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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Lahore American School Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence
By Tim Musgrove 14-Sep-17
Lahore American School (LAS) proudly celebrated its Diamond Jubilee this past November—60 years! In November 1956, a mere nine years post-partition, LAS opened its doors to welcome a small group of expat children living in this young country with an ancient history. Like so many startup schools, a small group of expatriated parents living in Lahore founded the school to establish an American, college preparatory education system for their children. As the school’s population surged, so did the demand for more classroom space. LAS moved from a lush suburb to its current campus along the famous, tree-lined Lahore Canal in 1964. Over the past 60 years, LAS has continued to grow in size but also to develop its educational program. The community celebrated LAS’s diamond jubilee with a week of student activities, performances, exhibitions, and an inter-school polo match at the magnificent and historic Lahore Polo Grounds. Polo, traditional to Pakistan for many centuries, is still played and enjoyed throughout the country. Several of our students are active within the polo community, and for them it was a proud moment to compete in their school colors in front of enthusiastic fans. The festivities culminated with a gala dinner on our campus field. Dignitaries, alumni, parents, teachers, and students gathered for a spectacular evening under the South Asian sky. Pakistani singing sensation Ali Zafar provided world-class entertainment, but the real star of the night was our school. Today LAS has over 400 students. While our student profile has become increasingly international, we continue to provide a top-notch, American-based education for all who wish to join the LAS family. When it comes to student learning, our focus extends beyond academic achievement. Socio-emotional growth is a cornerstone of our program, as well as understanding our social and civic responsibilities. Our mission statement, which includes “Building our Community and Preparing for the Future,” is more than just words on the wall in our classrooms and corridors; it is lived and breathed in our daily life. LAS’s tradition of community service and service learning continues to develop to meet the changing needs of our wider community. A long-standing relationship with the World Wildlife Fund in Pakistan is just one avenue through which our students can choose to get involved in service learning both locally and globally. Much like the country itself—where new bus transport systems have been inaugurated, railway networks expanded, vast motorways widened, and new flyovers built in every direction—LAS has also continued to grow over the last 60 years. The school is currently in its second year of campus development projects, and on 27 March 2017 Superintendent Kathy Khan officiated at the grand opening of our new elementary building. We are growing and we feel exceptionally proud. Very few write about all the endearing aspects of living and working in Lahore and Pakistan. Despite areas of the community still facing immense adversity, this is a city with soul. Even though the Lahore skyline may have changed, the Lahori people have not. They are unique—a friendly, lively, intellectual people who aim to please. They have a passion for life and take hospitality and generosity to the next level. Lahoris say it is their pleasure and responsibility to look after guests in their country. All members of the Lahore American Society, like the city itself, have soul—that inexplicable and intangible quality of depth. Perhaps this is not only the reason for the school’s success over the past 60 years, but might also explain why it has flourished even in the most difficult of times. Tim Musgrove has been an international educator for over 20 years, living and working in Saipan, South Africa, and Portugal. He is currently serving as Secondary Principal at Lahore American School in Lahore, Pakistan.
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