American Embassy School, New Delhi
The American Embassy School (AES), South Delhi, India, is an independent, co-educational day school which offers an educational program from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. The school was founded in 1952. The school is not run by the American Embassy, and as of 2014, only about one third of its students are American. The school was reported in 2014 to be one of the most elite in Delhi. It is adjacent to the Embassy of the United States in Delhi. History. The U.S. Embassy sent correspondence to the Union Government of India, in 1952 , to request a school for American expatriate children. Jonathan Payne Du Pont, author of the PhD thesis "Teacher Perceptions of the Influence of Principal Instructional Leadership on School Culture A Case Study of the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India," stated that the school's population grew in the 2000s due to an increase in India's economic status. In 2019 R Vervoort, B Blocken, and T van Hooff did a scientific study at the school regarding reducing particulate matter at the school. Admission and demographics. AES ensures that seats are available for US citizens, provided the applicant meets  the school's eligibility criteria. About 40% of the student body holds a US passport. Eligibility in all other cases is limited to children whose parents or legal guardians hold a foreign passport, are temporarily residing in India and based in New Delhi, and the student lives with the parent or legal guardian. An Indian citizen applicant must meet all three of the following criteria to be eligible to apply for admission: Dr. Andrew S. Torris has been the Head of School since 2020. The high school principal is Iftekhar Syed. The middle school principal is Anthea Clifton and the  elementary school principal is Charles Bellomy. In 2014 Jen Psaki, the spokesperson of the U.S. State Department, stated approximately 33% of the students were U.S. citizens. In the 2008-2009 school year, there were 1,348 pupils, with U.S. citizens being about 39%, Koreans making up about 17%, and the remainder coming from about 50 other countries. 690, 363, and 295 students each were in elementary, middle, and high school. From the 2000-2001 school year to the 2008-2009 school year there was an increase of students of Indian heritage who were not Indian citizens, from 136 to 351. The  number of Indian citizens enrolled went from 48 to 52, respectively. For the 2020–2021 school year, there are 166 faculty members. Average tenure at AES is 4.4 years and average years of experience is 17 years. Circa 2009, the majority of the teachers had 10 or more prior years of teaching, but most of the teachers taught at AES for five or fewer years. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, enrollment was 954. (Pre-K to Grade 5: 415; Grades 6-8: 213; and Grades 9-12: 326). Organization. The AES board of governors has nine voting  members who serve two-year terms with an option to continue for a third year. They are elected by the school's Association, which includes all parents and faculty. The board also has two additional (non-voting) members appointed by the U.S. Ambassador. The School Director serves as an ex-officio board member as well. Its English-language motto is "Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve," while its Latin motto is "Domi ac foris," meaning "At home and abroad." Curriculum. The curriculum is that of a general academic, college-preparatory school. The school's testing program includes the College Board  tests (SAT, SAT II, PSAT). Instruction is in English. French, Spanish, and Mandarin are taught as foreign languages. English-as-an Additional Language services are offered for non-native English speakers. The school also offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and Advanced Placement courses. Most of the graduates go on to universities in the United States and other countries. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Facilities. The school campus is spread over almost 13 acres and includes and includes two libraries, a 25-meter swimming pool (plus a diving pool and toddler pool), a  physical education center with two gymnasiums, computer labs and "Makerspaces," several playgrounds, four clay tennis courts, grass and artificial soccer pitches, and a performing arts center (including a full-sized theater). In 2015–16 the school began responding to air quality concerns in Delhi by adding advanced filtration systems to all indoor academic spaces. In 2016–17 several indoor play spaces were also created for elementary recess periods when the outdoor air quality is poor. The air quality index (AQI) in most indoor spaces now remains below 50 throughout the school day. In 2017–18 the school began addressing air quality with filtration  systems in faculty housing as well. In 2018–19 the school will be installing outdoor air cleaners in an attempt to improve the air quality in its high school atrium. The United States government owns the land that the school occupies. School activities and sports. Extracurricular activities include sports, performing arts, dance, visual arts, academic games, and other interests such as chess and climbing. The school is a member of MESAC (Middle East South Asia Conference) for Grades 8–12 and ASIAC (American Schools in India Activities Conference) for Grades 6–8. The American Embassy School used to be part of The South  Asian Inter-Scholastic Association (SAISA). During this time they were known as the AES Falcons and the school colors were red and white. The school's community goals are also realized through extra activities. The "Reach Out" program enables students to interact with people from the "jugghi" or slums near the school. In this, the school has helped construct and staff a library, and studying area to promote literacy. The students may also participate in Make a Difference, Rights for Children, Blind Relief Volunteers, Amnesty International, and other community services. 84% of high schoolers participate in voluntary community service programs . For physical education classes, as of 2015, the school has a rule regarding how much pollution is permissible for students to do outdoor classes. Controversy. In January 2014 the school was placed under investigation by the Indian government for alleged tax and visa fraud by its faculty. A report in "The New York Times" described a handout provided by the school to new teachers which instructs how to lie on Indian visa application forms to circumvent the need for a work permit, and to avoid paying income tax. The Indian investigation followed the Devyani Khobragade incident in the United States . Since that point, the school has been engaged in the "joyful pursuit of compliance" and is strictly following visa, work permit and tax regulations for all its teachers.