV offered an overview of the trip made in July 2014 by our teacher Ms. Julianne Stall. During her visit to Kapita School last July, Ms. Stall stayed for two weeks teaching children in grades 5th, 6th and 7th and working with Kapita’s teachers. "Everything that we brought was appreciated and many students had never seen or used literature books before. All the students were excited about learning English and the games and materials we left will be used. The school needs so much and what we brought was just a beginning." She travelled with Ms. Ree Gillet, a former ASV teacher who is working with the Livingstone Foundation.
awaited order of 300 uniforms. As Ms. Julianne Stall explains: "Even though the old uniforms were mended many times and torn, the students still wore them daily and were proud to wear them. Wearing a uniform means that you are a student, and are privileged enough to attend school. Only 57% of the children in Zambia attend school and at Kapita the director works hard to get children to attend school but even so many of them are needed at home to help with work."
Meanwhile, the ASV Foundation worked diligently, along with some university students, on the preparation of its first Halloween Party on Friday, October 31, 2014. “This event was a “ASV Foundation wants to be present and wonderful example of highly visible in the life of the school, local what we mean community and the Valencian community at when we talk about the ASV -large.” Community and your support and attendance are appreciated In September 2014, we received some photos beyond measure.”, Dr. Alberto Domingo exof Kapita students wearing their new uni- plained. The party was a huge success with forms, the main goal of the funds collected over 800 entry tickets sold to a broad specduring the school year 2013-2014. The uni- trum of school and local community. forms were made by a local tailor near the school, and this September the school in Lu- The event was possible thanks to the hard angwa Valley (Zambia) received the much work and dedication of many of our communi-
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ty members and contributors. Part of the proceeds were needed to support an important ASV activity: the VALMUN Conference. The ASV Foundation sponsored some conference costs such as the Delegate’s Kit, including a USB bracelet. Weekly Bake Sales led by ASV Students An example of perseverance and collaboration from our ASV students and teachers are
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the weekly bake sales organized at the school in favor of Kapita School. Every Tuesday, members of the Student Council or specific class groups brought a selection of sweets and treats to sell during the first morning break. Barbecue Party Closing the School Year ASV Foundation wants to be present and highly visible in the life of the school, local community and the Valencian community at-large. After a resoundingly successful American-style barbecue in May 2014, the ASV Foundation organized its Second Annual Barbecue for June 19, 2015. On May 10, 2015, during ASV Day, visitors could find an informative stand presenting the Foundation’s projects and upcoming activities such as the BBQ party. This BBQ Party was the last event of the school year and included access to the swimming pool for children, a magic show, live music with two bands, and a silent auction of ASV student artwork. Funds raised from this event supported local scholarships in the ASV Summer Program and other Foundation activities throughout the academic year. Summer Scholarships The scholarships in ASV’s Summer Program in July 2015 are granted every year along with the cooperation of the Puçol Town Council, for elementary and high school students from Puçol who wish to attend ASV’s Summer Program in English. Mr. Enric Esteve, the new Mayor of Puçol, visited the ASV campus on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, and participated in a presentation ceremony to present certificates to the four students selected this year. Mr. Esteve highlighted to all students the value of learning world languages and wished them a rewarding experience at ASV. Prior to the presentation, Mr. Esteve met with Dr. Alberto Domingo, President of the ASV Foundation, and Mr. Michael L. Smith, Director of ASV. So, on behalf of the ASV Foundation, thank you for your continued and very generous support.
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American School of Valencia
ASV By The Numbers: A Brief View of the School’s Progress By Mr. Ildefonso Segura Pérez
Mr. Ildefonso Segura Financial Director
Another school year has ended successfully and so we truly hope that you enjoy with your families a joyful and well-deserved summer break.
Regarding the new services introduced during this academic year, we would like to highlight the following aspects:
Throughout the year, the professional team that comprises the Academic and Financial Administration has worked diligently through some exciting new challenges to respond to your enquiries and requests, which are the fundamentals that define the high-quality standards that we strive to provide the entire school community. Although we feel very satisfied with the work done so far, we are also aware that we can never stop in our efforts to improve our services.
The improvement of the school lunch service thanks to the new facilities inaugurated in 2014-2015 has been successful. Our students have enjoyed their lunch in more comfortable facilities along with stronger efforts to provide our diners with better service and attention. We have worked on improving the menus both in nutritional composition and variety to encourage our students to truly enjoy their meal. Also, our Commitment to Excellence table has been well-received and enjoyed by our students, and it also recognizes many of our students’ special achievements.
Once more, we have worked in conjunction with the Board of Governors to optimize the economic and financial structure in the school according to the objectives and curricular goals that ASV has established. Our aim is to offer the best education possible along with the coordination of the best professional team of educators and materials possible. Combined, this contributes to our position as the best international school within the Valencian Community. We have come to the end of the 2014-2015 Academic Year, and we have complied with the budgets approved before the beginning of the academic course. We would like to thank you for your cooperation which has been essential to achieve this goal. As you may have seen in February 2015, we presented the 2013-2014 Annual Accounts which were audited with satisfactory results and with no additional observations. Therefore, the BDO Audit Report, once again, stated that the school accounts and records reflected the true image of the capital structure and financial situation of the ASV. The audit of the 2014 -2015 School Year, which concludes in August 2015, will be held during the 2015-2016 Academic Year. We expect its results to be the same as last year’s based on the data that we have processed so far and which are aligned with 2014-2015 School Budget.
Annual Report 2014-2015
We are very proud of our new Visions café which has been open for its first year. During this period we have learned from all of you and we look forward to improving the service this coming year by responding to your requests and, especially, to our students who were able to see how the service was reinforced in the mornings during park time. We will continue to analyze its performance. We would like to thank you for your participation in this project with your attendance, suggestions, as well as your understanding during its first year of operation. With regard to our transportation service, this year we have continued with our bus changes policy as it is our intention to provide the best service possible. In order to optimize the quality of this service with the available resources, we do our best to analyze the routes in detail so that we are able to attend to all of the demands. Additionally, we have extended our hours to address bus issues from 08:30 to 18:00
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daily. Concerning bus safety, in addition to the applicable regulations and as informed during the school year, we have conducted bus evacuation drills. This practice had not been done before and this year both students and bus personnel received specific training on how to react in potential emergency situations. This year, we contracted a radio frequency service to improve the internet connection within the school to 30mb. This action, as well as the installation of different Wi-Fi access points around the school, has improved the speed with which everyone can access information. Due to the school’s location, the service that we were receiving from other telecommunication companies was not sufficient for the network traffic volume that we had and needed in order to improve the use of technology at ASV. At present, they are introducing optical fiber and so we will have better possibilities to improve the connectivity shortly. We would like to improve it “In the last three years we have achieved very even more in order to offer a better satisfactory results in terms of reducing energy service to our stuconsumption and promoting environmental dents, families and responsibility.” staff members. With reference to the rest of expenses, we would like to point that we are working diligently to avoid the increase in the annual costs of the school supplies and services. Apart from water and gas consumption, we have focused on electricity costs by trying to optimize the energy consumption. We are working on modifying the consumption routines and have decided to renew and invest in
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equipment with better energy efficiency, as well as to establish new policies to use electrical devices. In the last three years we have achieved very satisfactory results in terms of reducing energy consumption and promoting environmental responsibility. Furthermore, we would like to highlight that our staff members are very concerned about the environment and this contributes to more responsible energy consumption. In the 2014-2015 Academic Year and effective in the 2015-2016 Academic Year, we have established a Capital Fee for new ASV families. This Capital Fee is a concept that is already in place in many international schools throughout Spain, Europe and the world. Thanks to this new fee we have been able to create a fund of approximately €40,000.00, which has been used to renovate the facilities of the ASV Sports Hall. Over 40 new families have made this investment possible which will be enjoyed by all of our school community in accordance with the purposes of its establishment. These new families will not have to pay this Capital Fee again and will enjoy, as will the rest of our school community, the improvements and investments that will take place in the near future with the fund created by the new families in 20162017 Academic Year. We should feel very pleased to be able to make a series of improvements in the school facilities that will finally help to maintain a healthy and comfortable learning environment with better features that will be relished by our students and families. Many of these improvements are a result of the suggestions stated in the reports of the different audits that have been conducted during this year regarding technology, security and energy efficiency, in addition to the suggestions made by different committees in the school community.
Annual Report 2014-2015
American School of Valencia
Tuition and Lunch* NURSERY
535 x 10 months
PRESCHOOL (PreKinder to Kinder)
604 x 10 months
ELEMENTARY (1º to 6º) HIGH SCHOOL (7º to 11º) HIGH SCHOOL (12º)
640 x 10 months 704 x 10 months 783 x 9 months
Over the years, one of the major concerns of the Board of Governors and the ASV Administration Team has been security. Therefore, we have upgraded our surveillance system throughout the school campus. From now on, the school will have a state of the art surveillance system. This new system, along with the increase of security in the parks with the renovation of certain equipment, as well as the restoration of other areas and aspects of our facilities, will support an exponential enhancement of the safety and security of our school community. Other variables that have made some improvements possible within the school have been functionality and efficiency. Therefore, we have changed and upgraded different structures within the school which had become old and damaged over the time. Furthermore, we have renovated some outdoor spaces. A brief description of the most important economic aspects of the 2015-2016 Academic Year is presented below: A.) Fees The new fees for the 2015-2016 Academic Year were approved and published in January 2015. The increase compared to last year’s fee is based on some improvements planned for the upcoming year in addition to the expected price increases.
“From now on, the school will have a state of the art surveillance system. This new system, along with the increase of security in the parks with the renovation of certain equipment, will support an exponential enhancement of the safety and security of our school community.”
We would like to remind you that a significant change has been applied to our Grade 12 students. That is, the Tuition and Lunch Fees are paid in nine (9) monthly payments instead of ten (10); although, the total annual amount payable continues to be the
Annual Report 2014-2015
Transportation (optional) 150 x 10 months 150 x 10 months 150 x 10 months 150 x 10 months 150 x 9 months
same for all Grade 11 and 12 students. As a result, the ANNUAL AMOUNT PAYABLE DOES NOT CHANGE in comparison to the rest of our High School students, but the number of payments does. Therefore, the monthly tuition fee will be higher. The last payment for Grade 12 will be paid in May 2016. For further details, please refer to the School webpage on the “Admissions” menu. You may also access directly through the following link: Fees 2015-2016 ASV B.) Materials During mid-July 2015 the annual Book Fee was invoiced for a total amount of €274.00. Please note that the school will provide the students with all of the books they will need. As an educational institution the school obtains better prices than the ones the final customers can find. If it is necessary to buy any additional material, the school will inform you accordingly. Therefore, we ask you not to purchase any books that the school has not proposed. The aforementioned amount also makes the provision of school materials possible for the school, as an integral part of our educational activities. These school materials include pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, notebooks, folders, student agendas, handbooks and workbooks, paint, color pencils and markers, oil pastels, crayons, permanent markers, index cards, glue, glitter, paint brushes, clay, watercolor paints, staplers, staples, adhesive tape, post-it notes, art paper, plastic covers, correction fluid, whiteboard markers, chart paper, binding materials, board erasers, classroom libraries, classroom decorations, learning support material, labels, stickers, materials for birthday celebrations, certifica-
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American School of Valencia
and if any or both of the heads are turning 65 years old during the 2015-2016 Academic Year, you must inform the school and indicate who will subscribe to or withdraw from the insurance plan according to the above-mentioned procedures.
tes, grade books and planning books, photocopies and classroom resources such as furniture, bulletin board decorations, posters, and so on…
With regard to the non-automatic payments:
In order to speed up and streamline the payment process, we encourage every family to automate the payments through their bank. The non-automatic payments will have an additional charge of €2.00 per issued invoice. In the event of paying 50% or 100% of the school year, no additional cost will be charged.
If you wish to automate the payment, you may send a letter signed by the bank account’s holder or email attaching the scanned letter to Mr. Alfredo Querol at alfredoquerol@asvalencia.org including the bank account details and account holder’s name. Please note that the holder must be the person who authorizes the charge in his/her account.
For security reasons the Business Office will not accept any cash payment made directly at the school office after 12:00 noon. Payments by credit card, debit card or checks will continue to be accepted in the afternoon. If you wish to pay cash after 12:00, you may make a bank transfer or deposit the cash into the school’s bank account. Our bank account details will be provided upon request.
In October 2015, we will invoice an additional fee according to the appropriate grade level (Preschool: €21.00; Elementary: €36.00, and High School: €142.00). As occurs each year, the amounts invoiced as part of the Book Fee are not refundable. C.) Important News for 2015-2016 Academic Year The Continuity Insurance is now included in the regular tuition fee at no additional cost.
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As expected, every year the school purchases accident and civil liability insurance to protect our students. Additionally, the School purchases a Continuity Insurance Plan through the prestigious insurance company AXA. This is not a payment protection insurance plan, which means that it does not cover any outstanding invoices. The incidents covered by the policy are for death or total disability of one of the parents. (IMPORTANT: Please note that as of the 2014-2015 Academic Year, the total professional disability for regular occupation is no longer covered). In the event of one of these incidents, the student/s will receive free tuition, lunch, transportation and registration as well as free school materials. The student will be able to enjoy these benefits once the compensation from the insurance is recognized and until the student finishes Grade 12. The age limit to join the plan is sixty-five (65),
The insurance covers every student at school and there is no possibility to withdraw. You only need to inform the person to be covered if you do not wish the coverage of the father or mother of the student.
The 2015-2016 Academic Year registration fee was invoiced in March 2015. Please note that the 20162017 registration fees will be invoiced in February 2016, and you will receive an additional invoice for this concept besides the regular tuition fee. Once this registration fee invoice has been issued, it will not be refunded after thirty (30) days of receipt of invoice. We will inform you in advance about any changes to this policy during the school year.
Annual Report 2014-2015
American School of Valencia
D.) Other Important Information:
2.
The School allocates approximately 2% of income from tuition to: a. Professional development for the Staff according to the school’s objectives. b. Professional development for our IB Program teachers. c. Recruitment and selection of new faculty members according to the quality standards established by the School Administration. The School has a discount policy in place for families with three or more children enrolled in ASV at the same time (Please refer to our School Fees on our webpage).
3.
The School allocates between 1% and 5% of its income to communication, marketing and promotion, and we would like to highlight that during the 2014-2015 Academic Year, we have made a significant effort to improve our school website as well as our school-parent communication system.
4.
All of the school trips, which are mandatory, are also included in the tuition fee, which means that they do not carry any additional costs. This represents 1% of our expenses. Some of the activities that have taken place during this year are: In Preschool: Storytellers from Actio, Forum Teatre i educació, Adai Park, La Estrella Theater, Gilet, Tarzan (La tourné teatro), visit to the police station and Masía del Cosí. In Elementary: Oceanographic, Valencia in Fallas, Transeduca Theater, Buffó Theater, Manises (Animat), Botanic Garde , Vall D'Uxo (Animat), City of Arts and Sciences (Aminat), Gilet, La tourné theater, Grade 4-6 Choir visit to Nuestros Hijos, Grade 46 Choir visit to Rafelbunyol, Albufera, Puig (Animat), Onda, Puçol City hall, Visit to Sagunto, Visit to Requena, Twilight of Love (Tourné), Visit to Foressos Golf, Planetarium in Castellón (Animat), Cultural Valencia and Historical Valencia.
Annual Report 2014-2015
In High School: City of Arts and Sciences, dubbing workshop, Real de Gandía, Biology University, La Bolsa, Riba -roja (City hall), University Fair, Politécnico, Art Thursdays, Geoextrem (Montanejos), Altos Hornos, Oceanográfico, Valencia in Fallas, Museum of Prehistory, Workshop in Sagunto, Bioparc, Printing and Monastery Puig, special educational workshops, Waterloo Math exams, Career Day, and Arts Day. Some of these activities may change every year for other activities with similar costs or may be cancelled based on our curriculum. E.) Bus Service The transportation fees have been calculated based on the concept that the expenses of transportation will be fully paid by the incomes related to this concept only. The school recalculates the transportation fee based on the criteria to provide the best service possible. As always, we are making every effort to continue to ameliorate the quality of our school transportation services, and so there are fourteen (14) bus routes available. We ask you to please keep in mind that for safety reasons, bus changes are not allowed except in the cases provided by our School Transportation Policy (you may find this information in our Community Webpage at the following link: BUS CHANGES). All bus changes must be requested in writing to the School before 12:00 noon, as we require time to process any requested change, verify that there is sufficient seating available on the buses, inform the bus company, as well as to contact the parents in the event of any inconvenience. Should you require any further details regarding invoicing, accounts and finance, please do not hesitate to contact me at the following email address: ildefonso@asvalencia.org Once again, we sincerely hope you enjoy your welldeserved summer.
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American School of Valencia prepares globally-conscious, life-long learners in an innovative, collaborative and caring environment
Avenida Sierra Calderona, 29. Urbanizaci贸n Los Monasterios. 46530 Pu莽ol, Valencia (Spain) Telephone: (+34) 96 140 54 12 Fax: (+34) 96140 50 39 www.asvalencia.org | asvalencia@asvalencia.org