Annapolis Area Christian School (AACS) is a private, non-denominational Christian school located in Annapolis and Severn, Maryland. It serves grades pre-K through 12 and currently enrolls about 900 students.
It was founded in the Reformed tradition in 1971. There are currently four campuses, two Lower Schools, one Middle School, and one Upper School (grades 9-12). Central Administration is located at the Upper School campus in Severn.
Annapolis Area Christian School is accredited by Christian Schools International, Association of Christian Schools International, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the National Institute of Learning Disabilities. It is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education.
Academics
Bible classes are required for every year of school. The school is nondenominational and requires that at least one parent be a practicing Christian before they will accept a student into the school.
The school offers many Advanced Placement classes, including American Literature, English Literature, Government, Biology, Physics, Calculus, Spanish, Music Theory, and United States History.
The school requires all seniors to complete a Senior Practicum. Students work closely with a senior mentor to identify a problem in the world, research the causes, write a research paper proposing a redemptive solution, conduct a service project to help fix the problem, and present a public final presentation describing the work they've completed over the course of the year.
Performing Arts
The Lower Schools offer general music courses and introductions to instrumental studies for older students. They perform annual concerts at Christmas and in the spring.
The Middle School offers courses in choir, band, and drama. The choir and band perform annual Christmas and spring concerts. The Middle School and Lower school frequently collaborate on a yearly "variety show," or the Middle School produces a "junior" version of a popular musical. The Middle School also occasionally produces a fall play.
The Upper School Choral Program consists of six choral groups. The Women's Choir is an entry-level choir for those with little to no musical or vocal experience, but there are also those with musical and vocal experience. It consists of girls from ninth to twelfth grade. The Men's Ensemble is an entry-level choir for men with little to no musical or vocal experience, but it also consists of experienced musicians and vocalists. It consists of men from ninth to twelfth grade. The Bell'Arte Singers is an auditioned ensemble of approximately 30 females. The Madrigal Singers is the school's top choral ensemble. This auditioned male/female chamber choir has performed around the world. The choral program includes two co-curricular a cappella choirs: Men of Note (an auditioned male group) and Nota Dolce (an auditioned female group).
The Upper School Instrumental Music Program consists of the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, and Jazz Band. Symphonic Band is a curricular instrumental music class for woodwind, brass, and percussion players that focuses on standard concert band repertoire and musical critique. The Marching Band is a competitive group that practices daily during the fall season and has achieved numerous accolades for their shows. The Jazz Band meets bi-weekly during the winter and spring, performing standard big band charts and participating in various jazz festivals.
The Upper School Theatre Program consists of two curricular classes, the Drama Club, and the school chapter of the International Thespian Honor Society. During the school day, students can take Drama, an entry-level class for those who are new to the dramatic arts, or Dramatic Acting Ensemble (commonly known as "Dramatis"), an auditioned advanced class that focuses on advanced theatre training. The Drama Club produces a fall play and a spring musical. (Past productions include You Can't Take it With You, Godspell, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Sound of Music, The Crucible, Hairspray, Little Women, and Singin' in the Rain.) The school also has a thriving chapter of the International Thespian Honor Society.
Athletics
Boys' high school sports include basketball, baseball, cross country, American football, golf, Soccer, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.
Girls' high school sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, softball, volleyball and tennis.
All boys' sports participate in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), while all girls' sports participate in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM).
Middle school sports include soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, and lacrosse.
Clubs
The high school host several clubs including, Ambassadors Club, Art Club, Cinema Appreciation Club, Creation Club, Entrepreneur Club, Foreign Language Club, Girls Bible Study: Time for Truth, International Students Club, Mock Trial Club, National Honor Society, Prefects, Robotics Club: The Iron Eagles, Student Council, and the Thespian Society and Drama Club.
Sexual harassment and retaliation allegations
In December 2011, a group of former employees sued Annapolis Area Christian School's association, citing a pattern of sexual harassment and retaliation by the school's superintendent between 2009 and 2011. The lawsuit alleged that school officials were aware of such incidents but did not protect employees against them. According to Joyce E. Smithey, attorney for the plaintiffs, “As stated in the lawsuit and as confirmed by the EEOC [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission], the school had knowledge of the inappropriate conduct and yet allowed it to be repeated time and time again.†In 2012, the Superintendent of the school resigned.
References
External links
- School website
