The American School In Switzerland
Encyclopedia
The American School In Switzerland (TASIS) is a private school that receives elementary, middle, and high school students from many different nations and provides them with a Western-based education. Located in Montagnola
, a small town above Lugano
, Ticino
, Switzerland
, it has a current student body of about 600 pupils, many of whom are boarders.
TASIS was founded 1956 by M. Crist Fleming; she is also responsible for the founding of The American School In England
, a sister school to TASIS. Since the founding of the school, there have been several adjunct campuses, including sites in Greece
, Cyprus
, France
, Spain
, Puerto Rico
, as well as a post-graduate school in Lugano-Montagnola.
In September 2005, TASIS opened an elementary school with approximately 40 students. The school now accommodates nearly 200 students from kindergarten through 5th Grade.
Recent additions to campus include a new gymnasium and sports facility, the new M. Crist Fleming Library, and the Aurora classroom building. The Palmer Cultural Center (theater complex) was completed in October 2009, followed by Fiammetta (classroom building) in January of 2010 and Lanterna (classrooms, faculty apartments, dormitory rooms and a new Health Center) in August 2010.
, a ski resort town in western Switzerland.
(ECIS)and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
(NEASC), TASIS currently accommodates about 600 students between day students (grades K-13) and boarding students (grades 7-13).
s.http://www.tasis.com/Switzerland/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=344&pname=Search&purl=search.cfm
Students in high school are not required to wear uniforms, though a relatively strict dress code is enforced.
Montagnola
Montagnola is a small Swiss village in Collina d'Oro municipality. Located in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, it is close to the border between Switzerland and Italy. It looks over Lake Lugano and the city of Lugano upon it...
, a small town above Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
, Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, it has a current student body of about 600 pupils, many of whom are boarders.
TASIS was founded 1956 by M. Crist Fleming; she is also responsible for the founding of The American School In England
The American School In England
TASIS England, also known as "The American School in England," is one of five American schools located in and around London. It was founded in 1976 in the village of Thorpe, Surrey, south west of London....
, a sister school to TASIS. Since the founding of the school, there have been several adjunct campuses, including sites in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, as well as a post-graduate school in Lugano-Montagnola.
Education
The academic programs available at TASIS allow students to earn the American high school diploma and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are available.In September 2005, TASIS opened an elementary school with approximately 40 students. The school now accommodates nearly 200 students from kindergarten through 5th Grade.
Campus
The most notable campus building is Villa De Nobili, a 17th-century mansion that still contains the suits of armor placed there when the building was owned by the Marchese De Nobili, Italian Ambassador to Switzerland. It houses dormitories, classrooms, administrative offices, and the school's dining room.Recent additions to campus include a new gymnasium and sports facility, the new M. Crist Fleming Library, and the Aurora classroom building. The Palmer Cultural Center (theater complex) was completed in October 2009, followed by Fiammetta (classroom building) in January of 2010 and Lanterna (classrooms, faculty apartments, dormitory rooms and a new Health Center) in August 2010.
Travel
TASIS includes an Academic Travel program as part of its curriculum. Students travel across Europe and the world in a series of diverse cultural, educational, and service trips, which have included Paris, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Dublin, New York, Jordan, Kenya, Cambodia, Prague, Berlin, Morocco, Barcelona, and Lisbon. During the first week of the Spring semester, students attend a "ski week" in Crans-MontanaCrans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a ski resort in western Switzerland, in the heart of the Swiss Alps in the canton of Valais. It is located on a plateau above Sierre at an elevation of about 1500 m above sea level, allowing good view over the Valais Alps and Weisshorn in particular...
, a ski resort town in western Switzerland.
Accreditation
Accredited by both the European Council of International SchoolsEuropean Council of International Schools
The European Council of International Schools - ECIS is an association of international schools founded in 1965. ECIS is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education....
(ECIS)and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
(NEASC), TASIS currently accommodates about 600 students between day students (grades K-13) and boarding students (grades 7-13).
School uniforms
Elementary and Middle school students are required to wear school uniformSchool uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
s.http://www.tasis.com/Switzerland/pages/sitepage.cfm?id=344&pname=Search&purl=search.cfm
Students in high school are not required to wear uniforms, though a relatively strict dress code is enforced.
Notable alumni
- Matthew ShepardMatthew ShepardMatthew Wayne Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, in October 1998...
- Laura WasserLaura WasserLaura Allison Wasser is an American attorney specializing in family law.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles. She spent one year abroad in high school attending The American School in Switzerland...
- Billy ZaneBilly ZaneWilliam George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
- Sharon CreechSharon CreechSharon Creech is an American novelist of children's fiction.-Biography:Sharon Creech was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where she grew up with her parents , one sister , and three brothers...
- Jack SavorettiJack SavorettiJack Savoretti is an Italian English solo acoustic singer who didn’t pick up a guitar until he was 16. He was brought up in London before moving to Lugano, a Swiss town near the Italian border...
- Darby HintonDarby HintonDarby Hinton is an American actor and filmmaker initially cast in commercials when he was six months old. From 1964–1970 he portrayed Israel Boone, a son of American pioneer Daniel Boone, on the NBC adventure series Daniel Boone, with Fess Parker in the title role...
- Jeanie CunninghamJeanie CunninghamJean Akin Cunningham is an American performer, composer, songwriter, producer, writer and host of the video based web site . She has toured with Lionel Richie , David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and worked closely with Ike and Tina Turner...
- Nicolas Galindez