school (junior high) includes grades 6 through 8. The upper school (high school) includes grades 9 through 12. Each division is run by a principal and 2 assistant principals. The superintendent serves as school head. The Taipei American School Board of Directors a hybrid board consisting of nine elected Board members and two appointed Board members. Elected Board members serve for three-year terms and appointed Board members serve for four-year terms. Board members serve without compensation and have the primary task of formulating and evaluating all school policies and overseeing the school's financial affairs. It is their responsibility to see that the resources are in place to support excellence in all areas, always prioritizing the interests of the students first. The Board meets monthly and invites parents and faculty to attend these meetings. Board members are elected by the Taipei American School Association, which consists of all parents or guardians of children attending TAS. Student body The combined KA-12 school enrollment is approximately 2500. TAS abides by the Republic of China Foreign Schools Law, which requires all international schools to only admit students who hold non-ROC passports. Academics The Upper School offers 30 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Additionally, the school also offers 37 International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and IB diplomas. Students are often given the chance to take AP and/or IB courses, starting from the 9th grade. In many cases, students can take both AP and IB classes, if school counselor approves. The Lower school is pre-kindergarten to Grade 5, the Middle school is Grades 6-8, and the Upper school is Grades 9-12 which is a college preparatory program leading to a TAS U.S. high school diploma, Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma or an International Baccalaureate diploma. Almost 100 percent of TAS graduates continue their education at a college or university, the vast majority in the United States. TAS offers support services for mild learning needs. Blue & Gold The "Blue & Gold" is the school newspaper of TAS. It is also a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Produced monthly, the newspaper is usually a 12-page broadsheet. Previously known as Paws, the Blue & Gold newspaper has won awards from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Notable alumni (謝沛恩), class of 2009, a Taiwanese actress and singer who has appeared in shows including To the Dearest Intruder. She released her first album in 2012 in addition to 10