High School

High School Philosophy

ASK High School facilitates students to develop an arsenal of knowledge, understanding, and skills to prepare them for college and lifelong learning. We guide students to learn to learn, and strive to become lifelong learners. We support our students to select classes across the years to meet their individual needs and career aspirations. In addition to critically important core subjects at progressive levels for English, Math, Social Studies, and Science, we offer specialized courses that help students better choose a suitable college degree or career based on their preferences. 

We offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes that are college-level courses. These courses are specific subjects such as but not limited to Biology, Chemistry,Calculus, English Literature, English Language, World History, Human Geography, Comparative Government and Computer Science. Depending on the college or university, many institutions give students the opportunity to use these high school AP credits gained towards their undergraduate degrees. 

Our credit system is based on an American credit system, known as the Carnegie Units, which requires that one US high school credit is based upon 120 hours of classroom instruction over the course of an academic year. Across the four years of High School, this results in an accredited American system high school diploma. 

Beyond and in support of the academic courses, we guide and support our students with lifelong learning skills that will help them succeed in any career of their choice, such as self-directed learning, critical reading, research and writing, conversation and presentation, collaboration, and teamwork. In doing so, we prepare our students to be well prepared to begin working toward their future careers upon graduation or to begin university studies with great confidence.

High School Curriculum

The curriculum at ASK is based on U.S Common Core State Standards that define what students should know and be able to do for each subject area. These standards provide clear and coherent learning targets and progression. Standards are divided into benchmarks, which describe the increasingly complex content and skills that students address as they move from one grade level to another. Standards and benchmarks help us focus on the process, as well as the product, and break learning into manageable steps that guide teachers and can be shared with students.

Upper School Student Handbook

The behavioral philosophy at ASK is to support students in their learning of responsibility and self-discipline as an educational process rather than as a punitive outcome. We support a model of positive discipline: setting clear expectations for behavior, providing explicit teaching of expectations, and delivering meaningful and timely feedback for appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

Cognia Accreditation

Cognia is the largest community of education professionals in the world. A non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site external reviews of Pre-K-12 schools and school systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential.

American School of Kosova is highly ranked by Cognia, the largest accrediting institution in the world of K- Grade 12 education. In May 2018, Cognia ranked the American School of Kosova above the Cognia Network Average. Cognia acknowledges and applauds the dedication of the American School of Kosova staff in its continuous improvement and commitment to quality. 

To find out more on the AdvancED assessment of ASK in 2016 and 2018, please click here.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program offered in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students. AP gives students the chance to tackle college-level work while they’re still in high school and earn college credit and placement. American colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations. The AP curriculum for each of the various subjects is created for the College Board by a panel of experts and college-level educators in that field of study. For a high school course to have the designation, the course must be audited by the College Board to ascertain that it satisfies the AP curriculum. If the course is approved, the school may use the AP designation and the course will be publicly listed on the AP Course Ledger. Some universities may require taking at least 3-5 AP courses during high school and scoring at least a “3” out of “5” on the final exam organized by the College Board and proctored by ASK Staff. ASK is an official Test Center for all AP Exams.

Current AP courses offered at ASK: 

AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature, AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Modern World History, AP Human Geography, AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science.

Reference: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse

CAS Program - Creativity Action Service

Cultivating creativity in the classroom is a critical component in encouraging students’ interest and motivation. Creativity Action Service (CAS) is a program designed for high school students, with the aim of stretching their potential and enabling them to learn and perform to the best of their abilities. This way, CAS increases student’s awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth.

Teamwork is proven to stimulate the learning process, increase student motivation and attention (Suciu,2014). Through CAS, students experience what it means to become intrinsically motivated in a learning activity or service in the community. For thirty minutes, two times a week, students will be exposed to a variety of ideas and activities they may find interesting. CAS Program teaches students that communication and teamwork are essential when facing tough tasks and challenges, but on the other hand, it charges students with leadership roles, thus strengthening their confidence and independence.

What is CAS?                                                               

The pedagogical philosophy upon which CAS is built highlights the significant role of learning through direct experience of the world (Hayden et al, 2017).

• Creativity includes various activities that involve creative thinking. It provides students with the opportunity to express themselves freely and explore their imagination.
• Action includes physical activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.  It aims at promoting healthy habits related to physical well-being.
• Service requires students to understand the importance of making a meaningful contribution to their community and society. Through Service, students develop personal and social skills in real-life situations involving decision-making, problem-solving, initiative, responsibility, and accountability for their actions.

Social Emotional Counseling

In order to meet the emotional needs of students, we have developed an advisory program that focuses on building character, leadership skills, self-reflection capacity, and friendship. In the Early Years, prek-grade 2 students work with their homeroom teacher on a daily basis to discuss and participate in lessons to build an understanding of emotional health. In grades 3-5 teachers teach lessons daily. In grades 6-12 students meet with their homeroom teacher 3 days a week.

For additional support, ASK employees one full-time counselor for students PreSchool- grade 12. The counselor offers individual support to students such as: resolving personal or interpersonal problems, goal setting, and organization, making healthy friendships, talking through problems with peers, substance abuse, bullying, anger management, careers, depression, relationships, self-image, stress, and suicide. The counselor may also facilitate small group sessions to teach listening and social skills, empathizing with others, and conflict management.

College Guidance

Students are encouraged to see the Guidance Counselor for assistance with personal, career development, or educational concerns. The Guidance Counselor is available for meetings each day and students may make an appointment directly.

The College Guidance Counselor meets with students individually and/or in groups to help them manage their schedules as they prepare for different universities worldwide. Once a month the counselor leads a “College Info night” that is designed for students and parents to learn about what is needed to prepare and apply for universities abroad and in Kosovo. College info sessions happen regularly and students have the chance to meet and talk to different representatives. 

Students may also visit specially announced College and Alumni fairs that are organized by different institutions. Career tests are organized for all grade levels and results are shared with every student. The test is designed to assess their interests, values, and preferences towards their possible career. It will offer them an interesting look at themselves, provide information about what motivates and interests them. Additional information is shared regularly with students via emails regarding their recommendation letters, the application process, and how to write personal essays.

American “Credit” System

The American School of Kosovo follows the system of ‘Carnegie Units’(Established by the Carnegie Foundation in 1906) that requires that one US high school credit is based upon 120 hours of classroom instruction over the course of an academic year of not less than 180 student contact days. Thus, in the situation where a student does not pass a core class, he or she will need to repeat that class in order to obtain the necessary “credit” required for graduation.

Language & Learning Support

The American School of Kosova’s (ASK) English as a Second Language and Learning Support programs aim to foster student well-being and success by creating holistic learning programs that help students reach their academic, social, emotional, and intellectual goals. By identifying and understanding personal and academic differences in each of our students, we strive to meet individual needs and to ensure success in the core classroom environment. 

The success of each student is a responsibility shared by the student, the school, and the family, and each has a role in maintaining strategies and goals to contribute to that success. ESL and learning specialists support student success through collaborative planning and preparation, in-class differentiation and accommodations, push-in support, pull-out support, mentorship, and guidance/counseling programs. We strive to keep students in the most inclusive setting possible at all times. 

For students requiring ESL or learning support services, an individual record including history, interventions, accommodations, goals, and progress is maintained and regularly evaluated in order to ensure the best program for each student. 

For students requiring ESL or learning support services, an individual record including history, interventions, accommodations, goals, and progress is maintained and regularly evaluated in order to ensure the best program for each student.

Language & Learning Support Program Description

The Language and Learning Support (LLS) Program serves students with a variety of educational needs. The professional team is comprised of teachers specialized in the following areas: 

-Learning Support (for students with diagnosed needs)

-Talented and Gifted (TAG) 

-Social, emotional, or behavioral coaching 

-English as a Second Language (ESL) 

Services include pull-out and push-in instruction, mainstreaming in-class support, and a student-centered professional coaching program for teachers. Specific criteria for entrance and exit from the service areas are used and strictly adhered to. Student Success Team (SST) meets regularly to discuss students referred and to plan support interventions.

Advisory Program

The Advisory Program is a program developed by the school’s Advisory Team which helps students with their social/emotional growth, leadership skills, and overall social dilemmas. The Advisory Program offers emotional support for students. Students meet regularly with the assigned Homeroom teacher during a scheduled period. Different activities are planned in order to provide consistent support and guidance from the teacher. 

Here you may find the Advisory Program Handbook

Student Service

At the American School of Kosova (ASK), we are committed to building a community of diverse learners, which benefits us all as an inclusive community and as global citizens. We invite and welcome students with a range of needs on a case–by–case basis given our present ability to provide the necessary services and support. We believe that everyone should be included, challenged, and successful. We understand the complexity of providing support for students with a range of learning or cognitive disabilities and make plans with parents and caregivers, starting at the point of admissions, to ensure that the needs of all children are met. 

Working to support students who are gifted is also central to our mission, as is providing the right level of challenge for every student. If a student is identified with learning ability and/or gifted & talented, an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will be developed and implemented. Also to meet the needs of all our students, we collaborate to offer a range of learning support interventions. When a student requires more intensive mediation of their learning, we initiate the Student Study Team (SST) Process and implement short term interventions as the next step. If further support is needed, a diagnostic process will be initiated to confirm or rule out a learning disability. Further steps will be taken based on what is learned from the diagnostic process. 

Here you will find the detailed Student Service Handbook.

PowerSchool

How does PowerSchool help student’s academic growth? Parents who are actively involved in their child’s education can help keep students on track. Every student and parent can have instant access to real-time grades, attendance, comments, assignments, and scores directly from the teacher’s grade book, see teacher comments and grades; send and receive emails. Knowing your student’s grades and assignments is a great starting point to discuss progress, or help, or give congratulations, which will strengthen the relationship with your student.