Overview

For the last twenty-five years, the Ashton School has been serving our community as a privately owned, independent Dominican/International school offering instruction in English at the pre-school, elementary and secondary school levels, as well as Spanish instruction in the subjects required by the National Ministry of Education. The instructional program is student-centered and maintains high academic and personal development expectations, grounded in research-based practices and biblical principles.

Ashton School enforces child protection and reporting procedures in accordance with the Dominican Republic’s regulations, as per the Sistema de Protección de la Niñez y Adolescencia (Ley 136-03), which is aligned with the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the Normas del Sistema Educativo Dominicano para la Convivencia Armoniosa en los Centros Educativos Publicos y Privados.

Our Emblem

Roots and Wings

Roots grounded in an excellent academic program and biblical principles;

Wings to soar with the knowledge and values learned to thrive, serve and impact the world around them.

Santo Domingo School Profile

Vistacana School Brochure

Our Vision

The Ashton School is dedicated to be an institution of excellence centered on inspiring minds and transforming hearts.

Our Mission

To provide a challenging academic program shaped by international and national standards, values based on biblical principles, enhanced with physical and cultural experiences, so its students will be able to integrate their academic knowledge and skills with wisdom, respect, and love for God and others.

Our Guiding Principles

Deliver a guaranteed, viable, and research-based curriculum, informed by the U.S. Common Core and Next Generation of Science Standards, with Biblical integration, in English, and Dominican (MINERD) standards for Spanish and Dominican Social Studies, which will provide students with the knowledge and skills in core subjects that will result in college readiness for both local and foreign universities.
Students demonstrate proficiency and deeper understanding, showing mastery in a body of knowledge and skills within each discipline. (EL)
Students apply their learning and transfer knowledge and skills to novel, meaningful tasks that have a local or global impact, solving real life situations.” (EL, STUCO)
Use a comprehensive, standards-based assessment system to provide timely feedback, which results in improved student performance that encourages them to take responsibility for their learning goals, and allows them to showcase their areas of strength in a variety of ways. (Guskey, Pollock, STUCO).
Students become academically and socially prepared to meet the demands of a 21st Century workforce by developing the four C’s of 21st Century Education: Critical thinking/problem-solving/analyzing, and considering multiple perspectives, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity/Innovation skills. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills)

Students create authentic and complex work, demonstrate higher order and original thinking, consider multiple perspectives and carry out work that is personally and externally meaningful and helpful. (TfT, STUCO)
Students seek and find God’s fingerprints in the intricate, purposeful, and unique design of what He has created through a series of critical thinking and highly effective learning experiences. They analyze and utilize the discoveries by applying them on a day-to-day basis,helping to identify their purpose. (TfT, STUCO)
Students communicate clearly and graciously, write, speak, and present ideas effectively using a variety of media, technology and MakerLab tools within and across disciplines in English and Spanish, prioritizing public speaking. (Ashton, TfT and STUCO)

Students understand the importance of knowing, loving and honoring God and others in accordance with biblical principles to live with integrity. (Ashton founding principle)
Provide a balanced and rigorous academic program that integrates principles as presented in the Bible, to shape both the intellect and hearts of our students.
Teach students about a loving and just God, as well as the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the Bible, with an emphasis on Jesus’ example as a man, Savior and role model for all humankind.
Staff and students demonstrate loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, responsible, honest, respectful and self-controlled behaviors and attitudes. (Galatians 5:22-23 & Ashton School founding values which are underlined)
Uphold a conduct policy founded on loving & logical actions while balancing justice and grace.
Students take responsibility for their actions by considering (reflecting on) actions, confessing (admitting) actions/attitudes, committing to future improvements and ultimately being able to demonstrate the change that has taken place. (Culture of Grace®)
Provide an environment in which students enjoy school, work towards socio-emotional and mental well-being with guidance from teachers/advisors/counselors/administrators, and are able to make friends and feel like an important member of the group. (Ashton founding statement, ASPAS, and STUCO.)

Foster global perspectives and understandings for cultural diversity while continuing to respect and cultivate Dominican heritage. (Ashton founding principle)
Provide an environment that promotes community relationships, volunteer activities, and service learning opportunities at all grade levels to contribute to a multigenerational legacy.
Students and staff exhibit an awareness of and appreciation for God’s creation by demonstrating good stewardship of our resources and respect for life.
Students and staff pursue justice and restorative transformation, seeking to bring fullness where there is emptiness, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, kindness, integrity, respect, compassion) (TfT, STUCO)
Students and staff contribute to the improvement of the communities and a better world by stewarding local and global resources which results in the bettering of God’s creation.” (e.g., citizenship, service, respect for life) (EL, TfT, STUCO)

Give all students an equal opportunity to learn and meet curricular standards (with accommodations where necessary) by allowing them to demonstrate learning in a variety of ways while engaging in beautiful work that enriches the world and reflects God’s heart for diversity, complexity, and creativity.(Ashton founding principle, TfT, STUCO)
Offer opportunities for students to engage in Learning Expeditions, take Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses, engage in Learning through Internships (LtI) in upper secondary school, as well as explore other learning opportunities for students who are ready for greater challenges.
Students work to become effective learners, develop the mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, collaboration) (EL)
Offer rigorous co-curricular activities that will contribute to healthier and physically active lifestyles, allow for exposure and experience in the arts and develop additional skill-sets to complement classroom learning.
Expose students to a variety of athletic disciplines including: soccer, basketball, swimming, ping-pong, volleyball, chess and gymnastics. (Ashton founding statement, ASPAS)
Provide student leadership and extended learning opportunities through clubs such as: Student Council, National Honor Society, Model United Nations, Junior Achievement, Debate, First Lego League and other offerings.

Students and staff demonstrate loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, good, faithful, gentle, respectful, kind, responsible and self-controlled behaviors and attitudes resulting in the ability to: Make friends and establish positive relationships, express agreements or discords effectively and respectfully, make wise and healthy decisions, demonstrate good sportsmanship, respect individual differences, express gratitude and appreciation, and exhibit responsible work ethics. (Ashton founding principle)
Employ, develop and retain teachers and leaders who will strive for high academic student achievement and sound spiritual values based on the school’s vision and mission, and as taught in the Bible, the only inspired and infallible Word of God.
Provide a safe and physically comfortable environment that promotes student learning.
Provide adequate physical and human resources, equipment, facilities and overall support systems to enhance overall organizational effectiveness and in turn improve student learning and spiritual formation.
Monitor student performance and organizational effectiveness using data to guide the decision-making process.
Engage in continuous school wide improvement by developing and adhering to a strategic plan, individual action/improvement plans and a continual self-analysis.
Maintain responsible and sound financial practices based on recognized accounting principles.
Ensure that school wide decisions and actions (instructional, administrative, and operational) are consistent with the school’s guiding principles, and strategic objectives.
Focus on a shared vision, goals, and actions to improve student performance.
Maintain constant and effective communication among parents, students and staff based on kindness, responsibility and respect. (Ashton founding statement, ASPAS)
Encourage parental involvement, in cooperation with parent representatives, to contribute to our students’ academic and personal development. (Ashton founding statement, ASPAS)

Serve with Us

We look forward to meeting teachers who are passionate about inspiring the minds and transforming the hearts of students they are blessed to serve.

Find out more

Accreditations and Affiliations

The Ashton School of Santo Domingo is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and School (SACS), which is the accrediting body of the parent organization called Cognia (formerly AdvancedED). As a SACS accredited school, the school provides instruction in English in the core subjects and prepares students for universities abroad.

The school is also recognized by the Ministerio de Educación de la República Dominicana (MINERD) and thus complies with the required hours and academic program in Spanish and Sociales.

Other affiliations include:

Association of Private Educational Institutions (AINEP)
Dominican Association for Disaster Mitigation (ADMD)
Association of Colombian-Caribbean American Schools (ACCAS)
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
Ministry of Education (MINERD)
Ministry Safe
National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
National Honor Society (NHS)
National Student Council (NatStuCo)
Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)
RenWeb/FACTS
Tri-Association