Secondary School
November 17, 2024 2026-10-28 10:31Secondary School
Secondary School
Hugh Schoolman
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Marhaba, Bonjour and a warm welcome to Rabat American School’s Secondary School!
I am proud and honored to join the RAS community as Interim Secondary School Principal. After decades in US-curriculum and IB international schools, I will become a Lion for the first time! As a longtime supporter of student sports, arts, clubs and service learning, I look forward to helping “unleash” a variety of RAS Lions activities in both the middle and high schools in 2026-27.
RAS is a tight-knit, supportive community offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program – widely regarded as the “gold standard” in secondary education worldwide. I have a particular appreciation for small schools such as RAS where student-teacher relationships thrive and education can be personalized in ways larger institutions often can’t match.
RAS’s mission – preparing students to become vibrant global citizens – comes to life in a few key ways:
- Real-world learning: Through programs like Week Without Walls, the Explore Svalbard environmental project, and international sports and arts experiences, the world becomes our students’ classroom. A dedicated faculty, counselors, and our IB CAS Coordinator support students through the rigors of the IB and beyond – including thoughtful conversations about how AI and technology fit into daily life.
- Empowering student action: Project-based learning, presentation skills, and critical thinking are woven throughout our classrooms. Programs like Model United Nations teach students to research, persuade, and collaborate, while service learning connects them to real needs both within and beyond RAS.
- Belonging and growth: RAS celebrates individual and cultural diversity, offers multiple pathways to success, and – thanks to our size – fosters real connection through advisory programs and counselors who know each student personally. Leadership opportunities abound through Student Council, National/Junior Honor Society, Athletic Council, and a growing roster of clubs.
Parent partnership remains central to our work. We will continue hosting cultural and educational events, along with parent coffees throughout the year led by our SEL counselor, college counselor, and Secondary School team.
This year marks RAS’s 65th anniversary, and we look forward to welcoming alumni back to celebrate. It’s shaping up to be a special year, and I am honored to serve this community. Go Lions!
Dr. Hugh Schoolman
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American Curriculum & IB Diploma Programme
Rabat American School’s Secondary School (Grades 6–12) offers a rigorous American curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), preparing students for leading universities worldwide. Accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA) and authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), RAS awards an American high school diploma, with the option to earn the IB Diploma in Grades 11–12.
Students study language and literature, mathematics, sciences, social sciences, world languages, fine arts, technology, and physical and health education. In the middle years, they build strong habits of inquiry, organization and self-management that carry them through high school. Our college counselor guides each student and family in planning courses that match their university goals.
Beyond the classroom, clubs, student council, service learning and athletics give every student the chance to lead, serve and compete. RAS is a small school with big opportunities: a close-knit American international school in Rabat, Morocco, where every student is known.
Secondary School Academics
An American curriculum for Grades 6–12, with the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11–12, preparing every learner for university and beyond.
IB Diploma Programme & RAS Pathways
Three pathways, one goal: the university of your choice
At Rabat American School (RAS), students in Grades 11 and 12 choose from three pathways, each designed to lead to the college or university of their choice. Every RAS graduate earns an accredited US High School Diploma, which provides a strong foundation for admission to universities in the United States, Canada, Europe and around the world.
Why our pathways are built on the IB Diploma Programme
All three pathways are built on courses from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). We chose the IBDP because its academic rigor and its approaches to teaching and learning best prepare students for university and life beyond it. The programme also reflects what matters most at RAS, as set out in our mission, vision, beliefs and Graduate Profile.
The results speak for themselves. Year after year, RAS alumni who took IBDP courses tell us they feel noticeably better prepared for university coursework than peers who did not.
What every Grade 11 and 12 student at RAS experiences
Whichever pathway they choose, all RAS students in Grades 11 and 12:
- Earn the credits and meet all requirements for the RAS High School Diploma
- Study exclusively within IBDP courses
- Take courses in all six IB Diploma Programme subject groups
- Complete Theory of Knowledge (TOK), part of the IB Core
- Complete either the full Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) Core component or a modified Community Service (CS) programme
Learn more about the three IBDP pathways for Grades 11 and 12 at Rabat American School.
RAS College Counseling
Personalized guidance for university applications worldwide.
College Counselor
Meet the College Counselor
Ms. Rana Haroun is Rabat American School’s College Counselor, with over a decade of international education experience in the United States, Morocco and China. She holds a UCLA Certificate in College Counseling and is a Certified Educational Planner (AICEP), a Times Higher Education Accredited Counselor and a British Council U.K. Certified Counselor.
University representatives are welcome to visit our campus in Rabat, Morocco, and meet our IB and American diploma students. To schedule a visit, contact Ms. Haroun.
College Counseling for Grades 11 and 12
Ms. Haroun guides students through university applications to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe and Asia, working closely with students, families and faculty so every student can make informed, confident decisions about their future.
Rabat American School offers weekly College Counseling classes for Grade 11 and 12 students, guiding them step by step toward university, whether they are pursuing the American high school diploma or the IB Diploma Programme.
Grade 11: Explore and prepare. Students research majors, careers and universities worldwide, then build a 10–15 university shortlist, a draft resume and teacher recommendation requests.
Grade 12: Apply. Through group sessions and one-on-one meetings, students finalize their list and write personal statements and applications.
Our goal: every student graduates with admission to a university that fits their goals, or a clear post-secondary plan.
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