ASV Annual Report 2014-2015

Elementary School. Art Projects Using Shades

Summary of Contents

At the Cutting Edge of International Education. Dr. Alberto Domingo 3

A New Vision of the American School of Valencia. Mr. Michael L. Smith 6

2014-2015 Annual Infographics 10

How Do ASVs Students Scores: External Assessment Results 11

One Family, Two Sisters Different Path Ways 13

Extraordinary Student Achievements 16

ASV is a Caring Community 17

The Adventures of Studying Abroad. Success Beyond ASVs Doors 18

Academics and Athletics: Opportunities for ASVs Student-Athletes 19

ASV Going to the World the World Coming to ASV 20

A Global Vision: ASVs Model United Nations Programs 22

A Helping Hand: US University Student-Teachers 24

Bringing Extracurricular Activities to Life through ASV+ 25

ASVs Got Game: Sport Events and Other Extracurricular Experiences 27

A Summer Success: ASVs Summer Program 30

Infographic: ASV Next Steps 32

ASV Foundation: Forging Ahead 33

ASV by the Numbers: A Brief View of the Schools Progress: 35

Mr. Ildefonso Segura

CREDITS

Concept, graphic and editorial design: American School of Valencia

Photos: ASV photographic archive

Artwork: Elementary School students

American School of Valencia

Annual Report 2014-2015 Page 3

This is an incredibly exciting time for the American

School of Valencia and our school community. As we

begin preparations to celebrate our 35th anniver-

sary in 2015-2016, a buzz is in the air with new

changes, innovations, achievements, facility improve-

ments and an energizing spirit of reimaging our

school and the future for our students. As our Direc-

tor frequently reminds the Board of Governors,

Nothing changes if nothing changes. So, it is in-

spiring to be at ASV and watch our growth year

after year.

Before many of you begin travelling for your sum-

mer holiday, I would like to take this opportunity to

share with you a few words and some observations

about the 2014-2015 Academic Year. In the Par-

ent Association Meeting (Associacion de Padres de

Alumnos) on July 2, 2015, some parents commented

about improving communication to our school com-

munity about our vision and goals. If you missed our

Directors presentation at the Parent Association

Meeting, then I am confident that publications such

as this Annual Review will help to inform you about

the myriad of improvements that our school is tire-

lessly pursuing. Actually, as parents and sharehold-

ers, it is also our responsibility to read through this

Annual Review. So, please take a few minutes to

read through this report carefully and feel as proud

as I do about the progress, developments and ac-

complishments of our school community.

As happens each year, I was immensely impressed

with the composure, words of wisdom, emotion

and sentiments of gratitude that our Class of

2015 students so eloquently expressed during the

High School Graduation and Award Ceremony on

June 5, 2015. Without a doubt, these forty-nine

students have a promising future awaiting them,

and we can all be proud of their achievements.

Their poise, wit, humor and eloquence as they

delivered their speeches was nothing less than

impressive, and they bear witness to the outstand-

ing education they have received while in our

care. We wish them success, happiness and joy in

all of their future endeavors.

The Class of 2015 is not only preparing for today

or even tomorrows world. Rather, they are prepar-

ing for a world for the next fifty years that is bound

to change exponentially. Therefore, it is always

essential for a school, like ASV, to continue to adapt,

not only to the needs of our students, but also to the

world for which we are preparing them. From the

greater integration of technology in the classroom,

to examining some of the critical economic and polit-

ical questions of our time, to looking at how we can

preserve this fragile planet which we inhabit, or

working toward a mutual understanding of one

another, we must continually adapt our curriculum

and the manner in which it is instructed to meet the

needs of our students for tomorrow and the decades

to come.

Our students have certain advantages as a result of

their multilingualism, exposure to the world at-large

through the International Baccalaureate (IB) pro-

gram, Model United Nations, student exchange

programs, as well as their daily interactions with

students from the twenty-four nations that attend our

school. This is what we are calling the ASV Differ-

ence, and I believe we can all agree that traits such

as diversity, multilingualism and open-mindedness

are all important ingredients of the success of our

children, now and for a lifetime.

Fortunately, our children are surrounded by a truly

caring staff of teachers, administrators, coaches,

and support personnel who understand and have

even personally experienced the demands of the

real world. Ultimately, it is our students who benefit

from the vast experiences of our community of edu-

cational professionals. Students will continue to

learn the values of perseverance and problem-

solving, but they will not need to forge ahead as

independent learners. In todays complex world, we

continually strive to provide our students with the

skills necessary to be lifelong learners, critical think-

ers, and assertive problem-solvers. As I am writing

this letter, as well as through my own professional

experiences with ASV students at the university level,

I am confident that our students are truly prepared

At the Cutting Edge of

International Education

Dr. Alberto Domingo Cabo

President, Board of Governors

By Dr. Alberto Domingo Cabo


Page 4 Annual Report 2014-2015

to make an impact in the world.

It is no coincidence that as we have implemented a

variety of changes and innovations over the past

two years that our twelfth grade students have also

earned the two highest Selectividad results in the

long and distinguished history of our school: 7.90 in

2014-2015 and 8.20 in 2013-2014. It is equally

important to note that twelve students graduated

this year with an International Baccalaureate Diplo-

ma. Once again, our IB students excelled and

earned results above the International Baccalaure-

ate average. Successful academic results such as

these are a continuing testament to the commitment

ASV makes, day after day, year after year, and

student after student to provide the best internation-

al education.

It is also with much sadness that due to the gradua-

tion of their chil-

dren from ASV, I

must announce that

three of our distin-

guished ASV Board

o f Gove rno r s

Members : Mr .

Joaquin Martnez

Gmez, Ms. Carmina Oliver Saez and Dr. Debra

Westall, will be leaving the Board of Governors

after the General Shareholders Meeting in Febru-

ary 2016. They have served our school community

faithfully through their volunteer positions on the

Board of Governors for a cumulative of 34 years.

No words can express my gratitude for their un-

flinching commitment and dedication to our school

community and wise counsel on a variety of issues

for so many years. They will be missed tremendous-

ly and we wish them our most heartfelt best wishes.

Thank you once again Joaquin, Carmina and Debra

for all you have done to make ASV what it is to-

day . . . a great school.

Lastly, I am exceptionally proud to report that the

American School of Valencia Foundation has contin-

ued to expand its activities and events for our

school community, as well as the Valencian communi-

ty at-large. Throughout 2014-2015, we have been

promoting the ASV Foundations Mission of:

Creating opportunities through languages, educa-

tion and community service. The ASV Foundation

was created in March 2014 to fulfill three objec-

tives:

1.) Participate in multicultural education

2.) Promote access to studying abroad

3.) Growth through community service

On October 31, 2014, the ASV Foundation spon-

sored a very successful Halloween Party with over

800 attendees, which was followed on November

21-23, 2014 with the Foundations support of the

Valencia Model United Nations (VALMUN) confer-

ence, which was hosted by ASV. The Foundation

also hosted the Second Annual BBQ on June 19,

2015 with the support and participating of many of

our local and school community, including the Berk-

lee School of Music. Collectively and as a result of

the generosity of our local and school community,

the ASV Foundation raised over 16,000.00 to

support its Mission.

The ASV Foundation is planning additional events

for 2015-2016, and the support of our school and

local community is paramount as we endeavor to

Successful academic results such as these are a

continuing testament to the commitment ASV

makes, day after day, year after year, and

student after student to provide the best

international education.



make a difference in the lives of children locally

and abroad. As we all know, the altruism and kind-

heartedness of the ASV school community is what sets

us apart from many other school communities.

Collaboration is one of the key 21st Century skill sets,

and we have this in abundance at ASV. The educa-

tion of each and every student at ASV is a collabora-

tive process between parents, teaching staff, support

personnel, administrators, and most importantly our

students. I am continually impressed with the sacri-

fices so many parents make to enroll and maintain

their children in ASV, as well as the dedication and

commitment of the ASV staff to our childrens holistic

welfare. It is truly an exciting period for our school,

and working together as one school with one vision

creates the foundation for years of success yet to

come.

The ASV Board of Governors, of which I am honored

to serve as the President, established three major

goals five years ago:

creating a true communi-

ty, with a commitment to

society around us; creat-

ing the appropriate

environment in which

teachers and staff can

work towards our com-

mon objective of providing excellence in educating

and instructing our children; and creating an institu-

tional inertia respected by all our community mem-

bers. Today, with pride, I can assure that we have

fulfilled all these goals and are planning on new

community wide goals to continue to improve our

school in key areas: academics, technology, activities

and infrastructure. I would like to thank everyone in

our community for their hard work, support and en-

couragement: parents, teachers, the school admin-

istration and my fellow Board Members.

In closing, on behalf of the entire Board of Gover-

nors, it is exhilarating to see the positive progress in

academics, programs and facilities at ASV. Our

school is really on the move and there is no doubt

that continual progress will be made in the coming

years. Our constant and unwavering commitment is

to promote ASV as a vanguard in international edu-

cation. Enjoy your summer and we look forward to

seeing you again in September 2015.

We are planning on new community wide

goals to continue to improve our school in key

areas: academics, technology, activities and

infrastructure.



A New Vision of the


Attempting to summarize and encapsulate an entire

academic year into as few words as possible is

definitely a challenge, especially for someone like

me, who typically has a lot to say. Although it is the

traditional end of the academic year, it is also the

beginning of new adventures and challenges for

many of our students. For those forty-nine students

who participated in the wonderful and emotion-

filled Graduation and Award Ceremony on June 5,

2015, their new lives will entail attending university

and mastering a new craft. For those students re-

turning to ASV next year, they will have new clas-

ses, some new teachers and many new experiences.

Consequently, change is an inevitable part of our

lives, and it should be something that we embrace

as we strive to grow, rather than something we fear.

As some of you know, I am an educator by choice

after a successful career in politics, banking and

private business in the United States. So, when I talk

about risk-taking, overcoming adversity, learning

new skills, or change, I am not talking theoretically

based on a book I have just read but rather as a

result of my lifes cumulative experiences. What I

have found most rewarding is that each change, risk

and even some failures, have made me a better

person and much more able to connect and under-

stand the real world.

At the Parent Association Meeting on July 2, 2015, I

began my presentation with a quote from a legend-

ary American educator, John Dewey, who writing in

1944 said, If we teach children as we did yester-

day, we rob them of their future. We all know that

the world has changed exponentially since the

1940s. Nevertheless, what has not changed is the

mindset necessary to continually push new bounda-

ries and reinvent our lives and world. As a student

from the 1960s and 1970s, I am excited about the

opportunities students have in the second decade of

the 21st Century to learn differently and to prepare

for a bold new world. I mean, how many of us

really want to return to the pre-Internet and pre-

cellular phone age?

Therefore, in the space that I have, I would like to

share with you some of the changes, innovations and

ideas we are planning and implementing to create

a relevant and inspiring learning environment for all

of our current and future students, or what we are

calling a New Vision of ASV.

Firstly, this New Vision of ASV starts with how we

think about our school community. Our 21st Century

world requires a new set of skills that are frequently

called the Five Cs: Communication, Critical Thinking,

Collaboration, Creativity, and Character. These skill

sets are not only for students. They are equally

applicable to our staff and parents. So, we will be

offering a greater variety of workshops and in-

formative meetings throughout 2015-2016 in order

that we can all advance as a school and learning

community to create a One World Schoolhouse as

S a l m a n K h a n o f K h a n A c a d e m y

(www.khanacademy.org) so appropriately express-

es.

Secondly, in a global, increasingly transparent, and

boarder-less world the concept of where learning

takes place has changed. Especially with the advent

and proliferation of technology, learning can and

does take place anywhere . . . not just in a class-

room. So, we will be reimaging what is a Learning

Space beyond the classroom. Consequently, as we

rethink our school facilities, we will be re-imaging

the different styles of learning and about the actual

learners themselves.

Thirdly, we must continue to bring the world to ASV

and take ASV to the world. This can be accom-

plished in multiple ways: virtually, technologically

and physically as follows:

We have already begun and will continue implementing Google Classroom throughout

ASV in multiple stages over the next few

years. This offers our school an exciting,

innovative and collaborative manner to

change the paradigm of how we learn,

Mr. Michael L. Smith

Director

By Michael L. Smith



communicate and connect with learn-

ers and educators throughout the

world.

In September 2015, we will begin piloting a new technology program in

1st and 2nd grades where iPads and

laptops will be used in conjunction

with Google Apps for Education

(GAFE). Our 1st and 2nd grade

teachers have been training and col-

laborating for this new experience,

and our intention is to introduce these

technologies in subsequent grade

levels. Of course, there is always the

proverbial first step, and we will

learn from our experiences this year

as we implement this concept in other

grade levels next year.

We have and will continue to look for collaborative agreements with schools

abroad to offer student exchange

opportunities. In January 2015, we

began a student exchange program

with the Community School of Naples

in Florida, United States. In February

2016, we will begin another high

school student exchange program

with Foxborough Regional

Charter School, a private

school in the Boston, Massa-

chusetts area of the United

States. These two student exchange

programs will offer an exciting and

enriching experience for 7th through

10th grade students to experience

living in the United States, attending a

different school, living with a host

family and making international

friends. It will also allow more 7th

through 10th grade students to partic-

ipate meaningfully in the student

exchange programs than in 2014-

2015..

With the creation of ASV+, our school has opened entirely new opportunities

for our students and school community.

It is exciting when our students can

meet Olympic caliber athletes, partic-

ipate in dance competitions, begin

learning new world languages, ex-

press themselves and their interests

differently through sports, languages

or dance, or by traveling to different

cities to meet new friends through

sports exchanges. This is an integral

part of the New Vision of ASV and

without doubt, we will continue to

grow and expand these developmen-

tal activities. This is just one more

way in which our students discover

new interests, new worlds and new

potential that perhaps they did not

even know they possessed.

Fourthly, our students are consistently earning

outstanding academic results whether it is

through MAP, ACT, SAT, IB or Selectividad

all external assessment results that validate

the quality and rigor of our academic pro-

grams. As Dr. Domingo indicates in his intro-

duction, we can continue to be very proud of

our students academic achievements, as well

as their community service and university pro-

spects. Increasingly, our graduating students

have the opportunity to study at universities

abroad. There is no doubt that this is also a

success story for our school community, espe-

cially when our students are earning academ-

ic and athletic scholarships. Nevertheless, we

must tirelessly pursue improvement, and we

cannot be complacent and glow about our

If we teach children as we did yesterday, we

rob them of their future. John Dewey



successes of yesterday or today. As the leg-

endary author and business guru Jim Collins

wrote, Good is the enemy of great.

Fifthly, effective September 1, 2015 ASV will

launch a new and exciting website. Our web-

site team has been working to give our school

website a new and fresh look, as well as to

make accessing school and student infor-

mation through the website and PowerSchool

easier and more accessible. We will continue

to make improvements throughout the year, so

please take a few moments to look at our

new ASV website at the beginning of Sep-

tember 2015

Lastly, as you may have noticed from last

year, we are making significant capital in-

vestments in our facilities, as they must contin-

ue to keep pace with our

outstanding academic results

and the interests of our stu-

dents. We are working dili-

gently on a comprehensive

Master Facility Plan that will

transform and upgrade our facilities, and

most importantly, create learning spaces that

are relevant for 21st Century learning. Our

Financial Director, Mr. Ildefonso Segura, will

elaborate more on some of these facility

improvements later in this Annual Report. So,

please be sure to read on.

As our school begins to prepare for its 35th

anniversary, there is no more exciting time for

our school community. Expectations are high,

academic results are good, productive chang-

es are taking place and the school is flourish-

ing with activity. Of course, our success is only

possible with all members of our school com-

munity collaborating in unison. Therefore, I

hope you will join our dedicated Board of

Governors, world-class staff and hundreds of

committed school community members in forg-

ing ahead with this new vision of ASV. We

are building a new future for our children and

successive generations to come. Nothing

should be more important to our school com-

munity at this critical time of accelerating

change.

I hope all of you have a relaxing and enjoya-

ble summer. Travel safe during the summer

holidays and I look forward to welcoming all

of you back for an action-filled 2015-2016

Academic Year on September 7, 2015. In

the meantime, thank you for a truly magnifi-

cent 2014-2015!

As our school begins to prepare for its 35th

anniversary, there is no more exciting time

for our school community.

Elementary School. Art Project representing Fall colors

Annual Facts



Our school has a philosophy of

continuous assessment where

students have multiple opportuni-

ties to demonstrate their mastery

of the course material through

exams, projects, presentations,

daily work and class participation.

In addition to these internal evalu-

ations, specific organizations offer

a series of external assessments

in order to provide the students,

parents, staff and the school with

an objective evaluation of our

students academic performance.

Below are some of our schools

external assessment results.

Selectividad

As an American school, ASV students

earn both the American High School

Diploma and the Spanish Diploma

and take Selectividad through the

Universidad Nacional de Educacin a

Distancia (UNED). In 2015, 28 ASV

students took the Selectividad exams

and earned an average of 7.90 out

of 10 in the fase general. This is the

second highest result in the history

of ASV.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students following the International

Baccalaureate Diploma have spe-

cific exams in May. In July 2015,

12 students earned their IB Diploma

with an average of 30.68. Once

again, this result is above the IB

world average.

PSAT and ACT Testing

ASV administers the PSAT or ACT Plan to all

grade 10 students. These two exams allow

students to become familiar with two of the

most important American college admissions

exams, the SAT and ACT. PSAT and ACT Plan

assesses academic knowledge and reasoning

skills in Critical Reading, Writing, and Math.

The ACT Plan assesses science as well.

In Grades 11 and 12, students who plan to

study abroad take the SAT or ACT at ASV as it

is one of the official test centers in Spain.

These tests are offered on ten different dates

throughout the academic year.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

At the American School of Valencia, based on

our Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

external assessments, we continue to show

gains in the areas of reading and math. In

reading, 66.7 percent of our students scored

above expected proficiency and 57.6 percent

scored above typical growth for the year.

Our greatest gains were in mathematics, where

our students achieved a 7 percent school wide

increase above expected proficiency. In 2014-

2015, 81 percent of students in grades 3-10

scored above expected proficiency in mathe-

matics.

How Do ASVs Students Score:

External Assessment Results

Elementary School. Project about Comparing and Contrasting Techniques

Experiencing ASV



One Family, Two Sisters

Different Path Ways

How do you feel after graduating from

ASV?

Andrea: Its been a very tough year, lots of

work, lots of studying, but at the end it has

definitely been worth it and weve accom-

plished what we wanted.

Irene: The school year is a lot of exams, pro-

jects and work, but at the end we earned

good results which have helped us attend the

university of our choice.

What were your goals last year?

Irene: First of all you have your goal to

achieve the best grade possible and then you

focus on what you want to do as a career. In

the end being happy about yourself, your

effort and your ultimate results are the im-

portant goals. In my case, I was preparing to

study to be a Elementary teacher here in the

University of Valencia. So, goal achieved!

Did you have any idea about the path you

were going to take to go to University?

Andrea: I started in 11th grade taking Selecti-

vidad as if I were going to study here in Va-

lencia but at the end of 11th grade I decided

that I wanted to leave Spain to study in the

US with a scholarship, taking advantage of

being a tennis player. So, I continued taking

Selectividad and with my grades at school

and other tests I took another path and I will

end up studying in the US next year.

Have you met your new teammates on the

tennis team in the US?

Andrea: Yes, I met my tennis coach and team

online, have explored the university and peo-

ple there through the Internet, and then I meet

them when I arrive in August. It will be diffi-

cult to leave but I think will be definitely

worth it.

Some things make this school different.

Which features have been really helpful for

Since September 2000, An-

drea and Irene Plantada Cor-

ts have known only one

school: the American School

of Valencia. After the Gradu-

ation and Award Ceremony

on June 5, 2015, ASV is say-

ing farewell to these two sis-

ters as they take different uni-

versity pathways. Andrea will

attend the University of Ten-

nessee at Martin in the United

States as a tennis scholarship

student-athlete. Irene will also

attend university at the Uni-

versity of Valencia where she

will study elementary educa-

tion.

So, how did one family of

twin sisters, attending the

same school take different

pathways? As ASVs Commu-

nications Coordinator, Carlos

Minuesa, discovered, each

sister had her own ideas

about their future.

Regardless of their chosen

and different paths, we are

confident that they will both

excel wherever they go. That

is the ASV Difference.

Andrea and Irene, during the interview



your future at University?

Andrea: Here at school they prepared me to

be open-minded, meet new people from oth-

er countries, and make friends. You have to

be open minded.

It will be useful for me in the future since Im

leaving I have to meet people that will prob-

ably not be from Spain, which will be really

helpful. And then for example to accomplish

my goal here at school, one of the things that

stood out for me is the all of the help and

support I received over the years from the

teachers, counselors, etc. . . . to accomplish

my goals

Irene: The school prepares us really well to

attend university It is like a big family. The

fact that they teach us to be open-minded,

and the curriculum, prepares us to think about

issues differently and of course we et to meet

new people. This school prepares us really

well . . . it has been an incredible experience.

You described this as a big family. Some-

times high school students are close to ele-

mentary students, or elementary students

are close to preschool students. Is that help-

ful for your future as teacher?

Irene: I think its really helpful. I believe we

grow up as a big family. Its nice that you

have those values. Its good for me as a fu-

ture teacher to teach my students like that big

family.

12th grade students leave a lot of memories

behind. Do you have some memories of

your life here to share?

Andrea: One of the things we will talk about a

lot are all of the trips weve made since first

grade, when we went to la granja escuela, or

the ski trip that was our last trip in Elementary

and then

our last

H i g h

School trip

that was

to Paris.

Irene: I will

remember the nicknames we had when we

were little like Piglet, a teacher called me

Piglet.

Will it be difficult to stay in touch with your

classmates? Many of them are prepared to

start a new life in different parts of the

world.

Irene: With some of them it will be tough, but

with the close, close friends its easy to get in

touch. Nowadays with Facebook, Twitter, or

Instagram I think today its more easy to be

in touch with them.

Andrea: For me, for example, its going to be

a little more difficult since Im living far away.

But with the good friends that I made in the

school they will be here when I come back,

and when Im there I will still be able to see

them. Friends are friends no matter the dis-

tance.

Do you have any advice for 11th and 10th

graders?

Andrea. Its going to be really tough, hard-

work, study-

ing, there will

be times when

you would like

to quit but

then when you

come to the

end of 12th

grade, you think its definitely been worth it.

Then youll start saying I dont want to leave

the school, but you know that once you come

back you know that here are your family and

your friends.

Irene: Like Andrea said, its tough but enjoy

the last year with all your classmates because

at the end we never know what can happen

and when we will see one another again.

Andrea: One of the things that stood out for

me is the all of the help and support I

received over the years from the teachers,

counselors, etc. . . . to accomplish my goals.

Left: Irene, participating in a workshop during the Arts Day 2014.

Right: Andrea waits during a soccer game at ASV in May 2015.

Elementary School. Recreating The Scream with self-portraits

Leading Events and

Players



Extraordinary Student

Achievements

American School of Valencia is pleased to

have two students who were finalists in the

2014-2015 Robert Sills Student Award. This

award is granted to those exemplary sixth

through eighth grade students enrolled in

MAIS member schools who model the charac-

ter traits that we value most in our students:

persistence, a willingness to take risks, ac-

ceptance of other cultures and points of view,

and a genuine interest in a sustained commit-

ment to others.

Once again, the Sills Award Selection Com-

mittee was privileged to receive numerous

applications and portfolios from many MAIS

member schools and carefully reviewed all of

them for their completeness, quality of con-

tent, presentation, visual appeal, and creativi-

ty. This year's finalist award recipients repre-

sent students from four different nations and

three international schools on two continents.

The 2014-2015 Robert Sills Student Award

Finalists, who will each receive a $500.00

cash prize are two students in 6th grade, Ms.

Olga Ballester and Mr. Ricardo Sez.

Many congratulations to these deserving stu-

dents who serve as role models not only in

their schools but for all students worldwide.

MAIS encourages them to continue their ex-

emplary work and leadership, and

we are proud of their achieve-

ments and the high standards they

set for our school communities.

ASV Student Meets King Felipe VI

In October 2014, Clara Kei March

Okuyama, an ASV 8th grade stu-

dent, was received by His Royal

Highness King Felipe VI as a winner

of the competition What Does Be-

ing a King Mean to You?. Clara

and the 41 children who were

awarded in 2013 and in 2014 spoke with the

King and presented him their projects about

the Spanish monarchy.

Clara went to Madrid with her parents and

ASV teacher Ms. Asuncin Barrachina. We

had the awards ceremony on Sunday, October

26, during an official dinner. On Monday

morning there was an audience with the King.

All our projects were exhibited and just one

minute before I reviewed my work to be sure

that I could explain it. When the King came I

was really surprised, Clara

recalled.

Organized by FIES Founda-

tion the competition is open

to students ages 9 to 14. At

the American School of

Valencia, Ms. Asuncin

Barrachina coordinates the

participation of the 6th

grade students as a com-

plement of the Social Stud-

ies Curriculum. Our school

has been competing since 2006. Past winners

include Sergio Gimeno in 2009 and Ana

Villena in 2010.

Left: Dr. Kristy Beam (ASV Preschool and Elementary Principal) and Michael L. Smith (ASV Director) after handing the diplomas to

Ricardo Sez and Olga Ballester.

Right: Spanish Teacher, Ms. Asuncin Barrachina, and Clara Kei March Okuyama, talking with HM King Felipe VI.

Between paragraphs: Work made by Clara Kei for the competition.



ASV students are involved in many community

service activities, whether it is through IB Crea-

tivity, Action and Service program (CAS for

those who study the IB Diploma) or those other

activities lead by our faculty, or the ASV Foun-

dation. As indicated on the ASV Profile of the

Graduate, our school wishes to inspire a per-

sonal commitment to service, and the students

willingness to make a positive difference in

the lives of others and to the environment. CAS

students collaborate with organizations such as

Psalo Puzol, Create for Children, SOS Sagun-

to and Tramundi.

This year, all classes from 1st to 10th grade

prepared 20 holidays baskets for families in

Puol. Collaborating with Pasalo Puzol, each

class collected special treats, decorated the

baskets and prepared messages and greeting

cards.

As we do throughout the year, the Sandwich

Run group delivered afternoon snacks to

needs persons throughout Valencia. Grade 6

students donated also money to buy small

winter gifts (socks and scarves) for them as

well

Collaborating with the NGO, Create for Chil-

dren, ASV donated 50 food parcels and col-

lected 6 supermarket carts of goods for the

childrens home El Preventorio in Real de Gan-

dia. Stationary and exercise books were recy-

cled and reused and also put into the dona-

tion. Finally, grade 11 students had a creative

and fun day of holiday craft activities with the

children at the Preventorio as well.

All of these activities make our school mission

come alive as we prepare globally-conscious

students in a collaborative and caring environ-

ment.

Beach Cleanup collaborating with American

Space Valencia

The art exhibition Trash for Some, Treasure for

Others showed in November 2014 at the Poly-

technic University in Valencia was the culminat-

ing piece of a coastal cleanup project promot-

ed by American Space Valencia to raise con-

sciousness about the importance of preserving

our seas. A group of ASV 11th and 12th

grade students were invited to participate.

On Saturday, October 25, 2014 the students

picked up trash from a section of El Saler

beach. A first count totaled 4,390 cigarettes,

240 food wrappers, 139 plastic wrappers,

more than 600 bottles and cans, and more

than 5,000 juice straws and caf stirrers. Two

days later, at the UPV, four Fine Arts under-

graduates guided the students in conceptualiz-

ing and designing sculptures.

ASV is a Caring Community Art work by Ms. Jackie Paarhuis

Beach clean up day, trash and

artwork created with cans.



The Adventures of Studying Abroad:

Success Beyond ASVs Doors

An increasing number of ASV students are deciding to study abroad.

So, their next steps are a little more complex than other students who

study in Spain. Nevertheless, their journey is equaling rewarding. Of

course, they have a lot of support from ASVs staff. This year, eleven

members of the Class of 2015 were accepted into international uni-

versities. We offer an overview of their destinations. The American

School of Valencia offers guidance counseling to High School students

beginning in 9th grade. University fairs, career day and the university

placement assistance that ASV provides are how the majority of students

determine what they would like to study. Students are more conscious

about the options they have, and the entrance requirements for studying

abroad, ASV Guidance Counselor Veronica Cinosi explained.



Two students from the ASV Class of 2015

received scholarships to study in the United

States combining their academic life with an

experience on a university sport team.

Andrea Plantada Corts is joining the Universi-

ty of Tennessee at Martin and will play tennis

with the Sky Hawks beginning in August 2015.

This scholarship will allow Andrea to earn her

university degree while she is part of the UTM

womens tennis team. Although she has not yet

decided on her major, she is confident that she

will be happy at university with their expan-

sive facilities, large offering of classes, as well

as the opportunity to play competitive tennis

on a regular basis. Compared with other uni-

versity sports, university tennis teams have

smaller rosters and play a significant number

of matches against other NCAA university

teams.

Andrea signed her National Letter of Intent

committing to UTM on June 2015, with her

family, ASVs Director, Michael L. Smith, and

Assistant Director, Robyn Chapel, present.

According to Mr. Smith, Andrea will love the

team environment, the opportunity to play a lot

of competitive matches, travel across the US,

and she will definitely improve her tennis game.

Academically, she will thrive and be a star after

her stellar academic performance at ASV.

Her classmate Antonio Villuendas Pina has

been accepted at Oakland City University in

Indiana, to study and train with the OCU soc-

cer team. Antonio will study Business Admin-

istration and Sports Administration. Based on

his academic and athletic achievements, he will

earn a dual academic and athletic scholarship

to attend the university.

Oakland is a small city in Indiana and this

university has great sports facilities, Antonio

explained. Regarding the reason he chose

Oakland, he explained he liked the level of its

soccer team and the reputation of the Sports

Administration Degree.

As part of his new life as a student-athlete,

Toni will train every morning from 06:00 to

10:00 and then attend daily classes after

training. He will then play competitive matches

against other NCAA university soccer teams on

weekends along with his teammates.

According to ASVs Director, Michael L. Smith,

this is an amazing opportunity for Toni to com-

plete his university studies, play a sport that he is

very passionate about and as a result of both his

academics and athletics, he has an opportunity

to study in the United States with a nice scholar-

ship. He has the best of both worlds.

On behalf of the staff, faculty and students of

ASV, we certainly wish Andrea and Toni the

best at university and on their new teams.

Academics and Athletics: Opportunities

for ASVs Student-Athletes

Andrea Plantada and Antonio Villuendas signing the National Letter of Intent.



ASV Going to the World the World

Coming to ASV

This year, the American School of Valencia

started a cooperative partnership between

the Community School of Naples in Naples,

Florida (United States) for a High School

Student Exchange Program. ASV students in

Grades 7-10 had a fantastic cultural and

educational opportunity to attend the Commu-

nity School of Naples and live with an Ameri-

can host family from their school.

As part of this cooperative agreement, stu-

dents from the Community School of Naples

(CSN) attended our school and lived with an

ASV family from March 17, 2015 to April 1,

2015. The exchange program is intended

to foster international mindedness with our

students as well as provide them with a glob-

al education.

On January 8, 2015, the group of sixteen

ASV high school students travelled to Naples.

For over two weeks, they attended school in

the United States and lived with host families

from the CSN school community.

Depending on their grade level, students at-

tended a variety of classes at CSN and they

also had a study hall in order to complete some

of their ASV classwork, ASV Director Michael

L. Smith explained after coming back from

Naples for a short stay during the first week

of the exchange. Our students acclimated

quite easily to life at CSN and they were soon

making presentations, taking quizzes and tests,

just like any other CSN student, Mr. Smith

commented. They also had frequent meetings

with ASV teacher Ms. Susan Belmonte, who

accompanied and supervised the students.

Additionally, ASV students practiced sports

with CSN teams in the afternoons, as well as

attended various activities with their host CSN

student.

CSN organized visits to various attractions

throughout Naples and the surrounding area.

During their first week, ASV students went to

the Florida Everglades and during their sec-

ond week they visited Florida Gulf Coast

University, a nearby university in Fort Myers.

A multitude of other activities and trips were

planned by the CSN host families. I know

that a lot of them had the opportunity to travel

to other cities like Miami, Orlando, or Tampa,

Mr. Smith said, and I am very grateful to the

CSN host families for accepting our students

into their homes and making them feel so wel-

come. I also believe our students were simply

outstanding ambassadors of ASV and its phi-

August 2014

Preliminar visit to

CSN by Mr. Smith

October 2014

Announcement to

ASV community

November 2014

Application and

selection process

January 2015

ASV students visit

Naples, Florida

March 2015

CSN Students

and staff visit

Valencia.

As of July 2015

Preparing exchan-

ges programs for

2015-2016

Photos above and on page 18 show several moments of the ASV-CSN student exchange.



losophy, and we can be very proud of them

and their accomplishments.

CSN students visited Valencia in mid-March

2015 in order to have the opportunity to

experience the traditional Valencian holiday

of Fallas. They arrived in Valencia on

Wednesday, March 18, 2015 and used the

first four days here to enjoy Fallas with their

host families. The students were in 7th and 8th

grades and joined ASV classes on March, 23.

In addition to the activities at ASV, they had

time for study hall to complete assignments

from their teachers in Florida. They also en-

joyed special activities such as the High

School Assembly and a field trip to Peiscola.

Being comfortable around the world

As Dr. David Watson, Head of Community

School of Naples, explained during his visit to

ASV in March, These sort of trips and expo-

sures to international schools and schools in

different countries, being comfortable going

around the world, makes you different.

Admissions offices in universities are looking

for these kind of experiences. ASV Director,

Michael L. Smith, added that It has been an

incredible experience, and both schools are

benefiting enormously from it.

Students faced a lot of challenges: living with

different families, going through different

routines, attending different types of classes,

and not having their families and friends close

by, but I think it was a great experience for

our students to see a different side of educa-

tion and American life Mr. Smith declared.

Expanding the experiences in 2016

Our school will continue the exchange pro-

gram with the Community School of Naples in

Florida, offering it to 16 students in 7th and

8th grades. The exchange will take place in

January and March 2016. Students in 9th and

10th grade will have a different opportunity,

applying for the new exchange program with

Foxborough Regional Charter School near

Boston, Massachusetts (USA). This program will

be open to ten (10) students and will take

place in February and April 2016.

What students think

about the exchange . . .

Nikita Parfenov. American School of Valencia

I had really good time there and I think it is a really good opportunity. I learned a lot from the school and improved my English to the

next level.

Ins Montoto. American School of Valencia

Some classes were challenging and hard-er. Everyone did sports after school, I went to tennis in the afternoons.

Eleanor Wood. Community School of Naples

People was so open, the classes were so fun and teachers got you involved. The culture is amazing, is so different and I loved

to experience all this.

Ethan Miles. Community School of Naples

Its one in a life time trip: Go outside of America, enter a different school and Fallas was ten times better than any other

holidays in America. It was louder and fun.



A Global Vision: ASVs Model

United Nations Programs

ASV High School Students are invited to par-

ticipate in one of three Model United Nations

(MUN) programs in 7th through 12th grades

in order to have an opportunity to learn

about world affairs through simulating the

role of United Nation delegates. Students

conduct research on global issues, write reso-

lutions, and develop formal debating skills in

preparation for the conferences. They also

learn about current events, topics in interna-

tional relations, diplomacy and the United

Nations agenda. The Valencia Model United

Nations (VALMUN) is the MUN conference

organized by American School of Valencia:

and was held on November 21 to 23, 2014.

Being a part of VALMUN teaches students to:

Debate issues concerning the world

today

Gain confidence in public speaking

Meet many students from all over the

world

Work in the field of diplomacy

In addition, students have the opportunity to

work with other students from a variety of

American and international schools from dif-

ferent cities and countries.

VALMUN also offers the opportunity to train

delegates who in the future will join

THIMUN (The Hague International Model

United Nations) conference which takes place

every year in Holland at the end of January.

Addressed to students in grades 10, 11 and

12, THIMUN is recognized as one of the most

important MUN conferences for high school

students and is highly recommended in univer-

sity applications.

Successful second edition of VALMUN

From November 21 to 23, 2014 American

School of Valencia hosted the conference

VALMUN 2014. For three days, one hundred

students came from schools in Valencia, Ma-

drid and Oporto, Portugal, as well as the

ASV Delegates. All VALMUN delegates acted

as diplomatic representatives discussing reso-

lutions on issues such as the situation of refu-

gees in Middle East, the rise of militias and

terrorist groups in central Africa and the im-

pact of new technologies on global security.

VALMUN 2014 had four different committees

(Environmental, Human Rights, Disarmament

and Security Council) in which delegates dis-

cussed two pre-assigned topics. VALMUN

General Secretary Francis Garca Westall

explained that each country should come to

the conference with something written that ex-

presses the beliefs of that country on the issue.

Then, they must negotiate and compromise in

order to form a union between the countries in

order that the resolution can pass and a solu-

tion for the topic can be adopted.

By participating in VALMUN, students in

grades 8 and 9 are better prepared for the

Madrid Model United Nations (MADMUN)

they can begin mastering MUN proceed-

ings. The first stage during lobbying you could

see certain students staying with their schools,

or the people they know, in this comfort zone,

Francis Garca Westall described. Eventually,

Left: ASV representatives with Mr. Ismael Tradjic (second on the left) and Mr. Lino Puertas (fifht on the right).

Right: A moment of the VALMUN 2015 General Assembly.



especially Saturday afternoon, more students

were raising their hands, they wanted to make

their points.

ASV Teacher and VALMUN Co-Coordinator

Ms. Susan Belmonte added that ASV delegates

were very impressed with the other schools and

their preparation and I think that in the future,

with this experience, they will work very hard for

MADMUN or eventually THIMUN when they are

in 11th and 12th grades.

Mr. Ismet Traljic, Chief of Service Management

of the UN Support Base in Valencia, was the

keynote speaker of the Opening Ceremony

scheduled on Saturday, November 22, 2014.

On Sunday morning, the delegates visited the

UN Support Base and learned about the role

technical support offers to all the UN missions

around the world.

THIMUN 2015

A group of 12 students and 2 High School teachers will travelled to The Hague (The Nether-

lands) on Saturday, January 24, 2015 to take part in THIMUN 2015. Once again, the

American School of Valencia sent a delegation to this conference where 3,500 students from

200 international schools perform a five-day simulation of the United Nations. The ASV

students acted as delegates from Uganda in the General Assembly, the Environmental Com-

mission, the Disarmament Commission and two special forums reviewing the UNs Millennium

Goals.

The THIMUN team met once a week since October 2014 in order to prepare their perfor-

mance. According to the ASV Community Activities Coordinator, Marc Boyer, delegates must

write resolutions on certain topics and when they meet other students in The Hague they are

going to lobby to get their resolutions passed as individuals submissions or as a group submis-

sion. Grade 12 Student Nacho Ortega pointed out that it is important to be clear on your

goals and practice the discussion with mock-up debates. Writing our resolution early is im-

portant so students who know THIMUN can give advice to the other delegates to help them

prepare. His classmate Francis Garcia Westall added that THIMUN is a really large confer-

ence and you must have a high level of critical thinking to understand a resolution or quickly

made up an speech in front of 200 people.

Collage showing moments

of VALMUN 2015 (1-4),

how ASV students prepa-

re THIMUN (5) and how

they work at the MUN

conferences (6-7)

1 2

3 4 5

6 7



A Helping Hand: US University

Student-Teachers

Ms. Allison Flores from Florida

State University worked with Mr.

Robert MacLarty in sixth grade

from January 12 to April 22,

2015.

Being able to be in an atmosp-here where you are not only working with them in Math, in

Reading, in Science you go out

with them and have fun this

creates that atmosphere of a com-

fortable classroom.

Ms. Anastasia Fox of Northern

Arizona University worked with

Ms. Amanda Crespo in third

grade from January 7-March

13, 2015.

Ms. Haley Shukert of Northern

Arizona University worked with Ms.

Mary Cass in fifth grade from

January 7-March 13, 2015.

Ms. Alexandre Scott of the Univer-

sity of Northern Colorado worked

with Ms. Deanna Williams in se-

cond grade from March 2-May 8,

2015.

I am really satisfied, much smarter, getting more kno-wledge than I had I feel very

positive about the experience.

Mr. Keaton Morris and Ms. Hanna Rodenhausen, two student-teachers

from Ohio Northern University in Ada (OH) arrived in September 2014

Valencia to start their student-teacher experience. Ms. Rodenhausen

worked at ASV supporting Ms. Jackie Paarhuis inn the ASV art class-

room. Mr. Morris collaborated with Mr. Mike Melin and worked with

several high school groups teaching Biology and Environmental Systems.

Hannah Rodenhausen:

Its been really cool to see how students grow and change what they learn. Its been exciting. Keaton Morris

The weather is nice. In December its six centimeters of snow in my house, I dont want to go back to that!

Student-teachers are an asset in the classroom, as they bring with them the latest teaching strategies,

enthusiasm and another educator in the classroom. In 2014-2015, the American School of Valencia

was pleased to host six different students from American universities.



Bringing Extracurricular

Activities to Life Through

In June 2014, the American

School of Valencia intro-

duced a new extracurric-

ular program called

AS V+ , o f fe r i ng

sports, dance and

additional lan-

guages to Preschool

and Elementary

Students. The activities

were offered within the

school day, permitting

students to combine their

extracurricular interests with-

out modifying their lunch or

park times.

ASV+ included

athletic, cultural

and artistic activi-

ties taught by

native or bilingual

professionals, which

provide quality and

immersion in Eng-

lish. The program

enriched the

curriculum while

d e v e l o p i n g

t h e i r o w n

unique abilities.

Starting with 278

s t u d e n t s ,

throughout the

academic year the school community was

invited to enjoy ASV+ Days, open events

including games, tournaments, dance perfor-

mances and learning shows developed in the

classroom.

ASV+ Day. November 2015

On November 15, 2014, ASV organized an

encounter for children enrolled in the sport

activities of Elementary. The event hosted 84

students with their families. Players performed

special training sessions and an exhibition

match and parents attended a formative

workshop.

The purpose of the day was for our families

to come together, for them to meet the coaches

and to see them play, and learn what they have

achieved. ASV+ Coordinator Escarlata Casas

described.

The day started at the ASV Sports Hall where

Ms. Casas gave an opening talk and intro-

duced the ASV+ coaches to the families. Then

the two basketball groups performed their

training in this facility while multisport, soccer

and field hockey groups moved to the ASV

parks. Around these areas, parents gathered

and had the opportunity to watch the practic-

es. The sched-

ule included

a parents

w o r k -

s h o p

focused on how to support children during

their sport development with two invited

speakers: Mr. Jos Mara Server, Technical

Director of the Valencia Field Hockey Federa-

tion, and Mr. Vladimir Babic, former basket-

ball player and first coach of C.B. Jovens

Almssera.

ASV+ Day speakers valued the higher pres-

ence of sports in the ASV community inside the

school timetable. Thanks to initiatives like

ASV+, the new programs will enrich the stu-

dents curriculum. It is important that children

will be able to practice sports within the

school day, Mr. Server declared. It is true

that teenagers face higher demands, both in

sports and school, but I think they can deal

with them being organized, Mr. Babic de-

clared.

Dance Performances in

and out the school

Ballet, Music and

Movement, and

Hip Hop groups

had several

opportunities to

show what they

learned during the year

in and out of the school.

All these students partic-

ipated in the ASV Win-

ter Concerts in Decem-

ber 2014 and had a



specific show on May 29, 2015, after the Celebra-

tion of Learning Day held in Elementary School. This

concert was a compliment to the hours they spent

learning and dancing during the week. Language

groups (Fun German and Fun French) were present

by singing and performing short plays.

Also this year, the students in ballet and hip hop

participated in the international competition La

Pointe, held on Saturday, April 25, 2015, in Xtiva

(Valencia). The ASV group was divided into three

different teams: the girls in ballet (1st to 3rd grade)

competed in the category fusion and won the first

prize with a special mention, as well as a little gift

for being the youngest participants. Hip hop (4th to

6th grade) competed with one girls team in the

category fusion, which received the second prize,

and one mixed team in hip hop, which received the

first prize.

Extended ASV+ Program for 2015-2016

Throughout the year, we listened to parents and

students about how we can continue to im-

prove ASV+. In addition to the decision of offering

new activities, a significant change will be the ex-

tension of ASV+ to High School students in 7th to

9th grades. We are proud to announce the follow-

ing ASV+ activities for 2015-2016: Multisport,

ballet, yoga, soccer, basketball, field hockey, Fran-

ais, Deutsch, Street Dance, Hip Hop, Robotics, Judo,

Creative Writing, and Journalism.

The schedule for 2015-2016 will be:

PRESCHOOL

PK2Monday and Wednesday

KinderTuesday and Thursday

PK2 and Kinder (Yoga)Friday

ELEMENTARY

1st to 3thMonday and Wednesday

4th to 6thTuesday and Thursday

HIGH SCHOOL

7th to 9th gradeTuesday and Thursday

Find complete information on the ASV Website or

read the new brochure for 2015-2016 on Issuu.

Whay do ASVs staff think?

Elena Corchs. Preschool and Elementary Vice Principal

As a school, it is important to offer opportunities to learn further than the tradi-

tional academic disciplines. The success of ASV+ is due to the high quality of this

program and I am sure that our school life is now richer than it was before.

Andy Ojelade. Athletic Director

As Athletic Director one of my main goals is to make sure that as school we look

to promote a healthy, sporting way of life. Ive seen with ASV+ so many of the

children are active in the school day. Theres no question that ASV+ is a big

step forward in that area.

Miguel Pompa. Elementary P.E. Teacher

I think the activities strengthen childrens self-esteem and encourage them to

fight for their goals. Break times are now full of that sport spirit we always

wanted for our school.

John Stapleton:. 6th Grade Teacher

What I love from ASV+ is that is giving the children the opportunity to learn

and to express themselves in different ways. Children who are choosing for

example Fun French, Fun German, are having the opportunity to learn a new

language. On the physical side the experience what can be life-long activi-

ties.

Chelo Roig. 3th Grade Teacher

ASV+ has been a great idea. One of the reasons is that besides offering a

variety of activities the plus is that they are doing these activities at the school

with friends of the school, also its in English, which is another plus, at is during

the school day which doesnt make the day longer.

Mila Casalvzquez. Elementary Spanish Coordinator

Children of different grades, lower and higher, stay and play together. I think

this is really positive for their social skills. The fact of developing the activity

within the school day is another good feature; it is perfectly fitted within our

curriculum and school philosophy.

Left: Ms. Scarlett Casas, referee during an ASV+ soccer game.

Right: Students and coaches who participated in the ASV+ Olympics on May 23, 2015.



ASVs Got Game! Sport Events and

Other Extracurricular Experiences

In addition to PE, ASV students have a wide

range of sport activities completing their cur-

riculum. Best known from Preschool to High

School are the Sport Days, a full day in which

students take part in diverse games and enjoy

the emotion of sport competition. In Elemen-

tary School, Sports Day is an excellent oppor-

tunity to build team work and friendship with

other classmates as teams are made up of

children from 1st to 5th grades and 6th

grade students serving as captains.

High School also celebrates several sports

days, some for specific groups or sports, and

others open to the participation of other

schools. That is the case of the tournament

known as Valencia International Schools Cup.

The first VIS event held this year at ASV

brought together 600 students from 7th to

12th grades from the American School of

Valencia, British School of Vila-real, Cam-

bridge House and Caxton College who com-

peted in both soccer and basketball tourna-

ments. Other VIS events celebrated this year

were focused on volleyball, track and field

and swimming.

VIS Cup complements the schools physical

education program as well as promotes team

work and sportsmanship among high school

students: Basically we are trying to give the

students as many opportunities as possible to

experience competition . . . healthy competi-

tion.

ASV players were selected for the team by

assessing sport skills, general performance

and behavior. The children know if they want

to play on the team, they have to behave cor-

rectly in the school, they have to be on top of

their work. It is complete package, Mr.

Ojelade explained. That was the first time

ASV hosted more than one sport tournament

so it was a challenge, Mr. Ojelade declared.

Soccer Exchange with ASB

In April and May 2015, our High School soc-

cer teams had an enjoyable soccer exchange

with the American School of Barcelona.

Students acquitted themselves very well

against strong Barcelona teams who are play-

ing weekly in local leagues, Mr. Ojelade re-

called, and there was an excellent atmosphere

among all players and with the host families.

Teams from American School of Madrid

joined and took part in the second leg, held

at ASV on May 15 and 16, 2015

ASV community gathered around running

Sport is a good way to congregate the ASV

community, not just as spectators cheering our

athletes. On Sunday, April 19, 2015, Ameri-

can School of Valencia was present as a team

in the Women Race 2015.

This popular race of 6,6 kms is open to any

woman who is 12 years old or older and is a

fundraising activity in favor of AECC (Spanish

Association of Breast Cancer).

One hundred women, including High School

students, teachers, mothers, staff and col-

leagues from Colevisa made a great effort

running along an urban circuit in Valencia.



Outstanding Student-Athletes in our Community ASV students practicing sports out of the school also have outstanding perfor-

mances in their disciplines.

Wrestling

This year, 9th grade student Amon Manville competed and placed 3rd in Free-

style, Cadet level at the Spanish National Wrestling Tournament held in Madrid.

His brother Levi (6th grade) placed 3rd in Greco-Roman wrestling, Schoolboy

level. Levis team took 1st place in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle.

Prior to this event, both ASV students won the Valencia Regional Championships

in Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Their brother Abel Manville (4th

grade) wrestles, as well, but is not old enough to compete in these major tourna-

ments. They train with Club De Lluita Camp de Morvedre in Puerto de Sagunto,

the oldest continuously run wrestling club in Spain.

Field Hockey

Being part of Xaloc Hockey Club, High School students Victor Estela, and sisters

Mara and Sara Domingo were selected this year to participate in the specific

training plan for players under 15 and 13 leaded by Valencia Hockey Federa-

tion. Throughout the year, while they compete with their club, they have specific

clinics with FHCV coaches to improve their skills.

In June 2015, other ASV students playing hockey joined Valencia Federation

and attended an international U18 tournament organized by Junior FC in Sant

Cugat del Valls, Barcelona. For three days they enjoyed high level hockey and

competed with players from England, Germany, The Netherlands, and several

clubs from Catalunya. Students enjoying this experience were: Victor Estela and

Mara Domingo (8th grade); Sara Domingo (6th grade); Mara Snchez, Adria-

na Morillas, Rodrigo Rebelo, Javier Marqus, scar Estela, Mateo Tirado, Aa-

ron Bking, Manel Orts, and Pablo Esteban (5th grade); Ismael Minuesa, Marco

Lpez, Rodrigo Olmo, Lus Gayn, and Jaime Esteban(4th grade); Hugo Olmo

(3th grade); Elena Minuesa and Irene Morillas (2th grade).

Tennis

In addition to Andrea Plantada, who was mentioned on pages 13-14, there are

other outstanding tennis players in our community like Javier Garca Peris and

Clara Kei March Okuyama. We congratulate them for combining high-

performance athletics and academics.

Page 28: VIS Cup held on November 10, 2014.

This page: (1) Flash of one High School sports day. (2) Girls

soccer teams from ASV and ASB. (3) Community members

participating in the Women Race 2015. (4) Boys receiving a

trophy in Junior FC hockey camp.

1 2

3

4



The Spanish Olympic Women's Field Hockey Team visited

the American School of Valencia and had a special training session with

the students who play field hockey at ASV. The Red Sticks practiced

technical exercises and played a short game against our team, as well

as taught them some basics of field hockey. Afterwards they enjoyed a

lunch in the ASV Dining Hall and exchanged gifts with our students.

This sport is great and not many students know it, ASV+ Coordinator

Scarlett Casas said, so it was a great opportunity to everybody to get

to know this sport, to get to know professional players, and enjoy the

day. Ms. Casas thanked the Spanish federation for their generosity

because its very difficult for a national team to find the time and come;

they have done it, it has been a great success.

Coach Raul Gmez explained they try to do these type of activities to

promote field hockey among children. Our players were very satisfied

after the training session because children learn really fast. Although the

ASV team was created less than one year ago they have a good level.

From May to June 2015, the Spanish Womens Field Hockey team was

in Valencia preparing and competing in the World Hockey League

2015, an international tournament to qualify for the next Summer

Olympic Games. A group of teachers and students attended the game

United States vs. Uruguay during the first round of the tournament and

met with the captain and the American players.

Top pictures: Training with the Spanish Women Field Hockey Team at the ASV

Sports Hall.

Above: Students and teachers with some US hockey players after their game

at the Valencia 2015 World Hockey League.



American School of Valencia organized a

new edition of the ASV Summer Program, an

immersion English course for children aged 2

to 16 offering daily English lessons, creative

workshops and other playful activities. The

activity took place at our campus from July 1-

31, 2015.

This year, 672 students were enrolled, the

highest enrollment since the school began

organizing this program, and about 90 per-

cent of enrollment was complete before May

1, 2015, a vivid example of how families

from ASV and many other schools in Valencia

are interested in the ASV method.

Our Summer Program encourages children to

think, create and have fun using English. Stu-

dents also have workshops on science, art,

drama, a wide range of sports and outdoor

activities and exciting excursions. Qualified

bilingual and native staff takes care of class-

room activity, sports and workshops.

According to the Summer Program Coordina-

tor, Ms. Felicitas Berazay, It was a huge suc-

cess, we have received excellent feedback from

our parents and students. Children have en-

joyed enormously all the great variety of activi-

ties, sports, excursions, and have proudly ex-

posed their learning at assemblies, preschool

show and elementary and high school celebra-

tion of learning where we had a great number

of parents attending.

Daily routines

Throughout the day at the ASV Summer Pro-

gram, children in Preschool have different

activity centers. Songs, rhymes, and shared

reading are effective ways to start their en-

gagement with a new language.

Elementary students followed the books Our

World edited by National Geographic, but

most of their time is guided by interactive

activities using the digital whiteboards, the

school IT labs, and other games and activities.

Weekly excursions inspire some activities so

Bioparc and LOcreanografic are reflected on

craftworks and presentations. Students also

met once a week in assemblies where they

shared this work and some students received

awards for their effort in speaking English,

cooperating with their classmates or partici-

pating in the activities.

Rotating activities including sports

Students in Elementary and High School

groups have two rotating activities every

week led by additional teachers. A wide

variety of activities were offered this year

including arts and crafts, music, cooking and

USA Style, an introduction to American culture

and society. A second group of activities was

sports led by specialized coaches, some of

whom come from our ASV+ extracurricular

program.

A key to success was the qualification and the

educational experience of our Summer Pro-

gram staff: They collaborated intensively to

provide a strong, high quality curriculum, but

most of all, they have shown their love and

care for their students, commented Ms. Be-

razay ton he last day of this program.

A Summer of Success: ASVs Summer Program

Elementary School. First Grade. Artistic expression through stimuli.

Moving Forward



ASV Foundation:

Forging Ahead

A significant fact of this academic year is that

the American School of Valencia Foundation

continued to expand its activities and the ASV

Community showed huge support for the

events and organizations it supports. In Sep-

tember 2014, several events showed the

positive impact of the fundraising activities for

Kapita School. Notice boards and presenta-

tions at ASV offered an overview of the trip

made in July 2014 by our teacher Ms.

Julianne Stall.

During her visit to Kapita School last July, Ms.

Stall stayed for two weeks teaching children

in grades 5th, 6th and 7th and working with

Kapitas teachers. "Everything that we brought

was appreciated and many students had never

seen or used literature books before. All the

students were excited about learning English

and the games and materials we left will be

used. The school needs so much and what we

brought was just a beginning." She travelled

with Ms. Ree Gillet, a former ASV teacher

who is working with the Livingstone Founda-

tion.

In September 2014, we received some photos

of Kapita students wearing their new uni-

forms, the main goal of the funds collected

during the school year 2013-2014. The uni-

forms were made by a local tailor near the

school, and this September the school in Lu-

angwa Valley (Zambia) received the much

awaited order of 300 uni-

forms. As Ms. Julianne Stall

explains: "Even though the

old uniforms were mended

many times and torn, the

students still wore them daily

and were proud to wear

them. Wearing a uniform

means that you are a student,

and are privileged enough to

attend school. Only 57% of

the children in Zambia attend

school and at Kapita the

director works hard to get

children to attend school but

even so many of them are

needed at home to help with

work."

Meanwhile, the ASV Foun-

dation worked diligently,

along with some university

students, on the preparation

of its first Halloween Party

on Friday, October 31,

2014. This

event was a

w o n d e r f u l

example of

what we mean

when we talk about the ASV

Community and your support

and attendance are appreciated

beyond measure., Dr. Alberto Domingo ex-

plained. The party was a huge success with

over 800 entry tickets sold to a broad spec-

trum of school and local community.

The event was possible thanks to the hard

work and dedication of many of our communi-

ty members and contributors. Part of the pro-

ceeds were needed to support an important

ASV activity: the VALMUN Conference. The

ASV Foundation sponsored some conference

costs such as the Delegates Kit, including a

USB bracelet.

Weekly Bake Sales led by ASV Students

An example of perseverance and collabora-

tion from our ASV students and teachers are

ASV Foundation wants to be present and

highly visible in the life of the school, local

community and the Valencian community at

-large.



the weekly bake sales organized at the school

in favor of Kapita School. Every Tuesday,

members of the Student Council or specific

class groups brought a selection of sweets and

treats to sell during the first morning break.

Barbecue Party Closing the School Year

ASV Foundation wants to be present and high-

ly visible in the life of the school, local commu-

nity and the Valencian community at-large.

After a resoundingly successful American-style

barbecue in May 2014, the ASV Foundation

organized its Second Annual Barbecue for

June 19, 2015. On May 10, 2015, during

ASV Day, visitors could find an informative

stand presenting the Foundations projects and

upcoming activities such as the BBQ party. This

BBQ Party was the last event of the school

year and included access to the swimming pool

for children, a magic show, live music with two

bands, and a silent auction of ASV student

artwork. Funds raised from this event support-

ed local scholarships in the ASV Summer Pro-

gram and other Foundation activities through-

out the academic year.

Summer Scholarships

The scholarships in ASVs Summer Program in

July 2015 are granted every year along with

the cooperation of the Puol Town Council, for

elementary and high school students from Puol

who wish to attend ASVs Summer Program in

English.

Mr. Enric Esteve, the new Mayor of Puol, visit-

ed the ASV campus on Wednesday, July 8,

2015, and participated in a presentation cer-

emony to present certificates to the four stu-

dents selected this year. Mr. Esteve highlighted

to all students the value of learning world

languages and wished them a rewarding ex-

perience at ASV. Prior to the presentation, Mr.

Esteve met with Dr. Alberto Domingo, President

of the ASV Foundation, and Mr. Michael L.

Smith, Director of ASV.

So, on behalf of the ASV Foundation, thank

you for your continued and very generous

support.



ASV By The Numbers: A Brief

View of the Schools Progress

Mr. Ildefonso Segura

Financial Director

By Mr. Ildefonso Segura Prez

Another school year has ended successfully and so

we truly hope that you enjoy with your families a

joyful and well-deserved summer break.

Throughout the year, the professional team that

comprises the Academic and Financial Administra-

tion has worked diligently through some exciting

new challenges to respond to your enquiries and

requests, which are the fundamentals that define the

high-quality standards that we strive to provide the

entire school community. Although we feel very satis-

fied with the work done so far, we are also aware

that we can never stop in our efforts to improve our

services.

Once more, we have worked in conjunction with the

Board of Governors to optimize the economic and

financial structure in the school according to the

objectives and curricular goals that ASV has esta-

blished. Our aim is to offer the best education possi-

ble along with the coordination of the best profes-

sional team of educators and materials possible.

Combined, this contributes to our position as the best

international school within the Valencian Community.

We have come to the end of the 2014-2015 Aca-

demic Year, and we have complied with the bud-

gets approved before the beginning of the acade-

mic course.

We would like to thank you for your cooperation

which has been essential to achieve this goal. As you

may have seen in February 2015, we presented the

2013-2014 Annual Accounts which were audited

with satisfactory results and with no additional ob-

servations. Therefore, the BDO Audit Report, once

again, stated that the school accounts and records

reflected the true image of the capital structure and

financial situation of the ASV. The audit of the 2014

-2015 School Year, which concludes in August 2015,

will be held during the 2015-2016 Academic Year.

We expect its results to be the same as last years

based on the data that we have processed so far

and which are aligned with 2014-2015 School

Budget.

Regarding the new services introduced during this

academic year, we would like to highlight the follo-

wing aspects:

The improvement of the school lunch service

thanks to the new facilities inaugurated in

2014-2015 has been successful. Our stu-

dents have enjoyed their lunch in more com-

fortable facilities along with stronger efforts

to provide our diners with better service and

attention. We have worked on improving

the menus both in nutritional composition and

variety to encourage our students to truly

enjoy their meal. Also, our Commitment to

Excellence table has been well-received

and enjoyed by our students, and it also

recognizes many of our students special

achievements.

We are very proud of our new Visions caf

which has been open for its first year. Du-

ring this period we have learned from all of

you and we look forward to improving the

service this coming year by responding to

your requests and, especially, to our stu-

dents who were able to see how the service

was reinforced in the mornings during park

time. We will continue to analyze its perfor-

mance. We would like to thank you for your

participation in this project with your atten-

dance, suggestions, as well as your un-

derstanding during its first year of opera-

tion.

With regard to our transportation service,

this year we have continued with our bus

changes policy as it is our intention to provi-

de the best service possible. In order to

optimize the quality of this service with the

available resources, we do our best to

analyze the routes in detail so that we are

able to attend to all of the demands. Addi-

tionally, we have extended our hours to

address bus issues from 08:30 to 18:00



daily. Concerning bus safet

ASV Annual Report 2014-2015

Documents

Transcript of ASV Annual Report 2014-2015