Taipei American School

Taipei American School

Established	1949
School type	Private International School
Superintendent	Mark Ulfers
Location	800 Chung Shang N. Road, Section 6, Shihlin District Taipei, Taiwan 111 Republic of China
Phone	+886.2.2873.9900
Enrollment	797 lower school, 571 middle school, 835 upper school
Faculty	243
Campus	Urban, 15 acres (61,000 m²)
Sports teams	Tigers
School color	Blue and Gold
Website	www.tas.edu.tw

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Contents

1 History 2 Campus 3 Organization 4 Student body 5 Academics 6 Traditions 6.1 PTA Food Fair and Spring Fair 6.2 Spirit Week 7 Notable TAS students, alumni, and faculties 7.1 Alumni 7.2 Faculty 8 Sports and organizations 8.1 Upper School organizations 8.2 Middle School organizations 9 Affiliations 10 See also 11 External links

History

The first meeting of Taipei American School took place on September 26, 1949 in the basement of Presbyterian Theological Seminary at 113 Chungshan North Road, Section 2 with 8 students. This marked the beginning of the “missionary era,” where Chinese and American medical missionaries were instrumental in founding TAS and providing it with students. The first class of students included Americans, Europeans, and Chinese students.

By 1951, the influx of missionaries and business people escaping from mainland China caused the enrollment to grow to 120 students. By 1952, TAS was forced to relocate to 26 Nung-an East Road to provide enough space for the growing student population.

In 1953, the US Military Assistance Advisory Group was established in Taiwan. This brought to the island a large number of US military personnel. Along with these military personnel came their families, including a large number of children needing an American-style education. At the time, TAS represented “the only game in town” and became the natural destination for the children of the US military personnel. In the summer of 1953, TAS constructed a much larger campus at Chang-an East Road, Section 2, Lane 153. This marked the beginning of the “military era.”

In 1956, TAS graduated its first class of 14 seniors. By then, the Chang-an campus had approximately 50 faculties and 1,000 students.

In 1959, TAS purchased a 22 acre (89,000 m²) site in Shihlin for a new campus. In March 1960, the kindergarten and lower school moved into a 36 classroom 5-wing complex on the site. The upper school remained at the Chang-an campus until 1967, when the last upper facilities was completed. By 1969, TAS enrollment reached its highest point ever with nearly 3000 students.

The 1970-1977 period is the “labor-intensive industries era.” Taiwan's transforming economy brought foreign businessmen and overseas Chinese into the local economy, setting the stage for TAS's later transformation even as enrollment shrank dramatically as US military pulled out of Taiwan. By the late seventies, student enrollment dropped to approximately 650 to 700 students. However, within a few years enrollment started to increased again as oversea Chinese with foreign passports arrived in Taiwan demanding first-class American educational facilities for their children. The early eighties marked the start of the “Chinese-American era,” where the majority of students had Chinese last names but US passports.

On September 2, 1989, TAS officially relocated to its present campus in Tien Mou, at 800 Chungshan North Road, Section 6.

The 50th Anniversary of Taipei American School was celebrated in 1999. As part of this celebration, a book documenting the history of the school was written by TAS parent Richard R. Vuylsteke, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei.

Campus

The current 62,192 square meter campus, completed in 1989, consists of a four story complex with a total floor space of 44,000 square meters. The campus contains the following facilities:

• A main auditorium and a small theater
• A cafeteria with a snack bar, salad bar, a pizza bar, and a hot meal line
• A gym with two indoor basketball courts and an indoor swimming pool
• Outdoor basketball courts
• Outdoor racketball courts
• Outdoor rockclimbing wall and confidence course
• A softball field
• Tennis courts
• Badminton courts
• A soccer field
• Track and field facilities
• 2 libraries, lower school and upper school for a combined total of four floors
• A pond for ecological studies (Blank's Pond)

The independently operated Taipei Youth Program Association (TYPA) is located at TAS and uses the campus facilities. The school is located directly across the street from Taipei Japanese School.

Organization

Headed by a 9-member parent-elected Board of Trustees and a superintendent, TAS is divided into the Upper, Middle, and Lower Schools. The Lower School is equivalent to an elementary school, separated into kindergarten and grades 1 through 5. The Middle School is equivalent to a junior high school, separated into grades 6 through 8. The Upper School is equivalent to a high school, separated into grades 9 through 12.

In the 2004-2005 school year, 89.6% of the School's income derives from tuition and fees. Annual tuition rates are approximately US $10,000.

Student body

The combined K-12 school enrollment is approximately 2000. Originally any US citizen was guaranteed space at TAS; however current demand for admissions far exceeds the administration's target student population level. Because of the excess demand, potential students are ranked based on the student's and their parent's national origin with priority given to US citizens.

The majority of the current TAS community consists of families from diplomatic services, employees of multinational corporations, and educators.

It should be noted here that TAS does not admit any student who does not hold a non-ROC passport. Furthermore, the tuition is prohibitively expensive relative to the per-capita GDP of Taiwan. As a result, the student population at TAS represents a very narrow and unrepresentative segment of the local population. As of 2004, approximately 70% of the students hold US passports.

Academics

The Upper School offers 19 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including Art History, Computer Science, Environmental Science, and Music Theory. Additionally, the school also offers International Baccalaureate (IB) programs for those seeking an IB diploma.

Traditions

PTA Food Fair and Spring Fair

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Food Fair is an annual community-wide event held in late October. The event features an international cast of food reflecting the diverse international community in Taipei.

The PTA also sponsors an annual Spring Fair.

Spirit Week

Spirit Week is an annual week-long event in the Upper School designed to promote enthusiasm and spirit for TAS students. Past events have included pajama day, disco fever day, and formal day.

Notable TAS students, alumni, and faculties

Alumni

• Linda Arrigo, democracy activist and former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh's ex-wife [1] (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/07/01/92259)
• Sylvia Chang, Taiwan actress and director who appeared in movies such as Eat Drink Man Woman and The Red Violin [2] (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/07/01/92259)
• Nita Ing, president of the Taiwan High-speed Railway Co [3] (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/local/archives/2001/07/01/92259)
• Takeshi Kaneshiro, from the class of 1991 is a globally-known actor. Films include House of Flying Daggers, Turn Left, Turn Right, and Chungking Express.
• Alexander Liang, from the class of 2004 is a well-known playboy who made local headlines in 2002 when the 16 year-old spent NT $2,000,000 (approximately USD $60,000) for a week in a presidential suite alone.
• Freya Lim from the class of 1998 is a popular singer in Taiwan.
• Wilbur Pan from the class of 1999 is a popular VJ host, singer, actor in Taiwan.

Faculty

• Robert Carrelli, former TAS English teacher was once drama teacher of several Hollywood actors including Kevin Spacey, Val Kilmer, and Kirk Cameron (Time, Oct. 23, 2000).
• Peter Clark, TAS Life Skills Department teacher coached the 2004 Australian Olympic silver medalist Nathan Baggaley. [4] (http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/09/19/2003203540)
• Kay Wetherrell, former TAS history teacher was a U.S. army officer who attended the Yalta Conference.

Sports and organizations

The Upper School sports teams and groups competes under the mascot of the tiger with members of Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools and local Chinese schools, clubs, and universities. TAS varsity teams includes badmington, rugby, soccer, and volleyball. TAS does not have any American football teams or groups.

Upper School organizations

• Amnesty International

"I am in AI because I feel it is important to make people aware of human rights, and the ill-treatment of innocent citizens."

• Chinese Cultural Club

"As an ethnic organization in an international school, our goal is to increase students' understanding with Chinese culture." The Chinese Cultural Club (CCC) promotes the understanding of Chinese culture and cultural exchanges. Each year, CCC participates in activities such as food sales, exchanges with local Chinese school students, Chinese New Year Party, as well as visits to museums and temples.

• Chinese Honor Society

"The altruistic nature of the Chinese Honor Society enables the organization to further the awareness of Chinese culture."

• Debug

"To iterate is human, to recurse is divine." The DEBUG Computer Club provides a forum for students interested in computers to exchange ideas.

• Global Awareness in Action

"We all live on the same planet, so we must all share the responsibility of keeping our gifted earth healthy."

• Indian Cultural Club

"This club was organized in order to make the student body aware of the Indian culture." The Indian Cultural Club (ICC) was founded in 1996 with the stated goal of expanding the TAS student body's awareness of Indian languages, customs, and traditions, as well as the modern Indian life-style.

• French Honor Society

"Respect for the fragility and importance of an individual life is still the first mark of the educated man - Vivre!"

• Japanese Honor Society

• Key Club

"Students should not serve for recognition. They should get recognition because they want to serve."

• Math Club

"It's not what you know, it's how you think...and, that you do think." The Math Club was formed to provide students with an opportunity to explore mathematical topics not usually covered in Upper School curriculums. These topics includes fractals, number theory, and logic.

• National Honor Society

"The NHS has implanted a tutoring program that services the whole school. We have thereby positively influenced the TAS community..."

• National Junior Honor Society

"NJHS is built up of all the people that are in it. It is an honor to be in NJHS, because it allows us to share our abilities and other's to achieve their potential."

• Orphanage Club

"Orphanage Club is unlike any other extra-curricular activity. At the heart and core of the club there is a feeling of warmth, caring, understanding, and unity...<i>" The TAS Orphanage Club has approximately 150 members spanning the Middle and Upper School. The club has held monthly outings with children from the Chung-Yi Orphanage in the past, and continues to conduct cooperative events with other organizations. It is currently the largest and one of the oldest student organization in the school.

• Spanish Honor Society

"<i>We all can speak Spanish very well :)!"

• World Vision

"Our club values people around the world and their rights to live." World Vision dedicates itself to people who needs the most help. Each year, it holds activities such as Love Loaves, Child Sponsorship, and an annual two-day outing to visit Taiwanese aboriginal areas of Taiwan. It has also participated in PTA sponsored club fairs as well as community service programs with National Taiwan University Hospital and Chung-Shing Hospital in the past.

Middle School organizations

• Math Counts

Math Counts is an international organization sponsoring math competition at the school, chapter, state, national, and international levels. Each year, TAS students compete to be part of the international team competing at the annual Washington D.C. competition.

• Model Airplane Club

The Model Airplane Club was founded in 1995 with the motto of "if you want to fly it, first you must build it." In past years, the club has built and flown gas-powered control line airplanes.

• Odyssey

Odyssey allows students to explore science and engineering topics without the constraint of scheduled class time limits. In past years, Odyssey explored how to build the tallest free standing structure from 2 sheets of paper, and how to build the largest bubble.

• Student Environmental Alliance

The Student Environmental Alliance (SEA) provides members the opporunity to help the environment. Every week, SEA members collects paper across the TAS campus for recycling.

Affiliations

TAS is accredited with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The college acceptance rate for the graduating class has always been above ninety percent.

As a member of Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS), TAS has high school competitive sports and cultural exchanges with the following Southeast Asian international schools:

• International School Bangkok - Bangkok, Thailand
• International School Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• International School Manila - Manila, Philippines
• Jakarta International School - Jakarta, Indonesia
• Singapore American School - Singapore

See also

• Dominican International School
• Kaohsiung American School
• Morrison Academy
• Taipei European School

External links

• Taipei American School Official site (http://www.tas.edu.tw)
• TAS 2004 Annual Report (http://tiger.tas.edu.tw/adm/ar/2004AnnualReport.pdf)
• Taipei Youth Program Association (http://www.typa.org.tw)
• U.S. Department of State (http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/1368.htm)

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