Future Pre-AP students at SIS.
SAIPAN International School is proud to announce its latest academic initiative: the adoption of Pre-AP courses as part of its core curriculum through an agreement with the College Board. This strategic move further strengthens SIS’s commitment to academic excellence and prepares students for the rigor of Advanced Placement coursework, reinforcing the school’s reputation as the leading AP institution in the region.
SIS has a long-standing tradition of exceptional performance in AP courses, with students excelling in a broad range of subjects, including AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Language and Composition, AP Literature and Composition, AP Statistics, AP Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Physics: Mechanics, AP Human Geography, AP Microeconomics, and AP Macroeconomics. By integrating Pre-AP courses into its academic framework, SIS aims to build a stronger foundation for students, equipping them with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills necessary for success in advanced coursework.
“The introduction of Pre-AP courses is a natural next step for our school,” said Dr. Ron Snyder, Headmaster of Saipan International School. “Our students have consistently demonstrated their ability to perform at the highest levels in AP courses and we have the highest passing rates of all schools in the Commonwealth. Pre-AP will provide them with an even stronger academic foundation, ensuring they are well-prepared to tackle college-level material early in their high school careers.”
Pre-AP courses are designed to be accessible to all students and focus on developing key skills across subjects such as English, mathematics, science, and social studies. These courses emphasize close reading, evidence-based writing, and problem-solving—skills that align with SIS’s mission to foster academic excellence and lifelong learning. SIS will be implementing the following Pre-AP courses: Pre-AP English 1 and English 2, Pre-AP Algebra (in grade 8), Pre-AP Geometry with Statistics, Pre-AP Algebra 2, Pre-AP World History and Geography, Pre-AP Biology, and Pre-AP Chemistry.
SIS is already recognized as the first AP Capstone school in the CNMI, and its students have achieved remarkable success in AP Research and AP Seminar. With the addition of Pre-AP courses, the school anticipates even greater achievement in AP exam performance and college readiness.
The rollout of Pre-AP courses will begin in the upcoming academic year, with professional development opportunities provided to SIS educators to ensure the effective implementation of these courses. By strengthening the pipeline to AP success, SIS continues to raise the bar for academic excellence in the Northern Mariana Islands.
For more information about Saipan International School and its academic programs, please contact Dr. Ron Snyder, headmaster, at (670) 288-9660 or go to https://www.saipaninternationalschool.com/.
