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History |
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The Rabat American School is located in the pleasant coastal city of
Rabat, Morocco, in the northwest corner of Africa. Just across the
Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. Morocco has long been a crossroads of
culture. With a population of nearly 1.2 million, the capital city
Rabat reflects the influence of the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. It
is home to many national embassies, local and international NGOs, and
some national and international business and manufacturing. The main
'industry' is government and services, while the larger and richer
nearby city of Casablanca is the business and industrial center of the
country.
In the early 1900's Morocco was colonized by Spain in the north and by France in the rest of the country. Independence was won in 1956, and over the 50 subsequent years Morocco has continued to develop its own cultural richness.
The Rabat American School is a private non-profit association founded in 1962 as a K-8 school to meet the educational needs of the children of Americans affiliated with United States Government agencies or private companies. It was originally established in accordance with a cultural agreement between Morocco and the United States in the mid-1950s, which permitted establishment of schools in each other's countries.
From the outset the school has been governed by a Board of Trustees, members of which are elected from among the parent body. A majority of Board members (5 of 9) are required by Constitution by-laws to be Americans, and there must be least one Moroccan and two third country nationals. Board members are elected to two-year terms. Several ex-officio members also sit on the Board, including the School Director, and representatives of the faculty and PTA.
The school serves as a community center. Over the years school facilities have been used by such groups as a local softball league; Little League; the Very Little Theater of Rabat; the Chorale de Rabat; the International American Women's Association, and adult classes such as yoga, dance, and world languages. RAS runs an Evening Activities program for adults and older students, and in the summer offers swimming pool memberships to the RAS community and sponsored guest members.
RAS originally functioned in a large house, then two houses, located near the United States Embassy. In l969, with about 132 students, the school moved to its present, purpose-built site in Agdal, then a residential suburb of Rabat and currently transitioning to an upscale commercial/residential area. The school is built on 8 acres leased for 50 years from the City of Rabat; the 50 years will be up in 2017.
Through the early years the school continued to grow, and although the majority of students continued to come from the resident American community, the enrollment began to reflect the growing interest of the Moroccan and international community resident in Rabat. By 1974 there were over 170 students, and the school program was enlarged with the addition of ninth grade. In 1978, thanks to a large donation from His Royal Highness Moulay Abdallah, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades were added. The Rabat American School awarded its first high school diplomas to a class of six students in 1979. Current enrollment is around 410, with 23% American students, 23% Moroccan and 54% from over 35 other countries.
Aside from “regular” classrooms, the campus currently offers an auditorium; a gymnasium with fitness, gymnastics and health rooms; a pool; two libraries; 4 computer labs; and a cafeteria. Technology hardware is replaced on a regular basis to provide the best equipment possible for integration of technology into the instructional program.
RAS offers both the RAS diploma--recognized in the United States due to its accreditation with Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges--and the International Baccalaureate diploma. More than 50% of our graduates earn the IB diploma, which is recognized worldwide and gives our graduates a broad range of possibilities for their university education. In addition, students who are not enrolled in the full I.B. Diploma program take on average three IB certificate exams in their 11th and 12th grade years. Our graduates are accepted at and attend universities in the USA and other countries. Almost all of our graduates pursue higher education.
The elementary educational program includes English language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and French or Arabic as core subjects starting in grade 1. 'Specialist subjects' include music, art, physical education, and library lessons. Computer/technology is offered both as a program and, integrated with classroom content and library/media skills, as a tool to support learning. A variety of core courses and electives are offered in the secondary school (see the middle school and high school Course Description Booklets for a complete list).
For students with special needs the Resource and ESOL departments offer limited, yet varied support. Inclusion or pullout support sessions in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), remedial support and social/psychological counseling are among the strategies used. Specialist collaboration with counselors, teachers and parents is expected and encouraged.
Our teaching faculty, certified resource staff, and educational administrators consist of 60 individuals. About half of them U.S. citizens, are certified in the USA, and have at least two years of experience. Other teachers, certified in their own countries, including Canada, the UK, Australia, Pakistan and Germany. Our French and Arabic teachers are from France and Morocco. More than half of the faculty hold Masters degrees, and some have doctorates.
There are 20 full-time or part-time Instructional Assistants; twelve of these give direct classroom support to elementary teachers and students. Two offer technical assistance; three are library aides; one is a secondary science assistant, and one assists in administering the Activities and Moroccan Studies programs as well as coordinating class and other group trips. Additional staff includes technology professionals, administrative support staff, and maintenance workers.
A small school with a 'family' atmosphere, we are often told that RAS has a happy and welcoming feel as people enter the campus. Teachers who leave RAS usually speak highly of the school as a positive place to teach, while local hire teachers--for the most part fully qualified US nationals married to Moroccans--provide continuity and cultural insights.
The Parent Teacher Association contributes to the school culture in many ways. PTA parents help sponsor parent education evenings, organize social gatherings designed to build bridges within the parent community, raise funds for the school, provide parent classroom support, hold book fairs, and support a variety of teacher and student projects.
Our international community helps to create RAS' cultural appeal. It is what attracts many of our Moroccan students, and also what many alumni remember with fondness. RAS celebrates its diversity in small daily ways, and also more formally with the PTA Celebration of Cultures, a Moroccan Dress Day, and an International World Peace Day.
Extracurricular activities are important at RAS, and include a variety of after school activities. Over the past few years they have included, with some variation, sports for grades 1-12, arts and crafts; elementary choir, ballet, gymnastics, jump rope, German, Arabic, French Club, 'Cooks and Books', strategy games, and community-organized activities such as Little League baseball and scouting. The Middle School and High School co-curricular sports program includes swimming, volleyball, track, basketball, badminton, softball and soccer. All these teams compete with teams from Rabat and other schools in Morocco. The varsity basketball, volleyball and soccer teams compete in an international league as well.
Many other events have become “traditional” over the years. The range of events includes the elementary Young Author's Festival, the Middle School Week Without Walls; Moroccan Studies field trips for grades PK-8; the 100th Day of School; and the Candle-light Read-Aloud. Fine Arts presentations include full-length plays and musicals, MAIS Honors Choir, the High School Coffee House, Poetry Slam, and Talent Shows. In addition, students have the opportunity to share their learning with others through Open House nights, winter and spring music concerts and art exhibits, co-curricular presentations for parents, and school assemblies. Retreats and other excursions in Morocco are organized and designed to familiarize students with the country and to build their social ties with one another. Community service projects involve students at all grade levels, and many provide ties with the local community as well.
The school offers a 5-week summer program well attended by students from within the RAS community as well as from outside. The summer program is designed for students from Pre-Kindergarten to 9th grade age, and offers English as a second language, reading, writing, math, science, French, technology, music, art, swimming, and basketball.
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