ASM Annual Report 2021-2022

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Celebrating 60 Years

ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022
ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022 YEARS

The American School of Madrid (ASM) is a leading private, nonprofit school serving students of all nationalities. ASM is committed to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing students who can make a difference globally.

ASM’s mission is to provide students with the highest quality all-around education. We empower lifelong learners to take on challenges and thrive, care for others in our diverse international community, and think globally and creatively toward a better future.

ASM is an IB World School and offers the full IB Diploma Programme. The K-12 program is

by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Spanish Ministry of Education. The 11-acre campus is located just 10 kilometers west of Madrid City center.

accredited
Address Phone Website Social Media Calle América, 3 Pozuelo de Alarcón Madrid, 28224 +34 91 740 1900 www.asmadrid.org Headmaster Upper School Middle School Lower School Ben Weinberg Félim Bolster Mike Nugent Jen Munnerlyn Directors Editors Design Claire Pryde & Lisa Kerr Ces Olondriz
Contents 06 ASM at a Glance 08 Campus 10 A Message from the Headmaster 12 A New Strategic Plan 14 ASMs Strategic Goals 2022-2029 16 Board of Trustees 18 Happy Birthday, ASM 20 Lower School 24 Middle School 28 Building Connection, Community and Culture in the MS 30 Upper School 34 Class of 2022 36 University and College Acceptances 38 Teaching and Learning 42 Ed Tech Highlights 46 Curriculum Development and Planning 48 Professional Learning and School Systems 51 ASM’s DEIJ Statement 52 IB and MAP Data 56 Athletics 60 After-School Activities 62 Admissions 64 Visual Arts 67 Lower School Art 68 Music 70 Theater 73 Alumni 74 Retirees 76 Business 78 Giving at ASM 80 Donors List Key: American School of Madrid
ASM at a Glance Founded Founder Grade Levels Student Body Academic Qualifications Accreditations American High School Diploma International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Recognition of ASM studies by the Spanish Ministry of Education International Baccalaureate Organization Spanish Ministry of Education Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges Kelly Gardener 1961 Students 1,004 K1Grade 12 (3-18 years) American School of Madrid
Headmaster Alumni Associations Ben Weinberg Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain NAIS National Association of Independent Schools MAIS Mediterranean Association of International Schools ISSA International Schools Sports Association Nationalities Over Location 1,004 57 20,000 7Annual Report 2021-2022
Lower School Building Learning Commons Gymnasium Purpose-built Early Childhood Center Play Landscape Middle School Building Zero-energy building with modern science labs Performing Area and moveable furniture Middle School Commons Upper School Building Learning Commons Cafeteria Robotics Labs ASM Innovation, Design Education Hub Lower Building Middle School Building Outdoor Play and Learning Landscape (2023) Campus American School of Madrid
Building Commons Design and Athletics Complex and Center for the Sciences Gymnasium Science Labs Fitness and weights room Health and yoga room Center for the Arts 600-seat Auditorium Art classrooms Music classrooms Drama classroom Multi-purpose room Outdoor Campus All-purpose weather track Turf soccer field Multi-purpose field for baseball and other sports Two tennis courts Outdoor Play and Learning Landscape (2023) Lower School Building Outdoor Campus Athletics Complex and Center for the Sciences Upper School Building Center for the Arts 9Annual Report 2021-2022

A Message from the Headmaster

American School of Madrid

When I first visited ASM nine years ago, I was struck by the warmth of the community and by ASM’s deep sense of tradition and continuity which is still inherent in all we do today.

ASM’s great strength and wealth as a community are the profound feelings of caring and connection together with an eye to innovation and the future. In the 2021-22 school year, we completed a strategic planning process to build on these strengths and extend the tradition of excellence at ASM into the future. In many ways, having the 60th Anniversary and developing a strategic plan was a perfect combination. Looking back and honoring all that had brought us to this point was a perfect counterbalance to looking forward. You can’t take new steps without being grounded. You cannot move forward without a shared direction, and from the start, ASM was built on collaboration and a shared vision.

In ASM’s first years in Pozuelo, there was a single building surrounded by farms. Pozuelo and Aravaca were sleepy villages where people went to get away from the city on a weekend. You do not have to look far to realize how much has changed since the 1960s. Politically, economically, and socially, ASM and the community we are part of have grown and changed a great deal.

But the foundation on which ASM was established is as clear and steady as it was all those years ago: ASM’s founders, like our community today, realized that education is critical to the continued development of democracy and the well-being of any community.

60 years ago and today, we agree that education must develop the mind, the body, and the creative spirit within each student.

60 years ago and today, ASM has invested in people, in the program, and in the physical plant of the school. We know that it is the balanced development of all three that make a school truly great.

60 years ago, and today, we realize that we are working for the future and it is today’s students who will create a better world.

What we celebrated during ASM’s 60th anniversary year, is the human investment that makes a community and makes a school. We celebrated giving and contribution. We celebrated all that has been done and given to us. We celebrated all we plan and hope to accomplish. We celebrated the future we give to every student every day.

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A New Strategic Plan

Strategic plans and the planning process are part of ASM’s accreditation protocol but that is not WHY we invest the time and energy in the process.

In a world where uncertainty is emerging as the new normal, today’s students need resourcefulness, determination, balance, skills, and habits of mind to create the foundations of what will be their future. Strategic planning ensures our objectives and strategies are directly aligned with our mission.

It all begins with Mission

A year before, during the 20202021 school year, ASM came together through an inclusive and purposeful process to build a mission statement that reflects our values, history, and hopes for the future of our community members.

Together, the mission and the strategic plan give all members of the community a clear sense of WHERE the school is going and HOW it intends to get there.

With the new mission and the four cornerstones (Empower, Challenge, Care, and Create) as our compass, ASM set out to develop a strategic plan for the school.

Broad participation and opportunity for community engagement and input were the hallmarks of our planning process during the 2021-22 school year.

Facilitated by internationally recognized consultant John Littleford, a broad cross-section of the ASM community came together to share their views

regarding the opportunities and challenges ASM faces. Board members, parents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni all participated.

Together, the ASM Board of Trustees and Educational Leadership Team synthesized the many ideas and built them into a set of five action plans that we will pursue over the next seven years.

ASM’s Strategic Plan puts student learning first and creates a solid foundation that ensures ASM is future-ready and dedicated to an ethos of continuous improvement.

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ASM’s Strategic Goals 2022-2029 American School of Madrid

Innovation

OBJECTIVE

By 2029, students at the American School of Madrid will develop the learning dispositions and the inquiry, innovation, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills necessary to solve challenges facing them and their world.

Well-being

OBJECTIVE

By 2029, students at the American School of Madrid will, through a supportive environment and a broad range of experiences, feel a strong sense of connection to our diverse community and have the opportunity to successfully achieve their personal goals.

Teaching Excellence

OBJECTIVE

By 2029, the American School of Madrid will be recognized by students, parents, and other schools as a place that can attract and retain the very best teachers and leaders that align with ASM’s mission and expectations for ASM student learning and development.

Financial Stability

OBJECTIVE

Achieve a degree of solvency by 2029 that will enable ASM to fund an endowment and complete any remaining projects from the Longterm Facilities Plan, while at the same time during the intervening seven years, optimizing the educational program, undertaking highpriority investments, and ensuring that reserves are sufficient to withstand any unforeseen adverse events.

ASM DNA

OBJECTIVE

By 2029, the American School of Madrid community will be able to articulate who we are and share a sense of pride and belonging.

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Looking Back and Moving Forward

Board of Trustees

A striking photo in an ASM 60th-anniversary display showed ASM’s first and then-only building standing alone in the late 1960s Aravaca countryside.

What a dramatic contrast to ASM’s flourishing campus of today which is now home to more than 1,000 students! Generations of administrators, teachers, trustees, and community members have provided the leadership, stewardship, and vision to transform the ASM experience. The continued balanced investment in people, program, and facilities has resulted in a sustained culture of excellence.

And true to our mission, the greatest transformation continues to happen daily in our classrooms.

ASM’s academic program is providing our students with unparalleled opportunities as they graduate and enroll in leading universities around the globe.

A part of preparing our students for their futures includes teaching environmental stewardship. In May 2021, we inaugurated the first zero-energy educational facility in Spain. In the summer of 2022, ASM began its Outdoor Play and Learning Project (OPAL) to convert 4,000 square meters of mostly asphalt into a campuschanging green space for our students and our community. ASM is proud to be a leader in improving the environment for our children today and tomorrow.

The 60th-anniversary theme of “Looking Back and Moving Forward” also applies to the Board of Trustees. This year we celebrate 15 years of dedicated leadership by ASM’s retiring Chairman of the Board, Steve Schaver. His energy and drive have been instrumental in ASM’s evolution during these many years. He is now succeeded by Michael Willisch who readily assumes the privilege of leading ASM into the future.

American School of Madrid Aerial view of the campus in 1967
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Happy Birthday, ASM

60th Anniversary American School of Madrid

ASM’s 60th Celebrations on Friday and Saturday, May 27&28, 2022, were the first all-school gathering and community celebration in over two years. We were ready to party.

On Friday morning, parents and students were welcomed at the gate by the ASM Mini Cheer Team. Later that morning, students, alumni, faculty, and staff gathered on the football field for music, speeches, and enthusiastic celebration. There was even a special cake with sparklers for candles. In honor of ASM’s 60 years, we were “Looking Back and Moving Forward” in more ways than one!

Speeches by Lower School Spanish teacher of 60 years Ms. Rosario Gayarre, and Upper School Office Manager and ASM community member of nearly 50 years, Ms. Elizabeth Smith, told the story of ASM’s roots. This

school opened for the first time in 1961 to offer an American-style education to students in Madrid. From its early years in downtown Madrid then to a single building surrounded by farms after the move to its current site in Pozuelo to the current state-of-the-art campus, a great deal changed. However, as Headmaster Ben Weinberg and the guest speakers commented, while much has changed over the years, ASM has continued to focus on community, belonging, and learning, to create a better future. As Elizabeth Smith remarked, “ASM has always been my home away from home, where I’ve made lifelong friends and found support through thick and thin.”

In addition to cake, speeches, music, and song, parent volunteers and the ASM Communications Team assembled a decade-by-decade display of ASM images and memorabilia. As noted by Middle School Learner support Teacher Andrea Socias,

“The combination of these events truly did allow ASM to “look back” on its first 60 years and appreciate how the school began and how the contributions of so many have built a foundation of “empower, challenge, care and create” that is at the heart of ASM and upheld in the work of the school today.”

On Saturday, ASM held a community-wide celebration. Food trucks, music, activities, and the ASM Through the Decades Exhibition made the day memorable for families, staff, and alumni. From rock n’ roll and face painting to demonstrations by the ASM Cheer Team and drumming, the day was full of fun for all. A day of memories and anticipation of all we will accomplish together as we go forward.

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Lower School

Our mission matters! In the Lower School this year we focused on making the four pillars of our new ASM Mission come to life. Empower, Challenge, Care and Create helped to frame the work we did together as a community.

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Choose Your Own Adventure Day!

We want our students to be able to make good choices. The only way they can learn to do that is if they are empowered to actually make choices themselves. This year, our PE Team worked closely with the Art, Music, and Library teachers to create a day all about choices.

On June 17, the students in Grades 1-5 were given the opportunity to choose between 20+ stations in our first-ever Choose Your Own Adventure Day in the Lower School.

This day took the elements from previous year’s Fun and Fitness Days and reorganized the format to allow for a high level of student agency. Children could decide which stations they wanted to attend. They could also choose which order they went in and how long they stayed. They went with friends they chose (some from different classes or even grades) and could make the decision to find and play with siblings if they wanted to.

Everyone managed themselves. Everyone had fun. Everyone got to choose.

American School of Madrid

Connecting as a Community

Even with the pandemic and the challenges we faced welcoming parents on campus, we were able to host a variety of events across the year which allowed us to connect with each other as a community.

• Grade-Level Parent Meet and Greets

• Art Shows

• Music Showcases

• Math Parent Learning Workshop

• Math in Action

• Early Childhood in Action

• Writing Celebrations

Early Childhood Center

In June, parents in Grades K1-K2 were invited to our Early Childhood In Action event. This event allowed LS Staff to share some of the exciting growth and development in our Early Childhood Center. Throughout the year, ASM Early Childhood teachers worked with a world-renowned educator named Anne Van Dam to reimagine our Early Childhood program. The goals of this work were:

• More consistently delivered developmentally appropriate practices in the Early Childhood Program at ASM.

• Increased connectivity between the homerooms and across grades to ensure all students receive equitable access to high-quality teaching and learning opportunities.

Everyone counts!

Do you know my name? That is often the first, most important question from our youngest students.

Why? Because everyone wants to be seen, known, and valued. (But sometimes it is only the youngest among us who are brave enough to ask for that kindness.) With the mission-driven pillar of care to guide us, the staff agreed it was important for our students to be seen and to be able to see each other. Doing so, helps us recognize and know all 400+ students in the Lower School. By October 1, our Lower School Photo Wall was put up near the office. As a community centerpiece, it was wonderful to watch students and families at the wall, finding their photos, and those of friends and siblings all year long.

Axolotls Save the World!

In February, the Lower School welcomed two Axolotls, Salt and Pepper, as our school pets. These amphibians were an immediate hit and a wonderful community builder for all students and staff in the Lower School. Their popularity even led to the launch of an Axolotl Club After-School Activity (ASA) where students learned about these animals including how to care for and protect them.

In fact, during the spring, when our

An early childhood philosophy that guides our work:

At ASM, we believe young learners are innately capable, competent, and unique human beings. They bring a sense of wonder, joy, and risk-taking to their learning. Through play, students thrive. They are curious and naturally construct, question, test, confirm and revise perceptions and ideas. As teachers, we guide a range of experiences that allow students to deepen, refine and consolidate these skills. Students have time and learn in spaces where they are respected and can make authentic choices. In our caring and nurturing environment, children feel a sense of belonging, safety, and comfort.

Lower School Global Citizens ASA wanted to do a fundraiser for world hunger, they came up with the idea to partner with the Axolotl and Arts and Crafts clubs to make necklaces and keychains to sell. The results were outstanding! Not only did students engage in a service opportunity to help others in need, but this team also raised a total of 1,200 euros with this novel and highly successful idea! Proceeds were donated to the UN World Food Programme.

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Middle School

In Middle School, we are “living out” the mission of the American School of Madrid to EMPOWER, CHALLENGE, CARE, and CREATE. The mission is supported and expressed through our daily work with students in many ways.

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In the classroom, students are empowered when they are given opportunities to choose the topics and format for a variety of projects.

By empowering students to choose, we believe that students will engage more meaningfully with the content. Caring is a theme that runs through our Middle School program. We continue to work hard to develop meaningful relationships with our students. We understand that caring relationships are fundamental in a child’s school life. This is best demonstrated through the advisor-advisee connection that is developed through regular meetings during daily community time. A challenging academic program encourages students to strive for excellence. For example, many students take three years of French during their Middle School years, and some students enroll in music and continue their studies well into Upper School. Students are often given opportunities to create in Middle School. Our exploratory program offers students plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their creativity. Here are some other ways in which the Middle School is “living” the school mission.

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Ceramics Exploratory Class

The Middle School featured a new art class this year, Ceramics. The creative process of working with clay became one of the most popular exploratory classes, so much so that students requested to repeat the class in the coming school year. Students learned basic techniques in working with clay and designing typical artifacts such as cups, bowls, dishes, and ornaments. ASM invested in a ceramics oven so that students could see their work come to fruition.

Student Support Team

The focus on student support is an integral part of the school’s mission to care for students and their social, emotional, and academic growth. The Middle School Student Support Team (SST) consists of two Middle School Learning Support teachers, the School

Counselor, the School Coordinator, and the Divisional Director. The SST works closely with teachers and parents to provide continuous support for students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. The support program includes special classes in Study Skills, Math, and English Literacy that students take as part of the academic program. In addition, students can attend extended learning laboratories in math, writing, and Spanish during the after-school hour.

Music

Music is an integral part of a student’s educational experience at ASM. Our Grade 6 students rose to the challenge of ASM’s first-ever required music course. Students were able to choose between two classes: Orchestra and Band . The students in Orchestra played instruments such as the violin, bass, and cello. The Band students played the trumpet, saxophone, and clarinet, amongst others. Both music classes provided an introduction to the fundamentals of playing an instrument. The highlights of the year for our music students were the Winter and Spring concerts. At these concerts, parents and staff were able to listen to the amazing growth in the students’ abilities from the beginning of the school year.

Field Trips

The Middle School returned to overnight class trips in the Spring of 2022 after a twoyear hiatus due to Covid restrictions. The Grade 8 class had a new destination this year, The Layos Camp in Toledo This camp provided our students with fun and interesting activities that are typical of summer camps. Grade 7 students visited the city of Merida in Extremadura. Grade 7

students study Roman civilization in their Ancient Civilizations class, and Merida is the perfect setting for the study of Roman influence on the Iberian peninsula. Grade 6 class visited the Gredos Centre in Navarredonda, Avila as they have for the last twenty years. The camp at the Gredos Centre is the ideal place to complement the students’ studies in their science classes. Class overnight trips form an integral part of a student’s Middle School experience at ASM.

Lancer Leadership Council

Middle School students were invited to participate in a new leadership initiative at the beginning of the 21-22 school year. The Lancer Leadership Council (LLC) was formed to provide students with an opportunity to develop leadership skills. The LLC met weekly during lunch and recess time, and the group included representatives from all three grade levels. The Council also provided students with opportunities to voice their opinions about key topics that concern Middle School students. For example, the LLC was able to convince the school administration to give the Grade 8 students the privilege of eating lunch outside on the picnic tables and also worked closely on other initiatives including the use of backpacks for students during the school day.

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Building Connection, Community, and Culture in the MS

American
School of Madrid

Community Time

When it comes to learning at ASM and learning in life, academic and content-based instruction hold an important space. This instruction builds a foundation of holistic knowledge for students that will serve them well throughout their educational journey. The development of skills such as connecting with others, social-emotional growth, and self-awareness, however, demands a place at the table as well. Throughout their schoolbased experiences and beyond, the development of these core capacities is and will be demanded of them in both their personal and professional lives. How does the ASM Middle School approach the growth of these vital skills? Through Community Time.

Alaina Cotillo, ASM Middle School Coordinator, describes Community Time as, “...an essential part of life in Middle School. This daily block of time is specifically dedicated to helping students build meaningful relationships with caring adults, the advisors; develop positive relationships with their peers; and provide a safe place for socialemotional and academic growth and exploration.” The foundation of Community Time is built in a Responsive Advisory approach, which provides a purposeful and consistent framework both across and amongst grade levels in order to promote a sense of belonging, significance, and fun within the Middle School community. According to Josh Chambers, Middle School Counselor, during Community Time “...focus is placed on circles to demonstrate equality and value, team-building exercises provide opportunities to develop collaborative skills,

and important socio-emotional topics are explored to expand our understanding of the world around us.”

As we start the school year, students are kicking off Community Time by sharing their personal stories, and answering the question “Who am I?” both as a learner, as an individual, and as a member of our ASM community.

When asked to give three words to describe Community Time, Middle School Director Mike Nugent used the following: caring - engaging - building. When Middle School students were asked to give a word to describe it, across grade levels the words exciting, fun, productive, and even spectacular, were used to describe their Community Time experiences. It looks like Community Time is a valuable time spent in the ASM Middle School!

and inclusive school community. WM has been featured in all grade-level community meetings, our Lancer Spotlight shout-out board, and advisory lessons that analyze our jokes, teasing, and the subjectivity of humor between individuals. Words have weight, and Words Matter reminds us all to keep intent and impact at the forefront of our interactions with not only friends but everyone around us.

Words Matter

This new MS campaign, “Words Matter” (WM) thoughtfully hones in on what we say and how we say it. Through various creative activities, lessons, and special features, WM supports our focus on maintaining a safe

Lancer Spotlight!

Lancer Spotlight is a new, fun way for community members to shout one another out for all the awesome things that go on within the Middle School. Posting these notes of appreciation and celebration allows us to continue building school culture, boost spirit, and acknowledge our Community Norms and Words Matter campaign. There’s nothing too small for which to Spotlight someone!

People responsible: Joshua Chambers & Alaina Cotillo

Grade levels: 6-8

Aligns with the CARE piece of our mission/vision and links to our curriculum/goals by expanding the social/emotional intelligence of our community members.

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Upper School

The ASM mission is the foundation for all work that we do in the Upper School. It guides our decisions, the curriculum we offer, and the culture of care we foster in our community.

American School of Madrid Photographs by Lucrecia Diaz Photography
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Learning Schedule

The new learning schedule was a positive addition to our school culture. The schedule had the following design drivers:

• Appropriate contact hours to cover the curriculum - IB Diploma Program and US High School Diploma Program

• Time to meet with teachers for additional support

• Time to work on assignments during the school day

• Time to come together for Community Meetings/Sharing Assemblies/etc.

• Appropriate time for Advisory

• A four-block day schedule

• Takes into account student well-being through schoolpersonal balance

The students and staff adapted very well to the new structure. Students reported that the additional independent time was positive and allowed them to balance their personal and

develop essential skills and concepts before they receive summative grades on the School Transcript

• Align with the assessment philosophy (Standards-Based Assessment & Grading) of the school

• Skill development

• Opportunities to reach mastery

• Support an emphasis on learning

• Manage student stress and focus on student well-being

• Be timely and effective in the context of the college/university application process

• Align with the development of skills in two-year courses (IB)

workload responsibilities. Additionally, our senior students availed of the new Senior Privilege, allowing for a more flexible schedule (they only needed to be on campus when they had scheduled classes or meetings) aimed at respecting their levels of maturity and the high workload they have in their senior year.

Reporting Schedule

The reporting structure in the Upper School transitioned from a trimester schedule where students received official credits three times per year to a one-year cycle where the year-long body of work was used to determine official transcript grades. The purposes behind these changes were:

• Provide clarity on academic progress to date and achievement

• to students, parents, the next school, university/college

• Allow students the time to

• Be mindful that for many students each year, ASM is a new school, and they need time to adapt to their new learning environment

It was apparent that the stress levels amongst our student population were significantly reduced during the school year, as they knew that reports generated were updates on their progress to

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date rather than official grades for transcript purposes. The reporting schedule provided vital information on their learning progress with appropriate time to adjust, set goals, and improve their performance before transferring grades to transcripts.

Social Studies and Math Curricula

An integrated Social Studies curriculum was implemented in Grades 9 and 10. The 3Cs model is built on the following principles:

• Social Studies prepare young people for college, careers, and civic life.

• Inquiry is at the heart of Social Studies.

• Social studies involve interdisciplinary applications and integration of the arts and humanities.

• Social studies is composed of deep and enduring understandings, concepts, and skills from the disciplines. Social Studies emphasizes skills and practices as preparation for democratic decision-making.

In Grades 11 and 12, the Upper School offers a wide range of Social Studies and Social Sciences. An integrated approach in Grades 9 and 10 exposes our students to a broad range of disciplines and skills, both preparing them for what is ahead and helping them make informed choices for their studies in Grades 11 and 12.

To ensure appropriate levels of challenge and preparation for Mathematics in Grades 11 and 12, the Mathematics Department implemented a two-tier curriculum in Grades 9 and 10. Students now have the option of following the regular Mathematics

path that one would typically pursue at this age, or they can register to follow an extended mathematics course designed for students already achieving a high level in the subject area. Both levels prepare students for all mathematics pathways in Grades 11 and 12.

Inclusion and Neurodiversity

As part of a school-wide initiative, the Upper School has brought greater focus on how we can understand and design learning for the wide range of learners that we have at ASM. No one person learns in the same way and understanding the diversity that exists amongst our learners and planning for differentiated teaching are essential components of supporting all learners in the Upper School. During this school year, we have mainly focused on understanding the neurodiversity of our community, and the Upper School was part of an audit with outside consultants that looked at our current student support services and made recommendations for our work in the coming years.

Field Trips and Learning Activities

With the lifting of Covid regulations, we were able to welcome back some of the trips that the school has traditionally been involved in, such as AMIS (music), Model United Nations, Athletics, Theater, etc., as well as carry out other trips such as community building days off-campus for each grade level. These trips enrich our curriculum and allow students to apply their learning to new situations creatively. We look forward to building on these trips next year and beyond.

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Class of 2022

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University and College Acceptances

North America

Agnes Scott College

American University (2) Bentley University (2)

Berklee College of Music Boston University Brown University Bryant University California State University-Chico California State University-Los Angeles

Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University Clark University College of William and Mary Depaul University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Fashion Atlantic University Florida Institute of Technology (2)

Florida International University Fordham University George Mason University George Washington University (3) Georgetown University

James Madison University Juniata College Loyola University Chicago

Macalester College

Maryland Institute College of Art

McGill University (2)

McMaster University

Michigan Technological University

New York University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Northeastern University (2)

Northwestern University (4)

Ohio Wesleyan University

Pace University

Pennsylvania State University

Pepperdine University

Pratt Institute

Purdue University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Santa Clara University

Savannah College of Art and Design

Stevens Institute of Technology

Suny At Purchase College

Syracuse University (2)

Temple University

Texas A & M University-College Station

The University of Alabama

The University of British Columbia

The University of Tampa (2)

The University of TennesseeKnoxville

The University of Winnipeg

Towson University

Tufts University

University of Arkansas University of California-Davis University of California-Merced University of California-Riverside University of CaliforniaSan Diego

University of California-Santa Barbara University of California-Santa Cruz

University of Central Florida University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Colorado Colorado Springs

University of Georgia University of Manitoba University of Mary Washington University of Maryland-College Park

University of MassachusettsAmherst University of MassachusettsBoston University of Miami University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Missouri-Columbia

American School of Madrid

University of Montreal University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Northern Colorado University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Florida University of Toronto University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison

Villanova University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Wake Forest University Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Europe and International

Aberystwyth University

Alfonso X el Sabio University

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Amsterdam University College

Aston University

Autonomous University of Madrid

Bangor University

Cardiff University

Ceu San Pablo University

City University of Hong Kong City, University of London

Complutense University of Madrid

Delft University of Technology

Durham University

Eindhoven University of Technology

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Esade Business School

Francisco de Vitoria University

Fontys University of Applied Sciences

Geneva Business School

Han University of Applied Sciences

Hanze University of Applied Sciences

IE University (7)

International Christian University

Istituto Marangoni, London

John Cabot University

King’s College London

Kingston University Lancaster University

Leiden University

Loughborough University

McDaniel College Budapest

New College of the Humanities

Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti

Queen Mary University of London

Royal Holloway, University of London

Saint Louis University – Madrid (4)

Sophia University

The College of International Studies (CIS)

The University of Edinburgh

Tilburg University

Università di Pisa

University College London (4)

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

University College Twente University College Utrecht

Universidad de Navarra (3)

Universidad Europea de Madrid (2) Universidad Rey Juan Carlos I Universidad Pontificia Comillas, ICADE

University for the Creative Arts University of Aberdeen University of Amsterdam University of Bath

University of East Anglia University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Groningen

University of Leeds

University of Maastricht University of Manchester University of Nicosia

University of Nottingham University of St Andrews University of Stirling University of Surrey

University of Sussex

University of the Arts London University of Twente University of Warwick

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Teaching and Learning

With the common goals of sustaining school-wide collaboration, creating the conditions for ongoing learning for staff, and positively impacting students’ academic and socialemotional growth, the Teaching and Learning department combines technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge to support teachers, staff, and students at ASM.

Our team works across the various systems of the school, encompassing educational technology, curriculum, and professional learning K-12.

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Ed Tech

“When children create for the world they make it good. When children create only for their teacher they make it good enough.”
American School of Madrid

Educational Technology at ASM is used to support our community with basic technology, computer science, and design skills.

Our students and staff are empowered to choose digital learning tools to help expand the educational experience beyond the classroom and to build the communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity skills needed in our modern society.

The 2021-2022 school year saw an increase in “making culture”: a culture whereby people are constructing knowledge as they build and share physical artifacts (ISTE, 2019).

While at ASM we have been “making” for a while, this year we have created and shared our learning beyond the classroom.

Annual Report 2021-2022 41

Ed Tech Highlights

American School of Madrid

K2 and Middle and Upper School Robotics Collaborate on Simple Machines and Design

Social Entrepreneurship Sustainable Fashion ASA

Offered as a collaboration between our IB Business teacher, Joanne Walker, and our K-12 Educational Technology Coordinator, Lori Livesay, the Social Entrepreneurship Sustainable Fashion AfterSchool Activity looked at developing social entrepreneurial skills for potential future pathways, design thinking, and sewing, and basic design skills.

As a part of the objectives, the goal was to only use sustainable or donated fabric or recycled clothing. They took a cradle-tocradle approach to their work.

Students were encouraged to research projects and practice the skills they need to create sustainable fashion items and other accessories. The facilitators were there to guide the students through learning these skills and provide support for the student's creative projects.

Digital Arts in VR — RODRIGO A (GRADE 9)

In our Block H video art class, we were given two months to complete a project of our choice regarding a video. We were told this project could be about any topic. However, from the project’s get-go, I knew I

wanted to find a topic about which I was passionate. After much thought, I decided to create an experience in the virtual world while recording my movements in real life using the App Tilt Brush. Before this project, I only had a basic knowledge of Virtual Reality. Today, I can say with great pride, that my understanding has dramatically increased. I realized that in a virtual world, you are fed information and only see what the software wants you to see. However, when you take your headset off, you notice that your eyes merge with the complicated world in which we live, leaving users to wonder whether it would be easier to simply live within the

S C A N ME TO WATCH TH E V I DEO! Annual Report 2021-2022 43

Every school should have a garden. It is a learning space that can unite all ages and all subjects through our shared human need to understand our connection to the earth. The expansion of our community garden space to include a compost system, greenhouse, and raised

bed garden spaces were built to serve that very purpose. Our greenhouse currently houses experiments from Upper School biology classes, seed starts for vegetables planted by our secondgrade classes, and trays of flowers grown by our three sections of the after-school garden club. Our garden sprouted spinach, peas, flowers, herbs, and radishes which community members could take home!

IB Business Classes and MediaMonks Collaboration

Bruno Lambertini, cofounder of Media.Monks - a digital marketing and advertising firm - and his wife, Patricia Fajer Camus, visited the IB Business classes with an amazing, authentic project idea.

As a real-world experience in the IB Business Management program, Grade 11 students developed marketing campaigns to help minority groups share their stories on media platforms. They presented their ideas to Media.Monks and received valuable feedback from seasoned advertising and media experts. Students tackled relevant topics such as multicultural Identity, neurodiversity, addiction, eating disorders, mothers, Latinos in Madrid, and immigration. Media. Monks will be pitching some of the campaigns to their client Amazon Prime Video. In addition, keep an eye out in the coming school year to see some of these campaigns around the ASM campus.

American School of Madrid

Solar Panel Welding

Future Technologies is a Middle School course designed to engage creative minds in projectbased challenges driven by student passions.uring the class, students can draw inspiration from any source for a project that allows them to explore technologies. One student was drawn to a larger project happening in the maintenance department, the installation of a solar panel in the garden space.

The project required the student to use computer-aided design (CAD) to inform the construction of a custom bracket to mount the solar panel to a concrete wall.

After the student designed the bracket, she sourced materials, cut each piece, then welded, cleared, and painted the bracket.

Later she helped drill the holes and hang the bracket and even tighten the final nut that mounted the solar panel to the wall.

Learning is an experience and this student won’t soon forget this one!

Innovation Insights Series

— LORI LIVESAY

ASM’s new strategic goals of Innovation and Well-being sparked the launch of the Innovation Insights Series. This year we offered a series of workshops with the goal of broadening the students' scope of perceived possibilities in the pursuit of a life outside of ASM, while also building a sense of community and connection.

Parents gave presentations to our community on the actual practice of innovation, not just the theory, and showcased how they are applying the skills of innovation in their real-world professional opportunities and challenges.

Our staff members gave presentations on their passions such as authorship, sports, and entrepreneurship to help offer a sense of who our teachers are outside of work.

Annual Report 2021-2022 45

Curriculum Development and Planning

American
School of Madrid

The 2021-2022 school year was one of planning and dreaming for the curriculum at ASM.

It began with every teacher and every department envisioning how they can live into the four cornerstones of the mission statement, specifically in the work they do on a daily basis. Teams used these envisionings to start their meetings and remind themselves of the goals and ambitions we are trying to achieve collectively through each person’s work. Students were invited during assemblies, advisory meetings, and action projects, to reflect on how they can personally live into the cornerstones of the mission statement.

Curriculum Review Cycles

A number of departments worked through a stage of the curriculum review cycle this year.

• The World Languages teams worked creatively to develop and practice systems that ensure that every student is learning at their appropriate level and supported through differentiation strategies.

Moving into next year, we will see exciting and engaging experiences for students to practice language.

• Our Social Studies teams explored creating and delivering units through an inquiry process, created opportunities for interdisciplinary connections, and conceptual explorations. One highlight from our new units was seeing grade ten students engage in personal inquiries related to careers that support the UN’s sustainable development goals and presenting at a career expo.

• Our Math teams continued their studies of student readiness data at each stage of learning, collaborated across divisions to understand the bigger picture of math education at ASM, and worked to build systems and resources of support for our students.

• The Physical and Health Education department worked diligently to research modern practices and re-establish a philosophy that supports building character and lifetime practices through physical activity and health education.

Joining the team to study current health education practices across the school, counselors, nurses, advisory leaders, division directors, science teachers, and more took part in the ASM Health Summit which was a successful starting point for building a more holistic and complete pursuit of student well-being.

Global Citizenship

Throughout the year, the school engaged in a collaborative and creative process of drafting a Local and Global Citizenship guide. Building from the work that began a handful of years ago in a small committee connected to strategic goals, the guide is framed with the strands of Environmental Stewardship; Global Awareness; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), and Service. The effort saw support from our staff ABAR group and guidance from field leaders (Homa Tavangar and Emily Meadows).

The team is eager to share our aspirations for how our learning experiences can take both local and global lenses leading to increases in perspective-taking, empathy, and empowerment among our student body and across subjects.

Annual Report 2021-2022 47

Professional Learning and School Systems

On-Site Professional Learning and Consultants

We believe that on-site, indepth, job-embedded PD is the most effective professional learning model for developing the common language, focus, and direction necessary to support the development and successful implementation of instructional practices to support the learning of ASM students now and in the future. Educators in all content areas and grade levels have multiple opportunities throughout the year to engage in ongoing, purposeful learning directly related to their roles, interest areas, and mission cornerstones.

Consultants and Learning Opportunities:

• MS math with Megan Holmstrom from Math Global Speak

• Early Childhood Education with Anne Van Dam from the Learning Square

• OPAL playground initiative with Michael Follet

• 9-12 Social Studies and Inquiry work with Matt Bornstein-Grove

• MS and US advisory/SEL

work with Steve Barrett from Wildwood School

• Restorative Practices training for MS/US pilot group (IIRP)

• DEIJ Work with Intersect Madrid (all staff) and Homa Tavangar from the Big Questions Institute (parents, educational leadership team and board of trustees)

• John Littleford, strategic planning with Educational Leadership and the Board of Trustees

• Inclusion audit with Lee Ann Jung from Lead Inclusion

• Teacher Leader Institute Module for K-12 Teacher Leaders

K-12 Teacher Leaders

At ASM, teacher leaders are an integral part of our school community. Leading by example, the learning leader supports the school’s mission, philosophy, and learning beliefs and grows and sustains the professional culture.

There are two roles for teacher leaders, each with a different focus area but united by guiding principles and a common purpose. This year, the K-12 team came together three times across the

year to learn together about the skills, dispositions, and practices of effective leadership and team building. In addition, every teacher leader completed a professional learning module offered by the Principals’ Training Center, a highly regarded organization in the international community.

Guiding Principles:

• All teams exist to learn: In order to lead such teams, ongoing support and training are important

• Choice and voice are critical to every learning experience

• Professional culture matters and people thrive in strong communities

• Effective systems and clear expectations drive learning and collaboration

Common Purpose: To nurture a trusting community and facilitate a culture of learning and growth for all.

American School of Madrid

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

We, at the American School of Madrid, stand for the rights of every individual to safety, belonging, and freedom from discrimination. While putting our commitment into action, all staff members engaged in training with Intersect Madrid and had the opportunity to participate in committee work and a guiding coalition.

A representative group of 20 ASM community members including students, staff, board of trustees, alumni, and parents came together to research and draft the ASM DEIJ statement under the guidance of international consultants Homa Tavangar and Emily Meadows.

Collaboration with our Community: AISiS Cohorts

Since 2017, The American School of Barcelona, American School of Madrid, American School of Valencia, and Benjamin Franklin International School have come together to offer a wide range of professional learning opportunities to deepen collaboration and strengthen connections between our schools. Through workshops and cohorts facilitated by experts in the field and teacher-led collaboratives across the content areas, we aim to provide voice and choice and promote collective agency for ongoing learning to the educators at our sites.

In year five of the collaborative, we continued to bring teachers together across the year in a virtual

environment and provided a wide variety of learning experiences to meet the needs of our diverse staff and school-wide goals.

AISiS consultants this year:

• Mary Ehrenworth, Columbia Teachers College

• Paul Andersen, NGSS K-12 Science

• The Linden Group, DEIJ

• Intersect Madrid, ABAR

• Chrystal Kelly, The Daring Way

• Lee Ann Jung, Learner Support

• Kathy Swan and John Lee, C3 Social Studies

• Anne Van Dam, ECE

Teacher leaders who led PL for AISiS:

• Jenny Killion, ASB

• Marta Lujan and Ana Cabazon, ASB

• Alexander Lyvers, ASM

“I believe that if we learn how to learn, we learn how to create the conditions in which minds and hearts open and change.”
ELENA AGUILAR, COACHING AND EDUCATION EXPERT
49Annual Report 2021-2022
American School of Madrid

ASM’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

We, at the American School of Madrid, stand for the rights of every individual to safety, belonging, and freedom from discrimination.

We as teachers, students, parents, administrators, staff, and board members hold ourselves accountable for actively working toward justice, repairing harm, and growing as lifelong learners.

We commit to recognizing and affirming all community members, with particular regard for those who are marginalized by identity including, but not limited to: race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, national origin, citizenship status, physical abilities, neurodiversity, socioeconomic status, and age.

Incidents of racism and all forms of bias or discrimination that result in the assault on an individual’s dignity and self-worth do not belong in our school. From revising schoolwide systems to defining individual responsibilities, we will continuously apply a critical and equity-based lens to improve our school’s policies and practices. This includes the development and application of clear and consistent consequences for when acts of injustice occur.

As a community bound by the primary objective of learning, we believe that our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice will empower not only our students but all members to courageously advocate for a more just world.

51Annual Report 2021-2022

IB and MAP Data

The IB data is strong. ASM’s overall average for the class of 2022 is 36.4 compared to a world average of 31.98. ASM’s IB average score maintained an extremely high level, increasing slightly over the 2021 average of 36, while the World average decreased significantly.

In 2022, 32% of the Class of ‘22 scored a 40 or above.

American School of Madrid

Performance data by IB Group

IB Group

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature

Group 2: Language Acquisition

Group 3: Individuals and Societies

Group

Math

Group

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg ASM Avg World Avg
5.58 5.00 5.73 5.13 5.84 5.10 5.40 4.85 5.24 4.76 5.14 4.85 5.11 4.84
6.69 5.18 6.58 5.39 6.47 5.23 6.57 5.11 6.52 5.09 6.54 5.1 6.69 5.10
5.74 5.07 5.50 5.17 5.36 5.11 5.06 4.77 5.25 4.70 5.23 4.70 4.98 4.78 Group 4: Sciences 5.38 4.73 5.35 5.00 5.20 4.66 4.79 4.27 4.37 4.27 4.84 4.27 4.56 4.28
5:
5.26 4.79 5.11 5.08 4.76 4.71 4.26 4.25 4.31 4.31 4.75 4.39 5.12 4.40
6: The Arts 4.23 4.39 5.00 4.5 4.30 4.26 5.16 4.18 4.58 4.36 5.09 4.49 4.90 4.61 Annual Report 2021-2022 53

ASM

Scores Comparatively

A/OS EARCOS MAIS NESA

MATH

READING

MAP
Grade All International Schools
ASM Office of Overseas Schools (Assisted Schools) (Approx. 196 schools worldwide) East Asia Council of Schools Mediterranean Association of International Schools Near East South Asia Association of Schools
3 195 204 209 202 197 204 4 204 214 219 213 207 220 5 209 223 230 220 214 225 6 215 226 234 223 219 230 7 221 234 242 230 226 241 8 227 240 249 238 232 253 9 231 245 253 241 235 249 10 234 249 257 247 238 247
3 188 201 201 198 194 197 4 196 209 208 208 202 210 5 201 215 215 213 208 215 6 207 220 220 218 213 223 7 211 225 225 222 218 230 8 216 229 228 227 223 233 9 218 230 229 229 223 236 10 222 232 229 231 225 230 American School of Madrid
55Annual Report 2021-2022

Athletics

American
School of
Madrid

What a year! The Athletics program saw outstanding results and student participation. It has been truly wonderful to return to regular training and especially, for students to compete again.

Unfortunately, not all teams were allowed to travel due to COVID restrictions during the first half of the year, but in the second half of the year, we were honored and delighted to host the ISSA Basketball Boys and Girls tournaments, travel to the ISSA Golf tournament in London and to the Iberian League tournament with the Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer and Basketball Teams.

Our Basketball Teams had a particularly stellar season. The Boys and Girls Varsity teams both won the ISSA Tournament for the first time in history! The Infantil Boys won the Pozuelo League, finishing in 3rd place in the Comunidad de Madrid. The Alevín Boys won the Pozuelo League, finishing in 4th place in the Comunidad de Madrid. The Varsity Boys won the Pozuelo League as well as the Madrid Championship for the first time ever!

The MS/US Golf team placed 3rd in the ISSA tournament and the Cheer Team were crowned the Future Cheer Barcelona Championship Champions. Another highlight this year was the launch of a Track and Field program, which was greeted with much enthusiasm by students.

Champions,

(State) Champions

Basketball ISSA Champions Pozuelo Champions

Pozuelo
Madrid
3rd Place Madrid Championship 4th Place Madrid Championship Boys Varsity Boys Infantil Girls Varsity Boys Alevín
Annual Report 2021-2022 57

659 students

A total of participated in one or more sport and/or activity.

American School of Madrid

BOYS AND GIRLS

BOYS AND GIRLS

students participated in our competitive teams

students participated in our competitive and non-competitive teams

CO-ED GOLF MS & US

students participated in our competitive teams

GIRLS GYMNASTICS

students participated in our competitive and non-competitive teams

MS

students participated in our Fitness Center Activity

students participated in our competitive and non-competitive teams

TRACK & FIELD

students participated in our competitive team

students participated in the program

226
77
130
51
112
11
13
39
SOCCER
PROGRAM
BASKETBALL FITNESS CENTER PROGRAM BOYS AND GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CO-ED CHEERLEADING
& US
PROGRAM Annual Report 2021-2022 59
After-School Activities 80+ options each session (fall & spring) 20 new ASAs 400 student participants, representing 45% of our eligible students MS LS US MS/US 50 17 8 8 (INCLUDING4NON-SPONSORED BAL LE T C L A S S E S 2 K ETARA 3 )PAT ( I N C L U D N G 1 BALLET CLASS) ASAs American School of Madrid

Like every school year, during the 2021-22 school year, we offered a wide range of after-school activities.

From Mini Cheer to Philosophy Club, and from Minecraft to Garden Club, students had many options to choose from. There were 20 new ASAs, including Caster Club

Denise Jackson, Grade 2 Teaching and Learning Assistant, says: the Caster Club ASA (caster being an abbreviation of newscaster) came about from my own fond memories of a similar club in my elementary school years, where we reported the fun school news, which was broadcasted like a morning announcement. Students took turns as news anchors, prop masters, and even camera operators.

While here at ASM we don’t have

daily school news, I wanted to have a way for students to write about the news around school by starting the Caster Club in an attempt to create a studentled newsletter. Students got to choose their stories to report from sports, student surveys, and interest pieces. As the weeks progressed we introduced other mediums we could find in journalism from comic creations and actual newscasting. This brought about a club favorite, with the introduction of the green screen and students had fun reporting facts on dinosaurs or active volcanoes. Other favorites included a scavenger hunt to learn about the parts of a newsletter or newspaper. Students really enjoyed hunting for clues around the school.

In the end, we didn’t completely produce a newsletter but we had fun becoming better writers and exploring different mediums to create stories!

Spotlight on Caring Hands

In the 2021-22 School Year, MS Caring Hands held three successful raffles to donate the proceeds to three important causes: the La Palma Volcano eruption, Ukrainian refugees, and Yemen through Unicef. Overall, Caring Hands was able to collect a total of 1109€ thanks to our MS community. The raffle ideas became more frequent due to Covid protocols limiting our ability to volunteer in person. Last year, Caring Hands participated in an online food drive, one raffle, and several random acts of kindness days.

In the past, Caring hands collected food for a local food bank, beginning around Thanksgiving, to start off the holiday season thinking of others’ needs. Students also frequented a nursing home where they spent time with the elderly. They also volunteered at a local shelter to serve meals. The club was founded by a current US student who has continued Caring Hands for US students. The goal of the club is to create awareness of others’ needs. To not only know what is going on in the world but to also be cognizant of how they can help within their own community.

Annual Report 2021-2022 61

The 2021-22 School Year was a year of reconnection.

Masks came off in the spring and we could see each other’s faces and smiles again, and see just how much our students’ faces had changed! As the year progressed, there were more and more opportunities for parents to join us on campus and for all of us to revel in each other’s company again.

Many expatriate families told us they chose Spain for its quality of life and ASM for its celebration of all nationalities and cultures. ASM’s student body comprises approximately one-third of American students, one-third of Spanish students, and one-third of students from more than 50 other countries. This “magical mix” of students drives the enrollment process at ASM and ensures we continue to provide a multicultural learning environment.

Admissions 349 UNITED STATES 265 SPAIN 33 SOUTH KOREA 30 MEXICO 26 VENEZUELA 21 BRAZIL 21 COLOMBIA 20 ARGENTINA 20 CHINA 20 UNITED KINGDOM 18 ITALY 17 NETHERLANDS 16 RUSSIA 15 FRANCE 12 GERMANY 10 PERU 9 BELGIUM 9 JAPAN 7 IRELAND 5 TURKMENISTAN 5 CANADA 5 ECUADOR 4 HUNGARY 4 TURKEY 4 SWEDEN 4 SWITZERLAND 4 MOROCCO 4 LEBANON 4 PHILIPPINES 3 PORTUGAL
American School of Madrid
3 UKRAINE 2 NICARAGUA 2 IRAN 2 CYPRUS 2 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2 NEW ZEALAND 2 GUATEMALA 2 POLAND 2 HAITI 2 ROMANIA 2 INDIA 2 URUGUAY 1 SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS 1 AUSTRIA 1 SOUTH AFRICA 1 EGYPT 1 CZECH REPUBLIC 1 FINLAND 1 SERBIA 1 CHILE 1 ALGERIA 1 DENMARK 1 TAIWAN 1 JAMAICA 1 LATVIA 1 BOLIVIA 1 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 57 nationalities were represented at ASM in the 2021-2022 School Year. What a diverse cultural environment! We started the 2021-2022 School Year with 1,004 students 35% American 26% Spanish 39% Other countries 63Annual Report 2021-2022

Visual Arts

The Arts

In December 2021, ASM had the honor of hosting London-based Colombian visual artist Dairo Vargas.

He is a mental health ambassador who runs seminars and art workshops all over the world. The founder of a campaign called The Art Listens, Dairo says Art is a great way to express emotions and process complex feelings. At ASM, Dairo worked mainly with IB Art students, but also with Lower School students. The impressive collaborative canvas the IB Art students created now hangs in the hallway at the entrance to the Upper School.

American School of Madrid

Other Art highlights during the 2021-22 School Year include:

Senior IB Art Students exhibited in the new Middle School Commons area for the first time.

Two Senior IB Art students were accepted and are attending The Fashion Institute of Technology where admission is very competitive.

Digital Photography students were involved in an ASM community Photojournalism project. Through the project, they met and interviewed other ASM community members. Then they took a photo, edited it, and added the text later. The works were displayed in the learning commons.

The Filmmaking class collaborated and made videos of aspects of society and some of those were showcased at community meetings in 2022-2023

A Middle School ceramics class was added to the Art department and became a very popular class.

Mary Swanson started her first year of teaching IB Visual Art and organized a student exhibition at a gallery in Madrid.

United Arts London came to speak to the art classes to inform them how to do a portfolio, art careers, and what studying at UAL is like.

Annual Report 2021-2022 65
American School of Madrid

Lower School Art

The Arts

Last year we piloted individual, grade-level art exhibits with a reception for each class during one of the students’ scheduled Art times.

Parents were invited, and students explained their process to the guests. The openings were well attended, and the young artists were thrilled to be sharing their work. We intend to repeat the art shows this year if the schedule permits it.

For the first time, the Lower School Art program held art classes in two different spaces. One class takes place in the art room, dubbed La Mancha, and the other takes place in the students’ homeroom classroom, called La Linea. Planning, sketching, and reflecting on artwork takes place in La Linea, while hands-on work with messy materials like paint and clay takes place in La Mancha. It’s not hard to guess which one students prefer!

Annual Report 2021-2022 67

Music

The Arts

ASM Bands

New growth in the Grades 6-12 music department

For the first time in ASM history, there was, in the 2021-22 School Year, a music requirement for all 6th-grade students. The Board and Headmaster decided that this was an important component of educating the “whole” child. Every 6th-grade student plays either a string or band instrument as well as receiving the added component of choir for a full year. Instruments were passed out, bows rosined, reeds soaked, valves oiled and drum heads tightened so every student could experience expressing themselves through sound while learning to read music notation.

Striving for musical excellence is a legacy at ASM

Last school year we presented three main public concerts: Halloween Spooktacular, Winter Concert, and the Spring Band

Concert. Each of these concerts allows the musicians to prepare and present a new set of repertoire for the ASM community.

Five Middle School band students were selected to participate in the AMIS Middle School Honor Band held at the American School of The Hague as well as five alternates. Also, five Upper School band students were selected to participate in the AMIS High School Honor Band, as well as five alternates. It was the highest number of ASM band students to ever be selected to participate in this festival. Unfortunately, due to a surge in COVID cases, the school canceled the honor band and students didn’t get to participate. However, the process to prepare and successfully be selected was in itself rewarding.

Finally, in May, Max Garcia Andrews, a bass guitarist, was selected by audition to participate in the AMIS High School Honor Jazz Band and they performed in Aberdeen this October.

American School of Madrid
69Annual Report 2021-2022

Theater

The Arts

American School of Madrid

After the COVID-induced hiatus of the year before, Upper School drama students were excited to once again perform for live audiences.

They had their work cut out for them, as our first production was William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. To avoid having to perform in masks, we mounted the production outside, under a tent erected between the Center for the Arts and the Middle School. The students poured their efforts into bringing Shakespeare’s exploration of virtue, hypocrisy, and power to life. Sadly, this all proves as timely today as it did when he penned it.

Senior standouts Teo Herzkovich and Calamity Dodge Fable horrified the audience with their depiction of a harrowing assault, as the Duke, played by fellow senior Luis Athiprayoon, manipulated the action in secret as his trusted assistant Escalus (Sara Serrano) looked on helplessly. Meanwhile,

senior Sofia Carrasco spearheaded the comic relief, aided by the bold performances of Natalia Meza and Stella Lopez.

In the spring, we were happy to present Short & Sweet, a collection of ten-minute musicals. This format allowed many students to have their moment in the spotlight while being part of a larger whole. Topics ranged from the angst and joy of several freshmen in a college dorm room to the artistic act of creation in a New York City apartment. We hope that the experience in both acting and singing the students gained here will pay off as we move back to larger-scale musicals in the future.

The drama program ASA strives to challenge students to grow as scholars, performers, and human beings. In so doing, we also hope to provide events for our ASM community that both entertain and edify our audiences.

71Annual Report 2021-2022

Alumni

CONNECTING ALUMNI

The ASM Alumni community is comprised of former students, former parents, and former teachers & staff members who, regardless of the distance and the years that have gone by since they left ASM, are still an integral part of our larger ASM family of Lancers.

Last spring, the Alumni Office released a new digital newsletter “ASM Connects” with a focus on sharing news, updates, and events related to the school and its alumni program. At the same time, ASM launched a new Alumni Community Network to give generations of Lancers the opportunity to connect, network, and sign-up for events, clubs, connection programs, campus visits, and more.

American School of Madrid

MAY AND JULY ALUMNI CELEBRATIONS

The 60th Anniversary Alumni celebrations that took place in May and July were a fabulous expression of belonging and community. These events brought together over 150 alumni from all over the world representing the six decades of the school. This was a great opportunity for different generations to connect and collectively share the special ASM family feeling that unites us as Lancers.

73Annual Report 2021-2022
Retirees 1960 1970 1980 1990 Elizabeth Smith Ana Upper School Secretary 1978-2022 | 44 years ASM Student 1970-1974 | 4 years Lower 1988-2022 3 4 YEARS 3 1 YEARS 48 Y 29 Y American School of Madrid
2000 2010 2022 Ana Barasoain Anna Pointing Diana De Bustos Lower School (Grade 2) Teacher 1988-2022 Charles “Fletch” Fletcher Lower School STEM Coordinator and Assistant Teacher 2017- 2022 Upper School Administrative Assistant MS/US Learning Commons Assistant 1991-2022 Lower School Secretary Kindergarten (K1) Assistant Teacher 1993-2022 75Annual Report 2021-2022
Business 2021/2022 0 50 100 150 200 250 2020/2021 Revenue Enrollment vs Headcount 98% 97% 0% 0% 0% 1% 2% 2% 0% 0% 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1,000 ,1020 884 149 15/16 881 156 16/17 943 165 17/18 977 180 18/19 990 189 19/20 974 192 20/21 1,004 192 21/22 Interest & exchanges Grants & donations Transport Other income Tuition & fees American School of Madrid
82% 97% 77% 96% 81% 98% 77% 96% 1% 1% 6% 2% 2%2% 2% 6% 5% 5% 1% 2% 2% 1%0% 0%8% 8% 2% 2%0% 0%0% 1% 0% 0% 17% 2% 16% 2% Liabilities Current Liabilities Long-Term Liabilities Equity & Reserves 2020/20212021/2022 Revenue Tuition & fees Other income Grants & donations Transport Interest & exchanges 2020/20212021/2022 Expenses Salaries, benefits, & social charges Professional developement General & contracted expenses Depreciation Educational program expenses Tax expenses Campus maintenance Interest & exchanges 2020/20212021/2022 Assets Fixed assets Current assets Cash & equivalents 2020/20212021/2022 77Annual Report 2021-2022

Giving at

Investing in ASM’s future

ASM believes that excellence is achieved through the ongoing investment in People, in Program, and in the Physical plant of the school.

We know that it is the balanced development of all three that make a school truly exceptional. Our progress is in great measure due to the generous support of our community. We are deeply grateful for the partnership and shared vision that these gifts represent and what they allow us to accomplish. We are proud to honor and recognize the following members (next page) of the ASM community for their support and partnership with ASM.

All donations help us reach our goal of creating a culture of philanthropy at ASM.

A culture in which all contribute at their own level. Giving at ASM is recognized in the following categories:

ASM Headmaster’s Circle €500,000 and above Trustees’ Circle €250,000 and above Pioneer Society €100,000 and above Cornerstone Society €25,000 and above Lancers’ Society €1,000 and above
American School of Madrid

ASM’s first-ever donor appreciation and recognition event took place on April 7, 2022. The evening was a celebration of the leadership role taken by ASM Alumni and families past and present both in the current campaign and in the past. It was truly an energizing opportunity to share ASM’s success and vision. It was particularly gratifying to bring together those who have been long-term members of the ASM community as well as those who have more recently joined the community. The sense of pride and accomplishment was evident in every conversation as was the anticipation of opportunities ahead.

79Annual Report 2021-2022

Donors List

This donors list is linked to the following campaigns: Center for the Arts completed in 2008 Athletics Complex & Center for the Sciences completed in 2013 US & MS Learning Commons completed in

ASM Futures Campaign current

2016
American School of Madrid

Trustees’Circle

Ambassador and Mrs. George L. Argyros

Botín Family Schaver Family

Tejera Sindell Family

Pioneer Society

Cemex

Cristina Iglesias

Max and Sofia Nasser

Piedrahita Family Samsung Toda Family

One Anonymous Family

Cornerstone Society

Alvarez Gomez Family

Ambassador and Mrs. Alan D. Solomont

Balbuena-Valencia Family

Candil Family

Daniel and Sumita Sheth Deziel Family Fundacion Repsol Kroos Family

LaFinca

Pla Zobel de Ayala Family

Suárez de Puga Zobel de Ayala Family

Thyssen-Bornemisza Family

Torres Domínguez Family

Willisch Family

One Anonymous Family

Lancers’ Society

Aguirre Family

Ana and Carolina Pinto

Andrade Family

Arab Farpour Family

Bartholow Gray Family

Baselga Family

Begara Criado Family

Ben Weinberg

Bernal Family

Borjesson Casas Family Chana Family

Christensen Family Chumaceiro Family

Clendenning Family

Coward Family

Cullen Family

De la Camara Family De la Joya Longoria Family

De Nuñez Family

del Castillo Everitt Family

Delgado Fernandez Family

Dominguez Castro Family

Fabra Family

Fernandez Stoppa Family

Fernandez-Fermoselle Lubelli Family

Figueras-Dotti Family

Garcia Bruening Family Garrido Esteban Family Genc Family

General Electric

Gómez du Bois de Vroylande Family

Gonzalez Gray Family

Gronda Garrigues Family

Hartstern Mostacero Family Headrick Family

Hendel Family

Hevey Family

Isnard Family Jabato Family

Jae Hee Lee’s Family

Jennifer Dalrymple and Luis Roth Killea Family

Knoell Family

Lambertini Family

Leiro Family

Levyi Family

Lipperheide Family

Longo Family

Maldonado Ramos Family

Martín de Bustamante Family

Martínez Sánchez Family

Menendez Family

Millán Urquijo Family

Mittino Family

Moreira-Rato Family

Mourinho Family

Muguiro Lirón de Robles Family Muñana Family Nugent Family

Olaizola Family

Patel Family Peg and Polly Danos Perez Campobasso Family Perozo Paoli Family

Pertejo Zamácola Family Picazo Del Rosario Family Revuelta Family

Sanza Stribling Family

Sevilla Fernández Family Sol and Max Scutt

Stahlie Lopez Family

Ten Hoopen Family

Torio Family

Torres Arce Family

Ussía Family

Vava-Atanackovic Family

Vidal Grass Family

Nine Anonymous Families

Annual Report 2021-2022 81

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