Welcome to the American School Blog!
Since 2006, the American School Blog has kept students, parents and school officials up to date on what’s happening at American School. Below are our most recent blog posts. Visit the American School Blog Archive to read noteworthy blogs from over the years.
Today’s Birthday: Abraham Lincoln
It’s February 12, and Abraham Lincoln was born on this day in 1809. Although Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky and spent his childhood in Indiana, he spent most of his life in Illinois, which is why the state is called the Land of Lincoln. We even have a bust of...
Today’s Birthday: Thomas Edison
It’s February 11, and Thomas Edison was born on this day in 1847. He invented many things but his most famous inventions are the light bulb and the phonograph. If you have an inventing spirit, why not make a career out of it? Consider one or more of our business,...
Today’s Anniversary: Deep Blue
It’s February 10, and on this day in 1996 a computer known as Deep Blue defeated a human in a game of chess. This anniversary got us thinking about computers and artificial intelligence and seems like a good opportunity for us to remind you that all American School...
American School and the 2026 Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics opened a few days ago in Italy, and this occasion got us thinking of some winter sport athletes who have made their mark on the national and international stage during or after their time as an American School student. Deanna Stellato was an...
Today’s Anniversary: Massachusetts
It’s February 6, and Massachusetts became a state on this day in 1788. Massachusetts has always been special to us because we were founded there in 1897, but in reality every student in every state is special to us. That’s because we make distance education as...
National School Counseling Week 2026
We are in the middle of National School Counseling Week, and so today’s blog is going to contain words of thanks to the many school counselors who work with us through our independent study program. Counselors from coast to coast appreciate the high quality and...
Today’s Anniversary: Facebook
It’s February 4, and Facebook was founded on this day in 2004. It’s a great day to remind you to check out our Facebook page. We use that page to share this blog and to make important announcements in case of emergency school closings. While we encourage you to...
Today’s Anniversary: Paper Money in the Americas
It’s February 3, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony issued the first paper money in the Americas on this day in 1690. This anniversary got us thinking about cash, which has seen its usage decrease considerably in recent years. We offer multiple ways for homeschooling...
Groundhog Day 2026
It’s February 2, and today is Groundhog Day. The American School Groundhog did not see her shadow this morning which means (thankfully and/or allegedly) we will have an early spring this year. In any season American School’s accredited middle school courses and...
Today’s Anniversary: The Menai Suspension Bridge
It’s January 30, and the Menai Suspension Bridge in Wales opened 200 years ago today. It’s the world’s first suspension bridge, but its anniversary got us thinking about another kind of suspension. We know that sometimes high school students might get suspensions...
Today’s Anniversary: Kansas
It’s January 29, and Kansas became a state on this day in 1861. Kansas’s Latin motto is translated, “To the stars through difficulties,” and that motto got us thinking about the educational journey of many American School students. We know that sometimes students...
Remembering Space Shuttle Challenger
It’s January 28, and 40 years ago today the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated shortly after takeoff. Among the seven astronauts on board was teacher Christa McAuliffe, who planned to take distance learning to a whole new stratosphere teaching lessons from space...
Today’s Anniversary: The iPad
It’s January 27, and Apple introduced the iPad on this day in 2010. It’s a great day to remind you that we offer online middle school courses and online high school courses. We even offer online exams in many of our paper-based high school courses. Before you...
2026-2027 FAFSA Application Now Available
Today’s blog announces that the FAFSA Application for the 2026-2027 academic year is now available. This application is particularly useful for students in our college preparatory program who plan to earn a high school diploma at home with American School and then...
Today’s Anniversary: The First American Novel
It’s January 21, and The Power of Sympathy, sometimes called The Triumph of Nature, was published on this day in 1789. This work by William Hill Brown is thought to be the very first American novel, and so today our blog is going to focus on our American Literature...
Today’s Anniversary: Presidential Inaugurations
It’s January 20, and today is the day Presidents of the United States typically get inaugurated. Over the years presidents have been inaugurated on different days for different reasons, but since 1937 most presidents have been inaugurated on this day. Inaugurations...
American School Closed January 19, 2026
American School will be closed on Monday, January 19. We will reopen with regular business hours on Tuesday, January 20, and look forward to assisting you with your accredited middle school program, accredited high school program or independent study program at that...
Today’s Birthday: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It’s January 15, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this day in 1929. As we have in the past, we will use this occasion to refer you to the websites of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and the King Center. These websites will bring your...
2026 AFA Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship Information
Today’s blog contains a link for more information about the 2026 AFA Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2026. As always, we do our best to share scholarship information with students in our accredited high school program or...
Today’s Anniversary: The National Geographic Society
It’s January 13, and the National Geographic Society was founded on this day in 1888. Naturally we are going to use this occasion to promote our geography courses. World Geography is covered in grade 6 of our accredited middle school program. For high school...
Today’s Birthday: Ray Harroun
It’s January 12, and Ray Harroun was born on this day in 1879. His claim to fame is winning the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911, and so one can safely assume that he knew something about cars. If you want to learn more about cars, consider taking our Auto...
Today’s Anniversary: Connecticut
It’s January 9, and Connecticut became a state on this day in 1788. One of Connecticut’s nicknames is The Land of Steady Habits, and that unusual nickname got us thinking about the study habits of students in our accredited middle school program, accredited high...
Today’s Anniversary: The State of the Union
It’s January 8, and George Washington gave the first State of the Union address on this day in 1790. The President of the United States is required by law to give an update to Congress from time to time, and this update is known as the State of the Union, a speech...
Today’s Anniversary: The First Commercial Bank
It’s January 7, and the Bank of North America opened in Philadelphia on this day in 1782. It was the first commercial bank in the United States, and this anniversary got us thinking about the various ways people can pay us for their print and online middle school...
Today’s Anniversary: New Mexico
It’s January 6, and New Mexico became a state on this day in 1912. New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment, and more than 3 million homeschooling students in New Mexico and across the country and around the world have been enchanted by our self-paced courses...