One challenge common to international schools is that of adapting to changing situations. Families come and go, businesses are started and relocated, political interests shift, economic standards evolve. The American School of Las Palmas, a private, non-lucrative institution has managed to endure and persevere through changing times. It’s heart continues to beat and the soul remains, according to Elly Bergeron, an education in which students are inspired to "investigate and discover, and where curiosity leaves room for open-mindedness. 2 and 2 might not equal 4, but if it does, then students will know why".

The History of the American School of Las Palmas starts in 1967 with a man named Ernest Lester Bergeron Jr. and his wife Eleanor Wuerpel. Mr. Bergeron was stationed at the U.S. Airforce Base in Madrid. When this contract was over, he and his brother-in-law decided to open a business, in the Canary Islands, which would facilitate the legal operations of the newly arriving American oil companies. In order for this to be economically feasible, Mr. Bergeron left the work in the islands to his brother-in-law and went back to the U.S. for a time. After their return and in 1967, the Bergerons had already been living on the islands for several years and had two children, when something happened that would initiate the founding of the American School of Las Palmas. On New Year’s Day, 1967, The owners of the International School of Atalaya visited the Bergerons and announced they would be leaving the island in June. Where would the existing Bergeron children and the other 12 students go to school? Ernest and his wife committed to finding an alternative.

Not so long into the new year of 1967, Mr. Bergeron went to see Chuck Roullier, the Director of NASA at the time, as well as the Directors of the American oil companies located in Gran Canaria. They were all in favor of forming an American School to respond to the needs of their children and those of families arriving in the future. Later on Dick Bennet, the Director of Texaco, also joined this committee and all were able to count on the invaluable support of Carlos de la Torre, the Mexican Director of Tabaquleria, to facilitate the political and financial aspects of starting a school.

The school was originally started in September, 1968 in the Vanishot House, a large, historical, family home located between the university of Las Palmas and the Carretera Vieja a Tafira. Tom Cowalt was the first headmaster of the school and needed to make sure the house was in proper condition, fill out the paperwork and made the initial contacts to attract teachers from the University of Miami. The school was affiliated to the Delaware state standards. There were 12 grades, 12 teachers, and 1 secretary. The Kindergarten had to be closed after 1 month, as there was only one student. In 1969, Tom Cowalt left and Mike Kelly became the second and most enduring headmaster ASLP would ever see.

Given the historical timing, one might wonder what effect the dictatorship had on the school. In the early years, the Spanish diploma was neither offered nor demanded so there were no impediments or limitations on the course content. On the other hand, the General Assembly held its monthly meetings at the Metropol Hotel (current City Hall) and need permission each month from the government.

As more American and increasing Indian and Korean families began to move to the islands, ASLP quickly outgrew the Van Ishot house. Over two months, (July and August) a solution had to be found and implemented. Over drinks at El Rancho, (which became a regular hangout for teachers on the weekends) Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Kelly discussed the possibility of contracting a modern, inexpensive, and timely architectural plan: Binishells. Bini was an Italian architect who came up with the idea while watching his children build sand castles over inflated balloons. His architectural style did the same but with plastic, steel rods and cement. Both Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Kelly agreed this was the answer. The result: the domes, or igloos served as the second location of ASLP and still remain an island landmark and primary school classrooms.