Profile
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Lisa Langley, M.S.Ed., General Director
Nancy Coates, M.Ed., Elementary Principal
Adam Kilner, M.A.Ed., Middle High and High School Principal
Stephanie Kempker, B.Sc. (Psych), College Guidance
Karela Hernández, M.Ed. Admissions Director
DESCRIPTION
The American School of Puerto Vallarta is a private, non-profit, nonsectarian, co-educational institution offering a bilingual, bicultural education for students from early childhood through high school. Founded in 1986, the school is dedicated to an American style education, high academic standards, and the caring environment a small school can offer.
GRADES: K – 12TH
Early Childhood: Kinder 1, Kinder 2 & Kinder 3
Primary School: Pre-1st – 6th Grade
Middle & High School Section: 7th – 12th Grade
ENROLLMENT
346+
TOTAL STUDENTS
52
Early Childhood
155
Elementary
139
Middle and High School
STUDENT POPULATION
THE FACULTY
The faculty of the American School of Puerto Vallarta is a highly skilled and devoted group of teachers who come from various parts of the U.S., Mexico, Canada and elsewhere. More than 50 percent of the teachers hold a graduate degree.
ACCREDITATION
The American School of Puerto Vallarta is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-CASI, now known as AdvancEd), the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), Mexico’s Ministry of Education (SEP) and The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Our CEEB code is 870900.
UNIQUE DUAL ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Our elementary school students receive bilingual instruction in a dual immersion program that meets both Mexican and U.S. standards. They also attend a special pre-first year to develop their dual language proficiency. Our high school students are enrolled in a full dual program, receiving both a U.S. diploma and a Mexican bachillerato (high school) certificate. In a given year, all of their classes are taught in English save for one Spanish language arts and one Mexican social studies class (Mexican History, Geography, Law or Civics). Thus, the majority of our graduates speak both English and Spanish fluently. Students take the 24 Carnegie units required for a U.S. high school diploma taught in English as a minimum.
ADVANCED COURSES
Advanced Placement (AP) courses (approved by the College Board) offered include Biology, Computer Science, Economics (Macro and Micro), English Literature & Composition, Psychology, and 2-D Studio Art. Students are accepted into an AP course based on MAP scores, GPA and teacher recommendations. All students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP exam. The American School of Puerto Vallarta is the first school in Mexico to offer Dual Credit university-level courses taught in high school by approved faculty. Dual Credit courses offered include Anatomy & Physiology, Calculus, Chemistry and Spanish Literature & Culture.
CLASS SCHEDULING AND GRADING SYSTEM
Almost all junior high and high school classes are year-long, divided into two semesters. Most classes are offered once each day for approximately 45 minutes, resulting in 7 classes per day. A few classes not required for graduation last only one semester and/or may meet less frequently than five days per week. Credits awarded vary with time spent in direct instruction, with daily instruction required for full credit (5 units per semester). Students are graded on a scale ranging from 0 to 10.0, with a 6.0 required to pass the class. Grade point averages are weighted in the calculation of averages to reflect hours of instruction (and thus credit earned) in each class.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Although the school offers a formal special education program only in Primary grades, every effort is made to provide support and make accommodations so that students with special needs can be successful in the upper grades as well. Any special or remedial classes at the Junior High and High School levels are identified on the transcript.
COLLEGE PLACEMENT AND TESTING INFORMATION
Over ninety-five percent of graduating students continue on to universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Graduates in the past five years have been accepted to universities including the following:
UNITED STATES
Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Berklee School of Music
Bentley University
Boise State University
Boston University
Brigham Young University*
Brown University
California State University*
College of Charleston
Cornell University
Drake University
Eckerd College
Endicott College
Eugene Lang
Florida Atlantic University*
Florida Southwestern State College
Fontbonne University
Full Sail University*
George Washington University
Hampshire College
Hamilton College
Hofstra University
Hult International School of Business San Francisco
Indiana University*
Laboratory Institute of Merchandising*
Lewis and Clark College
Loyola University
Loyola Marymount University*
Mercer University
Mesa College*
Montana State University*
Mount Holyoke College
New School of Art & Design
Nova Southeastern University
Occidental College
Parsons the New School for Design
Pennsylvania State University*
Portland State University
Reed College
Rochester Institute of Technology
San Francisco State
San Diego State University*
Santa Clara University
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and Design
Seattle University*
Suffolk University
University of Arizona*
University of California Davis
University of California Riverside
University of California San Diego*
University of California Santa Cruz
University of Miami
University of New Mexico
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania*
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco*
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at San Antonio
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Whitman College
CANADA
Camosun College
Carleton University
Concordia University*
Lakehead University
McGill University*
Mount Allison University
Ryerson University
Simon Frasier University
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia*
University of Laval
University of Toronto
University of Western Ontario
University of Victoria*
Vancouver Film School
MEXICO
Arkansas State - Queretero*
Centro*
CESSA*
ITAM*
ITESM (TEC de Monterrey, multiple campuses)*
ITESO*
Universidad Anáhuac*
Universidad de Guadalajara*
Universidad Iberoamericana*
Universidad de las Américas Puebla*
Universidad La Salle
Universidad Panamericana*
Universidad Politécnica de Aguascalientes*
Instituto Politécnico Nacional*
EUROPE
Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
ESSEC Paris
EU Business (Spain)*
Glion Institute of Higher Education*
Hult International School of Business*
IE University-Segovia
Institut Supérieur de Gestion, Paris
Jacobs University Bremen
Les Roches School of Hotel Management*
University of Westminster
UNITED KINGDOM
Hult International Business School, London
Regents’ University
Richmond, The American International University of London
ISRAEL
Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center
ASIA
Qingdao University
*Currently attending
OUR SCORES
AVERAGE PAA (COLLEGE BOARD SAT IN SPANISH):
Verbal 690 Math 740
AVERAGE TOEFL:
Graduates consistently score above university entrance requirements.
AVERAGE SAT:
|
YEAR |
VERBAL |
MATH |
WRITING |
|
2018-2019 2016-2017 |
571 599 |
575 582 |
551 520 |
SCHOOL FACILITIES
The school campus consists of seven buildings housing 28 classrooms, including two libraries, three state-of-the-art science labs, two computer labs, an arts center, a wellbeing studio, a cafeteria, and administrative offices. The grounds extend to more than seven acres and include: grass-covered sports fields and new Tartan track; two multi-purpose, covered, surfaced sports courts and an Early Childhood play area.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Education at the American School of Puerto Vallarta extends beyond the classroom to ensure that all students are presented with the opportunity to grow in a rich environment of experiences, particularly community service. Programs are diverse, including: Student Council, National Honor Society, service learning, musical theater, and chorus. After school, there are math labs and tutoring sessions, and an extensive extracurricular program which includes soccer, basketball, tennis, archery, yoga, and guitar, drum and voice lessons. School teams compete within the ASOMEX (American Schools of Mexico) and against local leagues.
EXPERIENCE ASPV
Start by scheduling a tour with our friendly team and learn what makes ASPV a special place.