Learning to be independent and live on one’s own is a key skill in preparing for college. At Saint Paul American School, faculty and staff work with students to create a comfortable, residential life community effectively preparing students for college life. Living in a dormitory with students from around the world is a unique privilege for boarding students, and is also the first step in becoming a part of a school community.
All students living on campus are assigned at least one roommate. Some students may live with two other students. There are two dormitories—one for boys and one for girls, which are situated in separate buildings. All rooms come equipped with the following amenities:
In addition, each dormitory has a dorm staff members on duty at all times to ensure each student is provided a comfortable and safe living environment.
Saint Paul American School purchases health and accident insurance for the students which covers inpatient and accident costs. Further information about the plan can be found at the website http://www.lxbx.net/ for the insurance company. The school purchases Scheme 2 for all student.
Students enrolled in our school will complete courses totaling a minimum of 48 credit hours. St. Paul American School’s graduation requirements are designed to meet American accreditation standards and entry requirements for a wide range of colleges and universities. Students are also required to attend eight semesters of high school in ninth through twelfth grades
Students are individually responsible for seeing that they are meeting the requirements necessary for graduation, but an advisor or administrator will monitor each student’s records. A counselor will meet with individual students twice each year. Any student who has a question regarding graduation status should contact an advisor or administrator.
Subject area graduation requirements are as follows:
| English | 8 semester credits (1 must be in Speech) |
| Math | 6 semester credits (2 must be in Algebra II) |
| Social Studies | 7 semester credits (including courses in Geography, Government, U.S. & World History, and Economics) |
| Science | 6 semester credits (2 must be in Biology) |
| Physical Education | 2 semester credits |
| Health | 1 semester credit |
| Fine Arts/Performing Arts | 2 semester credits |
| Technology | 1 semester credit |
| Foreign Language | 6 semester credits (4 must be in the same language) |
| Elective | 9 semester credits (Any credits in the previous categories that exceed the requirements count as elective credits) |
#2 High School Attached to Beijing Normal University Diploma Requirements
Students enrolled in our school will complete two Chinese classes daily as well as a weekly Saturday Class. Students will continue with these courses until they have established a level of proficiency required for this diploma. Proficiency can be displayed through receiving a passing score on the HSK V test, a score of 4 on the AP Chinese Test, a score of 750 on the SAT Chinese Subject Test or another means approved by School Administration.
Each student will participate in an activity/club of their choosing. Activities and clubs change each semester based on student interest but the current clubs are:
Students interested in clubs that are not currently offered, can complete a New Club Proposal Form to create a new club if there is sufficient interest.
One of the true benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity for students to experience another culture. With this idea in mind, SPAS offers a variety of weekend activities for students to participate in. A typical weekend for a student will vary; however, most student weekends follow this pattern.
Saturday- Chinese cultural classes using the L.E.A.P. Curriculum – This is a newly developed Experiential Learning Curriculum developed specifically for our students; allowing them to gain valuable real-world experience using the Chinese Language as well as learning Chinese history and culture through hands-on encounters.
Sunday- Visits to well-known international areas under the supervision of dorm staff. Students also have the option to attend a church service.
Given that Saint Paul American School is a boarding school, faculty and staff recognize the unique opportunity present to build strong, personal relationships with students. Therefore, every day, students meet for 15 minutes with a smaller homeroom group to discuss academics, school events, and other important issues.
The correct type of visa for non-Chinese students is a student visa. Admissions staff will handle this application process, the cost of which is included in the tuition package.
In 2007, Saint Paul American School began with a modest student body of roughly 30 students. As of the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, the SPAS student body was comprised of 220 students from approximately.
SPAS classes start at 7:45 AM Monday-Thursday and 8:45 AM on Fridays. Students are enrolled in 6 American Curriculum courses as well as afternoon Chinese Curriculum courses taught from 2:20-4:20. Students’ daily schedule runs through a rolling period system so that courses are taken at different times each day. Monday through Thursday, students have study hall supervised by campus life staff from 7:30 to 9:30 PM.
The cafeteria offers a variety of Chinese dishes prepared by the 2nd High School Attached to Beijing Normal University's staff. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served.
During the school year, a certified school nurse is available; they provide first hand over the counter (OTC) medications and refer students to other medical service providers such as physicians or dentists.
If there is a sick student on campus, the nurse monitors student’s health through office visits and if necessary will keep students in the infirmary for observation. In severe cases, we will be directly in contact with parents (by phone and email) to keep them up to date.
The nurse also supplies a medicine stock to the dorm staff with up-to-date first aid kits. The influenza shots are organized annually by the Chinese government and offered free of charge. Shots will only be given with the permission of the student’s parent or guardian.
SPAS provides a U.S. curriculum taught by American teachers alongside a special Chinese curriculum, provided by the Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University in China. We offer 8 AP courses such as AP Literature and Composition, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Environmental Science and AP Chinese.
We strongly believe that students benefit from the campus living experience but recognize that families may choose to have their child be a day student.
At Saint Paul American School, our students complete a diagnostic testing known as Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) three times per academic year. MAP is computer-based adaptive assessments that reveal which academic skills and concepts the student has acquired and what they’re ready to learn. MAP gives teachers a way to focus on student differentiation and plan for how we can use class time to support the needs of lower-level students while providing enrichment to challenge higher-level students.
Student MAP results:
Every item on a MAP assessment is anchored to a vertically aligned equal interval scale, called the RIT—a stable measurement, like inches on a ruler, that covers all grades. RIT scores serve as a data point in a student’s learning plan; educators can use this precise learning level and respond accordingly.
Grade level and matriculation is based on credits earned, not years in attendance. Students will be reclassified at the beginning of each academic school year. When students enter SPAS, the administration will look at age, MAP scores and previous school transcripts to place students into the appropriate grade level.
SPAS utilizes a student information management system called PowerSchool to track all information about students. Parents can track student’s academic progress on their own personal computers or smart phones by using PowerSchool’s parent portal site. Grades and disciplinary actions are updated regularly. PowerSchool can be access at this URL: spas.powerschool.com