Seoul American High School
Seoul American High School (SAHS, Hangul: 서울 미국인고등학교) is one of the largest Department of Defense Dependent Schools in the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Pacific Area, which includes Korea, Japan, Okinawa, and Guam.[1] SAHS is located on the South Base section of Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, South Korea. Seoul American High School is located near the geographic center of Seoul. The school complex comprises eight buildings containing over 60 classrooms and special purpose rooms. The school has two well-equipped combination faculty lounges and work areas. A library/media center houses 12,000 books and a full complement of audio and visual materials. The educator staff of 70 includes a range of education specialists and classroom teachers.
SAHS opened in 1959 with approximately 150 students. The first class graduated in 1960. The classrooms at that time were Quonset huts located across from the main Army Community Service building. Students from Daegu, Busan and Chinhae boarded at SAHS since there were no high schools in those cities until 1967. In the Fall of 1967, Daegu opened its own Department of Defense Dependents School (DoDDS) high school, alleviating the long drive for students.
Construction on the new SAHS campus began in 1981 and was completed in the Fall of 1982 and included the main classroom building, an arts center and gymnasium facilities.
A new structure to house the JROTC program's Falcon Battalion was opened in 1987. The JROTC facilities include two classrooms, three offices, a supply room, an arms room, a four-lane indoor rifle range and a hard-top area used for inspections and drills. JROTC formal inspections are held on Sims Field, the school's full-sized AstroTurf football and soccer field.[2]
In the Spring of 2014, the Fine Arts building was dedicated to Irene Dugdale Lee, a former music teacher and band director at SAHS.
During school year 1995-96, Seoul American High School had 550 students. By 2014, enrollment at the school rose to 630 students. SAHS is one of the larger schools in DoDDS Pacific and has a reputation for being one of the leading academic schools in the American public school system. Every year, SAHS ranks academically in the top 15% of high schools, providing students with an exceptional educational environment and learning opportunities.
Most of the students who graduate from SAHS continue their education at four-year colleges and universities, with a large percentage of graduates receiving scholarships and appointments to United States Military Academies.
SAHS is a participant of tournaments and conferences held throughout the Pacific, such as the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference (KAIAC) and FarEast, with takes place in Japan. SAHS competes internationally in the following activities: Softball, JROTC, journalism, Model United Nations (MUN), Basketball, Football, Cheerleading, Volleyball, Tennis, Drama, Band, Choir, Soccer, Swimming, Wrestling, Track and Field and Cross-country. Other clubs include Chess, Spanish, Film Production, Lego building, Fashion and German club.
Test Scores
Between 2014 and 2015, Seoul American High School SAT scores have dropped over 80 points and now scores similar to many inner city high schools. In 2015, Seoul American High School students scored an average of 1528 points, obtaining a 520 in critical reading, 498 in math, and 510 in writing.[3] In 2014, the students scored an average of 1611, obtaining a 537 in critical reading, 538 in math, and 536 in writing.[4]
| Year | Combined | Reading | Math | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1611 | 537 | 538 | 536 |
| 2015 | 1528 | 520 | 498 | 510 |
History
The school was first established in 1959 with an enrollment of 150 students. For the next eight years, the school educated children of U.S. military and civilian government personnel from the entire South Korean peninsula. Students attending SAHS from cities outside of Seoul were boarded at the school, and were mostly represented by families living in Daegu, Pusan, and Jinhae. This practice would cease years later as several other DoDEA schools were established across the country, the first being at Daegu in 1967.
In 1982, a new high school was constructed, and included a main classroom building, an arts center and gymnasium facilities. In 1987, another building housing the JROTC program was opened.[5]
See also
- Seoul American High School alumni
When the new campus was built in 1982, it featured a Quonset hut building as a classroom for the school's JROTC Falcon Battalion.
Each year near the Christmas Holiday, SAHS holds "The Alumni Games," a student sporting event.
References
- ↑ http://dodea.edu/home/facts.cfm
- ↑ About Our School, US Department of Defense Education Activity, DODEA Pacific.
- ↑ http://www.dodea.edu/datacenter/tdSchools_results.cfm?dodaac=HE6405&year=2015&id=sat&stype=hs
- ↑ http://www.dodea.edu/datacenter/tdSchools_results.cfm?dodaac=HE6405&year=2014&id=sat&stype=hs
- ↑ "History of Seoul American High School". Seoul American High School. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
