SAS Annual Report 2011-2012

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

2011–12

ANNUAL REPORT

MISSION

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

VISION

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

VITAL FEW

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

DESIRED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES • Exemplary Character with Ability to Work Independently and Collaboratively • Critical and Creative Thinkers • Engaged and Responsible Citizens • Effective Communicators

The Desired Student Learning Outcomes, along with the school’s adopted curriculum, provide direction and create the substance of the school’s academic program.

CORE VALUES • Compassion • Honesty • Fairness • Responsibility • Respect

CONTENTS 2 4

INTRODUCTION From the Board of Governors From the Superintendent

7 8 9 11

DEMOGRAPHICS Student Demographics Faculty Demographics Advanced Placement College Admissions

12 14 16 18 20 22

STUDENT LEARNING Overview of Learning Educational Development Highlights Primary School Intermediate School Middle School High School

24 26 28 29 30

ADVANCEMENT Communications Alumni Relations Philanthrophy at SAS Endowment Fund SAS Foundation Donations

31

TECHNOLOGY

32

FINANCIAL

34

FACILITIES

38

PARENT PARTNERSHIPS

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FROM THE BOARD

2011-12 Board of Governors Front row (left to right): Catherine Poyen Zemans, Rudy Muller, Sheila Wang, Jonathan Auerbach, Brent Smith. Back row: Devin Kimble, Anita Tan-Langlois, Joe Anderson, Judy Bollinger, Ravi Agarwal, Oral Dawe, Maria Warner Wong.

MISSION FOCUSED

Rudy Muller

Chairman, Board of Governors, 2011–12

The mission of Singapore American School is to provide “each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective.” It is an inclusive, broad, and challenging mission with each word holding a special meaning. I believe that every decision made by the Board should support the School’s mission. I would like to share with you some of the progress we made in 2011–12 in furtherance of this great mission.

Appointment of New Superintendent One of the most important responsibilities of the Board is to ensure that SAS has the best possible leadership. In September 2011, after an extensive, global search process, the Board announced that Dr. Chip Kimball would become SAS’s twelfth Superintendent effective July 1, 2012. Dr. Kimball succeeds Dr. Brent Mutsch who had previously announced that he would be stepping down after five years of service.

Dr. Kimball is a respected and proven educational leader with the depth and breadth of knowledge to enhance student learning through 21st century best practices.

Dr. Kimball comes to SAS from the Lake Washington School District in Redmond, Washington where he served as Superintendent since 2007. Lake Washington

encompasses a dynamic and high-achieving community and, under Dr. Kimball’s leadership, developed a national reputation for innovation, leadership, results-based strategies, and student achievement. Dr. Kimball embodies the ideals of academic rigor, professional excellence, extraordinary care of students, creativity, and community building that lie at the heart of our mission. He brings innovative leadership to SAS, and his demonstrated ability to translate vision into reality through collaborative leadership will benefit our students today and in the future.

We are confident that Dr. Kimball will lead the creation of a vision for SAS that will make us a distinctive global leader in K-12 education.

The Board is very grateful to Dr. Brent Mutsch for his educational leadership over the past five years that has left SAS in the enviable position of being able to attract a leader of such quality. Dr. Mutsch’s unwavering focus on student learning as well as his compassion, fairness, and integrity strengthened our School and enriched our community during his years of service.

Student Learning In the fall of 2011, the Board held its second annual Assessment Portfolio Review—an all day meeting during

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FROM THE BOARD which the Board and the SAS leadership team conduct a comprehensive review of data in the areas of RLA and math including student learning data, program data, demographic data, and perceptual data. This review enables the Board to understand where SAS is performing well in student learning and where SAS needs to make improvements, and it allows for more informed decisionmaking in all aspects of Board work.

World Language Program The Board approved the final operating budget, capital expenditure, and curriculum for the new world language program that offers our Kindergarten to Grade 5 students a choice of daily instruction in Chinese or Spanish beginning in the 2012–13 school year. To deliver an exemplary program, 13 dedicated language classrooms were constructed in the Primary and Intermediate Schools in the summer of 2012 at a capital cost of approximately S$4.7 million, and 12 additional world language teachers were hired. With this program, SAS has a comprehensive world language program running from grades K to 12.

We recognize this is a significant financial commitment, but the Board and the leadership team believe that world languages are a core component of an exemplary education, not just in the Middle and High Schools, but also in our Primary and Intermediate Schools. Research shows that students are better able to learn a language in their early years and that language provides a doorway into better understanding different cultures and perspectives.

Operating Budget The annual budget approval process is another important responsibility of the Board. The 2012–13 budget reflects an average increase in total tuition and fees for a returning student of approximately 3.5%, the second lowest percentage increase in the last five years (6.3% in 2008–09, 7.5 % in 2009–10, 5.6% in 2010–11 and 2.5% in 2011–12). The increase was necessary to provide: (i) competitive compensation and benefits to our most important asset—our faculty and staff; and (ii) additional staff positions necessary to deliver the new everyday world language program in the Primary and Intermediate Schools.

In order to partially mitigate the effect of the increase in costs, proceeds from the guaranteed placement program were used to reduce the planned annual contribution to the operating reserves that is normally funded through tuition and fees. The Board and the leadership team are mindful of the economic impact that any increase in tuition and fees can have on self-paying families and company sponsors, and we are trying our best to monitor costs and keep tuition at a reasonable level while still fulfilling our mission.

Advancement and Investment Funds The School continued its efforts to develop additional sources of revenue through donations and building the SAS endowment. Donations for 2011–12 reached S$1.1 million and the guaranteed placement program generated S$3.5 million. The long-term goal of the advancement effort is to enable SAS to enhance its educational programs while mitigating the impact of any cost increases on tuition and fees. The patience and commitment required of us all from now until we reach our first stage endowment target of S$50 million brings to mind an ancient Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they shall never sit.”

3

The Investment Advisory Committee (IAC), a subcommittee of the Board, continued its work overseeing the investment of the Schools’ reserve funds in accordance with the School’s investment policy statement and strategic asset allocation. The existence and growth of these funds are essential for the short- and long-term financial stability and future of SAS. As of the end of the financial year on June 30, 2012, the School’s investment funds totaled approximately S$ 91.9 million, consisting of Operating Reserves of S$ 49.4 million, Facility Reserves of S$ 18.1 million, and an Endowment Fund of S$ 24.4 million.

Strategic Beliefs and Goals The Board has embraced a statement of strategic beliefs and goals that guide our decision-making. These beliefs and goals are: SAS is a “private institution with a public purpose,” serving in priority the American community and related constituencies, that is committed to: (i) a mission to provide each student an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective; (ii) adhering to an open admissions policy; (iii) attracting, developing, and retaining a world-class faculty; (iv) aiming for parity with the top 10% of high socio-economic American public schools in terms of academic performance and college acceptance; (v) growing or entering partnerships in ways which strengthen academic opportunities for our students; (vi) building an exemplary Chinese language program; (vii) developing an advancement program to ensure financial resilience and support new programs; and (viii) deepening ties with top Singapore institutions. To reach these goals, the Board will ensure that the School has a leadership team with the skills and passion to achieve these aspirations and we will measure academic performance against a clear set of key learning indicators.

Board Governance In continuing efforts to adopt best governance practices, the Board decided in April to modify its committee structure effective July 1, 2012: (i) to combine the Facilities and Finance Committees into one standing committee called the Finance and Facilities Committee, having exactly the same responsibilities that the Finance and Facilities Committees held separately; and (ii) to dissolve the Curriculum Committee and address all curricular matters at the regular meetings of the full Board. These changes were made in light of specific advice received from board governance experts and with the concurrence of Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball. Importantly, these changes allow the full Board to concentrate on student learning matters and reduce the number of standing Board committees from seven to a more manageable number of five.

Thank you for the opportunity to share with you some of the progress made in 2011–12. We are each honored to serve on the Board and are committed to ensuring that the Board fulfills its responsibilities to uphold the SAS mission so that each child receives an exemplary American education with an international perspective. We are also dedicated to providing the children who follow in their footsteps with the same outstanding opportunities that students enjoy today. We truly want to help all children achieve their dreams. Thank you for the trust you place in each of us.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

We take seriously our responsibility to equip students with the skills they will need to successfully navigate and lead in the future.

Dr. Brent Mutsch

Superintendent of Schools, 2007–12

Dr. Chip Kimball

Superintendent of Schools

As we reflect upon the 2011–12 academic year, we find that it was a year of looking forward for students, faculty, staff, and our school community at large. We focused each day on the SAS mission providing an exceptional American educational experience with an international perspective.

We also looked forward, preparing for new leadership and for a school that will serve students in the future. We are proud of the success that our students demonstrated throughout the year, and the experiences they will take with them as they look ahead.

We take seriously our responsibility to equip students with the skills they will need to successfully navigate and lead in the future. We realize that for this to happen, we must critically examine not only the substance of our curriculum, but also the way we teach, the way that our students learn, and the way that we assess that learning. We are committed to delivering on our mission and for SAS to be a leader among international schools. Each year we work hard to make this happen.

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

5

In the future, when today’s students are alumni of SAS, we hope that they realize the impact that their time at SAS had on helping them gain the confidence and courage they needed to contribute to the global community and to achieve their dreams.

SAS students are successful by most every measure. Our students score well on standardized tests, are accepted to outstanding universities, and are fully engaged in the life of the school. We have a robust and highly regarded Advanced Placement program, one of the best in the world, and at the same time we have made a substantial commitment to learning resources for students who struggle. These commitments translate into academic and personal success for our students.

Equally important, our students demonstrate their broad interest and commitment to service learning at all levels. At Middle School our students are able to participate in an offsite learning experience through CWW (Classrooms Without Walls), and at the High School, Interim Semester is seen as a highlight for our students as they learn through new experiences and cultures. We are proud of our students' successes, and our results show that SAS continues to be a world leader in international education.

Professional Growth At SAS, every staff member is committed to lifelong learning as well as understanding and demonstrating current best practices. As a school, we made an intentional commitment this year to support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to ensure that staff have the time to work with one another. This will ensure that best practices are shared and perfected. All four divisions developed structures for PLC work and are using these teams for improvement. The 2011–12 school year represents a tremendous step forward in our development of PLCs that are focused on what is best for students.

We expect the work in PLCs to continue as an institutional commitment, resulting in high levels of learning for all students. This work has been coupled with new and exciting work in curriculum and assessment so that teachers have a more accurate picture of what students know and are able to do.

Program Improvements Each year we reflect upon the programs and practices at SAS and commit time, energy, and resources to their improvement. This year was no different.

In the spring of 2011 we made a strategic commitment to a world class five-day a week world language program for elementary students. The 2011–12 school year was dedicated to preparing for the opening on this new program in the fall of 2012. This included developing curriculum, rebuilding the school schedule, hiring faculty, and constructing new classrooms. We are proud of the successful opening of the new program this fall due to the commitment and hard work of our staff, and the support of the larger SAS community.

Other improvements included writing new curricular units prepared by teachers in association with Columbia Teachers College, student-led conferences that provided students with the opportunity to critically reflect upon their academic growth and demonstrate their learning, and improved after-school programs. This was a productive year of improvements that lays the foundation for what lies ahead.

A Transition in Leadership During the 2011–12 school year the SAS Board of Governors prepared the school community for a change in leadership. In 2011, Dr. Brent Mutsch announced that he would be leaving at the end of the 2011–12 school year.

This allowed the Board time to engage in a focused and thoughtful search for the school’s next leader. With the appointment of Dr. Chip Kimball, the school was able to realize a year of smooth transition. The two leaders worked closely together to ensure that important programs and initiatives would not be disrupted, the community and staff were kept up-to-date, and that plans for the future would continue to move forward. Both Chip and Brent are proud of the transition work, and each is pleased to have a new friend and colleague.

We have much to be proud of from the 2011–12 academic year. But the accomplishment of which we are most proud is that as a school we fulfilled the SAS mission . . . providing an exemplary American education with an international perspective. We are excited about the future for SAS and the students that we serve.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS

DEMOGRAPHICS

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS

STUDENTS BY GRADE LEVEL

STUDENTS BY CONTINENTS

2792

852

148

18 11 57

USA

2677

Norway

1

Belgium

2

Russia

1

Singapore

197

Egypt

2

Canada

110

Sweden

5

Austria

1

Kazakhstan

1

Malaysia

25

Senegal

2

Mexico

4

Finland

5

Switzerland

8

China

17

Indonesia

49

Angola

4

El Salvador

1

Denmark

3

Bulgaria

2

Japan

49

Hong Kong

5

South Africa

10

Colombia

2

UK

77

Italy

4

Korea

223

Vietnam

1

Australia

40

Peru

2

Ireland

3

Spain

1

Taiwan

10

Thailand

10

FIji

1

Bolivia

1

Netherlands

17

Greece

1

Pakistan

2

Sri Lanka

4

New Zealand

16

Brazil

4

Poland

3

Portugal

2

Bangladesh

1

Maldives

1

Chile

1

Germany

6

Turkey

4

Nepal

1

Philippines

83

Argentina

1

France

3

India

172

7

8

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS

FACULTY AND ADMINSTRATION POSTSECONDARY DEGREES

FACULTY YEARS OF SERVICE

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS ADVANCED PLACEMENT

2012 AP RESULTS BY SUBJECTS

1,344

exams given in May 2012

94%

of the scores were

3 or higher

78%

of the scores were

either 4 or 5

9

10

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

2012 AP EXAMS COMPLETED

100 90 80

91%

of the Class of 2012 (254 out of 280 graduates)

completed at least one AP exam during high school.

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

AP RECOGNITION AWARDS A member of the Class 2011 was named as a 2011 AP International Scholar. This honor is granted to one male and one female student attending a school outside the US with the highest average score on the greatest number of AP exams.

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 DEMOGRAPHICS

11

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 7% Required to complete two years in the Singapore National Service

2% Gap year before beginning studies

1% Other

of the Class of 2012 began college directly after graduation

TOP UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS FOR THE CLASSES OF 2009-12 New York University

34

Indiana University at Bloomington

12

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

25

University of Oregon

12

Northeastern University

24

Pennsylvania State University

12

University of British Columbia

19

Elon University

11

Boston University

18

The George Washington University

11

Northwestern University

17

University of Michigan

11

University of Washington

17

The University of Texas, Austin

11

University of California at Los Angeles

15

Georgetown University

10

Cornell University

15

University of Southern California

10

Duke University

15

Texas A&M University

10

McGill University

14

University of Virginia

10

Carnegie Mellon University

13

MATRICULATIONS FOR THE TOP 20% OF THE CLASS OF 2012 Azusa Pacific University

Middlebury College

Bentley University

New York University

Boston College

Northeastern University (7)

Boston University

Princeton University

Carnegie Mellon University (2)

Purdue University

Cornell University (3)

Queen Mary, University of London (UK)

Duke University (3)

University of Alberta (Canada)

Emory University

University of British Columbia (Canada)

Georgetown University

University of California at Davis

Grinnell College

University of Chicago (3)

Harvard University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Imperial College of Science (UK) (2)

University of Michigan

Johns Hopkins University

University of Pennsylvania (2)

King's College London (UK)

University of San Diego

McGill University (Canada) (3)

University of Southampton (UK)

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

OVERVIEW OF LEARNING

Mark R. Boyer

Assistant Superintendent for Learning

When an external school accreditation team arrived at SAS for three days of comprehensive mid-term review in the spring of 2011, they repeatedly commented on the enormous progress that is made by staff each year in continuously improving the quality of education at SAS. In fact the external accreditation team was so impressed with the strategic directions that SAS is pursuing that they simply added, “Stay the course.” The 2011–12 school year was another high quality year through the collaborative efforts of staff and the school community.

The main focus of curriculum development in 2011–12 was on the elementary world language program in preparation for implementation in 2012–13. Also classroom units (aligned to school curriculum) were developed in world language, social studies, visual and performing arts, reading/language arts, and science. Continual development and refinement of classroom units occur as teachers assess the quality of learning for their students. A high value is placed on alignment of the written, taught, and learned curriculum at SAS.

Mathematics The main subject area of research and review was mathematics. This study year showed that student scores on standardized tests (e.g., ITBS, MAP, PLAN, PSAT,

SAT, AP) usually outperformed comparable schools in the United States and in the region. Survey results showed that a significant majority of students and parents are pleased with mathematics at SAS, and this was further reinforced through parent focus groups. It was also noted that math faculty at SAS demonstrate a high level of collaboration and are committed to standardized common assessments across grade level teams and courses. Recommendations that emerged from the math study year include: • Align SAS mathematics curriculum, courses, assessments, technology, resources, and pedagogy with the Common Core State Standards that have been adopted by nearly all states in the United States based on international studies on what makes a difference in mathematics learning; • Ensure that hiring practices reflect recruitment of teachers with “best practices” expertise in mathematics; • Enhance focused professional development within mathematics and consider the hiring of PS, IS, and MS/HS math coaches to provide ongoing and sustainable support for classroom instruction; • Provide ongoing communication about developments and progress within mathematics among stakeholders;

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING •

Explore extended learning opportunities (outside of the school day and/or outside of the school) in mathematics based on interest and ability (e.g., clubs, competitions, enrichment).

Significant purchases of resources were made for classrooms in various subject areas in PS through HS so as to ensure a diverse and engaging range of materials and software. The 2012–13 school year will largely be dedicated to the identification and purchase of appropriate classroom resources in mathematics to support the Common Core State Standards.

• • • • • •

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Initiated digital citizenship program with broader implementation in 2012–2013; Initiated review of 21st century skills assessment tools; Piloted iPads for student use in PS and IS; Piloted 1-to-1 classrooms in grades 5 and 7 with MacBooks; Revised and improved procurement, account structure, and documentation of IT budget; Significant on-site and off-site opportunities provided for professional development of staff.

World Language Program Assessment The following were some of the significant developments in assessment for 2011–12: • Strong focus by staff in PS and MS on how to develop, collate, and analyze common assessments; • Significant enhancements by staff in PS and IS for student-led conferences, which resulted in extraordinarily high levels of parent satisfaction on surveys; • Creation of a standards-based report card in PS and IS to more clearly reflect student progress with curriculum standards (to be implemented in 2012–13); • MS and HS agreement on performance standards to determine student learning expectations and greater consistency in grading; • iPad applications were developed for administrators to use for their classroom walkthroughs; • Further development of the school’s data dashboard and benchmark schools; • Comprehensive assessment data sources identified for the world language program in Chinese and Spanish (to be implemented in 2012–13) to chart progress; • A diverse range of professional development opportunities were made available for staff, including workshops, graduate courses, consultations, and book studies.

Technology Integration The following were some of the significant developments in technology integration: • Comprehensive audit that contributed to the development and approval of a three-year strategic plan for educational technology; • Increased staffing support for technology throughout the school with increased clarity on roles and responsibilities; • Consolidated platforms and digital tools to optimize productivity, communications, and support; • Established a global network of schools focused on technology integration; • Facilitated conversations throughout the school about learning environments;

A major area of development during 2011–12 was focused on the elementary world language program. The transformation of this program from a two-day-a-week program currently to a five-day a week program starting in 2012–13 required every aspect of the program to be reviewed and upgraded: curriculum, classroom units, student placements, classroom resources, assessments, pedagogy, dedicated classrooms for language learning, hiring of 12 exemplary staff from 500+ applications, and significant professional development to most effectively support the learning of second language learners. The world language program will be focused on developing clear levels of language proficiency and deeper cultural understanding and is anticipated to be one of the distinctive programs of an elementary education at SAS.

Professional Learning Communities A 2007 McKinsey & Company study of “How the World’s Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top” revealed the following: 1. The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers; 2. The only way to improve outcomes is to improve instruction; 3. High performance requires every child to succeed.

With these three considerations in mind, SAS approved school-wide implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for 2012–13. A PLC is a group of teachers who teach the same course or grade level with a clear, consistent, and coherent focus on actively responding to the following three questions: 1. What are our targeted learning outcomes?

2. What will be the evidence that students have learned them?

3. How will we optimize learning for all students (i.e., those who struggle, those who already get it, and those who could benefit from more enrichment)?

Nearly 20 years of educational research confirm the importance of PLCs, and this will be a major strategic direction in how SAS supports the findings of McKinsey’s high performing school systems. There is significant staff excitement and support for how these collaborative efforts will improve the quality of learning for students at SAS.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Mark R. Boyer

Assistant Superintendent for Learning

Those who are given access on how to most effectively utilize technology will become the educated elite and will have many advantages over those who do not know how to use technology. Technology is already a major source of learning and enterprise in the world.

Singapore American School continues to extend and support a comprehensive liberal arts education for its students. At a time in some parts of the world when anything that is not mathematics or English language arts is minimized or dismissed, SAS takes a strong stand on the importance of a well-rounded education. At a time when many schools focus on high-stakes exams, SAS values how students understand, apply, and transfer their learning to new situations and contexts.

SAS believes that a comprehensive liberal arts education that is focused on deep and complex learning and application is not simply about a test, but rather is about substantively preparing students to be successful for the challenges of the 21st century.

This is as much about character as it is about knowledge. This is as much

about emotional, social, and physical well-being as it is about development of mental capabilities. These are distinctive attributes of an SAS education.

There were many exciting developments throughout the school in all divisions and subject areas during the 2011–12 school year, and this brief section will highlight three areas where SAS is leveraging significant support because of its high value for students in the 21st century: technology integration, world language, and service learning.

Technology Integration International educational consultant Alan November said, “Those who are given access on how to most effectively utilize technology will become the educated elite and will have many advantages over

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

15

It is refreshing to see SAS take a lead in the learning of other languages and to value the importance of this for citizens of the world.

those who do not know how to use technology. Technology is already a major source of learning and enterprise in the world.” While this statement is disturbing about inevitable inequities, it underscores the importance that SAS is taking toward technology integration for its students.

SAS boosted its commitment to educational technology in 2011–12 through the development and approval of a three-year educational technology strategic plan that was collaboratively developed to direct the focus on learning for students and staff. To support these efforts in all of the divisions, additional technology staff has been hired. Throughout 2011–12, teachers have been actively engaged in identifying purposeful connections for technology within their classroom units and have been actively engaged in professional development on how to most effectively utilize technology to enhance and advance learning.

While education in the past has sometimes defined the learning with the student as a passive recipient, education today requires that the student take a more active role as a learner who inquires into his/ her own learning and also more deeply engages as a communicator, collaborator, problem solver, and creator of products, work samples and ideas. In short, technology integration seeks to instill passion in the learner through opening different possibilities and approaches for learning.

world language. SAS recognizes that the world has become a global marketplace, and it is important for students to develop language proficiency in other languages and deep understanding of other cultures.

The emphasis of these efforts at SAS is at the elementary level where students are most receptive to language learning. While there has been a two-day-a-week language and culture familiarization program in Chinese at SAS, a commitment has been made for there to be a language choice of Chinese or Spanish in a five-day-a-week program starting in 2012–13.

This commitment to deeper learning of language and culture has necessitated major preparations during 2011–12: selection of twelve additional staff, development of new curriculum and classroom units aligned to language proficiency levels, purchase of a range of resource materials to support the curriculum, construction of additional facilities to support dedicated language learning classrooms, and professional development to support pedagogical practices that enhance learning of western culture kids. In the United States, there has been a continual decline of world language programs in elementary schools because of budget constraints. According to international language consultant Greg Duncan, “It is refreshing to see SAS take a lead in the learning of other languages and to value the importance of this for citizens of the world.”

Service Learning World Language Another area where SAS is leveraging its support for student learning is

Finally, what makes us whole is when we are aware and supportive of the needs of others and our

environment. For the past two years, SAS has intentionally been growing its service learning programs in grades K-8. Service learning creates links into the curriculum while providing service and support for others.

The links into the curriculum are typically at topical levels where direct experience is needed to appropriately understand. For example, if poverty is being studied in a Middle School social studies class, it is important for students to engage with others who are experiencing poverty and to seek solutions to help ease or alleviate this situation. In this way, students more deeply understand the curriculum and also learn that they can make a difference. Furthermore, it is important to cultivate a sense of lifetime service, so that we continually value the importance of giving back and paying forward.

The service learning programs in K-8 are predominately focused on the needs of people and the environment in Singapore, so that there is regular contact for positive results. In addition to the K-8 service learning programs, there are 45 service clubs in the High School that are student-directed.

High School becomes the time when students become fully responsible for how service projects are developed, implemented, and evaluated.

These areas of technology integration, world language, and service learning further deepen the distinctive attributes of a comprehensive liberal arts education for students at SAS. They are designed to help students to know themselves more fully and to reach out into the world and become actively, productively, and humanly engaged.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

PRIMARY SCHOOL PreSchool–Grade 2

By providing our students with an equal exposure to these specialist opportunities we can begin to see their own developing talents and interests, and we can further encourage them to develop what may turn out to be a lifetime passion.

David A. Hoss

Primary Principal

Primary School students, including students of the Early Childhood Center, experienced another exceptional year of learning throughout the 2011–12 school term.

Through a variety of fun, engaging, and challenging learning activities students were able to experience success across the curriculum. This building of knowledge and skills within our students has prepared them well for their next steps.

provides teachers with opportunities to dialogue, share, and build strong working relationships on teams and between grade levels. This remains an important focus in which effective learning and grade level scaffolding of curriculum can occur. Providing quality time for teachers to ensure they are united in their roles and consistent with best practices has enabled us to continually improve what we do for students.

Professional Learning Communities

Literacy

Our teachers within the Primary and ECC levels continued to work cohesively in professional learning communities to effectively discuss the learning and the best possible methods for ensuring that students benefitted from strong teaching practices. Operating in communities

Students in the Primary School were able to benefit from newly developed units of learning in the areas of reading and writing this year. Through our work and association with Columbia Teachers College, our teachers spent time in professional development learning the components of using the Columbia

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

17

We believe it is truly important to create an environment that children not only want to be a part of, but where they also demonstrate on a daily basis that the challenges within our school present them with exciting and new opportunities to grow.

reading and writing workshop models to instruct students. The teachers also spent time observing, and they teamed up to present particular units. The work spent piloting the units in the previous year provided great insight and experience for our teachers in carrying out their work.

Our students' abilities in reading and writing grew through the work that our teachers devoted to implementing this model.

Within the area of reading we saw evidence of students reading more throughout the day. Over the year we watched students build their stamina in reading. Through the creation of specific-level classroom libraries, the students were able to self-select reading that was specific to their interests and appropriate to their level of ability. Through all of this, the teachers worked to continually challenge each student's capabilities in reading, and students were able to access higher level reading materials.

Student work in the area of writing also showed significant growth throughout the school year. Through our new units of writing, teachers were able to inspire students to see the importance of and appreciate the different purposes of writing.

Students were able to demonstrate an enthusiasm in their writing as they were motivated to experience a variety of genres. Through that wide exposure, each student found success in being able to recreate personal experiences in writing.

Effective modeling of authentic writing by our teachers also inspired our students to develop a continued passion and joy for writing.

Mathematics Students within the Primary School continue to be challenged through the Everyday MathematicsÂŽ program, which has proven to be an effective and efficient means for providing appropriate mathematical understandings for our students. We continue to challenge students in all areas of math and ensure that our students are well grounded, not only in the computational approaches to mathematics, but in the ability to use critical thinking skills to work out more complex skills such as algebra, data and chance, geomety, measurement, numeration, and order.

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

They view technology as a tool to increase for learning as well as a means to express themselves.

Language The Chinese language program continues to challenge the cultural understanding and language abilities of our students through a leveled programming model. We have committed to establishing a new world language program in the coming year that will offer a daily

language opportunity for each of our students in either Chinese or Spanish in the 2012–13 school year. A new daily school schedule will be enacted to enable this daily language option to occur.

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

Within the Primary Division we continue to revitalize and reinvigorate the opportunities available on a yearly basis for our students. We believe it is truly important to create an environment that children not only want to be a part of, but where they also demonstrate on a daily basis that the challenges within our school present them with exciting and new opportunities to grow. By filling our classrooms with competent, knowledgeable, and nurturing teachers we can ensure that children within the Primary School will be challenged on a daily basis. This combination of people, environment, and curriculum can only create a masterful opportunity for our students to enjoy what we believe is one of the best educational opportunities available in the world.

18

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Grades 3–5 This year has been a continuation of all of these celebrations along with other accomplishments.

“Celebrate what you want to see more of” (Thomas J. Peters) was the mantra for the Intermediate School this year. On August 8 we gathered together for the first time and celebrated those accomplishments from the previous year that we hoped to see continue into the new year.

We celebrated the implementation of 44 reading and language arts (RLA) units with clarified expectations, the opportunity to participate in an onsite professional development with Columbia Teachers College, our new grades 3–5 word study resource, the grade level writing rubrics, a revised social studies curriculum, the development of a new math enrichment program, our math open response agreements, a restructured conferencing format, the written units in art and music, and our service learning projects—just to name a few.

Marian Graham

Intermediate Principal

Enhanced Programs

This year has been a continuation of all of these celebrations along with other accomplishments. In 2011–12, we continued to develop greater consistency with RLA instruction within the readers' and writers' workshop model. In November, more than 45 teachers participated in on-site Columbia Teachers College Institute, which focused on the effective implementation of Readers' Workshop. Over the course of the year, each grade level calibrated exemplars for the writing rubrics, and our reading and writing committees revised the units of study and established even clearer learning targets in reading, writing, word study, and mechanics.

In the area of mathematics, we successfully implemented our math

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

enrichment program, which provided students in grades three, four, and five with differentiation extensions beyond the regular classroom, and in social studies we completed units for all three grade levels.

Our celebrations didn’t stop here. In 2011–12, we also revised our teaching schedule across all grade levels and all departments to support a daily world language program, while increasing instructional time for math, reading and language arts, library, and science lab and maintaining instructional time in art, music, and PE. Additionally, our art and music departments completed curriculum units, and we increased our participation in the service learning projects in grades three and four and piloted one new project in grade five.

Our language consultants and coordinators developed comprehensive language programs in both Spanish and Chinese that support the five Cs of foreign language learning: communication, culture, connections, comparisons, communities.

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We piloted the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment across grades three, four and five as well as piloted a 1-to-1 iPad class in grade four and two 1-to-1 Mac classes in grade five. Last but not least, our reporting committee revamped our report card, which will be introduced next year.

Revised Conferencing

In quarters one and three of this school year, the Intermediate School, along with the Primary School, launched a revised conferencing format. In the first quarter, we continued with our Strengths and Goals Conferences, celebrating strengths, identifying areas for continued growth, and developing goals for each student. In the third quarter we hosted student-led conferences, which are growth conferences led by students that demonstrate their learning.

As you can see, we have had another busy and productive year, one that should be celebrated.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

MIDDLE SCHOOL Grades 6–8 Our intramural program has grown from 16 to 21 separate offerings, allowing students to participate in fun, skill-building sports that increase confidence and connectedness to their community.

The SAS Middle School is designed to meet the specific needs of students from ages 10-14 with strong teams of adults and programs that address the academic and affective development of the students. Each grade level is structured to include three groups of just over one hundred students. Each of these sets of students is served by the same math, reading and language arts, science, social studies, and physical education teaching teams. The teaching teams meet once a week to discuss student support and progress.

In addition to this “school within a school” structure, students begin each day with a 20 minute home base class. Each home base includes one teacher and approximately twelve students. These daily meetings help build community and ensure that

Devin Pratt

Middle School Principal

students have connections that will serve them as they develop and learn.

To ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our students, the Middle School implemented a number of improvement initiatives during the 2011–12 academic year utilizing the SAS Mission and Core Values as guides for our work.

After-School Programs Research in schools with strong after-school programs suggests that students who participate in these clubs, sports, and activities experience more success academically, socially, and emotionally. Over two years we have increased the number of options for students and focused on improving the quality of their experience.

Through support for and participation

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

in the development of an island-wide sports league, we increased the number of select sports teams from 9 to 29, offering more opportunities for our students. Our intramural program has grown from 16 to 21 separate offerings, allowing students to participate in fun, skill-building sports that increase confidence and connectedness to their community. In addition, there are 20 clubs that cater to a variety of interests. Intramural sports, select sports, and clubs are all sponsored by the faculty, further building relationships and community.

Due to the importance of these programs they are offered at minimal or no cost.

Service Learning Service learning is an important component of a strong Middle School program and offers a chance for students to think outside themselves to a wider community. During

the 2011–12 academic year we expanded, implemented, or improved all three grade level service learning programs. In grade six, after a pilot the previous year, every student experienced the Water Project Unit, which incorporated their learning about water and the environment with an opportunity to support a community with water-related needs.

Grade seven students used their persuasive speaking and writing skills to seek support for offering specific micro-loans to support small businesses in developing countries.

The more independent grade eight students served communities in a variety of ways including house building, supporting parts of our own community, and working on independent service based projects.

Technology As a strategic step in the Middle School’s plan to initiate a laptop

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program that will to give each student access to a world of resources and opportunities for collaboration and learning, we have increased the number of opportunities for student access. By ensuring that every grade eight core academic teacher had a classroom set of devices, these students developed skills that will serve them as they enter the one-toone laptop environment of the High School. It also allowed students to improve their technology literacy skills and learn to care for the machines. By utilizing these tools, teachers begin to explore and learn effective techniques utilizing technology to improve student learning. Students at each grade level are exposed to a variety of engaging learning opportunities utilizing these tools which ensure students have the skills, values, and understandings to leverage, mine, validate, and utilize information.

22

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

HIGH SCHOOL Grades 9–12

Dr. Tim Stuart

High School Principal

High School

Once again SAS High School students experienced a very successful year in 2011–12. Outstanding Advanced Placement (AP) scores, prestigious college acceptances, and IASAS gold medals are some of the rewards earned as a result of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and counselors. These measurements of success, outlined in various ways in this broader report, only tell part of this division’s story. Success has also been measured by the extent to which we were able to learn from our challenges, reflect on our practices, and deliberately take steps toward continuous improvement.

21st Century Learning

Across the High School, teachers and students are being encouraged to find ways to apply teaching and learning in meaningful and relevant ways. From exploring the ideas of problem-based learning to looking at ways for students to connect with real-world learning opportunities outside the SAS classroom, this year has been a year of pushing the learning paradigm into the 21st century.

Beyond technology skills, teachers are recommitting themselves to teaching the skills necessary to lead in the 21st century.

These include critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, entrepreneurialism, oral and written communications, curiosity, and imagination.

The College Board is currently restructuring its AP program to introduce a diploma that will require students to participate in a problem-based learning interdisciplinary course and to craft a 4,000-word research paper. Our plan is to explore the implications of these changes during the 2012–13 school year.

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 STUDENT LEARNING

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Parent Forums have been successful in providing avenues for parent voices to be heard and in strengthening the parent/school partnership.

Parent Forums

Parent forums continue to provide a communication platform for school administration and parents. Parent forums were instrumental in introducing several new pedagogical ideas this year including standards-based assessment and professional learning communities (PLCs). Additionally, parent forums gave the high school administration advice and feedback on how to address our concerns about student uniforms and the enforcement of our dress code. Parent forums have been successful in providing avenues for parent voices to be heard and in strengthening the parent/school partnership.

Student Empowerment

High School student forums have gained momentum this year with monthly meetings scheduled from the beginning of the year. The administration met with students once a month during lunch to discuss issues and policies impacting student life. This forum continues to empower students to speak up and take responsibility for changing their environment for the better.

Additionally, the Executive Council created several student committees to explore solutions for various issues identified by students. These committees include the food committee, the new course committee, the communications committee, and the mentorship committee. These committees work closely with the administration and faculty members to recommend and implement positive change.

Outstanding AP scores, prestigious college acceptances, and IASAS gold medals are some of the rewards earned as a result of the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and counselors.

Professional Learning Communities

This year marked the soft roll out of PLCs in the High School. Forty-five teachers were scheduled to incorporate a common collaboration period with other instructors teaching the same course. This time was focused on curricular work, identifying common desired learning outcomes, and developing common assessments.

PLCs provided the platform for teachers to have rich conversations around student learning.

Initial steps have been taken to develop a comprehensive pyramid of intervention for students who have not mastered the curriculum and a pyramid of acceleration for students who need to be pushed beyond the curriculum.

Co-Curricular (IASAS)

Once again, SAS High School students performed extremely well at all Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) events, taking home medals at almost every tournament. SAS students continue to demonstrate true character while striving for victory. SAS became the recipient of the newly inaugurated Spirit of IASAS Award during this anniversary year, recognizing our athletes and coaches for demonstrating values at the heart of the league.

This year SAS hosted the 30th Anniversary IASAS Tournament, which brought together all three first-season teams from Jakarta International School, International School of Manila, International School of Bangkok, Taipei American School, International School of Kuala Lumpur, and SAS. This tournament was a demanding organizational feat that highlighted and celebrated our rich IASAS history.

The IASAS organization continues to be a model for interscholastic competition and collaboration, and has blessed thousands of students over the years.

The athletic cepartment used the 30th Anniversary occasion to introduce the SAS Athlete and Spectator Code of Conduct to outline positive expectations for home and visiting teams. These are prominently displayed at every venue and have been adopted by all SAS teams.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 TECHNOLOGY

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 TECHNOLOGY

25

TECHNOLOGY Jason Cone

Director of Educational Technology

IT SUPPORT TICKETS

7,991

IT support requests received since November 1, 2011

40

tickets received per day

400

Total Attendees

1ST ANNUAL GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION SUMMIT HOSTED AT SAS

During 2011–12, powerful and innovative new technologies were implemented in classrooms for student learning. In addition, learning spaces and environments were re-examined across the school with an eye toward technology integration.

While much of our focus was on teaching and learning as well as students and teachers, we also kept our eye on the technology itself. SAS began the transition to Google Apps for Education with all faculty, staff, and students.

With a common core platform for communication and collaboration, we expect to see increased and improved levels of each of these areas among teachers, students, staff, and administrators, as well as beyond the walls of SAS. iPads and other personal devices allowed for new levels of creative expression and personal reflection. Ultimately, we see technology as a crucial tool in supporting the development of 21st century skills, attitudes, and behaviors.

DEVICES

(not including High School 1-to-1 student devices: @1200) Total number by device 1,034

Central Administration

Desktop

1,371

High School

1,036

Laptop

2,818

Middle School

1,076

197

Intermediate School

2,294

415

Primary School

Interactive White Board (IWB)

85

SAS Attendees

5

SAS Presenters

Total number by department/division

Tablet/Handheld

Projector Total

5,835

Total

798

631 5,835

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

SAS COMMUNICATIONS

Tamara Black

Associate Director of Communications

The communications team at Singapore American School tells the SAS story and helps others find their place in that story. The communications office provides an array of services across campus, ultimately ensuring that school communications present a clear message, reflect the school's mission, and support the school's strategic goals.

Realizing the large volume of information that is generated and shared by the school, the communications team made it a priority to find ways to make communications more effective and efficient. The SAS eNews, which is our school-wide email newsletter, was streamlined to be more clear and concise. Departments and divisions from across the school, as well as organizations such as PTA and Booster Club, contribute content each week with the goal of providing all of the information families need for the upcoming week. The SAS eNews is sent to parents, faculty, and staff every week during the school year.

Similarly, we updated and redesigned our print publication Crossroads—formerly known as NewsFlash—with a refined design and a name that better reflects who we are and what we do. At SAS, we are truly at the crossroads of where an American education meets an international perspective. In addition, we included a special focus theme for each issue with stories around topics such as technology and service learning. This has brought more dimension and cohesion to our publication. The content for Crossroads is submitted by SAS community

members. Since the redesign, we have seen the number of submissions increase, which has resulted in richer content that is more representative of our diverse community.

The biggest undertaking for 2011–12 was the redesign of the SAS website. We evaluated all content, looked at every photo, reworked the site architecture, tested with focus groups, and relied upon the support and assistance of many within the SAS community. We launched the redesigned website on October 1, 2011 using a new content management system (CMS). The feedback has been positive with users reporting that the site is pleasing to the eye, easy to navigate, and comfortable to read.

In addition, with the increased functionality of the CMS, we will be able to develop additional functionality such as portals that will allow users to log in and enjoy more personalized experiences.

During 2011–12, we also incorporated social media into the communications strategy with the goal of increasing the school's engagement with the school community and beyond. SAS now has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, flickr, and YouTube. In addition, we are beginning to test the use of Instagram and foursquare to determine if these tools will be valuable to our community.

This is a very exciting time for communications, and we look forward to telling the SAS story and engaging our community more than ever before.

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

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SAS WEBSITE (www.sas.edu.sg) OCTOBER 2011–MAY 2012 TOP 5 COUNTRIES/VISITS

SINGAPORE

UNITED STATES

INDIA

CHINA

MALAYSIA

ALL VISITS

1,158,851

64,710

5,995

5,417

5,053

235,010

31,920

2,834

3,110

2,360

NEW VISITORS

312,404

VISITS (ALL)

people visited SAS website

VISITS (NEW VISITORS)

200,000

100,000

OCT 2011

NOV 2011

DEC 2011

JAN 2012

FEB 2012

MAR 2012

APR 2012

MAY 2012

SOCIAL MEDIA

PUBLICATIONS AND NEWSLETTERS CROSSROADS BI-MONTHLY PRINT PUBLICATION

16,500

printed copies distributed

161 articles

292 photos

SAS ENEWS WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER

5,559

38

SAS eNews subscribers

SAS eNews sent

220,803

44%

total SAS eNews emails opened

140,021 total clicks on embedded links within SAS eNews

open rate

28

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

ALUMNI RELATIONS

Lauri Coulter

Associate Director of Alumni Relations

ALUMNI REGISTERED WITH SAS SOCIAL MEDIA

265

4,910

Other countries represented with fewer than five registered members:

1,725

Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, Grenada, Guam, Hungary, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands

44 6 188

USA

4682

Norway

18

France

15

China

43

Singapore

1299

UAE

14

Canada

219

Sweden

44

Belgium

7

Japan

96

Malaysia

17

Israel

30

Mexico

9

Denmark

8

Switzerland

16

Korea

88

Indonesia

44

UK

76

Italy

11

Taiwan

22

Hong Kong

48

Australia

169

Brazil

6

Scotland

7

Greece

7

Thailand

19

Vietnam

6

New Zealand

19

Germany

32

Netherlands

24

India

20

Philippines

23

TOP 20 STATES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH THE MOST REGISTERED MEMBERS TX

817

FL

193

VA

206

WA

163

PA

120

AZ

107

LA

98

OH

80

NJ

79

MD

67

CA

767

NY

310

MA

176

IL

146

NC

118

CO

103

GA

94

OR

79

CT

76

DC

61

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

29

PUBLICATIONS AND NEWSLETTERS THE ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER

JOURNEYS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

19,256

16,300

printed copies distributed

SAS Alumni e-newsletters sent

7,549

39%

total SAS Alumni e-newsletters opened

open rate

ALUMNI GATHERINGS HOSTED BY SAS

OCT 2011

Singapore (IASAS 30th Anniversary Celebration)

FEB 2012

San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York

NOV 2011

Sydney, Australia

MAR 2012

Hong Kong

DEC 2011

Singapore

MAY 2012

London, England

JAN 2012

Los Angeles, Austin, Houston

Singapore

SAS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

FEB 2012

Austin, Houston, San Francisco

JUN 2012

Singapore

30

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

PHILANTHROPY AT SAS

Michael K. Kingan

Chief Advancement Officer

SAS changes how our students view the world. At SAS we take full advantage of our location in Singapore—one of the great crossroads of diversity. We connect our students beyond the classroom to ideas, experiences, and perspectives in the real world. The SAS experience makes a difference in the lives of our students. That is the SAS difference.

It takes your support to make this happen. The SAS Annual Fund provides financial support for the people and programs that make SAS exceptional. The SAS Foundations (one based in Singapore and one in the United States) are the school’s affiliated organizations formed specifically to receive, manage, and distribute charitable gifts for SAS and its people and programs. In 2011–12, the SAS Foundation raised more than $900,000.

Thank you for your generous support. It is an honor to recognize the people and organizations who donated so generously in support of our students at Singapore American School.

Gifts support programs in leadership development, such as major sponsorship of the 2012 Global Issues Network Conference in Singapore, GINSing, organized and hosted by SAS students for 800 middle school and high school students throughout Asia.

Gifts provide financial aid for those who could not otherwise afford to participate in off-campus opportunities, such as High School Interim Semester, a life-changing experience. Grants are made on a competitive basis to SAS service clubs, which have an impact through their volunteerism, leadership, and service learning. In 2012, gifts supported start-up costs for the new PS and IS World Languages Program.

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

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Our students are our future—they are the leaders, the teachers, the engineers, the artists, the athletes, the global citizens of tomorrow.

I also want to thank the volunteers and donors of our partner organizations, the SAS PTA and High School Booster Club.

Gifts raised and made by these organizations improve the quality and affordability of SAS, for instance, providing for visiting artists, authors, scholars, and humanitarians. These organizations also provide scholarship and financial aid for experiences such as Interim Semester, an SAS signature experience.

SAS was established in 1956 as a result of its first fundraising drive. The Woodlands campus as it is today was funded in part by private gifts. Everywhere you look, gifts through the SAS Foundation, SAS PTA, and Booster Club make a difference.

Our students are our future—they are the leaders, the teachers, the engineers, the artists, the athletes, the global citizens of tomorrow.

Your gift supports our students’ future.

The SAS Annual Fund.

Our Students. Our Community. Our future.

ENDOWMENT FUND

TARGETED AMOUNT: $50,000,000

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

Funds are invested to ultimately generate income that provides annual support for program development, extension, and enrichment. All growth and investment returns are being reinvested until such time as the fund reaches S$50M.

IN MILLIONS (SGD)

The endowment fund is governed by the SAS Board. The management and direction of the funds are guided by the Investment Advisory Committee (IAC). This committee is comprised of two SAS Board members and three financial industry professionals, all of whom are SAS parents.

YEAR END ENDOWMENT FUND BALANCE

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 ADVANCEMENT

Contributions to the SAS Foundation

2011-12

We are pleased to recognize the following contributors who made gifts between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.

1956 CIRCLE

S$50,000 AND ABOVE

Rachel and Jaideep Khanna Khoo Teck Puat Foundation Stephen Riady and Shincee Leonardi

Richard and Jacqueline Seow Sean and Lisa Wallace

S$10,000-S$19,999

TIGER CIRCLE Anonymous Jonathan and Jessika Auerbach William and Judith Bollinger Yeow Ming Choo and Ling Zheng Billy Siu and Marianne Chua Oral and Vida Dawe Laura and Brooks Entwistle Johnny and Charlene Escaler Forbes Asia Getco Asia Pte Ltd Lauren Khoo Hano Maeloa and Monita Harianto Rudolph and Andrea Muller Brent and Maggie Mutsch

ORCHID CIRCLE

William and Georgette Adamopoulos Lars and Nene Amstrup Peng Huat and Swat Ang Richard and Ashley Barry III Mark and Marianne Boyer Jenny Chiam Chiu-Man and Maria Warner Wong Jungkiu Choi and Hyesook Cho Kwanghyuk Choi and Yunkyung Park Phillip Chritton and Zhinong Zhang Dickon Corrado and Ito Toshima Kenneth and Lauri Coulter Darin and Sara Fahrney Edward and Rachel Farrell Fuji Xerox Singapore Pte Ltd Fujiwara Advisory Singapore Pte Ltd Kyu Shik and Eui Jeong Hahn Bryan and Christine Henning David Hoss and Michael Fiebrich Geri Johnson Joosang Kim and Jung A Lee Devin Kimble and Amy Sittler Michael and Maribeth Kingan Henry Law and Alice Shyu Chow Kiat Lim and Boon Hock Tay Paul Ling and Dorcas Chua William and Lois Lydens

Y.S. and Suzie Nam Mark Nelson and Margrit Benton Neil and Mika Parekh Edan and Bon Park David Zemans and Catherine Poyen Kim and Birgitte Rosenkilde Tandean Rustandy and Susan Sujanto David and Caroline Ryan Brent and Sandra Smith Steven and Asa Tucker Soejono and Fae Varinata Ee Lim and Sofina Wee Calvin Widjaja Foundation

EAGLE CIRCLE Shirley Fung and Paul Bernard Gerry and Michelle Smith

GECKO CIRCLE Beecher and Robin Abeles Ravi and Sunanda Agarwal Edward and Evangeline Baicy Jeremy and Willow Brest Bart and Valerie Broadman Wing Kwong Chan and Vivian Liu Steven Diamond and Sarah Jeffries Adam and Brittany Levinson

S$20,000-S$49,999 Raymond and Kaori Zage

S$5,000-S$9,999 Lim Meng Keng Departmental Store Rodney and Margaret Marchand Christopher Misner and Crystal Hayling Janie Ooi Helman and Maria Sitohang Zanping Sun and Yuan Yang

S$1,000-S$4,999

TRAVELER’S PALM CIRCLE

UP TO S$999

Sanjay and Anjna Motwani Doug and Maureen Neihart Frank and Karen Olah Adrian and Susan Peh Don and Lyn Reed Pesek Phoenix Advisers Cameron Poetzscher and Varsha Rao Devin and Dianna Pratt Namuh and Younsoo Rhee Samuel and Heejin Rhee William and Martha Scarborough Zainal Siregar and Bonita Irfanty Lawrence and Jane Sperling Josef Stingl Li Lien Sun Christopher Tan and Chantal Wong Michael Langlois and Anita Tan Richard and Michelle Vargo Harrison and Sheila Wang Laurence Wee and Marisa Chan Erman Tjiputra and Jessica Welirang Teddy Wirianata and Judith Carlotta Byron and Kara Wong Emil Yappert Jr. and Lisa Carp Yian Poh and Chai Doan Lim Jun Zhao and Yueyuan Tan Michael and Ann Zink

Anonymous (2) JohnEric and Christina Advento James and Dorothy Aven Timothy and Suzanne Bohling Gladys Chapman Kong Wain Chin and Margaret Wong Brian Combes and Emiko Enomoto Brian Denenberg and Kwai-Chu Lan Kemp Dolliver Thomas and Patricia DuCharme Rick Gadbois Shawn and Marian Graham Daniel and Annette Hagewiesche John Shields and Mami Hirota William and Katherine Johnson Zunaid Kazi and Tamara Black Leslie King John and Jill Koncki Marc and Heidi L’Heureux Anne Lee John and Maria Lee Michael and Karen Lee Takashi and Soko Machida Mark Maran William and April McDaniel

Kenitiro and Satoko Muto Kent Peterson and Susan Sedro Josh Premkumar Christophe Randy Matthew and Cathryn Ray David Rich James Roderick Figueroa Gonzalez and Lucedy Russi Ken Schunk Laura Schuster Robert and Sugako Shiroishi Hui and Yiwen Sun Ann Tan Darryl and Sonali Tang Mark and Jennifer Tucker Mustafa and Berrak Turnaoglu Chaitan Udipi Rao and Mallika Narayan Jeffrey Waite Lawrence Wales Wilbert and Amy Young Jian and Naxin Zhang Susan Zhang Lee Zweifel

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FINANCIAL REPORT

FINANCIAL REPORT

William Scarborough

Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Business Operations

In its efforts to provide an “exemplary American education with an international perspective,” the school employs 353 faculty members for classroom instruction, learning support, and counseling, 237 support staff in classrooms, libraries, offices, and maintenance, and another 22 leadership team members.

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

The Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Business Operations manages the school’s finances under the guidance of the Superintendent.

In fulfillment of its fiduciary duties, the Board of Governors provides oversight through the Finance Committee and the Investment Advisory Committee (IAC). All key financial decisions including establishment of the annual budget and schedule of fees arise from recommendations of the Finance Committee to the Board of Governors. The Board also sets

the school’s investment policy with implementation of said policy and oversight of investment performance handled by the IAC through the Finance Committee.

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

The audited financial results for the 2011–12 school year compare favorably to the budget approved by the Board of Governors in March 2011. This outcome is a result of sustained full enrollment, improvements in anticipated benefits costs, favorable outcomes in bidding for capital projects, and continued take-up of the Guaranteed Placement Program (GPP).

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FINANCIAL REPORT

The continuation of several enrollment-management practices implemented in 2009–10 resulted in an average student enrollment of 3,868 and fee income from 3,909 students. The additional tuition fee revenue largely offset a decline in registration fees. The number of new students paying these fees fell as a high return rate for current families reduced opportunities for new admissions. The average tenure for SAS students increased from 3.6 to 3.9 years. Enrollmentrelated income comprised 94% of total income compared to 96% in 2010–11. Other revenue, including donations, investment income, and GPP subscriptions, contributed the remaining 6%, which is above budget and up from 4% in 2010–11.

In its efforts to provide an “exemplary American education with an international perspective,” the school employs 353 faculty members for classroom instruction, learning support, and counseling, 237 support staff in classrooms, libraries, offices, and maintenance, and another 22 leadership team members. In total, Salaries & Benefits for 612 staff represented 84% of operating fund expense and 68% of total costs.

With 13 additional staff in 2011–12, primarily in support of educational technology, and upward pressure on benefits costs, Salaries and Benefits in 2011–12 represented a

slightly larger percentage of operating fund expense and total costs, up two percent and one percent, respectively, from the previous school year. However, Salaries and Benefits costs were below budget for the year.

35

allocation dedicated to meeting the commitment to six months of operating expenses, totaled 3% of expenses. This is down one percent from last year and will likely stabilize as Planned Reserves reaches and maintains this commitment. Lastly, Central Administration including Admissions, Human Resources, Community Relations, the Business Office, and the Superintendent’s Office accounted for 3% of expenses.

Providing and maintaining quality facilities to support the academic program accounts for 16% of total expenses. Significant renewal and expansion efforts in 2011–12 included an upgrade of the Intermediate/ Middle School cafeteria, conversion of the former TDC to a multi-functional learning space, Middle School hallway tiling and toilet upgrades, and High School student and PE staff locker room upgrades, to name just a few.

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

Learning resources, including classroom and curricular materials, musical equipment, athletic supplies, and library materials, account for another 5% of costs. Another 5% is devoted to technology support to provide resources such as the campus wireless network, computer labs, electronic whiteboards and projectors, and computer systems for admissions and student records. The portion of total costs represented by technology resources grew by two percent from last year, demonstrating the school’s increasing emphasis on providing progressive technology education and exposure to students.

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

Planned Reserves, the budgetary

SCHOOL-WIDE FISCAL YEAR 2011–12

REVENUE

EXPENSES

$132,748,603

$127,901,079

5%

6% 10%

Technology

Other Income

Annual Facility Fees

3%

3%

Administration

Planned Reserves

5%

7%

Learning Resources

Registration Fees

2%

Appllication and Re-Enrollment Fees

75% Tuition Fees

16%

Campus Operations

68%

Salaries & Benefits

36

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FACILITIES

FACILITIES Anthony Wong

Director of Facilities and Services

4,597 TONNES CO2

More than the emissions of the entire island nation of Niue in 2006

10,215,057 KWH Almost back to 1996-97 levels despite 66% increase in student population and 51% increase in built area

$2,416,523 Since 2008–09, nearly $600,000 saved because of reduced consumption and over $1.08 million saved because of tariff hedging and lock-in

SAS ENERGY CONSUMPTION

3,500,000

15,000,000

2,800,000

12,000,000

2,100,000

9,000,000

1,400,000

6,000,000

700,000

3,000,000

0

0

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FACILITIES

37

INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE •

2,300 RT central air-conditioning system

•

10 automated road barriers

•

679 toilets and urinals

•

10 kilns

•

532 fire extinguishers

•

8 enhanced lightning protection systems

•

493 electrical sub-boards and distribution boards

•

8 precision air-conditioners for server room

•

13 swimming pool pumps

•

3 standby generators

SASCard

SCHOOLDUDE ONLINE HELP DESK

6,233

3,700

SASCards printed

requests received in seven months

1,492,133

access control transactions processed (e.g. turnstile use)

1,135,300

financial-related transactions processed (e.g. cafeteria use)

SUMMER WORKS

$7m budget

495 projects

350

workers on campus

FACILITIES AND SERVICES: THE PROVERBIAL VILLAGE

reinstatement value was recently assessed at around $300 million.

From the warm welcomes on Open House Day, to the traditional honking of the horns on the last day of school, it’s clear that one of the best things about SAS is its sense of community. But not only does SAS nurture and take pride in the proverbial village needed to raise a child, it also recognizes the importance of the literal village: our large, beautiful campus.

While stewardship of this asset is certainly important, our campus isn’t just a line item in a balance sheet; nor is it a mere collection of monolithic buildings. We like to think of our campus as a living, breathing organism: constantly evolving to reflect new technology, paradigms, and pathways to learning.

Our campus is one of our greatest assets, especially in space-starved Singapore. With a site area of 144,254 square meters (almost 36 acres), and a gross floor area of 99,044 square meters (over 1 million square feet), its

ENHANCING STUDENT LEARNING Nowhere is this evolution more readily apparent than the newly renovated Middle School science laboratories.

Unveiled in July 2011, these six labs are themselves

38

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FACILITIES

The work that occurred during the 2011 summer works program is clear evidence of our continuing commitment to safety and security on the SAS campus. a lesson in architectural and engineering innovation, with a focus on environmental literacy.

Daylight enters through large windows and bounces off “light shelves,” simple but strategically placed light-colored ledges, in order to reach deeper into the room without causing glare. Photocells detect daylight levels and automatically switch on window-side lights on overcast days. While artificial lighting could not be completely eliminated, the existing T8 lights and inefficient magnetic ballasts were replaced with lower-wattage T5 lights with highefficiency electronic ballasts.

Middle School group rooms were also converted into reading and language arts (RLA) rooms. This highlighted two things: the importance of cultivating voracious readers and effective communicators, and the fact that computers are now used in all classrooms, not just dedicated computer laboratories.

These are only a few examples of hundreds of curriculum-driven facility improvements that are meticulously planned and executed every year.

By the time of publication, hundreds more have already been completed in time for the 2012–13 school year, including the ambitious construction of 17 new classrooms for the World Languages program in the Primary

and Intermediate Schools.

The service aspect of the Facilities and Services Office extends beyond operations, maintenance, and strategic planning. Facilities staff members are frequently tapped for their expertise in project and event management by student clubs and Scouts; they are also regularly invited to guest-lecture in Middle and High School classes, where they discuss building systems and impacts with aspiring engineers, architects, scientists, and economists.

the pump room. People say, ‘I can’t believe this is our pool!’ It’s gorgeous.”

PRESERVING AND ENHANCING ASSET VALUE

ENSURING SAFETY AND SECURITY

The SAS Facilities and Services Office works hard to enhance the asset value of the campus and maintain it at high aesthetic, functional, and safety standards.

For many years, workplace safety and health (WSH) regulations in Singapore targeted only factories and industries. With leadership from the Facilities and Services Office, SAS became bizSAFE certified almost as soon as those regulations were extended to cover schools and all other workplaces. Specifically, SAS is certified bizSAFE3, which means that the school has fully implemented a formal risk management plan and has been successfully audited by an independent, government-approved WSH auditor.

SAS has a renewal cycle for everything on campus. The MS/HS pool, for example, was renewed in the summer of 2011 after 15 years of use. While there was a practical aspect to it—the pump and filtering station was moved above ground for easier maintenance—it was the modern look and feel that captured most people’s attention.

“Everyone thinks it’s a first-class facility,” says Mimi Molchan, director of High School athletics and activities.

“Thank goodness we had to change

Even smaller, more frequent renewals are done thoughtfully. There’s more to repainting, for example, than picking out colors and minimizing levels of volatile organic compounds.

For west-facing external walls, “cool paint” that reduces heat absorption is used. Some indoor projects involve Idea Paint, which transforms any surface into a dry-erase board.

Beyond WSH, a suite of security upgrades was also implemented: turnstiles for pedestrian access; Universal-Design-compliant swing gates for bicycle, stroller, and

SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 FACILITIES

wheelchair access; road blockers; electronic door access for shared spaces; additional CCTV cameras; and increased automation of traffic controls and security procedures.

These upgrades dovetailed with the full implementation of the SASCard system. The SASCard was launched in 2010 and became fully integrated in all aspects of school life in 2011– 12. Not just an identification card, the SASCard is used to activate turnstiles, open doors, access school buses, and make cashless purchases on campus. SASCard users also have the option of adding NETS Flashpay funds that can be used for public transport, ERP gantries, and over 15,000 retail points island-wide.

“SAS remains committed to creating a safe and secure environment in which students, parents, faculty, and staff can learn and enjoy the strong sense of community that is distinctive of Singapore American School,” said Dr. Brent Mutsch, superintendent.

“The work that occurred during the 2011 summer works program is clear evidence of our continuing commitment to safety and security on the SAS campus.”

SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION SAS believes that environmental stewardship and global citizenship are mandated by our mission, vision, and core values. While the school’s tradition of social and environmental service is manifested in decades of green initiatives spearheaded by students, teachers, and the administration, it was in the year 2011–12 that we made the most

progress toward green building certification.

SAS set its sights on Green Mark certification (similar to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED in the US) in late 2009.

It quickly became apparent that, no matter how many points we accumulated in other areas like water efficiency and recycling, the school’s 15-year-old central air-conditioning plant still failed to meet minimum energy efficiencies required of a green building.

In May 2012, after two and a half years of overhauls and upgrades, not to mention millions of dollars in electricity bills saved, SAS finally achieved Green-Mark-worthy efficiencies.

While most of the highest-impact improvements are “under the hood” and are frequently invisible to most students and teachers, one particular project is fairly impossible to miss. A completely redesigned IS/MS cafeteria opened its doors in July 2011 with a highly efficient Big Ass Fan as its pièce de résistance.

Together with large windows and doors maximizing natural light and ventilation, the Big Ass Fan saves over $200 in electricity bills every single day that it is used instead of air-conditioning. The icing on the cake? The new al fresco dining areas are stylish and have a great view of the lush SAS forest.

“Students, teachers, and parents have been sharing a great deal of positive feedback about the

39

cafeteria,” says Marc L’Heureux, IS deputy principal. “The fan system in the cafeteria has provided everyone with a comfortable eating environment. We now have a first-rate cafeteria that is much greener than it ever has been, and the design provides students with a relaxing setting to eat.”

BUILDING COMMUNITIES, BUILDING THE FUTURE School campuses have a profound impact on the community. The Senior Tree at King’s Road evokes just as much nostalgia among alumni as Mr. Hoe’s cooking. Stepping out into the lobby at the Riady Performing Arts Center makes talented youngsters feel like bona fide celebrities. And to the 70 percent of SAS students from the U.S., there’s nothing like an American football field to make Singapore feel like home.

“We shape our buildings, and afterward our buildings shape us,” Winston Churchill famously said about rebuilding the war-torn House of Commons. This year’s achievements in facilities and services are a manifestation of some of the myriad ways in which we shape and are shaped by the campus.

Whether your family is staying in Singapore for one semester or forever, this is the village that will help raise your children to become lifelong learners and empowered global citizens.

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SAS ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 PARENT PARTNERSHIPS

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION The PTA plays a vital role in ongoing community building, reinforcing the partnership between home and school, and conducting fundraising activities that benefit the school. In addition, the PTA helps new families settle comfortably into the school community.

PTA activities include the annual Food Fest, Book Fair, the bi-annual Gala Dinner Dance, and the County Fair. The funds raised through PTA events— over S$290,000 last year—support community service clubs, purchase equipment and materials for classrooms and books for the libraries, sponsor visiting authors, artists and musicians, and much more.

BOOSTER CLUB The Booster Club is focused on promoting school spirit and the sense of community and identity that accompanies being a part of the High School. High School parent volunteers operate a store on campus for the sale of uniforms and school supplies, a school spirit collection, and gifts. The store is open every school day and along with other activities, has made it possible to fund $37,000 for activities, athletics, and visual and performing arts departments, including providing over 240 IASAS travel bags and shirts for all student participants in IASAS events. $38,000 was given to students in the form of Interim Semester and Senior scholarships. $19,000 was provided for Honor Roll and Senior lunches as well as $10,000 given directly to student led clubs and student government.

COMMUNITY LIBRARY Community Library hosts speakers, panel discussions, movie screenings, and support groups for SAS parents. In 2011–12, we invited international and local experts to address pressing issues, such as: fostering academic success, predicting who your child will become, identifying and treating anxiety in children and adolescents, and managing sibling rivalry.

We also sponsored a support group for parents of Intermediate School students in the resource-learning program. By offering another link between home and school, Community Library works to deepen the sense of community at SAS.

40 Woodlands Street 41 Singapore 738547 (65) 6363 3403 • www.sas.edu.sg

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