The American School is pleased to announce that students in select paper-based courses soon will have the option of taking their exams online instead of sending in the exams printed in their study guides. “Offering online exams is a very exciting move forward for our curriculum and for our students who have been asking for this kind of service,” said Curriculum Director G. Marie Limback. Online exams soon will be available for Automotive Systems, Planning Your Career, Child Care, Consumer Economics, English 1: Composition and Grammar, Food Study, Keyboarding, Physiology and Health and United States History.

Whether students choose to take their exams online or to send in the exams printed in their study guides, they will be tested on the same material from their textbook and study guide. The online exams, however, will look somewhat different than those in their study guide. Once students decide to take their exams online, they may not change back to sending in paper exams.

Before deciding whether or not to take online exams, students should visit the School’s Online Learning page at www.americanschool.org/online-learning. The Online Learning page contains the most up-to-date list of paper-based courses with available online exams, information on how to sign up for online exams, and a document that contains FAQs and technical specifications.

The American School’s transformation from a strictly correspondence school to one that offers both paper-based and online courses began with the introduction

of seven online courses—Calculus, Earth Science, Economics, English 4, Geography, Geometry and Pre-Algebra. Those seven courses recently have seen an increase in enrollments, and the School expects interest in online exams in paper-based courses to be high as well. In its history, the School has helped more than three million students in all 50 states and many countries around the world earn their accredited high school diplomas.

The School expects to add more online exams and online courses in 2013, and students are invited to visit www.americanschool.org often to receive the latest updates.

“I’m excited to imagine what the School will look like in another year!” Limback said.

American School to Introduce Online Exams

American School Holds 115th Annual MeetingThe American School’s 115th Annual Meeting was an opportunity for School leadership to review the activities and accomplishments of the past year and determine officers and goals for the upcoming year.

Trustees elected to serve for the coming year are Roberta Allen, William Hunding, John Kemp, Gary R. Masterton, John McCulley and Mary McKeown.

Officers for the coming year are President Gary R. Masterton, Executive Vice-President and Treasurer Vincent J. Immordino, and Executive Vice-President and Corporate Secretary G. Marie Limback.

Principal Rene S. Villalva will join the above trio to form the School’s Executive Committee and was also elected to the Corporation.

In his remarks, President Masterton said, “This past year, we did have a lot of changes, and in my opinion, changes for the better.” Those changes involved upgrades to several of the School’s departments, all of which were made to offer our students a better educational experience while maximizing office efficiency.

President Masterton went on to say, “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. Working together, we can make things happen.” Some of the things the School hopes to make happen in the coming year include new course delivery methods, including online exams and more online courses, and a continued focus on personalized customer service to current and prospective students as well as school officials.

English Department Welcomes New LeadershipThe American School is pleased to announce the following personnel changes:

Dennis Peters has been named Chair of the English department. Since joining the American School in 2002, Dennis has graded many English subjects and has collaborated with the Curriculum department on a variety of course and exam revisions, something he hopes to continue in his new capacity.

“I look forward to serving the American School and its English department to the utmost extreme,” Dennis said. “I like the familial environment here and the fantastic team of people with whom I have the privilege of working.”

John Skaro has been named Assistant Chair of the English department. Before coming to the American School in 2001, John earned multiple degrees in education and was a classroom teacher for many years. Like Dennis, John has graded many English subjects, but he considers Writing (formerly Build Your Writing Skills) as his favorite subject to grade.

“I look forward to keeping the English department strong and vibrant with the continued cooperation of full-time and part-time instructors,” John said.

Dennis and John take over for previous English Chair Sarah Hunter, who moved into a new role in the Curriculum department.

“I am very excited to be working in Curriculum! I’m joining at the right time to use my knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to help build our online courses and online exams,” Sarah said.

“There is no doubt I will miss working in Instruction. I enjoyed helping the students by grading exams, answering emails and taking phone calls. Working with the students, as well as revising study guides, creating exams and alternate exams, and choosing content for the students, has given me valuable insights that I am looking forward to using while helping to shape the way our students learn.”

Congratulations to Dennis, John and Sarah as they begin serving our students in new ways!

Several famous singers, including the Everly Brothers, the Osmond family, Selena and Tiffany Evans, have hit the books at the American School before hitting the charts. Now, 2008 graduate Sara Elizabeth Genco is ready to join that hit parade.

Her debut CD, On the Rise, was released in June 2012 and has the perfect title for someone whose music career has an upward trajectory. A native of Alden, New York, Sara Elizabeth began playing guitar at age nine and later added piano, ukulele and harmonica to her repertoire. Musical instruments, however, were not the only things Sara Elizabeth was learning, as she devoted a great deal of time to her American School curriculum after she completed eighth grade. Her hard work allowed her to graduate from the American School in just three years.

“I was homeschooled since third grade, and when it came time for high school, we were looking for an accredited school with good coursework and prices,” Sara Elizabeth said. “We did our research and chose the American School. I really liked the overall format and the ability to work at my own pace and have independence.”

Sara Elizabeth, whose older sister Stephanie graduated from the American School in 2006, listed Psychology, Careers, History and English Literature as her favorite courses in a curriculum that prepared her to attend college at the University

of Buffalo near her home. There, she earned a BA in Music with a concentration in Composition and Music Technology.

“The American School definitely prepared me for college,” Sara Elizabeth said. “I was 16 when I started (the University of Buffalo), but I had a big advantage because I took similar courses in high school and college. The result was that I graduated from college two years earlier than most people my age.”

Since graduating from college earlier this year, Sara Elizabeth has worked full-time as a singer-songwriter, playing at festivals and weddings and in coffee houses, bars, churches and even a cupcakery.

“I do contemporary folk music with a sound similar to Ingrid Michaelson,” said Sara Elizabeth, whose other musical influences include the Beatles and Regina Spektor.

In the future, Sara Elizabeth plans to continue making music, and if her rise continues, you might just hear her songs in films and commercials and on your favorite radio station.

For more information about this rising star, visit www.saraelizabethmusic.com or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/musicseg.

2008 GraduateSara Elizabeth Genco

Reflects on her American School

Educationand Looks Forward

to a SuccessfulMusic Career

It was a banner U.S. Open tennis tournament for current American School student Anna Tatishvili and American School graduate Andre Agassi.

Anna (pictured below) completed her best Grand Slam event ever, reaching the fourth round before falling to top-seed and eventual runner-up Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Along the way, Anna defeated France’s Stephanie Foretz Gacon, Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, and Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella in convincing fashion to reach the round of 16 for the first time in a Grand Slam event.

Andre was no stranger to the round of 16 and beyond, having won the 1994 and 1999 U.S. Opens and finishing as runner-up in 1990, 1995 and 2002. His career achievements earned him a place among the all-time greats in the U.S. Open Court of Champions located on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

We congratulate Anna and Andre on their accomplishments at this year’s U.S. Open and wish Anna the best as she prepares to compete in the Australian Open, an event Andre won four times, in early 2013.

Tatishvili, Agassi Enjoy Memorable U.S. Open Experiences

When winter weather strikes, the American School may not be able to open. The Online Student Center, however, is always open to help you. There, you will also be able to access your academic records and obtain email addresses for specific departments. As soon as the School is able to open for business again, our staff will address your needs. Be sure to check our Facebook page to remain up-to-date on any school closings and re-openings, as well as all the other latest news from the American School!

Winter Weather Reminder

This is the time of year when college-bound seniors are beginning the process of applying to college and seeking financial aid. Almost all four-year colleges will require either ACT or SAT scores as part of the information to make an admissions decision. Two- and four-year colleges, and vocational and technical schools will require certain information to make decisions about awarding financial aid.

For your convenience, you can start the registration process for the ACT or SAT directly from our Online Student Center. Look for the “REGISTER for the ACT or SAT College Entrance Examinations” link on the first page after you successfully log in. That link is the first one listed under the “Other Links” heading. Clicking on it will give you helpful information and send you to www.actstudent.org for the ACT or www.collegeboard.org for the SAT. Note that the American School’s high school code, 140650, is the same for either exam.

The Online Student Center and our home page both contain information about our affiliation with Method Test Prep, a leader in online ACT and SAT prep courses for more than a decade. We are excited about our partnership with Method Test Prep and believe their courses can be a great help to you as you prepare to take the ACT or SAT.

The ACT and SAT are given about every two months during the school year. Registration information for each test includes listings of places in your area where the tests are being given. You will be asked to choose a test date and give a choice of three test sites when you register. You will be assigned to take the tests at one of your three choices. Sign up early in the senior year so that your scores can be sent to the colleges as you apply to each college.

The first step in finding financial aid is to fill out the FAFSA form, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is available online in English or Spanish at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

The FAFSA is required by all colleges and universities for deciding financial aid. Some colleges also require the (CSS)/Financial Aid PROFILE form or have their own forms you must fill out. The FAFSA is also a prerequisite for many non-federal aid programs. Some private sector awards require that you have established first that you are not eligible for federal aid monies. The FAFSA cannot be submitted until after January 1 of the year that you intend to go to college. It is advisable to submit it as soon as possible after January 1 as you have the best chance of getting the money available early in the year.

Both the ACT and the SAT sites also have information about the process of applying to college. Another good site that provides information as well as checklists for planning that students and their parents can use is www.cappex.com. Contact the American School Guidance Office for help at guidance@americanschool.org and we will glad to assist you with answers to questions about the process.

Fall brings pumpkins, turkey, snow . . . and college planning!

by Janet E. Howe, Guidance Counselor

Three More Celebrate AnniversariesThe American School is pleased to recognize the following employees who recently celebrated milestone anniversaries. They are Tony Ouelette (15 years), Michael Perez (10 years) and Pam Smith (10 years). Congratulations, and thank you for your combined 35 years of dedicated service to our students.

All American Staff and Contact Information

Editor: Jeff Cox Layout and Design: Valerie Riley

E-mail: publicrelations@americanschool.org

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Twitter: @amerschoolcorr