American School of Madrid Annual Report 2020-2021

ANNUAL REPORT 20-21

We empower lifelong learners to take on challenges and thrive, care for others in our diverse international community, and think globally and creatively toward a better future.

EMPOWER CHALLENGE

CARE CREATE

ANNUAL REPORT

20-21 Address

Calle América, 3 Pozuelo de Alarcón Madrid, 28224

Telephone

+34 91 740 1900

Hours

School Year: 8:30 A.M. – 5:30 P.M. Summer: 9:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

Website

www.asmadrid.org

The American School of Madrid, founded in 1961, is a private coeducational day school which offers an American educational program from Kindergarten through Grade 12 for students of all nationalities.

The curriculum is that of the United States with an emphasis, in the higher grades, on preparing students for college. Instruction is in English. All students are required to study Spanish. The school’s testing program includes the National Merit (SAT) and College Entrance Examination Board tests. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

ASM graduates attend colleges and universities across the world, with many studying in the US, Spain, the UK, and the Netherlands. The K-12 program is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

ASM is an IB World School with an accredited IB diploma program. The school is also accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Education and offers the Spanish Official Program.

The ASM campus is located 12 kilometers west of Madrid, in Pozuelo de Alarcón.

Headmaster

Ben Weinberg

Upper School Director

Félim Bolster

Middle School Director

Mike Nugent

Lower School Director

Jen Munnerlyn

Teaching & Learning Director April Stout

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Editors Design

Claire Pryde and Lisa Kerr Ces Olondriz

The facilities were inaugurated in 1967 and currently include five main buildings: a Lower School building with a Learning CommonsLibrary, a science lab, a full gymnasium, and a playground; a new (2021) zero-energy Middle School building with modern science labs, a performing area, and moveable furniture; an Upper School building with a Learning Commons-Library and a cafeteria; a Center for the Arts that houses three art classrooms, three music classrooms, one drama classroom, a 600-seat auditorium, and a large multipurpose room; The Science Center and Athletics Complex, including Upper School science labs, a full-sized gymnasium, a fitness and weights room, and a health and yoga room. Outdoor PE facilities include two tennis courts, an allpurpose weather track; a turf soccer field; and a multipurpose field for baseball and other sports. ASM has four digital labs, including one dedicated to digital arts and one to robotics.

Contents

04

MISSION STATEMENT

06

LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER

08

ASM: A BOLD NEW LOOK

10

LIVING THE MISSION

12

FILOMENA

14

A MAGICAL MIX

16

OPAL PLAY

18

LOWER SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

22

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

24

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

29

MADMUN

30

UPPER SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

32

TEDxYOUTH@ASM

34

CLASS OF 2021

36

UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

38

TEACHING AND LEARNING

42

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

47

IB SCORES

48

MAP SCORES

50

STRIKING A BALANCE AFTER SCHOOL

52

ATHLETICS

54

A TRIBUTE TO ASM RETIREES

58

BUSINESS

MISSION S TAT E M E N T Together, with over one thousand participants, the American School of Madrid community set out to renew its Mission Statement.

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All of our school community stakeholders from alumni to parents, staff, and students had the opportunity to share their thoughts around who we are, what we value, what we hope to achieve, and how we might go about it.

During the initial brainstorming and data collection stages, stakeholders contributed their reflections on the three mission driving questions:

• Why does our school exist? What is its main purpose?

• What problem/challenge is our school trying to ASM

solve?

• What are the values and beliefs that will help us

continue to grow as a school now and in the future?

Early in the school year, the Board of Trustees and Educational Leadership Team participated in a world cafe-style protocol around these questions and reflected on the commonalities and key areas that were shared.

Throughout January and in the midst of Storm Filomena, the wider community contributed their thoughts to the process; parents, alumni, and community partners through an online survey. Students at every grade level engaged in conversations related to our shared values and ambitions for the community, the middle and upper school students dedicating half a school day to participate. In the end, over 1,200 ASM community members engaged in the process.

Gathering all the data, team and community members got together on a Saturday to synthesize it all down to the core ideas and arrange them into summary charts and draft statements. Passing their work onto creative and communication-oriented writing teams, we watched the community’s collective voice form into a number of possible statements.

Those were then brought to a focus group, again representing various community voices, to ensure that while we could not utilize every idea shared in the brainstorming process that the most significant and commonly shared made it through.

Finally, using that feedback a small group of skilled wordsmiths produced the inspiring and actionable statement we see today.

The Mission Statement of the American School of Madrid: We empower lifelong learners to take on challenges and thrive, care for others in our diverse international community, and think globally and creatively toward a better future.

As the process was coming to a close, the idea of distilling the statement down to its key components produced the four cornerstones of the mission: empower, challenge, care, and create.

While the Mission Statement represents who we are and what we do, the important work begins in the 2021-2022 school year when we start to envision how we live into the cornerstones in our day-to-day work and interactions, making the mission alive, vital, and meaningful.

If one thing has been certain through this process, it is that we all value this richly diverse and closely connected ASM community.

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We empower lifelong learners to take on challenges and thrive, care for others in our diverse international community, and think globally and creatively toward a better future.

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M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

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LETTER FROM THE HEADMASTER In a year where many schools only opened for in-person learning at the very end of the year, ASM was open all year.

What’s more, we began plans for an absolutely incredible space for outdoor play and learning for the Lower School. This project will transform the old staff and bus parking areas into green spaces for play and collaboration.

The importance of being in school for children and families has never been clearer. Many students around the world had their learning interrupted or put on hold. The lessons learned were not easy.

Anxiety, disconnection, lack of motivation; these symptoms and others made headline news. The true cost of the pandemic in terms of its effect on young people and their learning will only be fully calculated in the years to come. What is sure is that while ASM students and their families dealt with restrictions and frustrations, learning continued. The school day felt normal. This was an achievement that did not seem likely or even possible when we began the year in September of 2020.

ASM Faculty participated in professional learning in science, math, reading in the social sciences, leadership, and child protection.

Through an interactive and inclusive process, ASM developed a new Mission Statement. The Mission Cornerstones make the statement memorable and powerful. Empower, challenge, care and create, at the heart of all we do. The new mission is both a source of pride and inspiration as we look back on all BEN we have accomplished and as we WEINBERG look ahead at the opportunities and challenges in the coming years.

With great fanfare and excitement, ASM finished and moved into a new Middle School. In the last two months of the school year, rather than coasting to the finish line, the new Middle School Commons provided opportunities for students to showcase and share their learning. From Grade Eight science projects demonstrating Newton’s Laws and Grade Six cell analogies projects to Grade Ten students performing their interpretations of scenes from Romeo and Juliet. A year that began with anxiety and more uncertainty ended with Grade Nine Students putting on a Math Carnival with booths designed to showcase their learning in a probability unit and Lower School students in every grade sharing their portfolios in the Celebration of Learning.

We made it! That is amazing. What is even more amazing is that we did not simply make it through, we grew, we changed, we moved forward in pursuit of learning and learning excellence. As always, our progress and innovation are a product of our partnership. What we achieve, we achieve together.

W H AT I S S U R E I S T H AT W H I L E A S M STUDENTS AND T H E I R FA M I L I E S D E A LT W I T H RESTRICTIONS AND F R U S T R AT I O N S , LEARNING CONTINUED. THE S C H O O L D AY F E LT NORMAL.”

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Members of the Class of 2021 were accepted to and are now attending some of the top universities and colleges in the world. From New York University, Tufts, and the University of Chicago in the US to University of the Arts London and University College London, to Erasmus University in Amsterdam. From Tokyo to Melbourne and from San Diego to Chapel Hill. The Class of 2021 is making its mark in the wider world.

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If this was all, it would still be an accomplishment to be proud of, but the 2020-21 school year was a year of remarkable achievements in many areas.

ASM students performed concerts, participated in science fairs, shared projects, wrote, read, and designed.

ASM: A BOLD NEW LOOK New strategy

New Middle School

In November 2020, ASM hired a Communications Director for the first time. Three months later, a Communications Plan was approved by the Board of Trustees. Its keywords are Clarity, Consistency, Positivity, Diversity, and Inclusivity.

During a year of little to no oncampus time for parents, the Communications Team felt it was particularly important to step up our social media presence, with parents able to follow big events such as the opening of the new Middle School almost in real-time. Also, a series of videos featuring the new building were published on the website, giving our community a good idea of what to expect once they made it back on campus, as well as being a marketing plus.

In February 2021, the Communications Team released a new school logo. The previous version dated back to 1987. The new logo is bold, elegant, modern, and easier to place on a variety of digital and printed materials.

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New logo New events ASM’s first TEDxYouth event gave the Communications Team a great opportunity to show off ASM talent. We were also involved in helping to organize the event and prepare the speakers.

New website In October 2020, a new website went live. The homepage was upgraded in July 2021, including the prominent display of ASM’s new Mission Statement and easy access to official ASM social media as well as stories written by our faculty and staff.

New Brand Book Also in February 2021, the ASM Brand Book was shared with all faculty and staff. It is important for everyone to be on the same page when it comes to school colors, logo use, fonts, etc. in order for ASM to have strong and consistent branding.

asmadrid.org Facebook Instagram Linkedin

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LIVING THE MISSION Dear ASM Community,

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The measure of any organization is how well it responds to a crisis, or this year, crises- on top of the pandemic, with historical winter storm Filomena providing an additional challenge.

We could not be more proud of how the ASM community met these challenges! In a year when so many schools around the globe struggled to hold in-person classes, ASM opened its doors in early September and successfully held classes all year long.

While we lost one day because of Filomena, after 24 hours, ASM was back online with virtual schooling, and shortly thereafter was one of the first schools in Madrid to return to campus. We are deeply grateful to Headmaster Weinberg, his team, and all the teachers and staff for their planning, commitment, care, leadership, and resolve to ensure the continuation of learning for our students. We salute the students for keeping each other safe and persevering with their education in the middle of a pandemic.

And we thank the parents for their support and endless patience in a year when on-campus participation was impossible, and we were all left feeling disconnected and isolated.

Remarkably, there was much to celebrate this year at ASM. Demonstrating an ability to maintain focus regardless of circumstances, 622 members of our community participated in a world cafe-style collaboration that resulted in a new Mission Statement for ASM. A statement that encapsulates the cornerstones of American education and will guide us on our journey as a learning community. In parallel, construction continued through the pandemic on our emblematic new Middle School, which opened on April 30 to rave reviews by students and faculty alike. This facility reflects our values of communication, connection, collaboration, and transparency and is already providing new avenues of exploration and learning for MS students and faculty. Other highlights this year included ASM’s first-ever TEDx event with students and alumni. And happily, ASM was again able to hold a graduation ceremony with students and parents, and another outstanding class of graduates has left ASM to enroll at top universities around the world.

In closing, in the words of ASM’s new Mission Statement, we invite you all to share in empowering our young learners, to encourage them in meeting new challenges, to care for all in our community, and to engage with us creatively toward a better tomorrow.

The ASM Board of Trustees

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Board of Trustees 2020-2021

The members of the Board of Trustees, with Headmaster Ben Weinberg, from left to right: José Miguel Knoell, Matthew Mittino, Treasurer, Ana Duque-Higgins, Norman Kurtis, Laure Headrick, Chresten B.Christensen, Faraday De La Camara, Secretary, Michael J.Willisch, Vice Chairman, Steve Schaver, Chairman, Adeyemi Adesokan.

FILOMENA

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By Ben Weinberg Headmaster

NO one had ever seen the campus like this before!

When the first snowflakes fell on the afternoon of January 8, I figured it was prudent to send staff home before the roads got messy. No one thought we would not be back for more than a week. None of us knew this was just the first flurry in what would be Madrid’s biggest storm in 40 years.

I began my teaching career in Vermont and Maine. In New England, snow days are common. We listened to the local news early on snowy mornings to find out if our District would be delayed or have the day canceled. On stormy afternoons the teachers in our little rural school left together to drive home in a convoy for safety. Snow days were built into

P. 1 3 ASM the school calendar and snowplows woke us up in the night many times each winter. I never thought I would call a snow day here in Madrid. The snow here in Madrid only lasted long enough to make a snow angel or a mini snowman.

I figured snow days were out of the question for ASM. Filomena changed my attitude in a hurry.

Not only did we have a snow day, but school was also closed for a week as we dealt with clearing access to buildings, cleaned up shattered trees, and waited for the municipality to clear the roads. But while the buildings were closed, school went on.

A major development from the COVID pandemic has been the

operationalization of the school’s virtual capacity. Virtual school used to be a plan on paper.

Now it is a developed set of skills, schedules, capabilities.

ASM carried on with learning during the mandated school closures in Madrid and ASM was one of the first schools in Madrid to reopen.

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A MAGICAL MIX

The 2020-21 School Year was difficult, personally and professionally, because of Covid-19.

We successfully changed our emails and visits to virtual calls - families more than ever wanted to feel connected somehow and the only way to achieve that connection was virtually.

The Office of Admissions was able to quickly accommodate incoming families who were full of uncertainties and confusion. What we expected at first to be a two-week quarantine ended up being three months.

Immediately after lockdown, we created a virtual tour and uploaded it onto our website to give a sense of belonging and knowing where they are going to families.

Luckily, we had started an online application process during the 2016-17 academic year, but we still had a lot of paperwork. The first thing that came to mind was to grab all our paper files for each applicant and take them home. We were all concerned about tomorrow and wanted our applicants to feel cared for which was a feeling that was necessary more than ever.

Many accepted students were not able to come to Spain due to restrictions and we assured them that we would save their spaces at ASM for the following academic year.

Many families who had no plans to move to Spain suddenly moved because they knew that their children could attend school physically and they did not want their children doing online learning.

In September 2020, families could come back on campus for New Family Orientation, wearing masks, respecting distance, and coming by grade level.

There was a general sense of disconnection and yet relief that their children could go back to school and feel some normality.

The Office of Admissions moved to a spacious and luminous office in the new administrative building.

We started the 2020-2021 academic year with

974 STUDENTS

28

PERCENT*

PERCENT of them Spanish

40 PERCENT

55 NATIONALITIES

were represented at ASM in the 2020-2021 academic year

of them from third countries

*A slight dip due to difficulties entering Spain

That’s what we like to call our magical mix!

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of them American

O PA L P L AY

Our learning has reinforced the importance of play in fostering individual resilience, confidence, and learning capacity.

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What do visitors see first when they walk through the gates? A parking lot. For years, the ASM experience for families, students, staff, and visitors has been the walk across the bus parking area. That is all about to change.

The underground parking for staff under the new Middle School and the relocated bus pick-up and drop-off area have given us a unique opportunity to transform the large area used for parking in the past into a space for outdoor learning and play. Our goal is not just to make a great playground but to create one of the best examples of its kind in Europe and make ASM a model for the integration of play in the learning environment and the learning experience.

More and more research is pointing to the role of play in learning and work. Play is not just for kids, play is the way we approach new ideas, materials, and situations. Play is a complex set of skills that combine to make a context for wonder, creativity, and imagination. Play is the application of creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Play is the mechanism for developing new solutions and imagining new ways of being and doing. With the help of leading UK-based play consultancy OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning), ASM leaders have been working to understand how well-planned play areas can enhance students’ emotional, mental, and physical development.

What Next?

ASM’s Lower School Playground project is a researchgrounded initiative that will:

Institute a training program to instruct faculty across grades and assist ASM administration in the education of parents and other stakeholders on the critical value of play to students

P. 1 7 ASM Include portable, recycled/reengineered materials and features guided by nature

Maximize children’s exposure to a wide variety of natural processes and materials, encouraging improvisation and invention

Provide a high-quality, purposefully-designed Lower School play space to transform the quality of play offered to generations of ASM children

We are extremely excited about this initiative as it will transform not only a parking lot but bring play and the joy of childhood into the heart of the ASM elementary school experience.

LOWER SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

Lower School Director Jen Munnerlyn

What a year!

As a Lower School, we were able to work together and in partnership with students and families to offer an in-person learning experience.

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Our success was unique in the world. Many schools were unable to provide a learning program, let alone After-School-Activities, for the entire year. This success was due to a staff that followed safety guidelines and made sure students did the same.

In addition, parental support of our systems was vital. Our students benefited academically and, maybe more importantly, socially and emotionally by having in-person contact this year. We started the year hoping to make it two whole weeks and not feeling sure if the youngest students could follow the procedures. In the end, even our three-year-old Lancers wore their masks every day, all day!

STEM Learning!

The Lower School teachers completed a three-year development cycle to ensure all grades were teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) units.

As a result, students love the hands-on, challenging curriculum and teachers feel more comfortable teaching STEM subjects.

Future work involves the continued design of projectbased learning opportunities and the development of a “makers” culture in the Lower School and ASM.

Specials and Spanish - On the Move!

Teacher Teaming, Collaboration, and Culture Work Knowing that high-quality schools offer equitable access to learning opportunities to all students, the Lower School staff worked to further develop our teams and collaborative structures. A fourth teacher in Grades 1-5, a second Specialist in Art and Music, and a second counselor all contributed to the need to focus on team goals.

As part of our process, teaching teams created purpose statements and operational norms. This work will continue next year as new team members arrive and as we move forward with vertical collaboration and whole-division culture work.

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With a second counselor in the Lower School, our ability to offer a social-emotional curriculum to all students became a reality this year.

Our two counselors, Dr. Angela Tang and Melissa Marsh, taught classroombased lessons to all students, offered small-group sessions on topics such as friendship and acceptance, supported students (and families) with one-to-one sessions, and participated in team meetings throughout the year. As a result, students know our counselors and also feel that they have a support system of caring adults always ready to help them at ASM.

Due to Covid density requirements, our Specials and Spanish teachers relinquished their classroom spaces so that the fourth section in Grades 1-5 could be realized. While this undertaking wasn’t always easy, the fact that these teachers found a way to continue to offer these unique programs is important to note. Teaching in students’ homerooms provided the required safety protocols. One hidden benefit to this work was the new collaboration between teachers as spaces and students were shared. In 2021-22, the Specialist team, in particular, is interested in developing a more transdisciplinary approach ensuring connections between subjects can be included in the curriculum.

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Two Lower School Counselors!

Mutual-Respect and Anti-Bullying Agreement With the start of school in early September, parents, students, and staff were introduced to the Lower School Mutual-Respect and Anti-Bullying Agreement.

Not only did this agreement outline definitions for bullying in all contexts: physical, sexual, social, and cyber, it also clearly detailed the actions the school staff would take if bullying and harassment were reported. All students and parents signed the agreement. The commitment of all school stakeholders to recognize and stand up to bullying and harassment is something to celebrate. Unfortunately, schools cannot be “bully-free.” However, with this work, we have clearly outlined our expectations and how we will respond.

MORE LOWER SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

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Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)!

Not only did all of our students and staff work with an outside consultant to imagine our new playground, but we also worked together to improve the play offering in our current space.

For students in Grades 1-5, the Lower Field transformed into a meaningful “play landscape” as we developed clear zones for play. These included a kitchen zone, a building zone, an art zone, a small-world toy zone, a ball zone, and a dance zone with a boombox on which students could control and select music. The Lower School Director introduced zones through short, informative videos. The staff recognized and promoted to students that developing a better play offering was one of our highest priorities. The Early Childhood Playground also added zones and materials, mirroring what was happening on the Lower Field.

Of course, everyone is excited for work to commence on our new ASM Play Landscape!

6-Day Schedule for Grades 1-5 and MORE Art and Music Education!

Even with the limitations presented by Covid and the need for teachers to travel to classrooms to teach, our students’ art and music development flourished this year.

The main reason for this is that in 202021 students received almost double the amount of music and art classes than they had received in previous years. For example, students used to have one music and one art class in 5 days. This year, our staff offered students two classes of art and two classes of music in a 6-day rotation. This change allows for a more developed curriculum in the Arts and ensures that students at ASM are receiving a well-rounded education in the Lower School. In addition, the ability to cover more content and offer children a deeper understanding of the Arts will allow that interest and enthusiasm to lead into the Middle and High School years, expanding the Arts program throughout ASM.

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The research on the benefits of play is well documented. Play is how children put the skills we are teaching into practice. It is how they make sense of the world. Therefore, providing a high-quality play environment is essential to our program at ASM. The fact that the entire Lower School community contributed to this work, a celebration.

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Wanting to do the work as collaborative as possible, students were also part of the design process as they routinely offered suggestions for new zones. Finally, the Grade 5 students took responsibility for cleaning up our new areas and keeping the multipurpose field usable for everyone at ASM.

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NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jeffrey Frantz Grade 7 English and Writing teacher

The new Middle School is an incubator, comfortably warming and nurturing the leading minds of the future.”

The first time the students saw the classroom the floor-to-ceiling windows, the cool colors, the natural light, the view - all they could do was gasp.

It is an inspiring space to be sure; a space to think, to ponder, to question, to grow, and to learn. Add to this space moveable furniture and the latest in technology, the teaching and learning possibilities become endless. We have Socratic seminars around a ‘boardroom’ table one class, small group stations the next, and Lincoln/Douglas debates in a third.

Outside the class, the common areas offer even more: learning hubs for study groups, the big steps for assemblies or class presentations, and plenty of room for everything in between.

Ilona Kusz Middle School Math teacher

Learners and teachers are seen as ‘one force’ rather than separate groups.”

The new Middle School building has helped bring our community closer and closer each day since day one. The open community spaces and glass classrooms help to foster transparent learning and teaching environments where learners and teachers are constantly growing and interacting with each other with very little physically divided space.

Learners and teachers are seen as ‘one force’ rather than separate groups or academic categories. The move to the new Middle School helped students to become more responsible and accountable for both their learning and actions. In only a few months, this new building helped strengthen relationships between all members of our community. I am very thankful to be a part of such a caring, trusting, and growing community.

A week prior to moving to the new building, the Middle School students and teachers envisioned an ideal school. This is the spirit in which we have changed our settings. While a building is nothing but a physical structure, it has the capacity to inspire.

I am teaching in one of the finest classrooms in the world, and must consistently ensure that I am meeting up to the standards such a space deserves.

The views of Casa de Campo, color scheme, and lighting lend themselves to tranquility while, simultaneously, presenting us with opportunity.

We have the opportunity to reconsider how and why we learn. The practicality of various seating arrangements and chairs with wheels has allowed us to more easily transition from whole class lessons to small groups. Students who have felt distracted have moved away from other students and positioned themselves to look out at the greenery and cityscape. We have become more flexible. I have met with teachers to pursue greater collaboration across disciplines and to envision a grand end-of-the-year project for 8th-grade students. We are exploring more options in an effort to educate. The new building gives a sense of hope and possibility.

The space isn’t just inviting to be in, it invites us to use it.”

More than natural light and pretty views. More than new furniture and cabinets. As we learn Science in our new building, we have already on many occasions looked out the windows and discussed the science of what is there: geology, the relationship of heat transfer and weather, waves (light, sound, and their interaction with different materials), nature itself. The building is much more accessible to a range of learning spaces and instills the idea that learning is not limited to a classroom. Students regularly “work” in spaces around the Middle School common areas and we are quickly noticing how many more possibilities there are with the right additional furniture and resources.

Students go from their working desks to the sink areas as they transition with ease to lab investigations. I have even noticed students wash their hands more. The space isn’t just inviting to be in, it invites us to use it. Students are taking the learning outside more. The outside campus is that much closer to investigate plants, weathering, erosion, and climate. To step outside to read a book, play a cooperative game, or work in the fresh air is also growing in popularity. Education today is different than when we were kids. Education today is about the whole child. We care about the students’ emotional health as much as their academic wealth. With our new spaces, we provide more places for mindfulness and to let go of anxieties, or to get comfortable in a good conversation or with a good book. Even right in the classrooms.

When we were opening, I underestimated what the physical space meant. Already, science classes have wheeled their tables out to the common gathering area and held several exhibitions.

That space also opens up room for students to investigate and engineer. They have been testing balloon rockets, parachutes, and making many projects needing more space. We realize this increased space finally allows us to expand our Middle School science curriculum to fully embrace the engineering practices embedded within.

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I am teaching in one of the finest classrooms in the world.”

Jen Parker Grade 7 Science teacher

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Michael Stuart Grade 8 History teacher

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

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Middle School Director Mike Nugent

The 2020-2021 school year was indeed one that we will never forget.

We started the school year with a great deal of hesitation while wearing masks, marking our distance from one another, ventilating the buildings, and applying disinfectant lotion to our hands. Our main priority was the safety of our students and staff.

Simple things suddenly became great challenges.

Students wore their backpacks instead of visiting their lockers between classes. Recess time without soccer and basketball balls created challenges for students to become creative in their playtime activities. Assigned cafeteria seats and distancing were the new reality. Despite these challenges, “Keep Calm and Learn” became our school manifesto. We should all be proud of the challenges that we overcame during this time.

A highlight of the 20-21 school year was the opening of the new Middle School. The building was scheduled to open in September 2020, but Covid and the Filomena snowstorm slowed the works.

Excitement about the opening of the new building grew during the spring months. Teachers and staff began the laborious process of moving classroom materials to the new facility during the free hours and on weekends. Planning for the opening of the new building took on greater urgency in April, and the Middle School staff created a series of activities designed to help the students learn how to use the new building. Opening day on April 30 was filled with excitement — music, balloons, and a special welcome activity in the new Middle School Commons. It was like the first day of school in many respects!

The Middle School building consists of 15 purpose-built classrooms with an average size of 75 square meters. Classrooms are equipped with furniture from the Steelcase Corporation, a US-based office furniture company that also specializes in schools. The furniture was carefully selected by a team of teachers whose goal was to ensure flexibility and to maximize the learning opportunities. Chairs of various sizes and desks that fold are just two of the unique features in each classroom. Classrooms are also equipped with the latest technology, including large Promethean Boards that serve as instructional tools and take the place of the traditional whiteboards.

The new building also features an incredible amount of open space, including a large commons area with a staircase large enough to accommodate the Middle School student body. The staircase, known simply as “The Steps”, has become the Middle School “Plaza Mayor” and is the venue for many events including assemblies and presentations. Students also like to “hang out” on the steps and catch up with friends. The commons area became the venue for the Grade 8 Science Fair, Shakespearean theater, and chess matches.

Visitors to the new building are immediately struck by the sheer amount of glass that encases the building’s outer and inner structure.

This unique design feature supports our vision for community learning. The message to students is that learning is an individual as well as communal affair. Another feature is the absence of hallways.

No longer are students rushing past each other to get to class. The open spaces support a vision of a caring and connected community.

We are proud that our new building also supports our vision for energy efficiency. Large solar panels dot the rooftop of the new building. An advanced system for keeping the building cool on hot days is supported by the building’s connection to solar power. The building also has parking spaces for energy-efficient cars, including electric cars! The energy resourcefulness of the new building sends a message to our students about our school’s commitment to clean energy.

MORE MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

The Middle School exploratory classes provide students with exciting opportunities to explore areas of interest outside of the regular academic core classes.

ASM offers an immense variety of exploratory classes in three distinct areas: the Humanities, the Fine and Performing Arts, and Technology. Students have the opportunity to select classes that align with their interests during the registration period in early spring.

The 20-21 school year was a banner year for exploratory classes. Two new exploratory classes were introduced to an array of popular classes — Ideate with Lego and Future Technologies. Science teacher Jennifer Parker introduced Ideate with Lego, which became quite popular amongst the students. The Future Technologies class introduced a 3D printer and drone technology to the students.

Exploratory class offerings are just one of the characteristics of a developmentally responsive Middle School program. Exploratory classes give young people the opportunity to discover more about themselves and have experiences that can inspire them along a career path and lead to their development as well-rounded young adults.

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Middle School students poured into ASM’s newest building on April 30, 2021. After years of preparation, the Middle School students finally have a building they can now call their own!

Middle School Exploratory Classes Ignite Learning

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E Building — Energized and Energy Efficient

Responsive Middle School The Middle School adopted Responsive Classroom practice in the 20-21 school year. Responsive Classroom is, according to the Responsive Classroom resource book, “a student-centered, social and emotional learning approach to teaching and discipline.

It consists of a set of research, and evidence-based practices designed to create safe, joyful, and engaging classrooms and school communities for both students and teachers.”

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The Lower School has been using Responsive Classroom practice for a number of years. Middle School teachers were trained in the practices of Responsive Classroom during the 2021 school year and began to implement the practices almost immediately. Responsive Classroom practice is centered around the belief that for students to be successful they need to learn key social and emotional competencies including cooperation, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. These social and emotional competencies are accompanied by a set of academic competencies including learning strategies and academic behaviors.

The practices are divided into four main areas: interactive modeling, teacher language, logical consequences, and interactive learning structures. Teachers were trained, for example, in explicit practices for teaching procedures and routines as well as academic and social skills. An important focus was also placed on applying logical consequences when students misbehave.

These consequences are marked by non-punitive responses to misbehavior that allow students to “fix” and learn from the mistakes while reinforcing accountability for their actions.

Grade 8 Students Shine in Middle School Science Fair The 20-21 Science Fair in Grade 8 was a culminating activity for our students. During the spring months, the Grade 8 students researched a variety of topics in a number of areas in the major areas of physics, biology, and chemistry. Guided by their teacher Mr. Doug Peterson, the students used the scientific method to create incredible science fair projects. The students were required to pose a question and a hypothesis. They were guided in researching background information about their topics.

House Program Unites the Middle School The Middle School House program is alive and well despite the interruptions to our House activities in the 20-21 school year. The Middle School House program was established in 2005 as a way to instill school spirit and create opportunities for intragrade level community bonding. Four Houses — Agua, Fuego, Tierra, and Viento — were created and, today, a generation of ASM students proudly identify themselves with one of the four Houses.

In 20-21, the Houses competed in a variety of events including the fall and spring Jamborees. The ever-popular Jamborees are events where members of each House present their very best by wearing House colors, painting their faces, and singing their House songs. The spring Jamboree brought all four Houses together for an exciting day of challenging activities. The culminating activity was the traditional Tug ‘O War, which was won by the House of Fuego. An exciting twist to the Tug ‘O War saw the Teachers compete against the House of Fuego, and despite a valiant effort by team Fuego, the Teachers came out victorious!

Ms. Mary Swanson, the House Coordinator, orchestrated the 20-21 House calendar of events along with her teacher sponsors in each House.

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All in all, the Grade 8 students did fabulous work in creating Science Fair projects that were highly engaging and relevant to the challenges that we face in our world.

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Over the course of several weeks, the students carried out experiments and gathered data. Posters were created so that the students could display their research and conclusions to the ASM community. In the days leading up to the Science Fair, the Grade 8 students practiced their presentations with their peers and created videos of their presentations that were linked to a Padlet, which was shared with their parents. On the day of the Science Fair, Mr. Peterson invited Lower School and Upper School students to listen to the presentations, which were held in our new Middle School commons area.

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MADMUN

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MADMUN 2020 had been canceled and the pandemic continued its influence on MADMUN 2021. The Upper School students, serving as the Board of Directors, decided that an online conference contradicted the essence of Model UN. Consequently, they set upon the ambitious plan of organizing a conference and recruiting over 80 students for an in-house MADMUN 2021. They surpassed expectations and over the course of two days, 90 students in Grades 6 through 12 sought to resolve or mitigate global problems. The conference continued the traditional pomp and circumstance as Acting U.S. Ambassador Conrad Tribble delivered a keynote address. It was a great success thanks to the diligence and interest of students who continued the tradition of MADMUN while sparking interest in the world.

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ASM’s Madrid Model UN 2021 was not like any other.

Over the course of two days, 90 students in Grades 6 through 12 sought to resolve or mitigate global problems.

UPPER SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

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Upper School Director Félim Bolster

The 2020-2021 school year was my first as Upper School Director at ASM. Personally, it was a year of great learning about the community and the Upper School. I have felt warmly welcomed by students, parents, and staff, and enjoyed every day of my first year as a Lancer.

It was also a very typical year, with school taking place under many additional regulations related to Covid-19. Unlike many schools around the world, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity for on-campus learning each day this year (apart from an unexpected snowstorm). However, with such an opportunity came an obligation to take individual and collective responsibilities that would keep us all safe and allow us to remain open throughout the year. It is a measure of the level of care for each other that we have at ASM that we took these responsibilities seriously for the safety of our school community. My sincerest appreciation to everyone for your efforts.

The 2020-2021 school year was one of reflection and development for the future. Alongside ensuring that our students were cared for and progressed as people and academic learners, the Upper School teachers and staff have committed to several areas of significant focus, as outlined in these highlights which show just some of the achievements of the Upper School this year, as well as goals that have been achieved for implementation in the coming years. Finding the time and energy for this work, while continuing to provide for the day-to-day needs of each Upper School student, is a clear indication of the commitment and care that our teachers and staff have for our school. My thanks to everyone for your many achievements this year and for being part of the conversations and planning for potentially transformative future developments of our school.

IB Diploma Program Evaluation (IBDP) A successful 5-year official evaluation of the IB DP carried out by the IB Organization. The evaluation was very positive about the program at ASM indicating real strengths across all standards of practice, with appropriate feedback for the continued growth of the program at ASM.

Revised Leadership Structure The leadership structure of the Upper School has been re-developed to bring a greater focus over the coming years on Upper School-specific needs and development, as well as adding further resources to the area of supporting students in their personal development. The Upper School now has a leadership team that consists of Upper Teacher Leaders for each of the curriculum areas as well as a Head of Grade Level for each grade level. The latter will work in collaboration with the Dean of Students and the Social & Emotional Counselor with a focus on the personal growth of each student in the Upper School.

Curriculum Development Redesign of curriculum offerings in Social Studies and Mathematics to better prepare our students for Grade 11 and 12 study aligned with the skills and concepts that students need to be exposed to for success in IB courses in these curriculum areas. The Upper School now offers an integrated approach to Social Studies and both extended and core tracks for Mathematics in Grades 9 and 10.

Course Selection Process

Learning Time A redesign of learning time to better fit the needs of the Upper School - including sufficient time for curriculum (ASM and IB) delivery, time for students to meet with teachers for additional support, time for learning activities that focus on social & emotional well-being, time for small and large group meetings for specific focus areas such as college preparation, community celebrations, and curriculum needs.

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Increased robustness to the process of course selection through a dedicated online resource — Upper School Learning Program — outlining all aspects of the Upper School including course and program offerings and an increased focus on supporting Grade 10 students and parents in developing learning program choices in the context of post-ASM planning through individualized meetings.

Reporting and Assessment Schedule A reflection on the schedule in place for reporting on student learning to students and parents, ensuring effective and timely feedback on learning, balanced with the well-being needs of our students and the needs of the college and university application process.

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Interview with Elisa Hendel, organizer of ASM’s first-ever TEDxYouth event, which was held in February 2021.

Elisa, Class of ‘21, is now studying English and Spanish Law at King’s College London.

T E D x YO U T H @ A S M How did this all start?

How did you get the idea off the ground?

I had done a summer leadership program at Brown University that focused on Global Engagement. We learned how to apply leadership skills to our lives to make real change. During the program, I had developed an action plan that I could basically apply to any idea to get it in motion. The school year after that summer, I asked myself what really mattered to me. This was right around when I met my TEDx mentor and realized that bringing this to my school was the idea that mattered to me.

To get things going I decided to approach my friend, Carolina, and she agreed to help. We approached the ASM administration team about the event and got the green light to find students to support it. As the co-president of the Global Citizens Club, I was able to pitch the idea to other members and they all agreed to get involved and help.

Tell us about your TEDx mentor?

When we sent out the applications to all of the ASM community, even alumni, and got back amazing submissions. It was the moment when it got real. So many good ideas came back. We all sat down as a team and picked the top ten and it was so amazing.

In the end, it’s all about the speakers and to see so many applications from our community was amazing.

During the summer of my sophomore year, I had spoken to an old friend who had studied at ASM. At the time, she was proposing to her school that they host a TEDx event. I was shocked! I didn’t know young adults could do this! I was 16 at the time and so was she. I thought to myself, “What an amazing initiative and a great idea!”. Hosting a TEDx event is truly a way to solidify the international school experience. My friend became my “TEDx mentor” and even let me see the initial documents and frameworks they were using at her school in Mexico.

What was the first big ah-ha moment, or “win” for the team?

What was going through your mind when you watched all the application videos for the first time?

The feeling of gratitude, to be honest. At that time

it was just me and Carolina and the Global Citizens Club team, no adults had gotten involved. I really felt a sense of trust and responsibility because these people were counting on us. It was a great feeling but also one that carried a lot of responsibility.

What was an obstacle that you and your team faced and overcame?

Well, Trimester 1 of senior year is hard. Coming off summer having done the pre-work for TEDx, we had our work cut out for us. I had to keep the team engaged while we were all applying for college, preparing for exams, and being seniors during COVID. We really leaned on each other to stay engaged and calm and keep working. We also started preparing late. COVID slowed down the start of our club which gave us a late start getting things going.

I also had to really prioritize my life. For example, my college applications were turned in early, in October, so that I could get it out of the way and focus on TEDx and school. I had a clear mind after that and looking back it was definitely the right decision.

Post-event, how are you feeling?

So proud. So, so proud. I am proud of the TEDx Youth@ASM team, the way we managed it and stuck together, and got the work done. Who would have expected that a bunch of 15 to 18-year-olds would be able to pull this off during COVID in our senior year? So many things should have stopped us but they didn’t. After it was over I realized that this really is a legacy that will last a long time. I am so proud that we started this.

What else would you like to say?

If I could get a message to other young leaders at my school and around the world it would be that you can do hard things like this, don’t shy away from opportunities to lead and organize your peers. ASM provides so many opportunities to students. The admin we have now support student leadership and initiative so much. It’s a bummer so many kids think that they can’t do something like this.

ELIZAVETA KONOPLEVA

DANIEL SHETH

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We still hadn’t comprehended that this was really happening. It felt unbelievable until the day of and we saw the professional production team, the speakers with their microphones, and the whole school behind it. We had speakers from outside the school, we had lots of moving parts. It was pure enthusiasm at this point and we were looking back and thinking man we did so much to get here. It didn’t really feel tangible until that moment. We were feeling so very bubbly.

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Days out from the event, what’s going through your head?

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Class of 2021

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UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE A C C E P TA N C E S United States and Canada

American University

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Babson College Bentley University Boston College Boston University California Lutheran University

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Brandeis University California State UniversityMonterey Bay California State UniversityNorthridge Champlain College Chapman University City College of San Francisco Clark University Clemson University College of San Marin Creighton University Defiance College Drexel University

Duke University Florida Atlantic University Florida Institute of Technology Fordham University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Southern University Gonzaga University Kenyon College Michigan State University New York University Northeastern University Pace University Pennsylvania State University Providence College Purdue University Robert Morris University Saint Mary’s College of California Santa Rosa Junior College School of the Art Institute of Chicago Stetson University Stevens Institute of Technology SUNY at Albany Syracuse University Temple University The New School The University of British Colombia Tufts University Union College University of Arizona University of California-Davis University of California-Irvine University of California-San Diego University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Massachusetts - Amherst

University of Massachusetts – Boston University of Missouri-Columbia University of San Francisco University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Wisconsin-Madison Villanova University Wake Forest University Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University Wheaton College Whitman College Whittier College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University of Louisiana

Spain and International

Abersystwyth University Arts University Bournemouth Birbeck University Bournemouth University Ceu San Pablo University City, University London Comillas Pontifical University – ICADE Complutense University of Madrid CUNEF Erasmus University Rotterdam

Esade Business School ESIC Business & Marketing School Esmod France Falmouth University Francisco de Vitoria University Kent & Medway Medical School Goldsmiths, University of London Hult International Business School IE University Instituto Marangoni King’s College London Leeds Arts University Leiden University

Tilburg University

University of Birmingham

Universidad Europea de Madrid

University of Bristol

Norwich University of the Arts

University College London

University of Cambridge

Nottingham Trent University

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

University of Derby

Oxford Brookes University

University College Groningen

University of Dundee

Queen Mary University London

University College Maastricht

University of Essex

Polimoda – The Fashion School

University College Utrecht

Regent’s University London

University College Venlo

Saint Louis University Madrid

University For the Creative Arts

Soas University of London

University of Aberdeen

Sophia University, Japan

University of Amsterdam

Swansea University The University of Edinburgh

University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

The University of Queensland

University of Bath

Maastricht University Met Film School

University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Greenwich University of Kent University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Montpellier University of Nottingham University of Reading University of St. Andrews University of Stirling University of Surrey University of Sussex University of the Arts London University of Twente University of Warwick Utrecht University Vrije University Amsterdam Waseda University, Japan

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Lancaster University

TEACHING AND LEARNING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING This year, the teachers and staff members of ASM embodied resilience and together we kept our school open and created the conditions to grow and learn together in uncertain times.

Despite restrictions, setbacks, challenges, and a constantly shifting landscape, we embodied the quote:

• K-12 teacher lead workshops: Staff members

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We believe that on-site, in-depth, job-embedded professional development is the most effective professional learning model to develop the common language, focus, and direction necessary to support the development and successful implementation of instructional practices to support the learning of ASM students now and in the future. Educators in all content areas and grade levels had multiple opportunities throughout the year to engage in ongoing, purposeful learning directly related to their roles and interest areas. Onsite options included:

“Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”

—Gever Tulley

designed and facilitated over 20 different short, focused workshops featuring best teaching practices, community building, social-emotional learning, and other areas of interest.

• Teaching tips and tapas: A year-long lunchtime learning series where staff came together to learn and share around topics such as wellbeing, tech integration, project-based learning, and student engagement.

• Google Certification • Cross-disciplinary work and projects: Teachers At ASM we aim to facilitate student learning by developing our own practice in collaboration with others. We expect and encourage staff to participate in strategic professional learning in areas that address divisional and school-wide goals.

Collaboration: Supporting and engaging in effective collaboration, building and sustaining powerful teacher teams (aligning units, common collaborative practices) Coaching Culture: Help build a school-wide culture where giving and receiving non-evaluative feedback with an aim toward continuous growth is a way of being (coaching cycles, peer observations, lab classrooms, trust-building, co-teaching, etc.).

Student Learning: Accelerate learning and focus on instruction across content areas (promoting common instructional practices, bringing student work into conversations, teams and schools, vertical alignment).

from different content areas joined forces and engaged in planning projects and lessons together that gave students the chance to learn across grades and subject areas.

AISiS VISION STATEMENT

Collaboration with our Community: AISiS Cohorts

We are a sustainable community of international educators learning together to achieve dramatic results for teaching and learning

AISiS MISSION STATEMENT

To connect and empower a community of educators through meaningful professional learning that transforms classrooms and school

• Provide high level, ongoing professional

development in both content and instruction with international specialists

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For the last four years, The American School of Barcelona, The American School of Madrid, The American School of Valencia, and Benjamin Franklin International School have come together to deepen professional learning and collaboration amongst the three schools in order to:

• Develop ongoing, collaborative connections with

In year four of the collaborative, the learning opportunities expanded to be able to weave in more teachers across content areas, grade levels and provide leadership opportunities for teachers to learn from one another.

Despite not having the opportunity to come together in person like in previous years, we crafted a virtual learning menu that was robust and inclusive.

Virtual Professional Learning Options

YEAR-BY-YEAR COHORTS Led by external and/or internal consultants, groups of teachers will meet together multiple times across the year. deepening their learning of best practices and current research. Each cohort session will include practical application to classrooms.

CROSS-SCHOOL COLLABORATIVES Led by teacher facilitators, groups of teachers will meet to dig into a goal, taking part in action research with one another. Collaboratives may need some foundational learning at the start and will include co-constructed instructional tools and communal learning with application to classrooms.

Focused learning opportunities that are open to teachers from all schools and a variety of subject areas.

INSTITUTES AND WORKSHOPS

ASM

colleagues in Spain to raise the level of academic discourse and student achievement

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CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Overview

Curriculum Review Cycle

Every seven years, ASM takes time out of the regular movement of school operations to step back and consider the growth made across every aspect of the school from facilities to student services to our educational programs. Through this self-study which began this spring, we are able to identify and celebrate areas of growth as well as hone in on areas for improvement moving forward.

Our curriculum review cycle provides us the opportunity to focus our attention and resources toward making growth in a few key areas each year.

This year saw interesting conversations, academic plans, and positive outcomes worth celebrating.

Stakeholders from across the community, including students, staff, parents, and alumni participated by sharing their thoughts across the twelve standards of the Middle States Association self-study process.

Reflective teams were formed around each of the standards to consider and record stakeholder feedback and possible steps forward.

Next year, we will use our study results to engage in strategic planning and continue to learn and grow as an adult community alongside our students.

Each subject area moves through the phases of study, development, and implementation across three years. The following three years are intended to engage with, improve on, and otherwise monitor the work done.

The early childhood education team, 6-10 math team, K-10 PE team, 6-12 social studies team, and science teachers have all been working hard to study best practices and improve on our programs here at ASM. The dedication of these teaching teams is admirable. We deeply appreciate the work they do to create the best possible experiences for our students.

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Middle States Association Self-Study

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This year has been an important one as we continue to nurture our curriculum to meet the needs and aspirations of our community. This year we reflected on our recent growth over the last several years through the Middle States Association self-study process. We gathered as a community to voice our aspirations for ASM and turn them into a Mission Statement.

We also continued focused work on improving our education practices in some targeted areas. Despite the challenges due to uncertainty and extraordinary circumstances out in the world, this learning community really took the opportunity to set itself up for exciting growth in the coming years.

E D U C AT I O N A L T E C H N O L O GY Using music apps in K1 and K2

TEACHERS

Ms. Kellerman used three different music apps with the K1 and K2 students. The apps are geared to allow the kids to learn beats, patterns, sounds of various instruments, and much more. One of the apps, Loopimal, actually involves block coding!

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Grade 6 Science Project: The Human Impact on Climate Change Students participated in a primary research project across the entire 6th grade to discover how much waste is generated during Middle School lunch over two weeks. Researchers circulated the lunchroom in shifts collecting data about the amount and types of used plastics, how many students ordered which lunches, and how much edible food is discharged each day.

After aggregating the data, students used what they know about climate change to engage in a design thinking sprint to design a solution to a problem revealed by the data. Middle school math teachers took the data and used it as an authentic way to help students visualize volume and scale & proportion.

TEACHERS

Kim B. David H.

STUDENTS

Antonio A. Valentina W. Luis E. Theo M. Beyza O. Elena C Suntje S.

Susan K. Mr. Fletch Lori L.

Making Posters Come Alive! FOOD WEBS, ECOLOGY UNIT Students in 6th grade Science had the opportunity to app smash and show off their creativity when it came to showing their understanding in the Ecology Unit. After researching biomes, students chose a biome and created a food web from that area. They also included cycles of matter most prominent to their food web. Then the fun began! Students used Google Drawings to create a background “poster” that they then used in Thinglink. Thinglink is an online platform allowing students the ability to make their posters interactive. Important text, audio, and images “pop up” as the viewer clicks on each tag. Check it out!

Social Media Addiction

TEACHERS

Kim B. Lori L.

TEACHERS

Middle School students learned about the dangers of online digital media and social media addiction and how to structure their lives to avoid harm and maximize potential.

Alaina C. David H. Lori L.

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As an integrated part of the Middle School advisory program, David Hotler, our MS/US Technology Integration Specialist, presented to the MS students after students had reflected on their core values and created a vision board for their future. David’s presentations focused first on the dangers of social media obsession and addiction and then on how daily habits and relationships slowly shape who we become. Students were challenged to reflect on their actions and choices and develop action plans for how they might change their daily habits and routines to ensure they become the person they have set out to be.

Google Certification

Google is not just used for teaching and learning. It is the way we communicate and collaborate all over the school between offices, departments, and divisions. This year all nonteaching staff embarked on an online course to increase their use of Google tools to support these 21st-century skills.

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The mission of the EdTechTeam is to embrace the power of technology to help empower our students to personalize learning pathways, collaborate, communicate and innovate within and beyond the walls of ASM. Over the last several years, ASM has been utilizing Google Apps for Education (GAFE) as our main platform for teaching and learning. While most teachers are proficient in these tools, we wanted to support those teachers looking to “up their tech game” with these tools. We began this process in the 2019-2020 school year by offering a Google Level 1 Certification cohort. The cohort met monthly to learn more about all of the tools in the GAFE repertoire and at the end of the year, all participating teachers passed the Google Certified Educator exam. This year we extended our offering to not only include a Google Level 1 Certification cohort but a Level 2 cohort as well and have already had a huge increase in Google Certified Educators.

MORE E D U C AT I O N A L T E C H N O L O GY

9th Grade Short Stories In this authentic writing assessment project, 9th graders interviewed and wrote a short story about a 2nd grader. They utilized all of the elements of a short story, illustrated and digitized their book, then created a screencast reading the story to the 2nd-grade partner. So how did we make this work in Covid times when we have not mixed Middle and Upper School students with the Lower School students? Technology to the rescue! This year, our 9th graders used Google Meet, a video communication application, to interview their 2nd-grade students. And since everything was in Google Drive, it took just a click of a button to share all of their work with the 2nd graders. Giving feedback is a cornerstone of learning, so our 2nd graders used a digital tool called Flipgrid, to record a video to give their author feedback on their story.

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Besides offering our 9th graders an authentic audience for their work, and the ability to utilize technology tools and practice their writing skills, at the heart of this project was the collaboration and connection made between grades. This is the 8th year we have offered this project and while the way we connected changed a bit, our students enjoyed collaborating together to develop a story students will keep for years to come.

Goosechase in the New Building What’s more fun than a scavenger hunt? Well, a digital one, of course! With the completion of our new Middle School building, our students and staff were eager to get into the new space and check it out. The new building committee decided to use Goosechase, a digital scavenger hunt application, to help students navigate the new space in small teams. Some of the missions included “Sit on the big, open wooden steps in the central common area. What ideas do you have of how to use this spot? How might we use the big screen?”, “Where would you go if you arrived late to school?”, and “Take a team selfie in front of your English classroom.” Students loved the adventure and the ability to explore in teams.

TEACHER

Lori L.

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IB SCORES

ASM Average

World Average

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature

5.73

5.13

Group 2: Language Acquisition

6.58

5.39

Group 3: Individuals and Societies

5.50

5.17

Group 4: Sciences

5.35

5.00

Group 5: Math

5.11

5.08

Group 6: The Arts

5.00

4.5

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2021

MAP SCORES

SPRING 2021

ASM student average score

ASM’s School percentile ranking

3

207.6

84

4

218.8

87

5

229.2

89

6

231.4

84

7

246.3

98

8

244.1

91

9

247.5

96

10

257.5

99

3

205.6

88

4

212.7

87

5

221.6

93

6

226.5

95

7

229.9

95

8

234.1

95

9

235.3

93

10

239.1

97

3

207.2

91

4

213.6

91

5

220.1

94

6

224.1

94

7

229.5

98

8

232.8

98

9

232.1

96

10

238.4

99

Grade

(2020 MAP norms)

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MATH

READING

LANGUAGE USE

All

EARCOS

ECIS

MAIS

NESA

ASM

3

205

201

209

204

201

205

207

4

216

209

222

215

212

213

218

5

225

217

232

224

221

221

229

6

229

222

235

228

225

227

231

7

237

229

243

235

232

234

246

8

244

236

252

242

238

240

244

9

248

240

254

247

245

242

247

10

253

248

257

255

253

249

257

READING

A/OS

All

EARCOS

ECIS

MAIS

NESA

ASM

3

202

192

201

201

199

202

205

4

210

199

210

209

207

207

212

5

216

204

216

215

213

213

221

6

221

209

220

220

218

218

226

7

225

213

224

224

223

223

229

8

230

218

229

229

227

227

234

9

232

219

228

231

230

226

235

10

234

223

228

235

233

228

239

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A/OS

ASM

MATH

STRIKING A BALANCE AFTER SCHOOL

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No matter your passion, this was a year to follow it in the ASM After-School Activities Program.

ASA Participants Breakdown by Category 2020 - 2021

ASM couldn’t wait to get offline and be back in person. Then we couldn’t wait for ASAs to start!

Staff and students were eager to sponsor and join ASAs in what was our most creative year for AfterSchool Activities. New staff and current social issues drove our offering this year expanding to 22 new (or long-absent) ASAs. Upper School dove into new serious topics such as Philosophy and Historical/ Political Debate, while the revived Gardening Club in the Lower School used their maker skills to plan, prepare, and grow their own vegetables on campus and partnered with the Upper School Environmental Club to maintain the crops. This effort was able to offer healthy school-to-table options to staff in only a few short months.

Physical distancing limits and decreased activity capacity due to COVID didn’t hold participation back. 40% of our ASM student population managed to pack into 80+ offerings during each session this academic year filling a total of 1227 ASA spots.

Students sought a balance of both online and offline extracurriculars following Virtual Learning in Spring 2020. Although disappointed with the lack of interschool competitions, our student coders/creators signed up in record numbers for STEM ASAs such as Math Team, WeDo, Boost, and Mindstorm robotics, Robogirls, Scratch Jr., Minecraft, Stop Motion Video Club, MakerSpace, Intermediate STEM, Lego Building, and Jr. Engineers. At the same time, students were keen to balance out their technology options with other active ASAs such as Yoga in all divisions, Karate, MS Basketball for All, American Touch Football, Tennis, Wiffle Ball, and Sports Sampler. MS/ US Caring Hands, Global Citizens Club, and supported community well-being, and performing arts such as Ballet, Middle Earth Players, Spanish Theater, and US Boomwhackers fostered student expression.

Several ASAs were inspired by recent global events and concerns. One student who attended Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corp during the pandemic turned his concern into action and initiated the MS Climate Change Club. Social Justice events across the world stimulated the birth and interest in an ASA called Addressing Injustices in Our Communities.

51.0%

14.3%

Tech / STEM

Academic

11.5%

12.3%

Active/ Sports

Community/ Wellness

3.6%

7.3%

Creative Arts

Performing Arts

388

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS representing 40% of our eligible students

22

new ASAs

80+

options each session

P. 5 1 ASM

HIGHLIGHTED ASA

By Jen Parker

The Climate Change Club was a student-run MS ASA. Each week, the lead student would prepare a short lesson about climate change followed by a Kahoot. Many of the older students loved the Kahoot quizzes which were educational, humorous, and fun. Early in the school year, the students formed teams and pitched ideas to raise awareness or fight climate change. They decided to raise money and plant trees on campus. Three olive trees ended up being donated and the whole club got busy digging holes for them. They were also able to provide large potted plants for the new MS building. The goal for 2021-22 is more projects and a rotation of planners to give more members leadership opportunities.

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AT H L E T I C S

By Juan Carlos Herrera Athletics Coordinator

We have had an unprecedented year due to COVID-19, where all sports have suffered a lot.

At the beginning of the school year, we piloted with older students, JV and Varsity teams, to see how we could keep our sports program open, giving our students the best possible program but, at the same time, keeping everyone safe. After two months of hard work, lots of disinfectant spray, and gel, we learned that we were doing things well and that it was safe to open the sports activities to the rest of our school members. We opened the rest of the sports activities in November. All ASM students and families were very happy to finally be able to do their favorite sport after nine months of not being able to do so!

Unfortunately, the Pozuelo Municipal League did not open throughout the entire year, and we were not

able to compete with our teams. It has been very difficult to keep our athletes motivated without a competition but we managed to do so with the help of everyone, coaches, athletes, and parents. Kudos to all of you!

We have found out, the hard way, how difficult it is to practice a sport without competing. Although we knew how important having competitions is, we never stopped to really think how fundamental it is for the development of our athletes to have the “assessment”, the Saturday game, the competition, in order to keep our athletes motivated, to learn and improve in the sport. We look forward to having our competitions re-established in the 2021-2022 season!

Even though we were not able to compete, our numbers were still very high! Congratulations to all of you for your perseverance and resilience in the toughest year we have ever had to live when it comes to sports.

Athletics in numbers

A total of

712 STUDENTS

participated in one or more of the athletics teams and/or activities

P.53

Boys & Girls Soccer 238 students

ASM

Boys & Girls Basketball 107 students

Boys and Girls Volleyball 106 students

Co-ed Golf MS & US 7 students

Girls Gymnastics Program 62 students

Co-ed Cheerleading MS & US 19 students

Competitive teams Non-competitive teams Both competitive and non-competitive teams Fitness Center activity

Fitness Center Program 69 students

A TRIBUTE TO ASM RETIREES Mike Tribe Mike Tribe retired in June 2021 after teaching at ASM for more than 40 years.

ASM

P.54

His main focus was History, including World History.

Mike also coached soccer. He’ll be remembered for taking children on fishing trips, for making new teachers feel welcome, and for defending staff rights on the Comité.

ASM’s Headmaster Ben Weinberg says: ‘Mike Tribe is the kind of teacher students tell their children about. His love of history was an inspiration for his students. His focus on evidence and logic in writing gave them the tools to be successful whatever their area of study or work. Mr. Tribe is the teacher visiting alumni wanted to reconnect with and he always remembered them and their families and always had time for them. Mr. Tribe was the colleague you went to for advice and could count on for support’.

40+

YEARS AT ASM

By Emily Kutz Lower School teacher When Carol Vaughan began working at ASM 40+ years ago, she walked into what she recalls as a beautiful campus with only 400 students and a friendly atmosphere. Over the years, many changes have been made, colleagues have come and gone, but she states that ASM “continues to be a happy place where families and students come first.”

Through her roles as an assistant in Grades 1 through 4, as well as K2 teacher and now K1 teacher she has impacted the lives of countless students.

Some of her fondest memories are of Halloween, San Isidro, and Teacher Appreciation day celebrations.

She hopes students can remember her class as a happy place where learning is enjoyable and her advice to them is “work hard and enjoy your time in school.”

Looking back on her time at ASM, Carol has seen it all. One of the funniest memories she has was when she was counting how many students were in her class and realized that one was missing. She kept counting and became worried as she checked the bathroom and hallway. After searching high and low, she heard giggles coming inside the toy refrigerator.

When she opened it, the child was inside looking at his favorite book. At the end of the day when the student’s parents arrived, they laughed as well as this was apparently a common occurrence. ​ arol also had the joy of watching her two daughters C grow up at ASM. They attended from K2 until Grade 12 and have a lot of special memories from their time. Her daughter Alexandra now teaches Grade 5

P.55

40+

YEARS AT ASM ASM

Carol Vaughn

and 6 in Asturias as well as taking care of her two young children. Her daughter Jessica is a practicing veterinarian in Bordeaux, France. Carol states that she is forever grateful to ASM for the excellent education and experiences her daughters received.

As Carol moves forward into her retirement we wish her well! She states that she will miss ASM very much!

The friends she has made and the love and respect she has felt during her time here will be missed, but she is excited about retired life. Her plans include seeing her grandchildren more often as well as using her time to take some History classes and enjoy local tours. Carol will be missed at ASM, however, we hope she enjoys her well-deserved retirement!

Lori Anderson Lori Anderson retired just before Winter Break, in December 2020. She taught at ASM for more than 40 years and her sons - Alex and Chris - studied at ASM. Lori sang in the faculty choir and her love of early Spanish history and geology as well as her infectious school spirit enriched her teaching.

Lori is also known for being an intrepid walker and explorer. She has walked most if not all of the Camino de Santiago and made a habit of visiting castles in Spain.

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Known for her smile and caring nature, Lori taught Grade 4 most recently.

Grade 5 teacher Chris Wilson says: ‘Lori welcomed me onto the 4th-grade team with her characteristic warmth, kindness, and boundless energy. Over the years she showed incredible selflessness and dedication to her students and colleagues, through both small and large actions. Her passion for learning was infectious and she brought a sense of joy to the 4th-grade team that lifted all of us up. Lori is a singular force who has made a tremendously positive impact on the ASM community. I am lucky and honored to have worked with and learned from her. Bravo Lori! We miss you every day.’

40+

YEARS AT ASM

P.57 Gary Hamblin retired in June 2021 after teaching at ASM for more than 25 years. During US elections, there were debates in his classes and he organized staff and student voting. One colleague described him as ‘the US History teacher par excellence’. Gary also took students to THIMUN several times and sponsored ASAs, including Film Club and American Touch Football.

ASM’s Headmaster Ben Weinberg says: ‘Students remember Gary Hamblin’s Boston accent and his passion for American history. They took with them his insistence for clarity and focus in writing and the ability to think on their feet in debates and discussion. Dedicated to the community, whether in the classroom or in the school as a whole, Mr. Hamblin served for many years as President of the Comite de Empresas and Head of the Social Studies Department’.

25+

YEARS AT ASM

ASM

Gary Hamblin

BUSINESS

Despite the many uncertainties we faced in the 2020-21 school year, ASM was able to respond and adapt to change while remaining financially stable.

Noteworthy In 2021, donations from families increased.

These donations and the support they represent are an important development in both the ASM budget and culture. Thanks to these contributions, the school will be in a better place to improve aspects of our program and our facilities and to develop our most important resource, our faculty and staff.

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P.58

Many families in our community were affected by the pandemic. Whether in our industries, in our companies, or in our personal lives, all of us experienced some degree of disruption and change. While there were some shifts in enrollment patterns from past years with families needing to relocate or adjust their plans, the number of students remained stable.

Despite difficulties and some delays due to the pandemic and later the record snows brought by Filomena, ASM Middle School students and staff were able to move into the new Middle School building in late April 2021. This completed one of the most important phases of the current ASM Facilities Master Plan. The new Middle School is the last major new construction, all other phases of the Master plan call for the renovation of existing buildings and facilities.

Revenue

1%

2%

1% 0%

1% 0%

98% 97%

Grants & donations Other income Tuition & fees

Headcount

990

977

980 960

943 146

920

873

873

156

149

145

900 880

2019/2020

2020/2021

1,000

940

Interest & exchanges Transport

Enrollment continues to be the main source of income for the school, accounting for 97% of the total.

Enrollment vs

0%

0%

884

165

250

974 180

189

192

200

150

881 100

860 50

840 820 800

0 13/14

14/15

15/1 6

16/17

17/18

18/19

19/20

20/21

Revenue 0% 1%

2%

0% 1% 1% 0%

0%

Tuition & fees

2020/2021

Interest & exchanges

2019/2020

Grants & donations Transport Other income

97%

98%

Expenses 1%

8% 0%

1% 2% 6%

5%

7% 0%

Salaries, benefits, & social charges

5%

6%

Professional development

1%

1%

Educational program expenses

2020/2021

2019/2020

General & contracted expenses Tax expenses Depreciation Interest & exchanges

77%

P.59

2%

77%

ASM

Assets 2% 2% 19%

2%

2020/2021

Fixed assets

2019/2020

Current assets Cash & equivalents

79%

96%

Liabilities 16%

15% 2%

2%

Current liabilities

2019/2020

2020/2021 82%

83%

Long-term liabilities Equity & reserves

Calle América, 3 Pozuelo de Alarcón Madrid, 28224 www.asmadrid.org