King’s Academy P.O. Box 9 Madaba - Manja 16188 Jordan tel +962 430 0230 email info@kingsacademy.edu.jo www.kingsacademy.edu.jo CEEB Code 681069
KING’S ACADEMY Profile 2019-2020
Mr. Peter Nilsson, Head of School
email: pnilsson@kingsacademy.edu.jo
Ms. Hala Yaish-Salah, Dean of University Counseling email: hsalah@kingsacademy.edu.jo
Mission In a setting that is rich in history and tradition, King’s Academy is committed to providing a comprehensive college-preparatory education through a challenging curriculum in the arts and sciences; an integrated co-curricular program of athletics, activities and community service; and a nurturing residential environment. Our students will learn to be independent, creative and responsible thinkers within an ethical community that encourages young men and women of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to excel, to cherish one another and to prepare for leadership.
History An independent, coeducational boarding and day school in Madaba, Jordan that opened its doors in 2007, King’s Academy provides outstanding young men and women from Jordan, the Middle East and the world a unique educational experience, blending an American style of education rooted in the liberal arts and sciences with Middle Eastern history, traditions, language and cultural values.
Accreditation and Memberships In the spring of 2011 and at the conclusion of its fourth year, King’s Academy was awarded full accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The school is also licensed by the Jordanian Ministry of Education. In September 2010, King’s Academy became the first Arab school to gain full membership in the global Round Square organization, dedicated to internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service. King's Academy is a member of the Mastery Transcript Consortium and a founding member of the Global Online Academy (GOA), a consortium of the world’s leading independent schools whose mission is to translate into online classrooms the intellectually rigorous programs and excellent teaching that are hallmarks of its member schools.
Equity and Educational Opportunity King’s Academy was founded to create what his Majesty King Abdullah II calls “a new tribe in the region...the tribe of the talented meritocracy.” As the only coeducational residential boarding school of its kind in the region, King’s Academy remains the most diverse school in the Middle East and is a pioneering leader in need-based financial aid. Some 50 percent of King’s students receive need-based aid with a total 2019-2020 financial aid budget of US $12.5 million. For the 2019-2020 academic year, 630 students are enrolled at King’s Academy, of whom approximately 148 are seniors. They come from over 40 countries, including various desert towns and villages throughout Jordan. This level of diversity allows King’s to create a unique community that educates students in ways the formal curriculum alone cannot and to forge a school culture that promotes social equity.
A Liberal Arts Education for the 21st Century: Curiosity, Creativity and Independence •
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In keeping with our “Portrait of a Graduate,” we seek to graduate students who are able to: Embrace challenge, discomfort and struggle as a source of resilience, creativity and continued improvement Live curiously; express joy in their learning
September 2019
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Independently direct their own learning and pursue their passions with determination and discipline Transfer their learning to new and urgent problems in the service of their communities and the world Create positive change through engagement, collaboration and citizenship Model, everyday, the virtues of kindness, gratitude and care for others and lead through example
Service and Leadership King’s requires students to participate in an ambitious co-curricular program in the arts, athletics and community service that emphasizes service to others, teamwork, initiative, and community and civic engagement. King’s students feel a great sense of ownership in the culture of the school, serving in a variety of leadership positions: as residential proctors, junior counselors, environmental stewards and as elected representatives to the Disciplinary Committee, Academic Honor Committee and Student Leadership Council. They volunteer extensively in the local community and schools, work in refugee camps, Habitat for Humanity builds, water conservation efforts and fundraising initiatives to address urgent issues of poverty, social justice and human rights.
The Fine, Performing and Persuasive Arts In the hope of unlocking each child's creative potential and individuality, King’s Academy offers a range of courses and co-curricular activities in the arts. In addition to classes in the traditional and modern arts of dance, ceramics, mosaics, painting, photography, drawing, acting, animation and design, King’s has a youth orchestra and a rich theatrical program. Over the last few years, the school has put on performances of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Noel Coward’s Private Lives and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, most of which were premiered here in Jordan at King’s for the first time. King’s also offers a comprehensive and required program in public speaking. Every year each student performs a public declamation in Arabic and English during an all-school competition. Students also participate in Model United Nations (MUN), mock trial and Jordanian Model Parliament.
Curriculum and Course Requirements Students take a remarkably ambitious course of study, including four years of both Arabic and English, and, in grades 11 and 12, an average of six courses per year. In addition to required courses in the core disciplines, student chose from a wide array of advanced 600 level college-level electives, including 27 courses at the AP level, over 60 courses from the Global Online Academy, and a number of 700 level courses that are typical of the work students do in the first or second year of college. King’s offers a number of “capstone” designated courses, including (but not limited to) the College Board’s two-year capstone sequence. Students who complete at least one GOA course and a designated capstone course are awarded a Diploma of Distinction recognizing students who exhibit or publish original work of scholarship, research or creativity.
King’s Academy Profile 2019-2020 www.kingsacademy.edu.jo