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 the endeavors they pursue, and to build a store of memories that are a source of motivation and contentment for their future selves.

In high school, teachers use the Harkness method to challenge students and guide them through an inquiry-based approach to learning that broadens and deepens the range of students’ intellectual capacity and refines their academic skills. Seated at oval, executive-style tables in a seminar setting, students lead conversations and debates that are based on close readings and in-depth analyses of texts. They push each other to deeper understandings and extend conversations to higher levels of intellectual sophistication. 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 multimedia.

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 civic values needed to become ethical, compassionate 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 academics are 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. Using the Harkness method across subject areas, we emphasize the development of foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, science, and fluency in non-native languages, and strive to build community through off-campus experiential learning opportunities. Grade 11 and 12 students choose one of three curriculum pathways to 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 Harkness-based pedagogy emphasizes the development of foundational skills through student-led inquiry. We challenge students to direct their own learning and to construct knowledge through personal 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 fine-tune 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.