High School

Grades 9-10 students attend English, mathematics, social studies, and science classes with an 80 minute rotating block schedule. In addition, they choose one or more world languages to study. English classes utilize a workshop approach, dedicating time for students to engage in authentic reading and writing experiences while refining essential literacy skills. Students read two or three core works throughout the year, in addition to book clubs and their own independent reading. Mathematics courses are concept-based, fully engaging students in daily problem-solving and reasoning while building essential content knowledge and fluency. Social studies courses are developed from an inquiry-based framework that anchors learning around year-long themes and promotes the application of disciplinary knowledge and skills through case studies. Our integrated science courses provide students with multiple opportunities to model, investigate, develop explanations, and argue with scientific evidence. Engineering design is integrated into grades 9 - 10 science courses. 

ACST offers the IB Diploma Programme to students who are enrolled in grade 11 and grade 12.  The IB Diploma is an internationally renowned, challenging two-year academic program. For more information, please visit the IBDP page.

Elective courses, offered in high school, help support the growth of a holistic learner and provide opportunities for students to follow a passion, learn about a subject of interest, or expand their expertise. Our students can study an additional World Language (Arabic, French, or German) or choose a course in Music (Band, Choir, Beginner Guitar), Visual Arts, Drama, Computer Science, Design Tech, or Media Arts. Elective courses run for the duration of the year, but students have an option to switch their elective at the end of the first semester.

Falcon Time is our high school advisory block. Each week, for five 30-minute blocks, students focus on the development of social-emotional skills. Students are assigned to an advisory teacher who leads their group of 8 to 12 participants in age-appropriate topics of adolescent exploration and development. Falcon Time is also used to bring grade levels together in assemblies, which are often student-led. These assemblies focus on a specific school-level or school event or a culminating celebration of learning.

ACST provides counseling services for students who seek support with social and emotional needs and with academic guidance/course selection and a targeted focus on the university application process.  

ACST provides learning support to students who have learning difficulties. Professional support is a combination of a push-in and pull-out model. All learning support learners have regular check-ins from our Learning Support specialist and parents are a part of the goal setting and progress reports.

ACST provides English as Additional Language (EAL) support to students who are in the process of acquiring proficiency in the English language. Professional support is a combination of a push in and pull out model. EAL learners through grade 10 have regular check-ins from our EAL specialist and parents are a part of the goal setting and progress monitoring process.

ACST has a 1-to-1 laptop program in middle school and high school. In grades 6 - 12 students bring their own laptop computers to school. ACST students are permitted to use Mac or Windows supported laptops. ACST has on-site tech support for most computer problems or for supporting software updates.

Each high school grade engages in multi-day, on-site fieldwork at different locations in Tunisia as part of our Tunisian Studies program. Anchored in both the social and natural sciences as well as integrated across the curriculum, Tunisian Studies Fieldwork invites students to bring learning alive while being fully immersed in Tunisian life. In Grade 9, students explore the northwest mountain region of Tunisia to study biodiversity, the environment, its ecosystems, and its sustainability. In Grade 10, students travel to the Kerkennah Islands to explore the consequences of overfishing, rising sea levels, and marine pollution in Tunisia. Students witness the effects of climate change,  and human impact on the environment while considering ways in which human innovation might mitigate these consequences. Grade 12 students experience cultural diversity on the island of Djerba, a sparkling example of the cohabitation of history, geography, culture, and people of this country. Upon return, high school students conclude with the  Tunisian Studies Exhibition, sharing their learning with the community.

Falcon Time Clubs are an opportunity for students to participate in activities they enjoy and create meaningful relationships with students having shared interests. These clubs meet around twice per month, on Mondays, during advisory time and are led by students who sign up to lead each club. Each semester, students brainstorm possible ideas and then are placed into one of their top three choices for the semester. Clubs fall into many categories including the arts, athletics, service-based, technology, educational, and more.

Our Falcon Guides are student ambassadors in grades 6-12 who value the school motto of "Open Doors, Hearts, and Minds" and embrace our Core Values with the goal of making our new students and families feel welcome and at ease at ACST and in Tunisia. This year we have 43 students who volunteered to be Falcon Guides! This number truly represents the caring and welcoming nature of our ACST community! 

The main focus of Falcon Guides is to help implement our Meet and Greet day at the start of school. Each year they prepare a "What Every ACST Student Should Know about ACST and Life In Tunisia" list that we share and discuss during the meet and greet day. Here is a sample. Falcon Guide responsibilities go beyond the first couple of days, they also make sure new students have someone to connect with in classrooms and during breaks during the first couple weeks of school. Any new student that joins throughout the year is also paired up with one or two Falcon Guides from their grade. Falcon Guides also assist at the Secondary Open House night. Our goal is to also do quarterly check-ins with new students throughout the year. This may look like a lunch with Falcon Guides and new students, or a connection on birthdays. Falcon Guides have also led school wide bonding initiatives, such as "Egg Drop Challenge" or "Mix-it-Up at Lunch". 

Studied throughout the Diploma Programme, CAS involves students in a range of activities alongside their academic studies.
It is not formally assessed. However, students reflect on their CAS experiences as part of the DP, and provide evidence of achieving the seven learning outcomes for CAS.

The three strands of CAS, which are often interwoven with particular activities, are characterized as follows:

Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.
Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the DP.
Service – an unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected.

CAS enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience.

It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work.

At the same time, CAS is an important counterbalance to the academic pressures of the DP.

The National Honor Society was founded in the U.S.A. in 1921, and we are celebrating our 20th year of the ACST chapter. NHS was started to create enthusiasm for academic scholarship, to stimulate a desire for public service, promote leadership, and develop character in our students at ACST. Students are invited to apply in tenth and eleventh grade and are selected by their secondary teachers. NHS students support and lead in a variety of school events as well as participate in sports and academic teams.

Student Government Association (SGA) is an elected position at ACST, with two students per grade level representing their class ideas to the administration to support better the interests and concerns of the student body at ACST. SGA representatives are known to sponsor student-wide programs such as winter formal, prom, and spirit weeks. Elected students will also speak at board functions and programs throughout the year.

The Youth Club is an organization established at ACST 15 years ago with the purpose of helping and molding students into future leaders. The Youth Club officers are responsible for brainstorming, planning, and executing several major school events, including Sports Day, Halloween, ACST's Got Talent, and the High School bonfire. Additionally, the club supports several charitable institutions around Tunis. The Youth Club encourages high school students to take responsibility in creating enjoyable and social events for the ACST community throughout the school year.

The Class Friendlies event is designed to foster teamwork and school spirit by encouraging students to participate in a variety of athletic and intellectual competitions. This event provides a platform for students to collaborate with their advisors, combining their strengths to achieve ACST's core values. Whether through sports or academic challenges, participants are motivated to work together, building both confidence and camaraderie. Three class friendlies are held yearly as a celebration of unity; once in the fall before Thanksgiving break, once in the spring before spring break, and finally during the last week of the school year.