St. Paul American School Hanoi develops students into self-motivated, critical thinkers. We guide our students to become adults with integrity and strong moral character. Our students emerge as compassionate and responsible global citizens who value diversity.
We expect our students to achieve the highest quality of learning and maximize their individual potential. We hold high expectations and engage in an inquiry-based approach. Our students collaborate to improve their critical and creative thinking, ability to work effectively with others, and communicate in clear, concise, and compelling ways. This approach facilitates informed decision-making and problem-solving.
Students recognize their strengths and address their challenges with focus and determination. Students manage their behaviors by making responsible choices. They build relationships through a wide range of interactions. We provide an environment that promotes social-emotional learning by teaching the importance of character, relationship building, appreciation of diversity, and community building. We not only have respect for human dignity but also expect our students to become stewards of the environment. Our students are prepared, engaged, and empowered to contribute to a successful future.
St. Paul American School Hanoi was founded in 2011, with our first official day of school on August 13th that year. At the time, our campus was located in the VEAM Building in Hanoi, Vietnam in the Tay Ho area, with just 50 students in grades K up to grade 10.
Important recognition from AdvancedED, now Cognia, and MOET (Ministry of Education and Training) is given for our high-quality educational experience.
Cognia accreditation is granted based on rigorous standards for the whole institution and provides rewards for consistent school improvement.
MOET certifies we are an official school in Vietnam.
We moved to the Splendora community in Hoai Duc. Our goal was not only to accommodate our growing student body but also to build a campus in a setting that fostered learning. New opportunities for expanding athletics and performing arts came with the large campus. Hoai Duc is located on the outskirts of the city in a quieter, more spacious area that made the perfect spot for our school.
The diversity of our student body is expanded as we are granted permission to offer an American education to local Vietnamese students.
We join HAC Hanoi Activities Conference to engage in competitive athletics and activities with other international schools in the area.
Two more school buildings were added to our large campus to accommodate our growing student body. Our secondary school gained a distinction of middle school and high school to better serve the needs of students at different ages.
AP Classes and AP Tests are available, providing college credit to students who achieve a high score.
We gain membership into EARCOS – East Asia Regional Council of Schools and commit to engaging in professional development and broadening education opportunities for students.
Prestigious university acceptances abroad increase as our college counseling program helps students dream big and find the right university.
Our community has grown tremendously. We currently have hundreds of enrolled students from many countries around the world. We have almost 100 teachers, mostly from America, and all are experienced educators.
We are active in International School Search & Associates, and continue to grow our community and school culture.
The graduates from our school are joining prestigious universities abroad and striving to make change for the better. We develop engaged, educated, empowered global citizens.
Skills For A Global Environment
Our students face many challenges: over 75% of our students are living in a foreign country and this is their first experience in an international environment. They are taught in a language that differs from their native language and they must learn how to contribute to a school community that is culturally different from what they are used to. All of this is in addition to their regular developmental needs.
A major goal of education is to prepare our students to function in the world they will live in once they graduate from school. To prepare our students for this world, we teach our students foundational 21st-century skills, like critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Arming our students with these skills ensures their success in the future.
Additional Support
We have several programs and personnel in place to help our students thrive in our school community, and later in life. Our school employs counseleors who identifies needs within our students and gives them the tools and resources they need to feel confident in our school. The counselor also assists students who are experiencing hardships and need extra support.
A Learning Support Specialist helps students with unique learning needs meet their goals and an Instructional Coach is responsible for bringing evidence-based practices into classrooms by working with and supporting teachers and administration, with the goal of increasing student engagement, improving student achievement, and building teacher capacity.
It all begins with our academic instruction. As an American school, our curriculum is based on the US Common Core State Standards for English, Math, and Social Studies. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) provide a practical way to prepare children for the challenges of a constantly changing world by learning step-by-step the real-world skills they need for career and college. The Common Core is designed to develop any learner no matter where they come from or where they live – to receive a world-class education that’s consistent from school to school, and graduate ready to contribute to the future of our global society.
Next Generation Science Standards
Alongside the common core, St. Paul also follows the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for our science curriculum and the National Core Standards for art, music, and physical education. Our Information Technology classes follow the ISTE standards.
MAP Testing and WIDA Assessments
We monitor student progress using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and WIDA (for English Language Learners) assessments. Our instruction is heavily focused on English Language Arts (ELA) and we track reading progress using the Fountas and Pinnell system. These tools make it possible for us to meet a student where they are in their academic journey so that we can help them progress at a pace that is ideal for them.