AAC ADMISSIONS POLICY

Admission to American Academy Casablanca (AAC) is open to all qualified students regardless of nationality, race, religion or creed. Prior to being considered for admission to the School, students must submit a completed application and all documentation required by the admissions office. One application form must be submitted for each applicant. Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance into AAC. Refer to the AAC Admissions Procedure document for more information on the prospective student enrollment process. The process is competitive and decisions by the AAC Admissions Committee are based on both academic and non-academic factors.

OPEN ENROLLMENT

AAC has a rolling admission process, and applications are considered throughout the year based on availability. Open enrollment for each fall term begins in the preceding January. There is no application deadline, but students are encouraged to have their applications completed by April in order to increase the chance of acceptance, as space is limited. Acceptance is made with the provision that students must have completed their current school year in good standing.

PRIORITY OF ADMISSIONS

Priority for inclusion in a class for the following school year is given to students already enrolled in the school, but only for the period prior to the deadline for re-enrollment. In times of limited space, qualified new applicants will be considered for admission in the following priority:

• Children of faculty and staff.
• Siblings of enrolled students who have completed the application process prior to April 30.
• Children who are native English speakers.
• All other applicants according to order of receipt of application.

ADMISSIONS PLACEMENT

AAC believes it is important to ensure children are placed in classes along with their age-peers, especially at elementary grade levels. Admission and placement decisions are made by the AAC Admissions Committee. The committee is composed of the head of school, principal, dean, counselor, and selected teachers. The following details are considered:

• The student's age at the time of enrollment.
• Academic history.
• Results on entrance screening, particularly writing samples.
• Space availability in the appropriate grade / program.
• Level of English language ability in relation to the demands of the grade level for which the student is applying.
• At the high school level, grade placement will also be based on academic credits earned towards graduation.

Age is the first criterion considered for the placement of students at any grade level. Age will be verified by the child's original passport or birth certificate. Children should meet the following age requirements to be eligible for our classes:

Plus one year of age for each additional grade level.

Older students who enter AAC from another American-style school will normally be placed in the appropriate grade level consistent with the level from the previous school; however, exceptions may be made when it is determined that the student may benefit from placement in a different grade level. Prospective students who have not been in an American school prior to acceptance into AAC will be initially placed according to their birth date. After evaluation and observation by AAC administrators and teachers, the child may be moved to a higher or lower grade, as appropriate.

To be accepted and placed into the AAC Preschool program, children must be:

• Fully toilet trained
• Able to dress/undress self
• Able to feed self with fork/spoon and drink from a cup
• Able to understand and follow simple one-step directions
• Able to separate from parents/primary caregiver with minimal disruption

SELECTION PROCESS

Admission to AAC is subject to students meeting entrance requirements. All applicants will be assessed for their ability levels in English Language Arts, Mathematics, French, and Arabic. The basis for these assessments is to determine which students are likely to succeed in AAC's trilingual education environment. This determination shall be made by the school through a variety of means, which include review of official school records, written exams, and admissions interviews with the prospective student and the student's family. There is no need for any preparatory work prior to any of these assessments. The written admission exam takes approximately 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on how quickly the student works.

LANGUAGE SCREENING

Applicants to AAC will undergo an assessment of their English language skills. The assessment results will provide the school with information necessary to design developmentally appropriate structures for optimal language acquisition. Students may be enrolled in AAC regardless of their level of English fluency up to 5th Grade (Age 10). Beyond this age, students must score sufficiently high on an English language exam administered by AAC in order to be accepted. In the case of a student who does not have adequate English, a special program of English (EFL) may be required in order to grant admission.

SPECIAL NEEDS

AAC does not have a special education program; therefore, a primary consideration in offering children with learning difficulties admission to the school will be the student's ability to access the regular curriculum with limited curriculum modification. AAC reserves the right not to admit any child with special educational, physical, emotional or social requirements. While AAC recognizes the value of social learning which can occur among students, placement cannot be offered to students who need extensive program modifications, an alternate curriculum, or constant support.

All relevant information must be divulged so AAC is not placed in the position of accepting a student for which we clearly cannot cater. Failure to submit all school records and/or to disclose pertinent information regarding the student's needs (such as special testing, resource services, individual educational plans or psychological evaluations) may be cause for the student's enrollment to be revoked.

CLASS SIZE

Class size is limited to 22. Only under exceptional circumstances will this number exceed the limit (for example, a student who must repeat or the arrival of a student who has priority acceptance due to agreements with international embassies). The Director will present such cases to the School Advisory Board for a decision. Should we receive an application for entry to a class which is already full, we will place the child's name on the waiting list for that class, providing the registration fee has been paid.

WAITING LIST

In the event enrollment at any grade level reaches its capacity, AAC will maintain a waiting list. Any places that become available will be allocated according to the criteria of the priority of admission. The waiting list will be reviewed and revised:

• Each time a child is added to, or removed from, the waiting list.
• When a child's changed circumstances will affect his/her priority.
• In the second semester (approximately February) of each school year, when parents with a child on the waiting list will be contacted and asked if they wish to remain on the list for the following school year.

ACCEPTANCE OF ADMISSION

Parents, after being notified that their child is eligible to enroll, must contact AAC to confirm acceptance of enrollment within three (3) days of receiving the offer, or AAC will consider the enrollment offer declined. The enrollment offer will then be extended to another student.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD OF ACCEPTANCE

Each new student accepted to AAC is admitted on a 9-week probationary period commencing on the student's first day of classes at AAC. This is a time for the school, the student, and his/her parents to determine whether the student is consistently performing academically and socially in order to succeed at AAC.

DENIAL OF ADMISSION

We reserve the right to deny enrollment to any student for justifiable cause, including but not limited to disciplinary issues, lack of records, neglect of financial responsibility, and the student's inability to meet academic requirements.

AAC ADMISSIONS PROCEDURE

STEP 1 – VISIT AND TOUR

We highly recommend a campus visit and tour, which can be arranged via email to admissions@americanacademy-casablanca.com or by phone at 022 25 88 06. During the visit you will meet with an admissions officer, who will answer any questions you have about AAC's climate and educational programs. On your admissions visit, the following will take place:

• The parent fills out the AAC Visit Info form.
• The family meets with the AAC admissions officer to review information about AAC.
• Prospective students and parents are given a tour of AAC.
• The family is presented with the AAC application packet and instructed on the next steps in the application process.

STEP 2 – APPLICATION

Submit the following documents to AAC:

• Completed admission application including parent/guardian information (If you are applying to AAC prior to relocating to Casablanca and you do not have a Casablanca address, etc., you may submit this information to the admissions office after you have moved to Casablanca.)
• Copy of student's birth certificate or passport and original for verification.
• Medical/vaccination records
• Two (2) recent passport-sized photos.
• Copies of school records for at least the two (2) most recent years (including a certificate of attendance).

If requested by AAC, it is the responsibility of the applicant to have school records or other documents translated into English.

STEP 3 – ADMISSIONS EXAMINATION

Once all of the required documents have been received and reviewed, the AAC Admissions officer will schedule the applicant for an admissions assessment. The parent will be notified to pay the testing fee before the scheduled exam. If a student cannot be accommodated by one of the existing testing dates, he/she may be scheduled at a time which is mutually convenient for the family and AAC. There is no need for any preparatory work prior to the exam. The written admission exam takes approximately 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the age of the applicant and the speed at which he/she works.

STEP 4 – ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW

If requested by the dean or an admissions officer, an admissions interview with the prospective student and/or the student's family may be scheduled.

STEP 5 – NOTIFICATION

A member of the AAC Admissions Committee will notify the student/family of the decision within 48 hours of testing. If a student's application is approved, the family will be contacted with an offer of enrollment. At the point of notification, a "welcome" appointment will be scheduled to arrange payment of tuition and fees and meet members of the school administration.

STEP 6 – ACCEPTANCE AND PAYMENT

After being extended an offer of enrollment, parents must (by payment of enrollment fees) confirm acceptance of enrollment within three (3) days of receiving the offer, or AAC will consider the enrollment offer declined.

When all steps have been completed and fees paid, the student will matriculate and be welcomed into the AAC community.