Annual Report 2010-2011

CELEBRATING COMMUNITY SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL 2010-11 Annual Report

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL Mission

The Singapore American School is committed to providing each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective.

Vision

The Singapore American School inspires a passion for learning, encourages emotional and intellectual vitality, and empowers students with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and to achieve their dreams.

Vital Few

■■ Academic Rigor ■■ Professional Excellence ■■ Extraordinary Care for the Welfare of Each Child The Vital Few are three operational imperatives that guide the school in achieving excellence as a world class leader in education.

Desired Student Learning Outcomes

■■ Exemplary Character with Ability to Work Independently and Collaboratively ■■ Critical and Creative Thinkers ■■ Engaged and Responsible Citizens ■■ Effective Communicators The Desired Student Learning Outcomes, along with the school’s adopted curriculum, provide direction and create the substance of the school’s academic program.

Core Values

■■ Compassion ■■ Honesty ■■ Fairness

■■ Responsibility ■■ Respect

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL 2010-11 Annual Report Table of Contents From the Board Mission Focused

4

From the Superintendent Reflections on 2010-11

6

A Focus on Learning

8

College Admissions

12

Demographics 15 Primary School

18

An Exceptional Year of Learning

Intermediate School

20

Coming Together as a Community of Learners

Middle School

23

An Engaging Program for the Middle Years

High School

24

The Many Measurements of Success

Advancement 26 Connecting Community... for Every Child

Financial Report

30

Parents as Partners

32

SAS Alumni

33

Board Chair Comments

MISSION FOCUSED

A

s a guiding principle, I believe that every decision made by the Board should support the school’s mission.

That mission is to provide “each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective.” It is an inclusive, broad, and challenging mission with each word holding a special meaning. I would like to share with you some of the progress we made in 2010–11 in furtherance of this great mission.

World Language Program The Board approved the creation of a world language program in grades K to 5, offering our students a choice of Chinese or Spanish.

This program will commence in the 2012–13 school year. We also approved a proposal to offer daily Chinese language in grade 6 starting in the 2011–12 school year, complementing our existing world language program in grades 7 to 12. We believe that world languages are a core component of an exemplary education, not just in the Middle and High Schools, but also in our Primary and Intermediate Schools. Research shows that students are better able to learn a language in their early years, and language provides a doorway into understanding a culture and different perspectives. The goal over

4

Annual Report 2010-11

the medium term is to ensure that our world language program becomes exemplary, and in the longer term, we envision SAS becoming recognized as a global leader in Chinese language acquisition as we take greater advantage of our location in Singapore.

2011–12 Budget The Board approved a 2011–12 budget reflecting an average increase in total tuition and fees for a returning student of about 2.5%, the lowest percentage increase in the last three years (6.3% in 2008–09, 7.5 % in 2009–10, and 5.6% in 2010– 11). The cost increase was necessary to provide (i) competitive compensation and benefits to our most important asset—our faculty and staff, and (ii) additional positions necessary to deliver an exemplary education to our children. Several members of the community have asked the Board to provide further clarity on the longer term trends for tuition and fees so that families can plan more effectively. While it is very difficult to predict these trends, the Finance Committee is working on a multi-year plan and anticipates being in a position to present its views to the community not later than the annual budget presentation for the 2012–13 school year.

Singapore American School

From the Board

Investments To better manage our risk and improve our ability to grow our financial assets over time, the Board adopted a new investment policy statement and strategic asset allocation recommended by the Investment Advisory Committee. With these changes, the management of our operating reserves, facility reserves, and endowment was moved from a single portfolio manager to six different investment managers each focused on a specific asset allocation.

Endowment The school continued its efforts to develop additional sources of revenue through donations and building the endowment. Donations for 2010–11 reached S$1.1 million and the guaranteed placement program generated S$4.5 million in revenue helping the endowment grow to S$20 million. The long-term goal is to enable SAS to enhance its educational programs while mitigating the impact of any cost increases on tuition and fees. As it will take us several years to reach our first stage endowment target of S$50 million, I would like to share with you an ancient Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

EGM The Board organized an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in May 2011 at which the members of the school unanimously approved a change in our legal name to “Singapore American School Limited” from “The American School Trust Limited” to comply with the Singapore government’s new Private Education Act that does not allow any school to have a legal name that is different from its trade name. At the same EGM, a vast majority (71% in favor) of our community agreed that it would improve the school’s governance to change the timing of the annual election of the Board of Governors from the month of October to the month of May. However, this majority fell short of the required 75% approval needed to make the change. Due to the high percentage of votes in favor of making this change, the Board and the community should continue to discuss the merits of making this change in the future.

Strategic Beliefs and Goals The Board held a one-day weekend retreat in April where we agreed on a statement of strategic beliefs and goals that will guide the work of the Singapore American School

Board. These beliefs and goals are that SAS is a private institution with a public purpose, serving in priority the American community and related constituencies, that is committed to: i.

A mission to provide each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective;

ii.

Adhering to an open admissions policy;

iii. Attracting, developing, and retaining a world-class faculty; iv. Aiming for parity with the top 10% of high socio-economic American public schools in terms of academic performance and college acceptance; v.

Growing or entering partnerships in ways which strengthen academic opportunities for our students;

vi. Building an exemplary Chinese language program; vii. Developing an advancement program to ensure financial resilience and support new programs; and viii. Deepening ties with top Singapore institutions.

To reach these goals, we will ensure that the school has a leadership team with the skills and passion to achieve these aspirations, and we will measure academic performance against a clear set of key learning indicators.

Thank you for the opportunity to share with you some of the progress made in 2010–11.

We are honored to serve on the Board and are committed to ensuring that the Board fulfills its responsibilities to uphold the SAS mission so that each child receives an exemplary American education with an international perspective.

We are dedicated to providing the children who follow in their footsteps with the same outstanding opportunities that students enjoy today. We truly want to help all children achieve their dreams. Thank you for the trust you place in each of us.

Rudy Muller Chairman, Board of Governors, 2010–11 Annual Report 2010-11

5

REFLECTIONS ON 2010-11

W

elcome to the 2010-11 Annual Report, a publication that celebrates the community of learners we know as Singapore American School. This report shares the evidence of our progress in delivering on our mission of providing each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective. Throughout the course of each year, we collect and analyze a wide variety of data to assess our progress in successfully serving our students in their journey of learning, growth, and development. This report is one means through which we can share with the broader school community the more

6

Annual Report 2010-11

significant conclusions of our analysis as well as information that provides insights into the nature of the school experience for students during the 2010–11 school year.

Many members of our community—current students and parents, faculty, staff, and alumni— describe the transformative power of the SAS experience in their lives. During the past year parents have shared with me the powerful and life-changing impact their time at our school has had on the lives of their children. These comments reflect the confident manner in which students see themselves, their ability to affect Singapore American School

From the Superintendent

positive change in the world, and their capacity to see the world through a more global lens as a result of their time at SAS. This report reflects what is valued through the lens of our Vital Few. Academic rigor is demonstrated through data benchmarked against a number of key external assessments and college admissions for the Class of 2011.

Extraordinary care for the welfare of each child is highlighted through the ongoing commitment of the faculty and staff to provide a comprehensive range of learning experiences for students in an environment that places a priority on our Core Values of compassion, fairness, honesty, respect, and responsibility. And finally, the ongoing commitment to professional excellence is evidenced by many of the performance indicators reflected in this report.

The 2010–11 Annual Report also provides an overview of our student demographics that highlights the amazing diversity of our student community, an update on the financial health of SAS, and the variety of parent and school partnerships that are so important to sustaining a vibrant school community.

At the core of an exemplary American education with an international perspective is the emphasis on a liberal arts education. SAS provides students with the opportunity to be actively engaged in their learning in a manner that acknowledges the importance of the development of the whole student. The program places a priority on the balance between core academic learning and a broad range of experiences that include visual and performing arts, world languages, health, and physical education.

This report is dedicated to everyone who has contributed to the successes of 2010–11. We have an amazing group of students who daily commit to being engaged in those experiences Singapore American School

that contribute to their learning. We are fortunate as a learning community to work with a wonderful group of parents who are true partners in the education of their children. Finally, SAS is dominated by a deeply committed and dedicated faculty and staff.

Although there is tremendous professional pride in the accomplishments represented in this report, there is also an abiding commitment to identify ways in which we can work to improve in 2011–12 and beyond. The commitment to continuous improvement is one of the characteristics that has contributed to the success of SAS. During our 55-year history, the faculty and staff have always looked for ways to further improve. Such is the case as we turn our attention to 2011–12.

However, we take a moment via this report to reflect upon those things that contributed to SAS inspiring a passion for learning, encouraging emotional and intellectual vitality, and empowering students with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and achieve their dreams in 2010–11. There are many stories of which we are all very proud as a community of learners.

Thank you for your contributions to the successes reflected in the lives of our students over the course of 2010–11.

Brent Mutsch, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

Annual Report 2010-11

7

A FOCUS ON LEARNING Singapore American School is committed to supporting the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of all students in a caring learning environment. While this report presents some of the standard ways that performance is recognized, they do not capture the qualitative areas of student development that are frequently stronger predictors of success in school and

High Praise for SAS Singapore American School received its midterm on-site Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visitation related to school accreditation in April of 2011. The visiting team offered high praise for significant progress over the past three years. While receiving between two to four commendations is common, SAS was honored with the following nine: ■■ Visionary leadership ■■ Five cultural shifts contributing to enhanced student learning ■■ Board’s support for the implementation of the Student Learning Strategic Plan ■■ Teaching and administrative staff who directly participate in the subject area renewal cycle ■■ Quality assessment approaches ■■ Increased learning opportunities within world languages (5-day a week Chinese language and launch of Japanese in middle school for 2011–12, and 4/5-day elementary Spanish and Chinese language starting in 2012–13), hiring of six additional middle school RLA teachers to support a doubling of RLA time in grades 7-8, and 28 K-8 teachers piloting service learning projects linked to school curriculum and the local community

8

Annual Report 2010-11

in life. The appropriate forum for specific and individual qualitative information occurs in ongoing formal and informal communication among students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Mark Boyer Assistant Superintendent for Learning

■■ Highly effective system of multi-year planning and execution in the areas of student learning, advancement, finance, and facilities ■■ Recognition for Board’s attention to the mission of the school and its re-affirmation of the school’s open enrollment admissions practices ■■ Staff members who contributed to improved student learning through effective integration of technology in classrooms The WASC visiting team noted, “SAS has made tremendous progress in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The traditional curriculum review cycle has evolved to a more comprehensive subject area renewal cycle where the work has expanded beyond simply looking at what we teach to looking at how data inform instructional decisions and the development of units using the Understanding by Design protocol. The work to develop a comprehensive balanced assessment system is progressing with faculty discussions around topics such as common assessments, developing quality assessments, and the various uses of assessment.

All of these discussions have been framed within the SAS Assessment Guidelines completed in August of 2010.

“The current Mid-term Visiting Committee finds that SAS has developed a targeted and focused plan of action in all areas identified in

Singapore American School

the 2007 WASC Self Study process. What has been accomplished in such a short period of time is remarkable and will no doubt, have positive impacts on student learning in the near future.

The Visiting Committee agrees with the direction of the Student Learning Strategic Plan and the major areas of focus identified in the plan for the next few years... The Mid-term Visiting Committee has only one recommendation for SAS moving forward and that is to STAY THE COURSE.” The WASC Visiting Committee recognized the importance of the following five cultural shifts in which divisions and the school are engaged: ■■ A shift from annual goals to a multi-year planning process ■■ A shift from an emphasis on teaching to an emphasis on learning ■■ A shift from independence to interdependence (i.e., professional learning communities and team agreements) ■■ A shift from assessment of achievement to assessment of learning (i.e., learning growth within a year and longitudinally) ■■ Isolated beliefs and operations to a school wide focus on learning (i.e., common understanding, beliefs, and practices)

Singapore American School

In the closing notes, the committee commented, “The importance of these five cultural shifts is not to be underestimated. Shifting the culture of any organization is a challenge. In a school as large as SAS and with such a long history, it is especially complex. SAS has been successful in creating these shifts in a very short period of time. Therefore it is reasonable and expected that not all stakeholders are as yet on the same page. It is equally reasonable and expected that further refinement and clarity regarding what these cultural shifts look like will take place as SAS moves forward with its work. What is most remarkable about this transformative work taking place at SAS is that the structures and systems that have been put in place are extremely coherent and aligned. The current Student Learning Strategic Plan (five year plan) developed in response to the WASC Self Study process in 2007 has led to the identification of five desired shifts in the culture of the school which in turn has led to the identification of five strategic objectives, which has led to the identification of an annual work plan. The activities and tasks all tie back to the Student Learning Strategic Plan.

It is the experience of the Visiting Committee that this degree of coherence and alignment is uncommon among international schools.”

The high praise that is recognized throughout this report is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of all members of the SAS school community.

Annual Report 2010-11

9

Areas of Focus in 2010-11 SAS engages in a systematic subject area renewal cycle that involves deep study and review, revision, and refinement of curriculum to support current best practices, student learning needs, and the purchase of classroom resources. The reading language arts (RLA) English curriculum was significantly enhanced in 2010-11 for all grade levels with the articulation of specific student learning outcomes. Nearly one million dollars was spent school wide in purchasing quality classroom materials in RLA/English.

Other subject area curriculum upgrades occurred in art, dance, music, and theater.

To create strong alignment with the school’s curriculum, SAS adopted Understanding

by Design as its approach to classroom unit development, which further deepens critical and creative thinking, understanding, and inquiry within subject areas. Excellent progress was made in unit development in science, PE, health, RLA/English, and the arts. In 2008–10, SAS served as the regional center for UbD trainer support, with participation from educators from 30 international schools.

A director of Chinese language was selected to provide leadership to the Chinese language program starting in the fall of 2010. To further advance quality teaching and learning, SAS established a partnership with the Singapore

10

Annual Report 2010-11

Center for Chinese Language, which identifies research-based best practices and effective use of pedagogy in Chinese language learning that best supports second language learning.

Because of the value that SAS places on service to others, a school wide service learning committee established standards that link service within the curriculum with service in the community and region. Pilot teachers in grades K-8 developed or expanded programs in 2010–11 to more completely embed service as an enriched curricular experience. The existing robust set of service programs in the High School is largely student-initiated and student-led.

The director of assessment made significant progress in quality classroom and school wide assessment practices and developed a comprehensive set of guidelines on the school’s directions in assessment for the next four years. SAS is building a school portfolio that incorporates student learning data, demographic data, perceptual data, and program data so that discussions and decisions are based on multiple perspectives. Last year, SAS initiated an assessment think tank that attracted the interest of educators from 14 international schools. SAS continues to serve as a regional resource focused on best practices in assessment.

Singapore American School

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) SAS students continue to have strong results on the ITBS as evidenced by both the high average percentile ranks at each grade level and the high percentage of students who had scores that fell in the fourth quartile.

good as or better than 78% of all other grade 3 students who took the test.

The second row for each grade (labeled SAS & High SES) indicates how the average SAS student score relates to the scores of students in schools that have a similarly high socio-economic status.

For example, the average SAS grade 3 score in reading was as good as or better than 72% of students who are in high socio-economic schools.

In the first table below, the first row for each grade (labeled SAS & National) indicates how the average SAS student score relates to the scores of all students who took the test. For example, the average SAS grade 3 score in reading was as

ITBS Average Percentile Rank by Grade Reading Total

Language Total

Math Total

SAS & National

78

80

88

SAS & High SES

72

75

82

SAS & National

79

84

87

SAS & High SES

72

80

82

SAS & National

82

84

88

SAS & High SES

75

81

83

SAS & National

83

84

85

SAS & High SES

77

81

80

SAS & National

81

81

85

SAS & High SES

78

78

81

SAS & National

81

83

86

SAS & High SES

78

81

81

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

In addition to having high average scores, a large percentage of SAS students at each grade level have scores falling in the fourth quartile, which

means that their percentile ranks are between 75 and 99. In an average distribution, you would expect to see 25% of scores in the fourth quartile.

ITBS Quartile Distribution Reading Total

Language Total

Math Total

Grade 3

Quartile 4

59%

57%

73%

Grade 4

Quartile 4

57%

68%

75%

Grade 5

Quartile 4

62%

68%

74%

Grade 6

Quartile 4

62%

68%

71%

Grade 7

Quartile 4

67%

64%

67%

Grade 8

Quartile 4

62%

72%

78%

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

11

Advanced Placement Advanced Placement (AP) exams are standardized criterion-referenced summative assessments. AP scores range from 1 to 5. A pass is given for a score of 3 or higher. SAS continues

to offer more AP courses and have more students taking AP exams than most schools in the world.

Exam results also continue to be among the highest in the world.

Advanced Placement Longitudinal Data: Composite Results % of exams

# of exams

% of students

Exams

Exams

Exams

completed

taking exams

with a 3

with a 4

with a 5

2007

1,104

40%

19%

30%

42%

92%

2008

1,245

44%

20%

30%

41%

91%

2009

1,228

47%

19%

32%

44%

94%

2010

1,336

50%

20%

31%

43%

94%

2011

1,352

56%

18%

32%

42%

93%

receiving 3, 4, or 5

College Admissions

Matriculation for the Class of 2010

0.4%

7.9%

15.9% 2.2%

73.6%

12

U.S. four-year college

204

U.S. two-year college

6

Non-U.S. college

44

Other

1

Singapore National Service

22

Annual Report 2010-11

Singapore American School

Top University Destinations for the Classes of 2007-2010 ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Boston University (28) Northeastern University (24) University of Illinois-Urbana (22) Cornell University (20) New York University (17)

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

University of Washington (16) Northwestern University (15) Purdue University (13) University of British Columbia (13) University of Virginia (13)

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

University of Arizona (13) Indiana University-Bloomington (12) Duke University (12) Carnegie Mellon University (11) Tufts University (11)

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

University of Edinburgh (UK) University of Notre Dame (2) University of Oregon University of Oxford (UK) University of Pennsylvania (2) University of Southern California (2) University of Texas, Austin University of Virginia (4) University of Wisconsin Waseda University (Japan) Yale University (2)

Matriculations for the Top 20% of the Class of 2010 ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

American University American University of Paris Boston University (2) Brigham Young University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University (2) Colgate University Columbia University (2) Cornell University (2) Dartmouth College Duke University (3) Georgetown University Johns Hopkins University

Singapore American School

■■ Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology ■■ Massachusetts Institute of Technology ■■ New Jersey Tech ■■ New York University (2) ■■ Northeastern University ■■ Northwestern University (2) ■■ Penn State-Schreyer Honors College ■■ Stanford University (3) ■■ University of California, Berkeley (2) ■■ University of Chicago

Annual Report 2010-11

13

14

Annual Report 2010-11

Singapore American School

Demographics Students by Grade Level 286

286

Gr 1

Gr 2

220

96 55

PreSch

Pre-K

309

308

286

286

286

Gr 3

Gr 4

Gr 5

305

291

274

281

Gr 11

Gr 12

HIGH SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

309

KG

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Total number of students: 3,878

Gr 6

Gr 7

Gr 8

Gr 9

Gr 10

Students by Country

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

15

Demographics Faculty and Administration Postsecondary Degrees 2%

9% 28%

14%

27%

70%

77%

Faculty

70%

Administration

Bachelor

101

Bachelor

Master

246

Master

9

Doctorate

3%

Doctorate

Total 2 17 3

Bachelor

103

Master

263 12

Doctorate

28%

25% 18%

17%

19%

18%

24%

24%

12+ years

22%

9-11 years

Faculty Years of Service

Faculty

16

Annual Report 2010-11

6-8 years

3-5 years

1-2 years

12+ years

9-11 years

6-8 years

3-5 years

1-2 years

5%

Administration

Singapore American School

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

17

PRIMARY SCHOOL An Exceptional Year of Learning

P

rimary School students—including students of the Early Childhood Center—experienced another exceptional year of learning throughout the 2010–11 school term. Through a variety of fun, engaging, and challenging learning activities students were able to experience success across the curriculum.

This building of knowledge and skills within our students has prepared them well for the next step in the education process.

18

Annual Report 2010-11

Professional Learning Communities Throughout the school year teachers worked effectively within their professional learning communities to discuss learning and the best possible methods for ensuring that students benefitted from strong teaching practices.

Operating in communities, where teachers have the opportunities to dialogue, share, and build strong working relationships on teams and between grade levels, remains an important focus for effective learning to occur and grade Singapore American School

level scaffolding of curriculum. Providing quality time for teachers to ensure they are united in their roles and consistent with best practices has enabled us to continually improve what we do for students.

Literacy Students within the Primary School were introduced to new units of learning in the area of literacy. Our teachers worked together to review the present curricular objectives for reading and writing, and then incorporated that knowledge into the development of new units of reading and writing using the Understanding by Design format. They were then able to pilot the units throughout the 2010–11 school year.

Many of the writing units were originally designed through the work of Lucy Calkins, founding director of the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College. These units were refined through our work at Singapore American School to effectively align with our curriculum, and they have become a powerful tool for promoting writing within our school. As a result, our students demonstrated a new excitement in their writing as they were motivated to experience a variety of different genres of writing. Through that wide exposure, each student found success in being able to recreate personal experiences in writing. Effective modeling of authentic writing by our teachers also inspired our students to gain a new passion and joy for writing.

The strength of our children’s reading abilities continued to blossom as evidenced through assessment that points to improved scores in the areas of fluency and comprehension. More importantly, evidence continues to be seen in the manner by which children are engaged throughout the day in choosing to actively read during free time opportunities. Another clear sign of our children’s love of reading is that the Primary School library enjoys the highest checkout rate of all four libraries across our school campus.

Mathematics Students in Primary School continue to be challenged through the Everyday Mathematics program, which is proving to be an effective and efficient means for providing appropriate mathematical understandings for our students.

We continue to challenge students in all areas of math and ensure that our students are well grounded not only in the computational approaches to mathematics, but in the ability to use critical thinking skills to work out more complex skills such as algebra, data and chance,

Singapore American School

geometry, measurement, numeration and order.

Real Life Experiences Students in the Primary School are exposed to a wide variety of other curricular experiences in social studies, science, service learning, and technology. Students conduct real life experiences through interactions within the Singapore community to learn about the cultural differences between families and groups. They eagerly visit the science lab to investigate scientific phenomena that intrigue and spark their curiosity, questions, and thinking. They interact with technology in real situations that are linked to curricular objectives. They view technology as a tool to increase the ability to learn, as well as a means to express and extend learning.

Languages Our Chinese language program continues to challenge the cultural understanding and language abilities of our students through a leveled programming model. This year we have made a commitment to investigate further expansion of language opportunities through the development of a more intensive language option for both Chinese and Spanish, which we will start in the 2012–13 school year. The 2011–12 year will find us developing curricular models that can fully support this future implementation.

Specials We continue to provide a wealth of opportunities to our students in art, music, physical education, and swimming. We are proud of our model that emphasizes our students’ participation in these areas so that at a young age children can develop their expertise and interest in some, or all, of these areas. By providing our students with an equal exposure to these specialist opportunities, we can begin to see their own developing talents and interests, and we can further encourage them to develop what may turn out to be a lifetime passion.

We continue to revitalize and reinvigorate the Primary School for our students on a yearly basis.

Creating an environment that children want to be a part of each day is our main goal. Filling our classrooms with competent, knowledgeable, and nurturing teachers ensures that children within the Primary School will be challenged to give their best on a daily basis. This combination of people, environment, and curriculum can only create a masterful opportunity for our students to enjoy what we believe is one of the best educational opportunities in the world.

David A. Hoss Primary School Principal

Annual Report 2010-11

19

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Coming Together as a Community of Learners

W

e came together as a community of learners, students, teachers, and parents alike, and throughout this year we have worked closely together for the success of our students.

Reading and Writing Through our efforts we accomplished much and have many milestones to celebrate. Among our more significant successes is the implementation of the 44 units of study in reading and writing. At the end of the 2009–10 school year, the IS teachers drafted the units; the challenge in 2010–11 was to implement them. To do this well, teachers were involved in bi-weekly professional learning community meetings, which included discussing the units, clarifying expectations, reviewing student work, and devising next steps. Teachers also participated in professional development opportunities hosted by our literacy coach, Jodi Bonnette, as well as participating in a weekend workshop with Columbia University’s Teachers College. We were also fortunate to have had visiting authors Georgia Heard and Linda Sue Park work with students and teachers alike. The result of these efforts was notable as could be seen in the writing celebrations held across the division. This year, we outlined an IS word study resource, and we drafted writing rubrics for each of the writing units in grades 3, 4, and 5.

Mathematics, Arts, PE The IS has many other accomplishments to celebrate. In mathematics, the math committee established common agreements on the teaching of open responses. With the help of our math consultant, Janis Freckmann, the division developed a new math enrichment program designed to enhance classroom learning beyond the differentiation extensions in the regular classroom and will be used in addition to our GATE (gifted and talented education) program.

The art and music departments began writing their units of study as the PE department finished theirs to bring greater consistency, coherence, and clarity to all areas of the school programs.

20

Annual Report 2010-11

Conferencing Our reasons for celebrating extend beyond our work within the core curriculum. After a yearand-a-half of meeting, the K-5 conferencing committee finalized the SAS Primary and Intermediate School Reporting System Purpose and Components, restructured the conferences, and established K-5 expectations.

Service Learning After months of planning our service learning projects, we were finally able to enact many of them and these became another highlight in our year. In grade 3, students had the opportunity to work with the residents of the Leprosy Home as well as work with a local organization called kidsREAD. A collaborative effort by the National Library Board together with the People’s Association and five self-help groups, kidsREAD promotes the love of reading and cultivates good reading habits among all young Singaporeans, in particular children from low-income families.

In grade 4, students were involved in their own Great Ocean Rescue by picking up trash at Sembawang Park. In grade 5, students traveled to the Riau Islands to participate in our annual Telunas trip. Fifty-five of our students spent months creating teaching materials for language arts and then traveled to the island school to work with students.

Partnership with Parents Our celebrations are not limited to the work of our students and staff. Parents have been equally involved, and their efforts have helped to forge an even stronger partnership. Parents participated in our Love and Logic Workshops, the Writing Workshop Parent Night, the IS Resource Parent Support Group, as well as in our many parent coffees, particularly Friendships and Bullies and Digital Citizenship.

Marian Graham Intermediate School Principal

Singapore American School

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

21

22

Annual Report 2010-11

Singapore American School

MIDDLE SCHOOL

An Engaging Program for the Middle Years

T

he Singapore American School Middle School is designed to meet the specific needs of students from ages 10-14 with strong teams of adults and programs that address the academic, social, and emotional development of the students. To ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our students, the Middle School implemented a number of improvement initiatives during the 2010–11 year utilizing the SAS Mission, Vision, and Core Values as guides for our work.

Literacy All aspects of our newly designed Middle School literacy program were launched in August 2010.

While continuing improvements are planned, the level of challenge for each student and the consistency of program among teaching teams have improved dramatically. The new program improvements include: ■■ A redesigned curriculum that offers clear and sequenced learning targets for the overall reading and language arts (RLA) program, including grammar skills that are specific to each grade level

■■ Daily explicit instruction in reading and writing for all grades ■■ A reduced teacher to student ratio in grades 7 and 8 RLA, allowing teachers to better evaluate students as readers and writers for the express purpose of improving their literacy skills ■■ The development of classroom libraries and grade level bookrooms that provide students with easy access to high interest books, with a variety of reading levels and genres Parent Forums In an effort to further develop the partnership with parents and seek opportunities for collaboration on behalf of student learning, the Middle School piloted four parent forums using parentSingapore American School

generated topics with time for open conversations.

The forums offered an opportunity for the administration to learn about parent perspectives and to begin dialogue on a number of topics that will ultimately ensure an even stronger student experience. Based on feedback from the pilot, the Middle School plans to maintain one forum per semester and increase the number of parent education coffees.

Technology As a strategic step in the Middle School’s oneto-one laptop program initiative, all grades and disciplines had access to class sets of tablet computers. This allowed students to improve their technology literacy skills and learn to care for the machines. In addition, it offered an opportunity for teachers to begin to explore and learn effective techniques utilizing technology to improve student learning. Students at each grade level were exposed to a variety of engaging learning opportunities utilizing these tools.

Scheduling Perhaps the most significant change in the Middle School was the implementation of the new schedule. The way we organize the limited time we have with students gives us power to ensure we are meeting their developmental needs and demonstrates what we value in our work with students. The new Middle School schedule provides numerous benefits including more focused academic time, grade-specific lunches that ensure students have the opportunity to socialize with their friends, exploration courses for sixth grade students to identify individual interests, an additional teamed physical education teacher to support each of the 100 students per grade level team, and the addition of a fully developed grade 6 health program.

Devin Pratt Middle School Principal

Annual Report 2010-11

23

HIGH SCHOOL

The Many Measurements of Success By all accounts, high school students experienced another very successful year in 2010–11.

Outstanding AP scores, prestigious college acceptances, and IASAS gold medals are some of the rewards earned as a result of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and counselors. These measurements of success, outlined in various ways in this broader report, only tell part of this division’s story. Success has also been measured by the extent to which we were able to learn from our challenges, reflect on our practices, and deliberately take steps toward continuous improvement.

Engaged Learning Initiative For the first time this year, high school students were required to bring personal laptops to school every day as part of our one-to-one initiative.

This initiative’s goal is to enhance learning through the use of technology and to equip students with the technology skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. Anecdotal feedback from students, parents, and teachers suggests that community members feel that the technology has facilitated their learning experience and access to information. To know when and how to use technology as an effective learning tool rather than a distracter was, and will continue to be, one of our greatest challenges. Teachers on both sides of the tech proficiency spectrum can tend to focus on technology as an end point or a roadblock, rather than on learning targets themselves. We will continue to monitor this initiative’s impact on student learning and equip our teachers and students so that they can harness this powerful learning resource.

Parent Forums PTA coffees took on a different twist this year with the introduction of regular parent forums.

In addition to offering time and place for feature presentations on priority topics, these forums were redesigned to facilitate an open dialogue between interested parents and the high school administration. With an average of 120 parents in attendance each month, the forum discussions were instrumental in bringing several issues to the top of our attention, including curricular and grading disparity between common courses, a culture of excessive drinking among high school students, and a variety of policies that needed to be clarified in order to be effective.

24

Annual Report 2010-11

The high school administration went through a systematic review of these concerns and developed plans to address them. Parent forums have provided a new avenue for parent voices to be heard and to strengthen the parent and school partnership.

Student Forums A student article written in the December edition of The Eye asked why no official forum existed for students to voice their concerns and give feedback on how things were going at the high school. The article pointed out that all other stakeholders had forums but not students. As a result, the high school administration met with student leaders to establish a student forum model. These lunchtime student forums were immediately well attended and provided a positive venue for open dialogue between the administrative team and high school students.

Issues and policies such as dress code, drug testing, homework, number of tests on any given day, and alcohol at prom were discussed in this forum. Student forums will become monthly occurrences in 2011–12 and promise to facilitate constructive dialogue and systemic change.

Professional Learning Communities As a part of our strategic plan to build more clarity, consistency, and coherence at SAS, we are emphasizing collaboration between teachers who teach a common course(s). This collaboration emphasizes developing common learning targets and common assessment standards without limiting teachers’ creativity and unique teaching styles in the classroom. To accomplish this goal we have introduced the concept of professional learning communities (PLCs), which will give teachers the time and structure to have conversations around three simple questions: What do we want our students to know and be able to do? How will we know when they know it? What will we do when they don’t know it or already do know it? PLCs will provide the platform for teachers to have rich dialogues that will have a direct impact on student learning.

Co-Curricular (IASAS) Once again, SAS high school students performed extremely well at IASAS events, taking home medals at almost every tournament. However, most noteworthy is the fact that SAS students demonstrated true character while striving for Singapore American School

victory. On many occasions IASAS coaches and administrators commented on the strength and character of SAS athletes. To quote an IASAS coach, “SAS students know how to win graciously and lose with dignity.” An IASAS principal, speaking at a closing ceremony, said, “We have learned over the years never to underestimate SAS teams. One thing we know is that no matter how far behind they are, they will never give up fighting for that victory.” This SAS spirit is something we can all celebrate.

of these were the floods in Pakistan and the earthquake and resultant tsunami in Japan.

Motivated by these events, the high school Executive Service Council went into high gear to raise money to do our part in contributing to the cause. We were successful in raising more than S$50,000 for Pakistan and more than S$125,000 for Japan. Both of these fundraising drives are a testament to the commitment of Singapore American School to our world and to those less fortunate.

Disaster Relief This school year was marked by several devastating disasters in Asia. Most notable

Dr. Tim Stuart High School Principal

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

25

W

CONNECTING COMMUNITY ...for Every Child

e are proud of our noble vision at Singapore American School—to inspire a passion for learning, encourage emotional and intellectual vitality, and empower students with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and to achieve their dreams. In short, we aim to nurture the growth and well-being of every child… of the whole child.

To accomplish this vision, we must go beyond the classroom to provide our students with learning opportunities that illustrate in real life how to solve problems, how to assess complexity, and how to make caring, thoughtful decisions that demonstrate our core values of compassion, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect.

Charitable giving to Singapore American School provides funding for academic, extracurricular, experiential, and athletic programs that complement classroom learning. These hands-on,

26

Annual Report 2010-11

experiential opportunities bring to life the skills, lessons, and values that are so important to a young adult’s acquisition of global perspective.

Your support connects our community and makes SAS a stronger, more dynamic place for our children to grow.

The SAS Foundation Ltd. is recognized by the Republic of Singapore as a charity with Institution of Public Character (IPC) status. The SAS Foundation, Inc. is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

Both foundations serve as the respective entities in Singapore and the United States for receiving and disbursing charitable donations for the benefit of advancing the mission of Singapore American School.

Michael K. Kingan Chief Advancement Officer

Singapore American School

Advancement 2010–11 Donations to Singapore American School 1956 CIRCLE

(S$50,000–above)

Hano Maeloa & Monita Harianto

Khoo Teck Puat Foundation Richard & Jacqueline Seow

EAGLE CIRCLE (S$20,000–$49,999) Jonathan & Jessika Auerbach Hae Jin & Young Rim Lee Stephen Riady & Shincee Leonardi

Kim & Birgitte Rosenkilde Sean & Lisa Wallace

TIGER CIRCLE (S$10,000–$19,999) Anonymous William Bollinger & Judith Lee Yeow Ming Choo & Angelina Zheng Oral & Vida Dawe Michael & Shelly Dee Steve Diamond & Sarah Jeffries GETCO Asia Pte Ltd – Robert Smith Brent & Maggie Mutsch Y.S. & Suzie Nam

ORCHID CIRCLE (S$1,000–$4,999)

Lars & Nene Amstrup Peng Huat & Swat Ang Richard & Ashley Barry Masoud & Maria Bassiri Deepa Bharadwaj Jungkiu Choi & Hyesook Cho Jun Won & Yoon Hee Choi Douglas & Clara Choo Kwang Hyuk Choi & Yun Kyung Park Michael & Kendall Connors Kenneth & Lauri Coulter Edward & Rachel Farrell

TRAVELER’S PALM CIRCLE (up to S$999)

Anonymous John Eric & Christina Advento Mark & Marianne Boyer Douglas Brown Mark & Lana Chauvin John & Susan Dankowski

Singapore American School

Mark Nelson & Margrit Benton Neil & Mika Parekh Edan & Bon Park Tandean Rustandy & Susan Sujanto Brent & Sandra Smith Gerry & Michelle Smith Yonggi Tanuwidjaja & Melina Tanusaputra Ee Lim & Sofina Wee Raymond & Kaori Zage David Zemans & Catherine Poyen

GECKO CIRCLE (S$5,000–$9,999) Beecher & Robin Abeles Ravi & Sunanda Agarwal Joe & Mae Anderson Jeff Bang & Young Joo Lee Bart & Valerie Broadman Wing Kwong Chan & Vivian Liu Goldman Sachs Gives Lim Meng Keng Departmental Store

Rudy & Andrea Muller Janie Darmadi Ooi Iwan Sardjono & Ingrid Prasatya Helman & Maria Sitohang SAS PTA Steven & Asa Tucker Phillip & Patricia Widjaja

Fujiwara Advisory Singapore Pte Ltd Eck Kheng Goh & Anita Fam Kyu Shik Hahn & Eui Jeong Song Bryan & Christine Henning Christopher & Lisa Hogan David Hoss William & Katherine Johnson Joosang Kim & Junga Lee Devin Kimble & Amy Sittler Michael & Maribeth Kingan Indriati Latief Shahryar Mahbub & Shazia Khawaja

David Makarechian & Sue Neufeld Michael & Anne McBrien Thomas & Kate McCabe Sanjiv & Devika Misra Alvin Nathan & Sachiko Watanabe Doug & Maureen Neihart Wai Kin Ooi Wong & Stella Manicka Vasagar Bill & Shelby Pazos Adrian & Susan Peh Tri Pham & Kelly Won Namuh & Younsoo Rhee Samuel & Heejin Rhee William & Martha Scarborough

Ravi & Priya Seshadri Keum Shik-Jimmy Shin & Seung Hee Lim Abidinsyah & Bonita Siregar Lawrence & Jane Sperling Hadiran Sridjaja & Kyung Ye Kang Tim & Mona Stuart United Parcel Services Christopher & Chantal Tan Harrison & Sheila Wang Ellen White Anthony & Rachel Wong Kwan Nga & Rosa Wong Robert Yenko & Margaret Ng

Brian Combes & Emiko Enomotos Ed & Nao Gilbreath Shawn & Marian Graham Kisul Huh & Yunghi Kim Geri Johnson Zunaid Kazi & Tamara Black Marc & Heidi L’Heureux Khushro & Meher Mehta Lands’ End Direct Merchants

Paul Welsh & Lauren Mehrbach Allan & Vicki Mitchell Kaori Ikeda Rajkumar Narayanan & Jaya Rajkumar Hanatha & Louise Perdana Judy Potter Deacon & Jennifer Powell Devin & Dianna Pratt Tom & Heather Presnail Lyn Reed

Ken Schunk Dale Smith & Tracy Meyer Nick & Jennifer Sparrow Richard & Debra Surrency Ann Tan Matthew & Agnes Wagner David & Anne Wilhoit Ed and Jill Wu Tetsuo & Shoka Yoshikoshi Jun Zhao & Kelly Tan

Annual Report 2010-11

27

Advancement Programs Supported by Donations and Distribution of Donated Funds Donations from the 2010-11 academic year will support a wide variety of in-class and extracurricular programs in every division at Singapore American School. The Board of Directors approved the distribution of S$800,000 in foundation funds to projects identified by the administration of the Singapore American School as follows:

28

S$20,000

Academic Programs Funding enhances student programs as well as the Community Library, which provides educational programs and speakers for students, parents and the school community.

S$36,500

Athletic Programs Donations support intramural and interscholastic programs by funding additional equipment and coaching staff, and when needs arise, additional teams and activities.

S$336,600

Endowment Fund Donations made in perpetuity support the school’s long-term financial health.

S$32,500

Extracurricular Programs Funding helps support extracurricular programs for students that appeal to a wide range of abilities and talents, and that provide students with multiple opportunities to explore their interests.

S$309,400

Financial Assistance for Students Donations provide tuition support for SAS families who experience financial difficulties. In addition, financial aid assists students who might otherwise be unable to participate in competitions or experiential programs outside of Singapore.

S$65,000

Community Service Programs Financial support is available for student community service projects, including challenge grants to augment student fund-raising by community service clubs and class-based programs.

S$800,000

Total Allocation

Annual Report 2010-11

Singapore American School

Advancement The Endowment Fund The endowment fund is an investment in the future of Singapore American School. The funds are intended to be held in perpetuity with distributions ultimately providing financial stability and revenue diversity in the achievement of the school’s mission.

Funds are invested to generate income that provides annual support for program development, extension, and enrichment. All growth and distributions of the funds are being

reinvested until such time as the fund reaches S$50 million.

The endowment fund is governed by the SAS Board. The management and direction of the fund are guided by the four-member Investment Advisory Committee. This committee is comprised of two SAS Board members and two financial industry professionals, all of whom are SAS parents.

Year End Endowment Fund Balance

S$500,000

S$1,400,000

S$4,900,000

S$8,200,000

S$11,200,000

S$19,800,000

Numbers are rounded

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Singapore American School

Annual Report 2010-11

29

FINANCIAL REPORT

T

he Singapore American School (SAS) is incorporated in the Republic of Singapore and recognized under the Singapore Charities Act. Accordingly, the school is governed by an elected Board of Governors who serve without remuneration, and financial surpluses, if any, may only be used for the betterment of the school.

The Director of Finance manages the school’s finances under the guidance of the superintendent. In fulfillment of its fiduciary duties, the Board of Governors provides oversight through the Finance Committee and the Investment Advisory Committee (IAC). All key financial decisions including establishment of the annual budget and schedule of fees arise from recommendations of the Finance Committee to the Board of Governors. The Board also sets the school’s investment policy with implementation of the policy and oversight of investment performance handled by the IAC through the Finance Committee.

The Board also ensures the conduct of an annual audit. The audited financials are presented here, in part, with full statements distributed separately to school families and further explanation at the Annual General Meeting in October.

The audited financial results for the 2010–11 school year compare favorably to the budget approved by the Board of Governors in March 2010. This outcome is a result of continued strong enrollment, expense management in the operating fund, ongoing success in fundraising, and increased take-up of the Guaranteed Placement Program.

Implementation of several enrollmentmanagement practices resulted in the highest ever average student count of 3,864. The result was increased tuition fee and facility fee revenues which, along with the new student registration fee, comprised 96% of total income. Other revenues, including donations, investment income, and GPP subscriptions contributed the remaining 4%.

In order to provide an “exemplary American education with an international perspective,” the school employs 348 faculty for classroom

30

Annual Report 2010-11

instruction, learning support and counseling, 229 support staff in classrooms, libraries, offices, and maintenance, and another 22 leadership team members. In total, salaries and benefits represented 82% of operating fund expense and 67% of total costs.

Providing and maintaining quality facilities to support the academic program accounts for 17% of total expenses. Significant renewal efforts in 2010–11 included a remodeling of the Intermediate/Middle School cafeteria, improvements to the Middle School science labs, renovation of the High School pool, and replacement of field lighting and seating in the athletic complex.

Learning resources including classroom and curricular materials, musical equipment, athletic supplies, and library materials account for 6% of costs. Another 3% is devoted to technology support to provide resources such as the campus wireless network, computer labs, electronic whiteboards and projectors, and computer systems for admissions and student records.

Planned Reserves, the budgetary allocation to meeting the commitment to 6 months of operating expenses, totaled 4% of expenses.

Lastly, Central Administration including Admissions, Community Relations, the Business Office, and the Superintendent’s Office accounted for 3% of expenses.

The net surplus in the Operating and Facility Funds will be added to the school’s operating and facility reserves. These reserves were established by the Board of Governors in 2007 to provide a backstop in the event of an unexpected decline in enrollment and for maintenance and renewal of campus facilities. Revenues from the Guaranteed Placement Program are added to the Endowment Fund in support of the long-term financial health of the school.

The financials comments above and the audited accounts reflect the efforts of the Board and the school administration toward maintaining and improving the school’s long term financial health.

William Scarborough Director of Finance and Business Operations

Singapore American School

Finances

School Wide Expenses for Fiscal Year 2010-11 4% Salaries & Benefits

3%

3%

6%

Campus Operations Learning Resources Planned Reserves

17%

Administration

67%

Technology

School Wide Revenues for Fiscal Year 2010-11 8%

Tuition Fees

11%

Annual Facility Fees Registration Fees Other Income

Singapore American School

4% 77%

Annual Report 2010-11

31

Parents as Partners Parent Teacher Association (PTA) The PTA plays a vital role in ongoing community building, reinforcing the partnership between home and school, and conducts fund-raising activities that benefit the school. In addition, PTA helps new families settle comfortably into the school community. PTA activities include the annual Food Fest, Book Fair, County Fair, and Gala Dinner. The funds raised through PTA events—over S$300,000 last year—support community service clubs, purchase equipment and materials for classrooms and labs, sponsor visiting authors, artists and musicians, and much more.

Booster Club The Booster Club supports high school academics, clubs, Interim Semester, Student Council, sports, and the visual and performing arts through volunteer and limited fund-raising activities. The Booster Club is especially focused on promoting school spirit and the sense of community and identity that accompanies being a part of the high school. The Booster Club operates a store on campus for the sale of uniforms, a school spirit collection, and gifts. The store is open every school day.

The Community Library

The Community Library connects parents in the SAS community through panel discussions, movie screenings, support groups, and speakers. Supported by the SAS Foundation, the Community Library furthers the partnership between home and school, and promotes a sense of community. Hosted documentary screenings included Race to Nowhere with a parent forum and HAZE The Movie. The Community Library also hosted a support group for parents of children in the Intermediate School resource learning program, as well as a presentation by Rosina Simon, SAS parent and author of Raising Dollar Smart Kids.

32

Annual Report 2010-11

Singapore American School

Alumni

SAS ALUMNI

T

he SAS alumni office sponsored another round of engaging alumni events over the course of the school year. In addition to the Young Alumni Reunion in Singapore in December 2010 and the alumni gatherings during February 2011 in Washington, DC, New York, Boston, and San Francisco, a series of roundtable discussions were introduced.

Seventy alumni from the classes of 2001–10 attended the Young Alumni Reunion at the Union Bar at The American Club in Singapore, many of whom had just finished final exams at college and returned to Singapore for the holiday break.

The roundtables in Washington, New York, and

Singapore American School

Boston were a first for SAS. In each city, six to twelve people participated in a series of engaging conversations about alumni perspectives of SAS, what they were looking for from the SAS alumni office, and ways they felt alumni might like to be connected with the school and one another. The discussions generated some great ideas that the alumni office is working into its near and longterm goals.

The February alumni gatherings were held in four cities, overlapping with the roundtables in Washington, New York, and Boston. All four events had a strong turnout in spite of challenging weather.

Annual Report 2010-11

33

Alumni 2010-11 Alumni Events Sponsored by SAS Alumni Reunions held by Alumni

Meet and Greets

■■ Class of 81, 30th Reunion: Mexico

■■ September 2010: Los Angeles, San Diego, Austin, Houston, Chicago

■■ NJoy Annual Reunion: Houston

■■ October 2010: Melbourne, Australia

■■ Class of 2001, 10th Reunion: Las Vegas ■■ Classes of 50s, 60s, and 70s Reunion: San Francisco Alumni Round Table Discussions

■■ December: Singapore ■■ February: Washington, DC, New York, Boston, San Francisco

■■ February: Washington, DC, New York, Boston

International cities with most registered

Alumni registered with SAS

members on the SAS alumni website

social media 7,050

449

LinkedIn SAS Alumni group members

SAS Alumni Facebook friends and fans

34

Alumni website community members

41

Hong Kong

Vancouver, Canada

42

491

Sydney, Australia

55

Tokyo, Japan

58 Seoul, South Korea

Toronto, Canada

Singapore

63

2,589

Cities in the United States with most registered members on the SAS alumni website 287

278 195

188

180

172

166

152

146

146 90

34

Annual Report 2010-11

43 Phoenix, AZ

51 Denver, CO

69 San Antonio, TX

Austin, TX

San Diego, CA

Seattle, WA

Boston, MA

Houston, TX

Los Angeles, CA

Chicago, IL

San Francisco, CA

Dallas, TX

Washington, DC

Philadelphia, PA

New York, NY

76

Singapore American School

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL 40 Woodlands Street 41 Singapore 738547 Phone: 65 6363 3403 www.sas.edu.sg

Singapore American School CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)