The American School of Barcelona (ASB) is an international, private, non-profit, coeducational day school serving students from 3-18 years old in the greater Barcelona metropolitan area since 1962. ASB offers a university preparatory curriculum which provides its graduates access to American, Spanish and international universities.
ASB is governed by a self-perpetuating board, with members serving three-year terms for up to a maximum of nine years. The board’s mission is to ensure the school’s long-term sustainability.
Its key responsibilities include setting the school’s vision and five-year strategic plan, approving budgets and infrastructure projects, establishing policies, and overseeing legal, financial, and compensation matters.
Dear ASB Families, Colleagues, and Friends of ASB,
It is my pleasure to share with you our Annual Review of the 2024–2025 school year. This year has been defined not only by continued progress and achievement, but by a deep and intentional focus on strengthening a culture of care and belonging across our community.
At ASB, we believe that learning thrives in an environment where every individual feels seen, valued, and connected. Over the past year, we have taken meaningful steps to ensure that this sense of belonging is felt by all students, faculty, and families. From initiatives that elevate student voice and well-being, to efforts that foster connection and collaboration among our staff, we continue to build a community grounded in empathy, respect, and shared purpose.
This work is closely aligned with our strategic priorities and reflects our ongoing commitment to developing not only knowledgeable and capable students, but compassionate and engaged global citizens. It also speaks to the strength of our community, one that embraces diversity and actively works to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all.
Within this Annual Review, you will find highlights of student learning, community engagement, and institutional progress, as well as an overview of our financial health. More importantly, it is a reflection of the people who bring ASB to life each day and the relationships that make our school such a special place.
Thank you for your continued trust, partnership, and commitment to ASB. Together, we are shaping a community where every individual can learn, grow, and truly belong. With gratitude,
Mark Pingitore Director
The support of our Rising Together Campaign (see page 52) enables us to accelerate components of our strategic plan this year, setting a strong foundation for the coming years.
During the 2024-2025 school year, we took several important steps to strengthen student support, inclusion, and pathways for success.
To expand graduation options for our students, we planned for the launch of the IB Careerrelated Program and successfully completed the IB Careers Program site visit.
In partnership with Dr. Derrick Gay, an Intercultural Strategist, all staff participated in professional learning focused on inclusion and intercultural competence. In addition, we launched a Care and Belonging Committee dedicated to reviewing data, aligning language and purpose, and planning ongoing professional development.
Within our English Language Center, we were proud to introduce a scholarship program for up to ten students whose families demonstrate financial need, reinforcing our commitment to access and belonging.
We prioritized the alignment of priority standards across subject areas to ensure that curriculum, instruction, and assessment remain focused on the most essential knowledge and skills students need to master. This work strengthens coherence across divisions and supports deeper learning experiences for all students.
We continued to refine design plans for future campus renovations, including an extension of the High School, a new gymnasium in the space currently housing the blue gym, and new cafeteria, library, and auditorium facilities. We are currently awaiting the necessary permits to begin construction and look forward to sharing updates as this exciting work progresses.
Our mission is to empower preschool through 12th grade students to become global citizens with the critical thinking skills and the selfconfidence to maximize their potential.
The American School of Barcelona inspires students to lead with integrity, to be openminded, and to make the world a better place.
Spanish learning in the Early Childhood Center is rooted in play, inquiry, and real-world experiences. Through songs, stories, messy play, projects, and community exploration, students develop listening and speaking skills while building confidence and cultural awareness. These joyful experiences also support key transdisciplinary skills such as communication, curiosity, resilience, and creative thinking.to gather input on what they wanted in their dream play space.
The result is a fantastic, student-designed playground that fosters fun, creativity, and active play for years to come!
This year, the Early Childhood Center introduced Open Doors, a program designed to build curiosity, empathy, creativity, and problem-solving through play. Students participated in shared learning stations across age groups, strengthening community while engaging in hands-on exploration. Teachers used these experiences to closely observe student growth and collaboration.
This year, our teachers dedicated time, creativity, and collaboration to develop integrated units across languages in Sociales helping students make meaningful connections between English, Spanish and Catalan. This intentional work allowed learners to explore complex concepts from multiple perspectives, strengthening both their academic understanding and multilingual fluency. Three standout examples of this integration include:
Grade 3
Students explored ecosystems and habitats, connecting science and social studies concepts through languages to better understand how living things interact with their environment.
Grade 4
A deep dive into prehistory and ancient civilizations helped students explore human development, culture, and innovation across time.
Grade 5
The year culminated in a vibrant, hands-on Medieval Fair, where students brought their learning to life through research, role play, and rich storytelling—all supported in English, Spanish and Catalan.
We proudly continued our tradition of learning beyond the classroom with successful overnight trips across every grade level. These experiences provided our students with meaningful opportunities to extend their learning beyond the walls of our school, helping children build independence, responsibility, and resilience.
This year also marked an exciting milestone for our Elementary School - our very first participation in an AMIS festival! Ten talented students from Grades 4 and 5 traveled to Madrid for 4 nights and 5 days to perform in the AMIS Honor Choir.
Our young musicians worked hard to prepare and proudly represented our school, not only through their beautiful voices but through their dedication, teamwork, and joy.
Maggie Stuhan Middle School Principal
This year marked the first Week Without Walls experience for Grade 7 students. At the start of the school year, students spent four days in the stunning Horta de Sant Joan and Parc Natural dels Ports. Trading classroom routines for outdoor adventure, they hiked, biked, rock climbed, and explored canyoning, pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones. Most importantly, the experience fostered meaningful connections, helping students build strong relationships and a sense of community as they began the year together.
In the spring, our annual service and team building trips took on a more student driven focus, with an increased emphasis on meaningful local engagement.
Grade 6 students led a Middle School wide collection of hygiene items in collaboration with the local organization Esperança, assembling care packages to support members of the local homeless community.
Grade 7 and Grade 8 students participated in a variety of service experiences close to home, volunteering in Elementary School and Early Childhood Center classrooms, spending time with residents at Asproseat (an adult learning center) and Orpea (an elderly home), and helping care for Collserola park.
The day concluded with time for connection and fun, allowing students to strengthen friendships and enjoy shared experiences through activities such as karting, climbing, and visits to a local trampoline park.
In the fall, the High School celebrated its first House Olympics, organized by the Student Council. Students competed as members of four houses-Apollo, Poseidon, Athena, and Artemis-in a full day of friendly competition.
From dodgeball and ultimate frisbee to ping pong and a high energy dance off, the event was filled with teamwork, school spirit, and fun. The day concluded with a spirited tug of war between students and teachers, bringing the High School community together and strengthening connections across all grades.
ASB was proud to launch a new partnership with PreventionEd, a global substance use prevention organization, to support student well-being and informed decision-making. Founder Katie Greeley spoke with middle and high school students, as well as parents, about the risks associated with addiction, gambling, vaping, alcohol, and other substances, emphasizing strategies for making healthy, informed choices. She also shared her personal journey of addiction and recovery, offering a powerful and relatable perspective for our community.
Aston University, Birmingham
British Academy of Jewellery
Brunel University London
Cardiff University
City St. George’s, University of London
Durham University
Edge Hill University
ESCP Business School
Glasgow School of Art
Goldsmiths, University of London
King’s College London, University of London
Kingston University
Leeds Arts University
London South Bank University
Loughborough University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Newcastle University
Queen Mary University of London
Regent’s University London
Royal Holloway, University of London
St George’s, University of London
St Mary’s University, Twickenham
The University of Edinburgh
UCL (University College London)
University For the Creative Arts
University of Bath
University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
University of Chichester
University of East London
University of Exeter
University of Glasgow
University of Kent
University of Leeds
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
University of Manchester
University of Nottingham
University of Southampton
University of St Andrews
University of Surrey
University of Sussex
University of the Arts London
University of Warwick
University of Westminster, London
University of York
CUNEF Universidad
of Arts, Barcelona Instituto Europea Di Design Barcelona Instituto Quimico de Sarria (IQS)
La Salle - Ramon Llull University
Universidad Europea de Canarias
Universidad Europea de Madrid
Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
University of Navarra
OTHER EU
Aalto University
Copenhagen Business School
ESCP Business School - Paris
ESSEC Business School
Frankfurt School of Finance and
Management
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Panthéon Sorbonne
Politecnico Di Torino
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Arizona State University
Babson College
Bentley University
Boston University
Brown University
California College of the Arts
Colorado College
Cornell University
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Duke University
Foothill-De Anza Community College
District
Fordham University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
Haverford College
Hofstra University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Indiana University-Bloomington
Kent State University At Kent
Louisiana State University
Loyola Marymount University
Michigan State University
Middlebury College
Amsterdam University College
Eindhoven University of Technology
Erasmus University College
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Leiden University College The Hague
Maastricht University
NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
Saxion University of Applied Sciences
University College Maastricht
University College Twente
University College Utrecht
University of Amsterdam
University of Groningen
University of Twente
Utrecht University
New York Institute of Technology
North Carolina State University At
Raleigh
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Pomona College
Pratt Institute-Main
Purdue University-Main Campus
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Santa Clara University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Stanford University
Susquehanna University
Syracuse University
Temple University
Texas A & M University-College Station
The New School
The Pennsylvania State UniversityMain Campus
Tufts University
Tulane University of Louisiana
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Davis
University of California-Irvine
University of California-Los Angeles
REST OF THE WORLD
Carleton University
Emirates Aviation University
McGill University
McMaster University
Queen’s University
The University of Hong Kong
University of Ottawa
University of Toronto
Western University
University of California-San Diego
University of California-Santa Cruz
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign
University of Iowa
University of Massachusetts-Boston
University of Miami
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Missouri-Columbia
University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Virginia-Main Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Vanderbilt University Vassar College
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Wake Forest University
Williams College
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) is a rigorous, two-year pre-university curriculum for students aged 16 to 19. Recognized worldwide, it emphasizes critical thinking, research skills, and global awareness.
ASB encourages all students who have the possibility of meeting the program requirements to pursue the IB Diploma.
ASB uses MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) to help inform instruction and measure student growth. MAP is an adaptive assessment taken by students in grades 2-10.
16% of students scored 40 points or higher on the 2025 exam.
Throughout the year, ASB strengthened its sense of community and belonging through a variety of cultural celebrations that were open to all members of our school community.
Whether families were celebrating their own traditions or learning about others, these events offered meaningful opportunities to connect, reflect, and share. Together, they highlighted the rich diversity of ASB and the value of honoring different cultures through shared experiences.
In the spring, ASB families gathered to celebrate Passover with members of our Jewish community. Families shared traditional foods and personal stories, offering insight into how this important holiday is observed in their homes.
Eid was marked with a warm morning gathering over coffee and traditional sweets. Families from Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Algeria, Iran, and beyond shared their unique traditions, sparking thoughtful conversations and deepening cultural understanding across our community.
Our community came together to welcome the Year of the Snake during a vibrant Chinese New Year celebration. Nearly fifty community members participated, with parent volunteers helping to decorate the campus and bring this Chinese cultural tradition to life.
The partnership between the school and parents is a vital part of the ASB experience, fostering collaboration to support student success and creating a shared sense of belonging.
The ASB Parents Association (PA) plays a leading role in fostering the parent-school partnership, driving participation in school wide events, encouraging volunteerism, and supporting communication between the school and families.
Welcome Coffees
Ice Cream Social
Halloween
Winter Bazaar
Valentine’s Day
Easter bunnies
International Day
Staff Appreciation Breakfast
Marta Vernet Head of Activities and Community Service
This year, our service learning program demonstrated the power of continuity and long-term engagement, showing how sustained initiatives can create meaningful change in both students and communities.
RefugArt celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of commitment to the refugee cause. To honor this milestone, an all-school event engaged more than 500 students—from 4th to 11th grade—in interactive projects designed to raise awareness and inspire action. The Middle School Art Department created an immersive experience using student artwork to simulate the journey of a refugee, allowing participants to connect deeply with the issue.
Now in its sixth year, the mission to Botswana further exemplified the impact of ongoing partnerships. This year, students and faculty brought a higher-capacity Starlink connection, created a cyber café with a library, and launched the first-ever after-school program for elementary refugee students, including robotics, sports, and art activities. In recognition of ASB’s continued support since 2019, the Ministry of Justice sent a letter personally signed by the Minister, acknowledging the school’s commitment and positive influence.
It was another outstanding year for ASB Athletics. The school fielded 22 competitive teams across a variety of sports and grade levels. Teams competed at multiple levels, including Escolar and the Catalan Federation, and participated in both the IBERIA Conference against four schools in Spain and the European Sports Conference, which brings together twelve schools from across Europe.
Middle School Boys Basketball in Barcelona
Middle School Boys Basketball in Barcelona
Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball in Barcelona
Varsity Girls Volleyball in Barcelona
Varsity Girls Soccer in Cambrils
Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball in Milan
Varsity Girls Volleyball in Hague
Junior Varsity Boys Soccer in Lausanne
Varsity Girls Soccer in Lisbon
Varsity Boys Cross Country in Zug
Varsity Boys Basketball in Geneva
RefugArt celebrated its 10th anniversary, combining art and philanthropy to raise awareness and funds for the global refugee crisis.
IB Art students traveled to Paris to visit galleries and museums, gathering inspiration for their own work.
Grade 12 IB Art students presented their original pieces at the IB Art Show in Esplugues.
Grade 5 students showcased their work at the annual “Meet the Artist” event.
ASB’s performing arts program continued to flourish, with students participating in major productions, festivals, and workshops.
Major Productions
Middle/High School musical: &Juliet.
Elementary musical: High School Musical Jr
High School Scene Acting: The Rehearsal.
Middle School production: Hashtags and Homicide.
Festivals & Workshops
ISTA MS Theater Festival, Toulouse.
ISTA HS Theater Festival, Belgrade.
Barcelona Improv Group Workshop (MS, ASB).
Squire Stage Combat Workshop (MS, ASB).
Hebden Director of Performing Arts
ASB’s music program continued to expand with new curricular and extracurricular opportunities.
Launch of Grade 9 Orchestra and Band programs. Introduction of a Beginning Strings after-school class (K5–Grade 3).
Students performed across Europe and in multiple school and community concerts.
MAIS MS Honor Choir, Lisbon.
AMIS European HS Orchestra Festival, Zurich.
AMIS European Junior Choir Festival, Madrid.
AMIS European HS Honor Choir, Warsaw.
AMIS European MS Honor Band, Frankfurt.
AMIS European MS Honor Orchestra, Basel. Iberian Choir and Orchestra Festival (HS & Grade 8), Lisbon.
Open Mic Concert, L’Avenc Cultural Centre
BISA Talent Show, ASB.
AMIS European HS Honor Choir, Warsaw.
AMIS European MS Honor Orchestra, Basel.
MAIS MS Honor Choir, Lisbon. Iberian Festival (HS & Grade 8), Lisbon.
The ASB English Language Center offers after school, Saturday, and summer English language classes to non-ASB students ages 3 to 17.
296 students in the weekday/Saturday program 349 students in the summer program
In summer 2025, the Rising Together Campaign enabled ASB to launch its first need-based scholarships for the English Language Center, supporting eight students to attend the summer program at no cost.
Michelle Collin Director of Development and Alumni Relations
Contributions to our Rising Together Campaign are already helping us accelerate our most important priorities and deepen our investment in students and the school community. We’re especially grateful to our lead donors for bringing this campaign to life, and look forward to welcoming even more members of our community into this shared effort as it continues to grow.
We gratefully recognize the following donors who stepped forward as early supporters of the Rising Together Campaign during the 2024–2025 school year. Donors are listed alphabetically.
Anonymous (4)
Corrine and Djamel Agaoua
Anwar Family
Arpili Ferruz Family
Bassini Covre Family
Bastian Family
Baxter/Tao Family
Beraznik Family
Ottavia Brion Massa Saluzzo
Gergana and Kevin Coyne
Gomez Ribas-Calsina Family
Davis Family
De La Rosa Family
Duru Family
Jenkins Family
Kaye Family
Kirgis Fedotovskaya Family
Klipper Family
Luquero-Robledano Family
Magee Family
Michalopoulos Family
Sophie and Roland Nash
THANK YOU | GRACIAS
Benjamin and Brook Newland
Özol Family
Perekopskii Family
Polakoff Family
Rezvani Valls Family
Van Meer Family
Vesely Family
Vanessa and Riley Wittman
Wolfman Family
Xie Family
Thanks to the generosity of an initial group of lead parent donors, we raised €1.26 million as of August 2025 in pledges and donations toward our €3 million goal by 2028 to support our strategic plan, a powerful reflection of our community’s belief in ASB’s future.
The Rising Together Campaign is supported by a dedicated group of volunteer parents known as our Rising Together Campaign Committee. The Committee also includes representation from our Board of Trustees and school leadership, ensuring broad support and alignment with our school’s vision. Their passion, commitment, and leadership inspire us all and are essential to the success of this important initiative.
December 2024
ASB hosted its first alumni Christmas drinks for more than 160 former students and staff, celebrating the holidays in the heart of Barcelona.
January 2025
ASB hosted an alumni reunion for over 30 former students, faculty, and parents in downtown Soho.
June 2025
We brought together the Classes of 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015 for an alumni reunion on campus, celebrating four generations of ASB’ers with over 50 alumni from around the world joining for an evening of reconnection, laughter, and shared memories.
C/ Jaume Balmes 7, O8950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain www.asbarcelona.com · info@asbarcelona.com · Tel: +34 933714016