Director's Welcome

As we celebrate the arrival of 2010, we continue to do our best to prepare our students for a successful future. In order to achieve this, we realize that we must stay current with the research and gather data to analyze and assess student achievement. This year we adopted the NWEA assessment instrument to better understand how our students compare to American and other international students. We also use many other forms of assessments, and one that I pay close attention to is where our graduates attend and how well they do while there. For the second year in a row we have had an Ivy League acceptance. We anticipate that our 2010 graduates who are planning to attend college will be accepted at one of their top three colleges of choice, a feat accomplished by all the 2009 graduates. I am pleased to say that all of the recent graduates I have been in communication with are doing very well.

As your Director, I believe in being transparent with our school community and listening to your concerns and compliments. I understand the importance of working closely with our School Board and hiring the best staff and administrators available. Once again, we have hired an outstanding group of teachers for the next school year. Ultimately we want our students to reach their academic potential, be physically fit, develop healthy social skills, learn how to deal with their emotions appropriately, and “to know what to do when they do not know what to do.” This is no easy task but one we accept with excitement.

We have observed many changes in Kaohsiung American School during the past 18 months. Our enrollment has grown to 385, and we have a waiting list in several classes. Interest in enrollment for next year is the strongest we have ever experienced. Our extracurricular program offerings have grown to an all-time high, and our teams have been very successful in all tournaments entered. Field trips have more than doubled, and our Board has allowed us to increase staff by three positions (Upper School English, Math and PreK-12 Art). We have completed major facility projects such as resurfacing two outdoor playing courts and paving the parking areas. We have also added teacher and student research centers. We have every reason to believe improvements around campus will continue even more quickly than before.

During the next school year we will be implementing the International Baccalaureate Program (IB), adding an elementary school art classroom, upgrading our soccer/physical education field, and adding Math and English classrooms. Although life at KAS is already very good, it is going to get much better! We hope you will continue to enjoy this wonderful ride of providing top quality education to our students.

I thank our parents, School Board and PTA for making all of our successes possible.

With appreciation,

Dr. Thomas Farrell
Director