Singapore American School (SAS) is a non-profit, independent, co-educational day school located in the Marsiling area of Singapore. It offers an American-based curriculum for students in preschool through high school. One of Singapore's first international schools, SAS was founded in 1956 and started with a hundred students in a colonial house. It has since developed into a school of over 4,000 students on a campus. SAS is accredited by the US-based Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
The SAS student body is made up of over 65 nationalities, with over half of the students being United States citizens. Singaporean student numbers are limited as Singapore government regulations prevent most local students from attending international schools within the country. The majority of the teachers come from the US, and staff members from twenty other countries also work at SAS. Most are hired overseas, and over 80% hold master's degrees. The maximum number of students per class in preschool and pre-kindergarten is 16, while for kindergarten through grade 12 it is 22.
SAS offers classes in the standard academic subjects as well as foreign languages, music, art, physical education, dance, sports, and technology. The high school offers over 20 AP courses, including the AP Capstone programme. The campus has both air-conditioned and open-air spaces. Facilities include gyms, cafeterias, libraries, and theatres, as well as courtyards, playgrounds, playing fields, swimming pools, tennis courts, a rainforest, and an eco-garden.
History Singapore American School was established by the American Association of Malaya in January 1956. It was originally intended as a school for the children of American executives, missionaries, and diplomats who did not want to follow the British practice of sending school-aged children home to boarding schools. In the beginning, around a hundred elementary and junior-high students attended classes in a colonial house on Rochalie Drive, on the edge of downtown Singapore. High school classes were soon added, and the school grew quickly, attracting students from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Over the next half-century, the school moved several times: In 1962 the school moved to a purpose-built K-12 facility on King's Road, as it had outgrown the Rochalie Drive campus. By 1971 the school's population had outgrown the King's Road campus, and SAS's younger students were moved to two temporary sites, Alexandra Junior School and Gillman Barracks. In 1973 a new K-8 campus opened on Ulu Pandan Road, and the King's Road campus was turned into an expanded high school. To accommodate a long wait-list, the satellite Baytree elementary campus in Clementi was established in 1990–91. In 1996 the Woodlands Campus was opened, and all SAS students were once again together on one campus.
Woodlands campus history By the late 1980s, SAS again faced space constraints, as enrolment continued to outstrip capacity at both the King's Road and Ulu Pandan campuses. In addition, the Ulu Pandan lease would soon expire, and the Singapore government wanted the school to accommodate more students, as part of its push to attract foreign talent to help develop new industries. While SAS opened the temporary Baytree campus as a short-term solution, the government offered three sites for a brand-new campus, and the school selected a large plot in the developing Woodlands neighbourhood. The school received a 90-year lease, with the stipulation that the new campus be able to accommodate 3,700 students. The site was developed at the cost of $150 million, and the Woodlands campus opened in the fall of 1996. To the surprise of many in the American community, enrolment quickly rose to capacity, and the western end of the campus had to be redeveloped into a new high school and early learning centre, which opened in 2004.
School governance and finance SAS is a non-profit, member-based independent school. It is incorporated in the Republic of Singapore and recognised under the Singapore Charities Act. Parents, guardians, teachers and administrators are members of the school unless they opt out. All members are invited to the annual general meeting (AGM) in October, at which the superintendent reviews the school's progress and finances. Members participate in school governance by electing the board of governors. These twelve parents of enrolled students serve in a volunteer capacity for terms of three years. The board is responsible for hiring the superintendent and providing strategic oversight for the school, while the superintendent and administrative team are responsible for the school's day-to-day operations.
The school's finances are managed by the chief operating officer under the guidance of the superintendent and board. An independent financial audit is conducted annually and presented at the AGM. The school maintains financial reserves and an endowment to ensure long-term financial stability. An investment advisory committee supports the board in managing these funds. Two philanthropic organisations support educational programs, operations, and capital initiatives at SAS. These are the SAS Foundation Limited (Singapore), and the Singapore American School Foundation (United States). The SAS Annual Fund solicits donations to these foundations from current and former parents and employees, as well as from SAS alumni and friends of the school. Foundations funds make possible special opportunities for students, as well as providing for the long-term financial health of the school.
School organisation and divisions SAS is organised into three divisions: The elementary school (including the early learning centre) for preschool through grade 5; the middle school for grades 6–8; and the high school for grades 9–12. A principal and deputy principals guide each division.
Elementary School: Early Learning Center The SAS ELC (Early Learning Center) serves three- and four-year-old students in a self-contained set of learning hubs, activity spaces, and playgrounds adjacent to the high school. Students in preschool and pre-K have a shorter school day than those in the rest of the school. The ELC program is inspired by the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy. Two classes of 16 students each are combined to form a hub, and each hub is guided by two teachers and two teaching aides.
Besides spending time in their individual classrooms, students have two recesses every day, which take place on the two ELC playgrounds and in the large central hall. They also have a separate Chinese class and a perceptual motor class in the Move and Groove Room. Once a week students have library time in the ELC's own library corner. Students also have "buddy time" with older students, counselling lessons to develop social skills, and special celebrations.
Elementary School: grades K–5 Students in the elementary school are organised into classes with a maximum of 24 students. Teachers are supported by instructional aides. Students receive instruction in reading, writing, math, social studies, and science in their classrooms. The elementary school's literacy program is based on the Columbia Teachers’ College program, and students use the enVision math common core program. Outside their home classrooms, students attend their choice of daily Spanish or Chinese language classes. A Chinese-immersion program started in Kindergarten in August 2017. Art, music, and PE classes occur in a three-day rotational schedule, with library, science laboratory, technology, and counselling lessons at longer intervals.
A 1:1 iPad program ensures that each K–5 student uses technology to support learning, and students have service learning opportunities based on grade-level themes. Special events include United Nations Day, PTA Book Fair, PTA-sponsored holiday parties, Chinese New Year celebrations, and an end-of-year Play Day. In each grade students go on several field trips. Destinations include the Singapore Zoo, Little India, the Asian Civilisations Museum, Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve, and various plays and theatre offerings. Parents are welcome to help in classrooms, as field trip chaperones, and with parties and special events throughout the year.
The elementary school occupies the eastern end of the SAS campus, and includes its own language, art, music, and science classrooms, as well as a library, an auditorium/theatre, two pools, two gyms (one with a climbing wall), two cafeterias, and several playgrounds.
Middle School: grades 6–8 The SAS middle school offers a foundation of academic classes complemented by elective courses and after-school activities. “Homebase” meets every morning, giving each group of a dozen students a daily connection with one teacher. With over 900 students, the middle school is organised into teams, called A Side, B Side, and C Side, each supported by a set of teachers. These smaller groups within the large middle school are intended to help meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Besides the required courses (reading and language arts, math, science, social studies, and PE/health) students may take Chinese, French, or Spanish, strings, band, or choir, or a selection of electives including drama, art, technology, and cooking.
Student learning is supported in a number of ways in the middle school. A 1:1 laptop program was implemented in 2013–14. "Classroom Without Walls" takes each grade level to a regional destination for several days in the first month of school, and students develop relationships with peers and staff. Learning support teachers, school counsellors and the school psychologist work with small groups and individuals needing specialised support. The school uses a standards-based grading protocol.
The middle school occupies the central area of the SAS campus. Core classes are taught in classrooms grouped around large-group activity areas. Art, band, orchestra, choir, technology, cooking, health and dance occupy specially designed rooms. The middle school has its own playing field and library/media centre. Students share a 25-meter pool, gymnasiums, and fields with the high school, and eat in the open-air elementary-middle school cafeteria.
High School: grades 9–12 The SAS high school offers a foundation of academic classes complemented by elective courses and after-school activities. Like many US college preparatory schools, course requirements ensure a comprehensive liberal arts education. The “international perspective” central to the school's mission statement is reflected in academic offerings, service opportunities, and extracurricular activities. Students with different learning styles, interests, and skills are accommodated. In recent years, the high school has launched several programs to ensure student wellbeing and foster community spirit. These include the advisory program, the house system, and the reorganisation of the counselling department into two offices: one for social, emotional, and academic counselling and one for college counselling. The soon-to-be-ratified House Student Council presides over the organisation of school spirit activities including house assemblies, spirit week, and house challenges.