In the 2018-2019 school year, there are 298 faculty members, including 179 U.S. citizens, 54 host-country nationals, and 65 third-country nationals. All teachers are fluent in English which is the language of instruction at Taipei American School.

Taipei American School offers English as an Additional Language support (EAL). EAL students, at all levels of proficiency, are immersed in the mainstream classes at TAS. The primary goal of the EAL program is to develop language skills that will allow children to be successful in their academic work as well as in everyday communication. EAL students at TAS receive language and content support both through direct and indirect means. Direct means include in-class EAL support, co-teaching between EAL and mainstream teachers, and sometimes pull-out EAL groups. Indirect means include EAL and mainstream teacher collaboration, in-service training and curriculum construction. The sheltered immersion program is, therefore, a collaborative program involving a partnership between mainstream teachers and EAL teachers.

All lower school students take Mandarin classes 9 out of every 10 days on one of two tracks. The Mandarin Learner Track is for students who study Mandarin as an additional language. The goal is to develop students’ 4-skill competence with the focus on oral proficiency as a tool for meeting age-appropriate functional and informational needs and set students on a course for more advanced Mandarin language study. The Mandarin Heritage Track is for students whose first language (or strong additional language) is Mandarin. The goal is to develop and enhance students’ overall language proficiency, with the focus on reading and writing abilities and the building of a literary foundation.

In Middle School, students have a choice of Mandarin, Spanish, or Classics. The Upper School offers Mandarin, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Classics.

The maximum class size for Kindergarten A and Kindergarten is 16, for Grade 1 it is 18, for Grade 2 it is 20, and for Grades 3-5 it is 22.

Average Class Size:
Elementary: 20
Secondary: 22

Teaching assistants are in every classroom for Grades KA - 5 in the 2018-19 school year.

The TAS Tech Cube, inspired by MIT's facility, opens in December 2018. It provides the canvas for 21st-century learning that will give TAS students the necessary skills and experience they need to make a real difference in the world. The 4,380 square meters of usable space provides unique opportunities for all of our students with floors dedicated to each division.

Technology is an ever-changing tool that we integrate into the core subjects. We know that hardware and software change quickly; therefore, we focus on transferable life skills. Students learn digital citizenship, internet safety, and digital literacy skills as they share Google Docs, maintain blogs, program, research, create media projects, and present information. Programming in robotics and developing keyboarding skills round out the lower school technology experience.

In Robotics, students practice critical thinking skills as they plan, program, test, and communicate using a variety of tools. The robotics program starts with learning and understanding the basic language that is used in programming (coding). This language is then later transferred into learning how to program a Bee-Bot, a programmable floor robot used to teach directional language and programming to children in KA and kindergarten. Students then move into programming Lego Wedo and Lego Mindstorm robots where the focus is on gathering and analyzing data from sensors to solve real-life problems.

In keyboarding, students practice touch typing to help them communicate information effectively and efficiently. These strategies develop muscle memory, key recognition, fingering positioning, and correct posture. We use programs that guide students through sequential lessons, such as Dance Mat Typing in grade 2, and UltraKey in grades 3-5.

In terms of access, students in grades KA-3 utilize iPads in their classrooms to explore, learn, and create. Students in grades 3-5 have 1:1 laptop access, which allows them to communicate and collaborate, research, analyze, and apply information in their classroom setting. All students also have access to two fully equipped desktop computer labs.

Beginning in Middle School, all students have a Lenovo laptop that is used in class, for homework and is theirs to keep through upper school graduation. Our students utilize a range of Web 2.0 tools, including blogs, wikis, and shared Google Documents. They strive to work as conscientious digital citizens and embrace technology where appropriate. Laptops allow students and teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum. They also enable students and teachers to access unlimited information to support learning. With audio grading, submission of assignments via GoogleDocs, storage of files online, and the posting of class lectures on the OLC, we are fulfilling the TAS mission by creating an innovative 21st-century learning community.

No

n/a

Every spring TAS students in Grades 3-8 participate in the Educational Records Bureau's Comprehensive Testing Program, 4th Edition (CTP4) and Writing Assessment Program (WrAP). Administering the CTP4 and WrAP allows TAS to compare students' performance to that of students in other independent private schools.

Taipei American School offers upper school students the opportunity to take a full range of Honors, AP, and IB courses or a combination of them, enabling students to tailor the rigor and depth of their education. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in the full IB Diploma Program.

Each grade consistently performs at levels consistent with or above the independent private school norm groups on the CTP4 and WrAP. The majority of students perform at levels consistent with or above the worldwide averages for each AP and IB subject exam. TAS upper school students score considerably higher than national or international averages on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The national average continues to hover near the 1500 mark for the three sections of the SAT, while the TAS average has exceeded the 1900 mark. In 2017-2018, 44 upper school students took 1102 AP exams and 109 students took 230 IB exams.

Yes

Homework in the Lower School averages as follows:
Grade Five – 60 minutes (reading, math, Mandarin) plus music activity practice
Grade Four – 55 minutes (reading, math, Mandarin) plus music activity practice
Grade Three – 40 minutes (reading, Mandarin) plus applied math practice and music activity practice
Grade Two – 40 minutes (reading, Mandarin) plus applied math practice
Grade One – 30 minutes (reading, Mandarin) plus applied math practice
Kindergarten – 10-15 minutes (reading) optional math games

In the Middle School and the Upper School, homework times vary by course.

100% of TAS graduates are accepted to colleges and universities, and more than 98% of TAS graduates continue studies at colleges and universities, primarily in the U.S.

Taipei American School has a student support services department which provides support for students needing academic and language and/or speech needs. We accept students with mild learning differences in our regular academic program.

Students with special needs are served in the mainstream educational program and receive support services that focus on remediation of academic disabilities, skill development, and/or academic support.

All students are afforded opportunities at TAS that make the most of their abilities and according to their level of study. The Middle School and Upper School offer a variety of advanced, Honors, AP, and IB classes for qualified and interested students.

Taipei American School’s psychologists provide individual and small group counseling for Grades KA - 12; consult with parents and teachers; conduct classroom observations, individual psychological evaluations, and behavioral assessments; analyze group standardized testing results; and, serve as Student Support Services Department Chairpersons.

Students applying to grades 4-12 must submit scores from a standardized test that was taken within two years of the date of application. If current standardized test scores are not available, the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is required of students.

For students applying to grades 1 to 3, standardized test scores are not required but are highly desirable.

All lower school applicants are required to participate in an individual or group screening. In addition, parents will meet with a counselor as part of the admission process. English language screening may occur as part of the interview and screening process for KA to grade 2. Interviews are not required for middle and upper school applicants.

Yes

We accept applications starting August 1 for the school year that begins the following August. For the current school year, we accept applications throughout the school year up until mid-March. You may complete an online application or visit our office and we can assist you to complete an online application.

TAS offers rolling admissions. Qualified applicants are placed in a waiting status when there is no space available in the selected grade. Every effort will be made to inform the candidate's family about space availability so that the family can plan appropriately. Given the school's admission priority system, a student's waiting status may change if there are subsequent applications from families with higher priority.

Any students with an application on a waiting status in late March will need to reapply for the upcoming school year.

KA students begin the day at 8:30 AM and finish at 1:30 PM. Students in Grades K-2 start at 8:00 AM and are dismissed at 2:40 PM. Grades 3-5 start at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 2:40 PM.

Middle school students start classes at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 3:20 PM.

Upper school students start classes at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 3:35 PM.

KA students begin the day at 8:30 AM and finish at 1:30 PM. Students in Grades K-2 start at 8:00 AM and are dismissed at 2:40 PM. Grades 3-5 start at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 2:40 PM.

Middle school students start classes at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 3:20 PM.

Upper school students start classes at 7:45 AM and are dismissed at 3:35 PM.

All students may arrive at 7:15 AM or later and are expected to be supervised by a parent or caretaker after school dismissal if in the Lower School.

Taipei American School maintains school bus routes to most areas of residency for an additional fee. Areas are determined not only by their distance from school but also by travel time to and from school.

In general, we serve the Tien Mou and Peitou areas with limited service to Yang Ming Shan and Tamshui. The Taipei City area served is bordered on the east by Keelung Road, on the south by Roosevelt Road, and on the west by Chung Shan North/South Road. Additionally, service is provided to some areas of Neihu. The exception to this policy is the kindergarten-A bus service, which is limited to Tien Mou and Shipai areas approximately 30 minutes from TAS.

All students taking school transportation are issued bus passes at the beginning of each semester. Morning buses are scheduled to deliver students to TAS at least 5 minutes before the first class. Afternoon buses depart TAS approximately 10 minutes after class dismissal. A late bus is provided at 5:30 PM for middle and upper school students participating in a scheduled after school activity.

A wide variety of food is sold at four different locations on campus: serving line, pizza bar, Village Snack Bar, and Fitness Café. Each location features unique and delicious selections.

Almost all of our food items at TAS are made from scratch in our kitchen and we are constantly introducing new items.

The Village Snack Bar, open Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM, serves a variety of food choices which includes beverages (fruit juices, milk, hot chocolate, tea, and coffee), fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, salads, sandwiches, and a variety of baked goods.

The cafeteria, open Monday - Friday 11:00 AM - 1:15 PM, serves a daily hot lunch that consists of four components: milk, vegetable, fruit or dessert, and protein entree from Chinese or American cuisine. Entrées may be purchased individually or as a complete meal. A salad/fruit bar and potato bar are also provided. Both are self-serve.

The pizza bar, open Monday - Saturday 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM, serves pizza by the slice.

A salad bar is open daily and vegetarian options are always available on the serving line. There are not specific kosher or halal meals served. Students have a wide variety of items to choose from to meet several dietary needs.

No

TAS shares a campus with Taipei Youth Program Association https://www.typa.org.tw/ offering a variety of afterschool programs in sports, dance, music, art, cooking, robotics, and more to younger students. The Middle School and Upper School offer seasonal sports within the IASAS framework as well as a multitude of afterschool clubs http://www.tas.edu.tw/academics/middle-school/cocurricular and http://www.tas.edu.tw/school-life/activities/clubs-and-activities

Lower school students have PE every other day and have two scheduled outdoor play times during the day. Students arriving before class starts in the morning play outside then, too.

Grade 6 students have PE every day and those in Grades 7 and 8 have PE every other day.

Upper school students in Grades 9 and 10 are required to take PE and Health.

The middle school co-curricular program provides students with opportunities to compete in athletics and engage in sport-specific training. The middle school athletics program is committed to developing teamwork, character, leadership, and dedication in our student-athletes. The program prepares our students for upper school athletics through interscholastic competition.

Upper School students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of athletic programs. Our teams compete with other IASAS schools, local schools, clubs, and universities.

Participation is offered at the Varsity, Junior Varsity, and freshman levels for boys and girls. Our teams practice after school Monday - Friday. Varsity teams practice every day, JV teams 4 days a week, and freshmen 3 days a week. An activity bus runs for students who participate in sports after school. Most competitions are held during the week, but there are occasional weekend commitments.

At the end of each season, our varsity teams compete in an IASAS tournament. TAS has had considerable success over the years in IASAS competitions.

The sports facilities at TAS are comprehensive. The school has a 25-meter indoor swimming pool with Daktronics timing system, 4 indoor and outdoor tennis courts with a Decoturf surface, a 400m all-weather running track, dance studios, three large gymnasiums, a gymnastics gym, a Strength and Conditioning Center and a synthetic turf soccer/rugby field. Students also enjoy scaling the walls of our climbing gym.

Taipei American School is an innovative 21st-century learning community. Our mission is to inspire each student to be a confident, creative, caring, and moral individual prepared to adapt and succeed anywhere in a rapidly changing world. We provide an American-based education with a global perspective that results in a love of learning, academic excellence, a balanced life, and service to others.

Taipei American School offers opportunities for students to reach their full potential to become caring, competent, knowledgeable young people who are dedicated to making a positive difference anywhere in the world.

We value and teach respect, responsibility, kindness, courage, and honesty.

Taipei American School Essential Capacities:
Analytical and Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving
Complex Communication - Oral and Written
Leadership and Teamwork
Digital and Quantitative Literacy
Adaptability, Initiative, and Risk-Taking
Integrity and Ethical Decision-Making
Global Perspective
Wellness