Alborz High School

The school was founded as an elementary school in 1873 by a group of American Presbyterian missionaries led by James Bassett. This was in the 26th year of the reign of Nasereddin Shah Qajar, 22 years after Amir Kabir founded the Dar ul-Funun school in Tehran, and 33 years before the Constitutional Revolution in Persia (as it was known back then; later it became "Iran" during the Reza Shah Era).

When Dr. Samuel Jordan arrived in Persia in 1898, he instituted change; subsequently, Alborz became a 12-year elementary and secondary school, with its share of college courses. Thereafter, the institution came to be known as the American College of Tehran.[3]

Dr. Jordan remained president of Alborz for 42 years (1899–1940). During his tenure, Alborz grew from an elementary school to a high school and college.

In 1932, the school received a permanent charter from the Board of Regents of the State University of New York.

McCormick Hall, American College of Tehran, circa 1930. The school received a permanent charter from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York in 1932.[3]

In 1940 and during World War II, by the order of Shah Reza Pahlavi, Alborz was removed from American management and placed under the auspices of the Iranian Ministry of Education as part of Reza Shah's modernization reforms. The school's name was changed from "College" back to "Alborz", and it was reinstated as a high school.

In 1944, Professor Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi, member of University of Tehran's faculty, was appointed as the president of Alborz.[4]

Alborz High School is a public school and is managed by a special board of directors that includes the heads of the IRI Ministry of Education and the head of the Education, Research and Technology Commission of the IRI Council along with number of other officials of Iran.[8]

Alborz High School has 4 majors: Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Physics, Humanities and Literature, and Humanities and Theology at the high school level. Each field has a different building with experienced high-ranking teachers and supervisors who specialize in educational goals.[9]

Alborz students have won more than 300 medals in the International Science Olympiads and scientific competitions.[10]

According to the special goals of the school, prospective students must meet entrance exam requirements before being allowed to enroll in the school.[11][12]

These conditions are:

• Excellent academic records and high grades in elementary and middle school
• Excellent scientific records and appropriate experience in the fields of Olympiads, competitions and festivals
• Obtaining the quorum in the exam (above 75%) on the condition of obtaining the minimum admission rank in the each special major entrance exam: 150 (Natural Sciencec), 300 (Mathematics and Physics), 120 (Humanities)[13]

If the above items are accepted:

• Accepted in the scientific interview
• Accepted in the cultural-religious interview
• Accepted in the specialized interview of the continuing education program

After the initial admission, the students enter the summer program. This program lasts for 5 weeks and the students are evaluated under the supervision of a group of academic advisors and high school education specialists; if students get the minimum grade (60% B) in «natural sciences» and «mathematics and physics». or (50% C) in «humanities», their acceptance will be final approval. Top students are exempted from this condition in initial admission, but they are required to participate in the summer program.[13]

The admission process of students in Alborz High School is carried out in cooperation with the General Department of Education of Tehran, the Education Commission of the IRI Council and the Vice President of Scientific Technology of Islamic Republic of Iran.[13]

In Alborz High School, there are several paths for high school education, so that every student after passing the first part of the admission (Entrance Test and Requirments) and the first two parts of the interview, during his third interview, he is obliged to choose his educational path. The educational paths of Alborz and their selection percentage are:[9][14][13][12]

• Konkour (Iranian National Universities Entrance Exam) (60%)
• Olympiads and scientific competitions (12%)
• Cultural and religious competitions and festivals (10%)
• Competitions and festivals of technology and invention (10%)
• Common - undecided (5%)

Sources[15][12]

• Central building (now:Soleymani building) «Educational and Administrative»
• Valizadeh building «Educational»
• Isargaran building «Educational and Administrative»
• Nuclear Martyrs Complex (1-st floor: Library, reading room, reference book library, workshop site, computer site, rest room, prayer room | 2-nd floor: laboratories of general biology, specialized biology, condensation physics, mechanical physics, organic chemistry, mineral chemistry and research workshop | 3-rd floor: Motahari exam hall)
• Natural grass field (Football ground | Spectators section and dressing room)
• Artificial grass field
• Dezfulyan sports complex (1-st floor: Futsal-basketball multipurpose hall, gym, ping pong hall 1, Bathroom and dressing room | 2-nd floor: Spectators section, lounge and ping pong hall 2)
• Restaurant (Teachers , Students)
• Bagheral Uloom building (library, prayer hall)
• Jordan House Museum
• Education-research complex (1-st floor: Clinic and Administrative | 2-nd floor: High school performance evaluation department | 3-rd floor: Education and Planning departments | 4-th floor: Olympiad and Research departments)
• Fakhrizadeh Research Center
• Humanities library
• Rajai meeting hall
• Artificial lake and Park 1 (with animals)
• Park 2 (Garden)
• Volleyball and Handball fields
• Centeral Yard (Speech and ceremony yard)

Sources[16][2]

• Mr. Howard (1873–1889)
• Dr. Samuel M. Jordan (1899–1940)
• Mr. Mohammad Vahid Tonekaboni (1940–1941)
• Mr. Mohsen Haddad (1941)
• Mr. Ali Mohammad Partovi (1941–1942)
• Mr. Hasan Zoghi (1942–1943)
• Mr. Lotf Ali Sooratgar (1943–1944)
• Prof. Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi (1944–1978)
• Mr. Hossein Khoshnevisan (1978–1979)
• Mr. Hasan Pour Zahed (1979–1980)
• Mr. Naser Naseri (1980–1981)
• Mr. Ismael Sadegh Kazemi (1981–1985)
• Mr. Rajab Ali Yasipour (1985–1986)
• Mr. Naser Molla Asadollah (1986)
• Mr. Ali Mazarei (1986–1988)
• Mr. Abbas Feiz (1988–1989)
• Mr. Hossein Khoshnevisan (1989–1991)
• Mr. Bagher Dezfulian (1991–1997)
• Mr. Mahmoud Dastani (1998–1999)
• Mr. Valiollah Sanaye (1999–2007)
• Dr. Mazaher Hami Kargar (2007–2011)
• Dr. Abeth Esfandiar (2011–2012)
• Mr. Mohammad Mohammadi (2012–present)

• Dr. Mahmoud Behzad[16]

Sources[10][17][18][19][20][21][22]

• Dar ol-Fonoon
• Education in Iran
• Higher education in Iran
• Razi High School
• Christianity in Iran

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alborz High School.

• Official website

35°42′09.97″N 51°24′40.59″E