American School of Paris
Encyclopedia
The American School of Paris (ASP) is a private, coeducational day school located in Saint-Cloud
, a suburb of Paris, France. It was founded in 1946 shortly after the end of World War II
by the combined efforts of the American Embassy and the American Express Company. It is the oldest American school in Europe.
The student body represents over 60 nations with English
as the primary language of instruction.
Since its establishment in 1946, ASP has focused on the needs of its international students. During the past 65 years, it has built a reputation for being a warm, welcoming and nurturing school with strong academics and enviable opportunities to enhance learning by taking advantage of its location in one of the world’s great cities.
Founded in 1946 to school the children of those who arrived in Paris in the pioneering aftermath of the Second World War, ASP has remained true to its founding mission and continues today to provide a high quality education delivered in English to the children of diplomatic and corporate families. From 1959 and 1967, the ASP was located in Louveciennes, a suburb of Paris, between Saint Germain en Laye and Versailles. The Elementary School was in a series of trailer homes west of Rue de la Machine, nearby the Middle School in a French manor house, and the High School was in a famous French courtesan/king's mistress Madame Du Barry's house. History of the DuBarry Mansion (see Claude Nicolas Ledoux): When it was acquired in 1923 by the perfumer François Coty from the politician and industrial Louis Loucheur, the house was found to be subject to a grave disorder because of the sinking slope on which it was built. François Coty called upon the architect Charles Mewès (1860-1914) to displace it several meters. This radical solution saved the building from erosion of the slope, which would have entirely destroyed it within the next few years. The move was accompanied by profound transformations: the mansard roof was converted into an attic sheltering five bedrooms, while vast dependences were created in the basement to arrange a perfume laboratory, an electric generator, kitchens and a swimming pool.
In 1959, the house was bought by the American School of Paris, which then settled there. In cleaning the building some Nazi materials were found [citation needed]. The story was that while the Germans occupied the building in World War II, the French Resistance was active in the tunnels of the old stone quarries under the building. These quarries had provided some of the stone used to build Paris. The school wanted to expand by putting up new buildings but the underlying tunnels made the ground unstable. In 1967, the school moved to its current location in St. Cloud, a former American armed forces school campus. Many improvements have been made since.
In April 2006, a flash flood devastated a large portion of the St. Cloud school campus and ravaged several classrooms and facilities. In the wake of the flood, a new capital campaign was launched to completely renovate and upgrade these facilities, culminating with the reopening of a refurbished Lower School and a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.
In addition to the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School sections, ASP's campus houses a number of student facilities in multiple buildings. Many of these have recently been partially or entirely renovated, including one of the two large gymnasiums as well as the Performing Arts Center. Other facilities available on the ASP campus for all students to use are:
The Middle School program at ASP is designed to ensure that the energy and dynamism of adolescence is captured and harnessed for the success of each student.
The Lower School offers an engaging curriculum and aims to instill the joy of learning in young students by providing a nurturing environment that supports and challenges a child’s development.
42% of the student population is American, but its students come from nearly 60 countries with 8% from France. More than 95% of students are children of diplomatic or corporate families. ASP accepts students with no knowledge of English until the age of 8 and has extensive support programs for English language learning and other support services from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
In addition, its Extension Program provides English language programs for more than 2,000 local French children each year.
The school is registered as an Association Loi 1901 (Not-For-Profit) organization in France. It is governed by a board of trustees, made up of members of the school community and the Head of School.
pitch, two basketball
courts, and a well-equipped physical training center.
Throughout the year, Middle School and Upper School students may participate in a range of diverse sports on a Varsity or Junior Varsity level. At the end of every season, they may also have the opportunity to participate in the International Schools Sports Tournaments (ISSTs), hosted in various European cities.
The mascot for all athletic teams in ASP is the rebel; hence, the school's sports teams are referred to as the ASP Rebels. Among the sports offered at ASP are:
The newly appointed Head of School, Mark E. Ulfers, is currently drafting a new mission statement, with much involvement from the entire ASP community, including parents, teachers, students, and administrators in order to improve the curriculum, campus, and the school at large. These efforts were part of an ambitious Strategic Planning initiative in the 2010-2011 school year, which aimed to identify and address various areas of long-term improvement across the ASP community.
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
, a suburb of Paris, France. It was founded in 1946 shortly after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the combined efforts of the American Embassy and the American Express Company. It is the oldest American school in Europe.
The student body represents over 60 nations with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as the primary language of instruction.
Since its establishment in 1946, ASP has focused on the needs of its international students. During the past 65 years, it has built a reputation for being a warm, welcoming and nurturing school with strong academics and enviable opportunities to enhance learning by taking advantage of its location in one of the world’s great cities.
History
ASP was the first International School established in Europe and remains the only American School in France.Founded in 1946 to school the children of those who arrived in Paris in the pioneering aftermath of the Second World War, ASP has remained true to its founding mission and continues today to provide a high quality education delivered in English to the children of diplomatic and corporate families. From 1959 and 1967, the ASP was located in Louveciennes, a suburb of Paris, between Saint Germain en Laye and Versailles. The Elementary School was in a series of trailer homes west of Rue de la Machine, nearby the Middle School in a French manor house, and the High School was in a famous French courtesan/king's mistress Madame Du Barry's house. History of the DuBarry Mansion (see Claude Nicolas Ledoux): When it was acquired in 1923 by the perfumer François Coty from the politician and industrial Louis Loucheur, the house was found to be subject to a grave disorder because of the sinking slope on which it was built. François Coty called upon the architect Charles Mewès (1860-1914) to displace it several meters. This radical solution saved the building from erosion of the slope, which would have entirely destroyed it within the next few years. The move was accompanied by profound transformations: the mansard roof was converted into an attic sheltering five bedrooms, while vast dependences were created in the basement to arrange a perfume laboratory, an electric generator, kitchens and a swimming pool.
In 1959, the house was bought by the American School of Paris, which then settled there. In cleaning the building some Nazi materials were found [citation needed]. The story was that while the Germans occupied the building in World War II, the French Resistance was active in the tunnels of the old stone quarries under the building. These quarries had provided some of the stone used to build Paris. The school wanted to expand by putting up new buildings but the underlying tunnels made the ground unstable. In 1967, the school moved to its current location in St. Cloud, a former American armed forces school campus. Many improvements have been made since.
In April 2006, a flash flood devastated a large portion of the St. Cloud school campus and ravaged several classrooms and facilities. In the wake of the flood, a new capital campaign was launched to completely renovate and upgrade these facilities, culminating with the reopening of a refurbished Lower School and a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.
Campus
Once the site of Paris American High School, a Department of Defense run school, ASP's campus covers a total area of 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) and is situated at the southern end of Saint-Cloud, a few kilometers from the center of Paris. In terms of acreage, ASP is one of the largest international schools in the Paris region.In addition to the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School sections, ASP's campus houses a number of student facilities in multiple buildings. Many of these have recently been partially or entirely renovated, including one of the two large gymnasiums as well as the Performing Arts Center. Other facilities available on the ASP campus for all students to use are:
- Two libraries, both with comprehensive media resources
- Four computer/IT labs
- A well-equipped physical training center
- Two gyms
- A soccer/European football field
- Two basketball courts
- A baseball/softball diamond
- Nine newly-renovated science labs
- An Upper School language lab
- Extensive visual arts facilities
- An outdoor nature research area, fitted with a pond in 2009
- Two cafeterias
- A senior lounge
Education
The Upper School offers a rich tradition of academic excellence to over 350 students from almost 50 countries. ASP, a college preparatory school, offers the American High School Diploma, Advanced Placement and, as an IB World School, has been offering the International Baccalaureate for more than 30 years. ASP students go to the top universities in the world and are expected to challenge themselves intellectually, guided by ASP's highly qualified, supportive faculty. In addition to IB and AP classes, ASP offers a variety of exciting elective options and athletic programs.The Middle School program at ASP is designed to ensure that the energy and dynamism of adolescence is captured and harnessed for the success of each student.
The Lower School offers an engaging curriculum and aims to instill the joy of learning in young students by providing a nurturing environment that supports and challenges a child’s development.
Demographics
ASP is organized into three divisions ensuring developmental and age-appropriate settings for students: Lower School (4-10 Yrs), Middle School (11-13 Yrs) and Upper School (14-18 Yrs).42% of the student population is American, but its students come from nearly 60 countries with 8% from France. More than 95% of students are children of diplomatic or corporate families. ASP accepts students with no knowledge of English until the age of 8 and has extensive support programs for English language learning and other support services from Kindergarten through Grade 12.
In addition, its Extension Program provides English language programs for more than 2,000 local French children each year.
Accreditation
ASP is accredited by the Middle Schools Association and the Council of International Schools. ASP is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the European Council of International Schools, the Mediterranean Association of international schools, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.The school is registered as an Association Loi 1901 (Not-For-Profit) organization in France. It is governed by a board of trustees, made up of members of the school community and the Head of School.
Student activities
ASP boasts a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students in the Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School alike. The Upper School alone offers dozens of afterschool activities, lunch clubs, and charity initiatives. Many are entirely student-run. Student groups and activities at ASP include:- Student CouncilStudent councilStudent council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
- National Honor SocietyNational Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
- Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
, affiliated with the Paris Model United Nations (PAMUN) conference held annually at the UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
building - YearbookYearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
- Habitat for Humanity
- Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
- Filmmakers' Society
- Romania Club
- India Club
- International Aid Club
- Kenya Club
- Kids Home Club
- Helping Hands Club
- Green Team (a student service club dedicated to spreading environmental awareness in the community)
- Jazz Band
- Honor Choir
- A cappellaA cappellaA cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
choir (nicknamed the "Trebels") - String Ensemble
- Drama/musical productions
- Ink Magazine
- Newspaper
- Lower School Girl Scouts
Athletics
In addition to numerous extracurricular activities, ASP also offers an exceptionally strong athletics program. The school campus features two large gymnasiums, a soccer field, a softballSoftball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
pitch, two basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
courts, and a well-equipped physical training center.
Throughout the year, Middle School and Upper School students may participate in a range of diverse sports on a Varsity or Junior Varsity level. At the end of every season, they may also have the opportunity to participate in the International Schools Sports Tournaments (ISSTs), hosted in various European cities.
The mascot for all athletic teams in ASP is the rebel; hence, the school's sports teams are referred to as the ASP Rebels. Among the sports offered at ASP are:
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Soccer
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Mission statement
"To provide an American-model, high-quality education to an international community. We develop lifelong learners with an international focus who use their social, thinking and problem-solving skills to contribute constructively to a changing global society."The newly appointed Head of School, Mark E. Ulfers, is currently drafting a new mission statement, with much involvement from the entire ASP community, including parents, teachers, students, and administrators in order to improve the curriculum, campus, and the school at large. These efforts were part of an ambitious Strategic Planning initiative in the 2010-2011 school year, which aimed to identify and address various areas of long-term improvement across the ASP community.
Notable alumni
- Eva GreenEva GreenEva Gaëlle Green is a French actress and model.Green performed in theatre before making her film debut in The Dreamers , which generated controversy over her numerous nude scenes. She achieved greater fame for her parts in Kingdom of Heaven , and in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, for...
, actress featured in Casino RoyaleCasino Royale (2006 film)Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond... - James L. JonesJames L. JonesJames Logan Jones, Jr. is the former United States National Security Advisor and a retired United States Marine Corps General....
, the former U.S. National Security Advisor under President Obama - Les IrrésistiblesLes IrrésistiblesLes Irrésistibles were a boy band during the late 1960s and early 1970s, whose members were Americans living in France. The lineup consisted of lead singer Jim McMains on keyboards and rhythm guitar, his identical twin brother Steve McMains on bass, Tom Arena on lead guitar, and Andy Cornelius...
, hit pop band of the 1960s and 1970s - Charles MartinetCharles MartinetCharles Martinet is an American actor and voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Mario, the titular character in Nintendo's flagship video game franchise. He has held this role since 1994, longer than any other actor. He also voices Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Toadsworth, and a select few...
, voice actor of MarioMariois a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
, the star of NintendoNintendois a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's flagship video game franchise.
External links
- American School of Paris
- http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/1399.htm