Nurturing Space for Academic Growth, Initiative, Leadership, and Creativity

High School studies at ACS direct students toward their passions, opening avenues of exploration that prepare students to thrive in universities that best match their talents, skills, and interests. Our approach rests on the principle that supportive, care-based relationships with teachers and strong community bonds among peers are the foundation of academic learning and the development of sound character. We want our students to feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment, to find joy in endeavors they pursue, and to build a store of memories that are a source of motivation and contentment to their future selves.

ACS high school students are challenged by teachers who guide them through an inquiry-based approach to learning that broadens and deepens the range of the student’s intellectual capacity and refines their academic skills. Beyond the classroom, our students participate in clubs that showcase their initiative and leadership, earn opportunities on athletic teams where they experience the intense team bonding that evolves out of the highs and lows of competition, and challenge themselves in creative, artistic projects where they feel the thrill of live performance and the deep satisfaction of successfully executing a creative vision on canvas or through multi-media.

In total, our programs nurture in students the internal motivation to think big, the courage to take the risks that come with pursuing one’s dreams and goals, the resilience to persevere through the inevitable frustrations, and the humility to accept the rewards of success with grace and dignity. We not only prepare students for university, we set them up to be community-minded, civically-engaged adults.

We are a community that makes students feel known, welcomed, and appreciated as individuals. We bring students together in a place where they can make lasting connections and lasting memories. ”

Joe CampanaHigh School Principal

A Choice of Three Diplomas Housed Under One Cohesive, Progressive, and Challenging Academic Program

High school study is divided into two tiers of study: Grades 9 & 10 and Grades 11 & 12. During 9th and 10th grade, we introduce students to the rigors and rewards of high school coursework. We emphasize the development of foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, and science, and strive to build community through off-campus experiential learning opportunities. Grade 11 and 12 students chart a more focused path toward university (the International Baccalaureate, Lebanese Baccalaureate, or American Diploma), depending on their career ambitions, the region of the world where they’d most like to study, and the university programs best-aligned with their dreams and goals. 

Our pedagogical approach emphasizes the development of foundational skills through daily practice. We encourage students to direct their own learning and to construct knowledge through direct engagement with real-world problems. Around the Harkness table or in the science lab, students develop mental agility by researching, analyzing and presenting their conclusions to peers. Our teachers help students to finetune their thinking by challenging original assumptions and by offering prompt, level-headed feedback that returns students to their work encouraged to deepen their explorations and move their projects in new directions. 

We urge students to choose the courses and join the clubs and activities that further develop their interests and provide the internal motivation to continue developing skills and capacities. Taken together, coursework in the arts, the humanities, and the sciences, along with participation in co-curricular activities, develop our students into enthusiastic seekers, reflective thinkers, and good citizens.