A New Program! The Advanced Placement® Path!

We have some pretty exciting news! The Ecole d’Humanité is pleased to announce a new curricular program launching for the 2022 / 2023 school year. 

The AP® Path at the Ecole d’Humanité is unique amongst boarding schools in Switzerland. This highly personalized program helps academically motivated students achieve the goal of graduating with an Advanced Placement International Diploma® or as an AP® Scholar with Distinction. 

What is the Advanced Placement® Curriculum?

Advanced Placement® (AP) is a curricular program created by the College Board in the United States. AP® courses are rigorous and challenging – they allow high school students to complete college-level work while still in high school. 

Students who enroll in an AP® course may then elect to take the corresponding AP® exam which demonstrates a mastery of the content and skills.

In AP® courses, students study classical subjects such as English Literature, physics, or calculus while they simultaneously learn core academic concepts and develop the intellectual skills required to succeed at University. In addition, many US colleges grant credit to students who have successfully passed AP® courses and their corresponding exams.

The AP® Path Program at our Swiss Boarding School

Each year, the Ecole d’Humanité offers several AP® courses as part of our wider AP® program. These courses are open to all students in the US program who have completed the required prerequisites.

Beginning in 2022/2023 the Ecole d’Humanité is launching a new program called the AP® Path program! 

The AP® Path is a selective program for academically motivated students at our boarding school in Switzerland. In this program, students receive in-depth guidance, support, and encouragement as they work towards the goal of graduating with five or more AP® classes.

What is the Goal of the AP® Path?

The goal of this program is to help students graduate from high school as an AP® Scholar with Distinction – graduating with five or more AP® classes and receiving an average score of 3.5 on all AP® exams taken!

This is an ambitious goal, and we provide individualized support and guidance to help our AP® Path students achieve this credential!

How does the AP® Path Help Students? 

Achieving five or more AP® courses is a formidable challenge and requires advanced planning and a lot of preparation. The path begins when students enter the Ecole d’ Humanité. 

Each student enrolled in this program receives personalized guidance from our AP® Path Program Director, Lydia Breunig. Lydia helps students on the AP® Path to articulate their academic goals, and then map out a detailed academic plan spanning several years of study. AP® Path guidance ensures that students in the program meet all the prerequisites for their selected AP® courses while also building a course load that is goal-oriented, balanced, and aligned with each student’s personal learning style.

In regular check-ins, AP® Path students are given the support they need to excel in their courses. They work with other AP® students, sharing ideas, encouraging one another, and holding each other accountable for their goals. 

Students receive academic support to assist them throughout the program, including academic and college advising, peer support groups and study sessions, preparatory classes, and exam preparation workshops.  Students on the AP® Path are coached on other skills such as time management, effective study habits, and learning techniques that suit them as individuals.

This level of personalized support helps students stay focused on their goals, provides them with the tools they need to succeed, and offers plenty of encouragement as they undertake this challenge! 

Why Take AP® Courses?

There are many myriad benefits to taking AP® classes like acquiring knowledge; developing good study habits; enhancing, getting an edge on college admissions; or creating opportunities to study outside the US!

AP® courses are rigorous and challenging. They are fast-paced and cover more material than regular high school classes. Not only do they provide students with a deeper level of knowledge, but they also teach students habits and techniques that will propel students to success in high school, university, and beyond!

AP® courses give students a taste of university-level work while still in high school. AP® students get the chance to improve and strengthen key study skills before they get to university. As they learn about subjects like biology, English literature, or World History, practice writing lab reports, strengthen writing skills, or learn to read primary sources. In addition, the challenge of taking on AP® course work teaches effective study skills, time management techniques, and prepares students for university course work.

AP® classes also help students on the path to university. Taking AP® classes and passing the AP® exams shows a commitment to academic excellence and a strong work ethic, both qualities that admissions departments at colleges and universities look for in high school grads. A strong collection of AP® exams can enhance a student’s university application, giving them an edge on their college admissions. 

Students who wish to study at universities outside of the US also benefit from taking AP® classes. Many universities in Europe, the UK, or beyond may require additional credentials, in addition to a high school diploma, for example, the Swiss Matura or a certain number of AP® exams with a score of 3 or higher. Enrolling in AP® courses and passing the AP® exams give high school students many more opportunities to study outside the United States. 

Finally, many American colleges and universities grant credit to students with qualifying scores on AP® exams. This can help students advance more quickly through their undergraduate degrees or allow students to enroll in more challenging university classes.

Could the AP® Path Program be right for your student? We’d love to chat. Contact Lydia, our AP® Path program coordinator.

New Foreign Language Teacher at the Ecole d’Humanité

The Ecole d’Humanité is delighted to welcome back Mel Sampson to our boarding school team here in Switzerland. Mel spent five years at the Ecole d’Humanité as a teacher and boarding school family head, before returning to the UK for a few years to raise her small children. She’s back here on the Hasliberg to teach English and French

Mel is a language teacher, avid outdoors person, and she’s passionate about progressive education. Read on to find out the one thing this experienced hiker will ALWAYS bring on a hike!

Welcome Mel Sampson!

A new teacher joins the Foreign Language Department at the Ecole d’Humanité boarding school program in Switzerland.

Tell us about yourself:

I’m a language teacher, an adventurer, an outdoors lover, and a mother of two small children. My family has moved back to the Ecole after nearly 3 years away. We lived here between 2014 and 2019. Our son Myles was born here in 2018 and we come back with another child, Ella who was born in 2020. It’s great to be back!

Where are you from?

Wales

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Spending time with my family :-)

What’s your favourite occupation?

I really like how rewarding teaching is! Speaking another language is an incredible thing to be able to do! It opens up so many opportunities and feels amazing when you start being able to talk to people in their native language.

What did you do before joining the Ecole?

Before becoming a language teacher in 2013, I was cabin crew for British Airways doing both long haul and short haul flights. It was a great way to see the world!

What will you be doing at the Ecole?

Teaching French and English as a foreign language. I also used to teach mountain biking, climbing and knitting in the afternoons… maybe I’ll do them again this time!

Why did you join the Ecole?

I originally came here because I loved the idea of teaching in a progressive boarding school in a ski resort! And now I come back for those reasons and more, but also it’s a great place to bring up small children. I love how I get to see Myles and Ella throughout the day and not just the evenings and weekends. 

What are you most excited about in your new job?

Being back in the Swiss Alps and using languages every day (Ich lerne auch Deutsch!) 

What goals or objectives do you have for yourself in your new role?

I will lead fun and engaging lessons where students want to learn French. I will enjoy all that the Swiss Alps have to offer, and I will share my love of Switzerland with my children.

What’s your favourite Ecole memory?

Definitely the mountain bike hike in 2017. Such a great group of students and amazing biking in Ticino. I felt like I was on holiday rather than at work!

What is the most important thing you think a young person could gain from an Ecole education?

The ability to take control of their own education and organisation. And the chance to try so many new skills and sports. 

If you were going to deliver a TedTalk, what would the title be? I would probably do some about how changing your perspective on life can make you happy.

If you’re going on a hike, what’s the one non-essential thing that you must bring?

My knitting!

The Arts + Progressive Education — the Dance program at the Ecole d’Humanité

Immersion in the arts is a central tenant of progressive education at the Ecole d’Humanité, and our campus buzzes with creativity. Students explore all manner of disciplines from the traditional fine arts to experimental multi-media projects. As they try out new forms of expression – abstract painting, darkroom photography, throwing clay on the wheel, or putting up a theater production – our students are free to innovate, experiment, and discover. They might produce beautiful blunders or mesmerizing works of profound maturity. Whatever the end result, they are free to try!  Through our arts program, students a the Ecole d’Humanité are engaged in an essential process of becoming who they are – finding their individual artistic voices.

The results of this process can be seen in this incredible work, conceived, choreographed, directed, and performed by Kealy McGough.

Kealy McGough, a graduate of the class of 2022, came to the Ecole as a 10th-grade student with a desire to continue exploring her passion for dance. During her time at the Ecole, dance was always a part of Kealy’s individual artistic identity. Dance allowed Kealy to expand her leadership skills as she participated in and then co-taught folk dancing groups, and her creativity broadened through modern dance. 

As Kealy’s creativity and leadership grew, so too did her artistic vision. In her final work at the Ecole, Kealy presented a piece entitled Nature’s Cry in which she explores the interplay between emotion, movement, topography, global warming, and consumerism. Inspired by majestic glaciers, lush forests, and fresh alpine waterways that surround the Ecole d’Humanité’s campus, Kealy’s work engages with the conflict between the pristine natural landscape and the powerful forces of consumerism. 

Kealy’s piece was created as a two-year independent project.  Working together with her teachers, student dancers, and student videographer, Noah Bühler, Kealy conceptualized, choreographed, performed, and directed her work while Noah filmed the project.

We are blown away by Kealy’s vision and talent. Kealy’s accomplishment is an example of what is possible for students at the Ecole d’Humanité. Kealy had a vision and found within herself the determination to bring it to life. She recruited a team and led them to create an innovative and inspired piece of art. 

Curious to learn more about the arts at the Ecole d’Humanité?