Annual Report 2022-23

ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence in Education

Empowering Students to Shape the Future Since 1972

CONTENTS

4-5

Who We Are

6

Message from the Board Chair

7

Message from the Superintendent

8-9

How ACS Celebrated 50 Years

10

A Year Beyond Measure

11-18 19

Celebrating a Culture of Giving Financial Report 2022-23

20-21

Class of 2023 Impact

22-23

Alumni Celebrating 50 Years

2 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

CONTENTS

“My greatest hope is that your next fifty years and beyond will be as successful as your first fifty.

Congratulations on this important milestone.”

– HE Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Annual Report 2022-23 | 3

WHO WE ARE

50

Years of Excellence in Education AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI Established in 1972, the American Community School of Abu Dhabi (ACS) is a non-profit, U.S. accredited college preparatory school serving a culturally diverse student body of students between the ages of 4 to 18. Building on a legacy of 50 years of excellence, ACS empowers students to shape and define their futures by providing a balanced learning program to foster excellence in academics, the arts, athletics and service learning.

MISSION

Empowering all students to define and shape their futures for learning, service and global citizenship.

CORE VALUES Courage Curiosity Compassion Integrity

VISION

A compassionate, student-centered community of learners engages, prepares and inspires.

ACS LEARNERS ARE...

Collaborative team members Responsible individuals Self-directed learners Global citizens

ADEK RATING: OUTSTANDING Note: Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the Education Sector Regulator across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the UAE 4 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

WHO WE ARE 2022-23 TOTAL ENROLLMENT

1,207 STUDENTS

136

Teachers

100+ 12

538

Elementary

264

Middle

405 High

High School Course Offerings

Volunteer Trustees

2,300+ Graduated Alumni

725

Families

9:1

95

83%

85%

Student to Faculty Ratio

2023 Graduates

Faculty with Advanced Degrees

Faculty with 10+ Years Experience

Why ACS? What Our Parents are Saying ACS gives kids an opportunity to excel in whatever they love and encourages them to get excited about learning.

67

Nationalities of Students

I absolutely love the focus on social and emotional learning.

I am happy that my child learns in an environment that encourages creativity and self-confidence.

I am very impressed with ACS’s role in teaching my children Global Citizenship. I am awestruck by how they have grown and really latched onto their role as global citizens.

● 54% US ● 10%

Canada

● 4%

UAE National Citizens

● 32% Other Countries Annual Report 2022-23 | 5

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR

Empowering Minds, Shaping Futures: ACS’s Remarkable Story

MATT AYOUB ‘94 Board Chair

ACS BOARD OF TRUSTEES As an independent nonprofit school, ACS is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees to ensure the longterm sustainability of the school.

Through prudent fiscal governance and strategic planning, working in partnership with the Superintendent, the Board ensures ACS continues to serve and fulfill the school’s mission to empower future generations of ACS students.

Honored to serve the ACS community as trustees for the 2022-23 school year: Matt Ayoub ‘94, Chair Serena Carnevale, Vice Chair Philippe El Bacha, Treasurer Julie Thurston, Secretary Ahmed Al Ahmadi ‘11 Omar Asfour ‘96 Nadia Bardawil Brad Heming Eric Hilgendorf Kirby Lindsey Adib Mattar ‘95 Robin Solomon, US Embassy Rep

6 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

In the story of the 2022-23 school year, ACS marked more than 50 years of excellence in education since its modest start in 1972 as a small community school serving just 50 students. As a proud member of the second ACS graduating class of 1994 and a parent of three current students, I am filled with awe and gratitude for the extraordinary evolution of our beloved institution during the past five decades and the remarkable journey that has brought us to where we are today.

Similar to the beloved children’s tale “The Little Engine That Could,” our ACS community embodies the spirit of “I think I can, I think I can” through the ACS Strategic Plan. This guiding compass fosters the growth of our students into forward-thinking global citizens who shape the future in ways that surprise us every day.

Key to our vision for the future are investments in partnerships with esteemed global organizations, the ongoing professional development of our dedicated faculty and staff, and the creation of innovative programs tailored to the needs of our students. Beyond a mere document, our strategic plan reflects our unwavering commitment to the whole child, recognizing not only academic success, but also social, emotional, and physical well-being.

The little engine’s greatest strength was its determination. This milestone year was a testament to the tenacity of a small, independent nonprofit school that dared to dream big. In line with our steadfast commitment to providing world-class facilities, our new Saadiyat campus is rapidly progressing, targeting an opening in January 2024. This state-of-the-art facility roughly doubles our footprint and includes a 650-seat theater, solar panels that will power a third of our energy needs and world-class facilities for academics, athletics

and the arts. Designed to surpass the evolving needs of our more than 1,200 students, the campus will facilitate the expansion of our curriculum across a broad spectrum of strategic pathways. Thanks to the incredible support of the Abu Dhabi government our new Saadiyat campus will stand as a beacon to our community’s belief in the potential of the little school that could.

On our journey, we’re blessed to be accompanied by an incredible community whose vibrant spirit shines through enthusiastic engagement in events for students, families, faculty, staff and esteemed alumni.

Festivities like the ACS Kickoff Party on the 50th day of the 50th school year and The Golden Gala brought us together to reflect on our rich history and even brighter future. We had the honor of recognizing HE Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, an ACS alumnus from the first graduating class, current ACS parent and Group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company, as the recipient of the 2023 ACS Community Leadership Award. This special recognition underscored the outstanding contributions of one of our own to the global community.

As we stand on the cusp of an even brighter future, enriched by our deep history and fueled by a collective belief in ACS, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each member of the ACS Abu Dhabi community for their steadfast support and dedication. I am especially grateful to our faculty, staff, and parent volunteers who work tirelessly every day to help our school reach its full potential.

Together, let us embrace the opportunities that the future holds, charting a course for another 50 years of excellence in education – as the school that can.

In gratitude, Matt Ayoub ‘94 Board Chair

MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

50 Years of Excellence in Education As we reflect on the 2022-23 academic year, it is with immense pride and gratitude that I share with you the Annual Report celebrating our school's 50th anniversary. This milestone not only marks a halfcentury of excellence in education but also underscores our enduring commitment to empowering students to shape the future.

Since our inception, ACS has stood as a beacon of educational excellence in the region, guided by our mission to nurture courageous, curious, compassionate, and principled individuals. As one of the few nonprofit institutions in the region, our inspired educators remained steadfast in their dedication to providing a world-class education that transcends borders and empowers students to thrive in an ever-changing global landscape.

The celebration of our 50th anniversary has been a testament to the strength and resilience of our ACS community. From alumni gatherings across the globe to local events commemorating our rich legacy, the spirit of ACS has touched lives near and far. Our alumni network serves as a testament to the lasting impact of an ACS education, with graduates making significant contributions to their communities and professions around the world.

At the heart of our success lies our unwavering commitment to our core values of courage, curiosity, compassion, and integrity. These values have served as the foundation upon which our pillars of academics, athletics, the arts, and service have flourished, enabling us to provide a holistic education that prepares students for success in all aspects of life.

As one of only three schools in the UAE to reach the 50-year milestone, ACS has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of education in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

Our existence is a testament to the principles, goals, and aspirations of the UAE in fostering excellence in international education.

As we look ahead to the next chapter in our journey, let us continue to embrace the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and excellence that has defined ACS for the past five decades. Together, guided by our shared vision and values, we will continue to empower students to reach their fullest potential and shape a brighter future for generations to come.

Here's to the next 50 years of excellence in education.

Warm regards, Monique Flickinger Superintendent

Monique Flickinger pictured with Trustees Nadia Bardawil, Serena Carnevale and Julie Thurston for 50th celebrations.

MONIQUE FLICKINGER Superintendent

LEADERSHIP TEAM Dr. Victor Guthrie Assistant Superintendent Amy Greene High School Principal Karl Poulin Middle School Principal Heather Collins Elementary School Principal Dr. Jen Ricks Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning Christina Devitt Director of Learning Innovation and eLearning Bobbi Donison Charles High School Assistant Principal Rob Desormeau Middle School Assistant Principal Dr. Ann Peterson Elementary School Assistant Principal Jean Rueckert Director of World Languages Dr. Hanadi Dayyeh Director of Arabic Progams MeMe Spurgeon Director of Student Support Services Preben Gietz Athletic and Activities Director Waheeda Al Tamimi Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Mahmoud Bafagih Director of Government Relations Yvette L. Campbell Director of Institutional Advancement Zoltan Karaszy Director of Finance Manoj Kunnenoth Facilities Manager Jodi Lefort Director of Admissions Marise Philip-Jayendran Director of Human Resources Joni Wills Annual Report 2022-23 | 7 Director of Communications

HOW ACS CELEBRATED 50 YEARS ACS marked its 50-year history and unwavering commitment to excellence in education with a year of celebrations all over the world. Students, alumni, staff, former faculty and even special guests like Sandy the Sand Viper made special guest appearances in classrooms, at the entry gate, at assemblies, on social media and at 50th celebrations throughout the school year.

Our 50th was a year to remember, and here is how we celebrated as a school: 50TH KICKOFF PARTY NOVEMBER 7 On the 50th school day of the 50th year, nearly 1,000 students, parents, staff, alumni, friends and VIP guests joined us to kick off yearlong celebrations for our 50th anniversary with a special guest appearance by Thunder the Falcon (the ACS mascot from 1972 to 2000), Sandy the Sand Viper (current mascot) and a special lighted marquee built in our Fab Lab by students and High School Design Tech teacher, Matt McGrady.

ALUMNI HOMECOMING AND WELCOME RECEPTION JAN. 7-8

50 ON THE FIELD A drone captured Grades 3-9 students, faculty and administrators forming a giant 50 on Summer Jassim Field.

ACS HISTORY WALK The school’s main walkway was decorated with a number of images and historic facts by decade showcasing milestone events, special visitors like the Queen Elizabeth II and the greatest of all time, Mohammed Ali, and significant achievements during our 50-year history.

8 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

HOW ACS CELEBRATED 50 YEARS

50TH ANNIVERSARY MERCHANDISE AND SPECIAL GIFTS • Gold 50th Anniversary pin / Limited edition 50th anniversary gift box / 50th t-shirts, hats, tote bags, stickers and water bottles • Commissioned 50th Anniversary Artwork

by Grade 10 student Amani Nasser

ACS 50 FEST MARCH 6-12 A festive week of final 50th celebrations for students, staff, parents, alumni and special guests included: • Special 50th gifts for staff and schoolwide decorations • Daily school spirit activities and assemblies • Guided tours of old and new campus for special visitors • Alumni reception at the US Ambassador’s residence • 50th Anniversary ACS Golden Gala • Final alumni games on Al Bateen campus

COMMISSIONED A 50TH ANNIVERSARY FILM

I ❤️ACS DAY FEBRUARY 14 For I ‘HEART’ ACS Day (a.k.a.

Valentine’s Day), Sandy the Sand Viper handed out valentines to our students as they arrived to school in the morning.

Annual Report 2022-23 | 9

A YEAR BEYOND MEASURE GRADES 2-9 MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS (MAP) MAP assessments are computer adaptive achievement tests that help ACS personalize learning for every student.

Assessments support growth and skill mastery to help students reach their fullest potential. Below are MAP results for ACS as compared to the world, i.e., the 16.2 million students in 49 countries who take the MAP test each year administered by Northweastern Evaluation Association, North East South Asia Council (NESA) overseas schools, and the 190+ Office of Overseas US State Department Schools.

GRADES 10 -12 REMARKABLE GROWTH IN OUR PROGRAMS ACS offers all High School students opportunities to take the full International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP) or a mixture of more than 100 IB and AP college-preparatory courses. We intentionally offer a blended IB/AP program to prepare our diverse student body to study both in the US and abroad for university.

26 students in 2023 were recognized as AP Scholars (students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP exams).

2023 Advanced Placement (AP)

ACS

WORLD

Computer Science Principles [47]

3.8

2.9

Language & Composition [42]

3.1

2.8

Physics 1 [40]

2.2

2.5

US Government & Politics [40]

3.5

2.5

US History [31]

3.9

2.5

Literature & Composition [22]

3.6

3.2

Calculus AB [22]

3.0

2.9

Computer Science A [21]

3.1

3.2

Comparative Government & Politics [12]

4.0

3.1

• Brackets indicate the number of ACS students who sat the exam.

• AP scores with fewer than [10] students are not reported.

CLASS OF 2023 SAT SUMMARY SECTION EBRW MATH COMBINED

ACS MID 50% 550-680 540-680 1100-1350

NUMBER OF TEST TAKERS: 85 STUDENTS 10 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

ACS MEAN 608 606 1214

2023 International Baccalaureate DP

30

42

ACS Diploma Candidates

ACS Course Candidates

ACS 5.1

World 4.8

Mean Score

2023 Average IB Scores by Subject ACS

WORLD

Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature in English

4.89

4.79

Group 2: Language Acquisition

4.74

5.06

Group 3: Individuals and Societies

4.81

4.80

Group 4: Sciences

4.21

4.30

Group 5: Mathematics

4.45

4.45

Group 6: The Arts

5.69

4.37

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

2022-23 Giving at ACS OUR 50TH MARKED A RECORD YEAR FOR PHILANTHROPY

TOTAL RAISED

568

Total Gift

s

AED 6.35 million in new gifts & commitments from Annual Giving Campaign, Leadership Gifts & the Annual Gala

45%

WHO GAVE? ■ 48% Parents ■ 36% Staff/Faculty ■ 6% Alumni ■ 6% Others (former parents/friends) ■ 4% Corporations

100% Board & Leadership Participation

2 out of 3 teachers made a gift to the ACS Excellence Fund

54% first-time donors

TRANSFORMATIONAL COMMITMENTS Many in our community are investing deeply in our students’ success by making transformational gifts and multi-year commitments. Their extraordinary support provides the critical resources for ACS to continue to push the boundaries of education.

Community Participation (66% increase over last year)

206 Families

18

Corporate Partners

11 New Leadership Gifts AED 4.1 million AED 371,000 (average gift size)

2ND ANNUAL GIVING DAY: MAY 23, 2023 • Increased community participation to nearly 50% • 275 gifts in 24-hour period • 140% increase in number of gifts over 2022 • Celebrated with 1,500 popsicles for everyone Annual Report 2022-23 | 11

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

THE GOLDEN GALA: Beyond Imagination Truly a night to remember, ACS held its 2023 Golden Gala at the iconic Emirates Palace raising a record AED 1.3 million. More than 560 guests, including parents, teachers, alumni, dignitaries, former faculty/parents and corporate sponsors joined together to celebrate 50 years of excellence in education at ACS. Thirty Elementary and Middle School ACS students proudly performed a song of peace to a delighted audience. The event also honored 2023 ACS Community Leadership recipient H.E. Khaldoon Al Mubarak ’93, Group CEO of Mubadala and a member of ACS’ first graduating class,

12 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

for his contributions to ACS and to the UAE. The award was presented by H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, and ACS’ first high school principal John Hackworth, who flew from the United States to be in attendance for this momentous occasion.

As you will see, support from The Golden Gala greatly enhanced our ability to deliver exceptional programs for all students in 2022-23 while preparing them for a future yet to be imagined.

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

Investing In Our People, Places & Programs As a nonprofit school, ACS relies on charitable contributions to invest deeply in our people, places and programs, enriching every aspect of our students’ learning experience, from unique opportunities for excellence that arise and to our ambitious visionary goals of our strategic five-year plan.

From solar eclipse glasses to a fully-developed new K-12 rocketry/engineering program, from high-quality theater technology to strategic three-year enhancements in our Arabic program and math/science curriculums, generous contributions have had a tremendous impact on our school.

“As an educator, the support to share my learning and collaborate with educators outside our walls has been transformative.

It has allowed me to tap into a wealth of diverse perspectives, innovative teaching strategies and a global network of expertise.”

– Belal Joundeya, ACS Teacher

“Presenting at the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) conference opened up collaborative opportunities with other experienced educators worldwide. We have continued to share resources and ideas and provide each other feedback to support our students’ learning best.”

– Allie Wise, ACS Teacher at the National Science Teachers Association conference

224 Professional learning experiences for our educators 26 International opportunities for ACS faculty to present their expertise

12 Students completed training to become Climate Fresk facilitators

75

ACS conducted sessions for Abu Dhabi counselors at other schools to increase the number of students accepted to leading US universities

8 students were able to have self-directed learning

opportunities in Standard Level IB Literature course to excel in their mother tongue

6 International Arabic language scholars join the inaugural

ACS Arabic Advisory Council as part of the launch of the ACS Institute for Excellence for Teaching and Learning Arabic

Pictured Arabic Advisory Council (L-R): Omima Elaraby (NYU Abu Dhabi); Dr. David Wilmsen (American University of Sharjah); Mary Tadros (International Baccalaureate Middle East); Dr. Hanadi Dayyeh (ACS); Dr. Rima Karami (American University of Beirut); Dr. Zeinab Taha (American University of Cairo); Dr. Christine Brown (Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Department)

Annual Report 2022-23 | 13

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

WORK REMAINS ON TRACK FOR NEW CAMPUS OPENING 2022-23 saw major progress at the site of our new campus on Saadiyat Island. With the structural works for buildings and facilities complete, our focus is now on completing the finishing works and preparing for a community ribbon cutting ceremony and official dedication. We are grateful to the Cornerstone Partners who partnered with us to invest deeply in exceptional learning spaces for our students.

“My classroom is now filled with cutting-edge projects that showcase the students' technical prowess, critical thinking and collaborative abilities, setting them on a path to succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

– Brad Flickinger, Middle School Technology Lead

Science Wing NEW RTX SCIENCE WING ACS has plans to open the new RTX Science Wing in the Middle and High School building, in recognition of a generous gift from RaytheonEmirates, a subsidiary of RTX. Their support will further cultivate STEM skills, innovation and diverse thinking.

"RTX's support sets a precedent for corporate investment in education.

I'm eager to witness its lasting impact on ACS and the broader Abu Dhabi community.

– Matt Ayoub, Chair of the ACS Board of Trustees 14 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

The greatest investments were toward our programs to elevate the student experience in our four pillars: academics, the arts, athletics and service learning. Far from an exhaustive list, we highlight many of the ways philanthropy has enhanced and accelerated our innovative programs in 2022-23:

NEAL SHUSTERMAN, a visiting New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty award-winning books, shared his expertise and passion with our students through workshops and engaging presentations.

ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM In its second year, the ACS Artists in Residence program in our Elementary School welcomed six visiting artists, who shared their work and artistry with our young artists. 538 students worked collaboratively with the artists to create seven unique pieces of art exhibited at the Elementary Art Show April 25-May 1. Artists included: Rick Sharif (Grade 1); Vern Brown (Grade 2); Alia Zaal (Grade 3); Rabab Tantawy (Grade 4); Michele Cade Khelifi (Grade 4); and Hanneke Reinalda-Poot (Grade 5).

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP IN ACTION Investments in the ACS Service Learning program foster students’ social responsibility and action-taking skills, empowering them to become global citizens, positively impacting lives while gaining insights into diverse cultures and perspectives.

•

60+ Elementary School students joined the

Roots & Shoots after school program, focused on helping people, animals and the environment. They developed a campaign to reduce single-use plastic in our campus.

On October 25, 2023, at 3:51 p.m., ACS students and faculty joined together on Jassim Field with enough solar eclipse glasses for everyone to view the partial solar eclipse!

100+ High School students shared their

achievements in service at the first-ever ACS Impact Celebration, an evening filled with empowerment and a passion for impactful service. More than 300 attendees celebrated and recognized the outstanding engagement by our students.

25 service club

leaders completed the “Be the Change” course, reinforcing the best practices for implementing impactful service projects.

•

•

AN UNFORGETTABLE SOLAR ECLIPSE

•

100+ students volunteered for community engagement activities.

ACS’ ability to deliver an exceptional service program for our students is made possible by generous charitable contributions from the following 2022-23 Sustainability Partners:

Annual Report 2022-23 | 15

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING

NEW ROCKET CLUB LAUNCHED AT ACS 3RD ANNUAL STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL The annual ACS film festival offers our aspiring student filmmakers the opportunity to develop a film from concept to reality for the big screen. 80 student films were submitted this year for consideration, and the best films were recognized at the event.

ARABIC BECOMES THE MOST POPULAR LANGUAGE AT ACS In 2022-23, the ACS Arabic language program made significant progress toward its ambitious goals. Key accomplishments include: • Enhanced Arabic proficiency demonstrated by ACS students • Personalized learning pathways offered to all Arabic students in Grades 5-10

ACS, the only UAE school licensed for SystemsGo, introduced a comprehensive rocketry program for all K-12 grades, spanning from water rockets to engines capable of reaching a mile into space.

The inaugural ACS Rocket Club, the only non-U.S. participant, joined the prestigious 2023 Texas rocket launch, spotlighted in The National.

“Being a part of the ACS Rocket Club gave me the perfect opportunity to partake in activities that aligned perfectly with my future pursuits in Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering and resonated deeply with my passions and interests.”

– Jeremiah Mathew, Grade 10

• 2 new tracks: MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) and AWL (Arabic as a World Language) • Arabic emerged as the most popular language (selected by nearly 50% of Grade 6 students) • 100 hours of comprehensive training in Arabic for all ACS Arabic faculty

THANK YOU TO OUR 2022-23 PARENT VOLUNTEERS Volunteering is at the heart of who we are as a community. We recognize and thank each and every volunteer in our community who has generously given their time and efforts during the 2022-23 school year. Thank you for the important role you play in making ACS the very best it can be.

Abigail Abbot Noha Abdel Kader Sabrina Aebi Cassim Ayesha Ahmed Ayesha Akhtar Ahmed Al Ahmadi Aman Al Tawil Abrar Alhammadi Raya Asfour Omar Asfour Sarah Ashley Matt Ayoub Dana Bahri Nadia Bardawil Amy Behrends Amal Benhaimoud Sara Bossetti Vanessa Bosson Jen Bray Trevor Brown

Jerita Burreson Serena Carnevale Florencia Castagnino Danielle Claerhout Samah Clark Louet Colaco Laura Copa Casey D'Entremont Amy Davis Elise Dejonghe Violy Dela Cruz Levent Edepli Philippe El Bacha Nagla El Raghi Carolina Escalante Yomna Esmat Katherine Evans Miran Farah Barbara Farahnick-Mathonet Elizabeth Garbutt

16 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

Coleen Gatehouse Sasha Gelbach Mahasweta GhoshRoy Leah Graber Parul Gupta Ximena Halvorson Mahwish Hamid Nada Hani Renée Hassan Caroline Heming Brad Heming Angie Hilgendorf HJ Jang Roulana Jarrar Bushra Kamran Monia Kamzi Mahnaz Karim Neha Karumanchi Maha Khandker Yendy Khayat

Nesrine Khoury Lara Kirdar Karen Kubinec Haeyoung Lee Jodi Lefort Joanna Lindskog Trine Ljungstrom Michelle Lopez Ugne Lube Brandy Mansfield Jelica Martin Maria Mata Roshni Matnani Adib Mattar Mia McColgan Jane Meikle Julia Meisner Maiko Mizukami Nafisa Mohamed Kate Moon

Diana Nasrallah Patricia Nicholas Henry Kelsey Ocheskey Nihal Onar Toyka Osborne Beverly Paulis-Lukaszewski Uli Petroianu Nada Prouty Muhannad Qubbaj Prajna Ravikumar Victoria Rodrigues Rawdah Sabbah Yusuf Saeed Nadine Saleh Jeanette Scholl Ghusoon Shehab Hoda Shoreibah Sunita Nanda Singh Klara Sjodin Dominika Sokol

Robin Solomon Mary Stephenson Mullika Swaisaenyakorn Anindita Tantri Louise Terblanche Suzan Terzian Julie Thurston Amy Trescott Vidya Venkateswaran Anja Volcic Erin Watts Erinn Welborn Sondra Williams Linda Wilson Neri Wolter Neri Yorgun-Wolter Njoud Zuriekat

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING 2022-23

Our Donors THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF ACS As a nonprofit school, the philanthropic support of our donors helps ACS to deepen our investments in our dedicated faculty, programmatic excellence and world-class facilities. Your support of the ACS Excellence Fund, attendance at the 50th Anniversary Gala and leadership commitments of strategic investments in the new campus strengthens our ability to advance our mission, deliver exceptional programs and take ACS to the next level.

Thanks to our supporters, we had our most successful year to date. We couldn’t do it without you!

LEADERSHIP BENEFACTORS ACS extends its deepest gratitude to our leadership supporters whose transformational gifts have had an immediate and positive impact on our students and will ensure our school stays at the forefront of education globally.

Anonymous (3) Accenture Khadijah and Hashim Al Kudsi Ayesha and Azeem Akhtar Ahmed Al Ahmadi ‘11 Maria Ansari and Mujeeb Qazi Barclays PLC Serena Carnevale and Luca Molinari Endless Caroline and Brad Heming Muna Hindi and Mutasem Dajani Roulana Jarrar and Muhannad Qubbaj

Nadine Kaaki and Nasser Al Nowais Neha and Prasanth Karumanchi Jodi Lefort and Gautam Datta Anissa and John Lickrish Lizeth Maalouf and Raymond Makhoul Meriem Marrouni and Abdul Balfaqeeh Diana Nasrallah and Nadim Koteich Oxy RTX (Raytheon Emirates Ltd) Rotana Louise and Villiers Terblanche US Mission to the UAE

2022-23 ACS EXCELLENCE HONOR ROLL DIAMOND (AED 250,000+) Endless Flash Entertainment Oxy US Mission to the UAE

PLATINUM (AED 100,000+) Anonymous (3) Ahmed Al Ahmadi ‘11 Barclays PLC Serena Carnevale and Luca Molinari Nadine and Nasser Al Nowais Jodi Lefort and Gautam Datta* Diana Nasrallah and Nadim Koteich Rotana

GOLD (AED 50,000+)

Accenture ExxonMobil Anissa and John Lickrish Ahlam Okasha and Waleed Al Muhairi Pure Harvest Smart Farms Nadia Sehweil ‘97 and Khaldoon Al Mubarak ‘93

SILVER (AED 25,000+)

AECOM Maria Ansari and Mujeeb Qazi Cecilia and Matt Ayoub ‘94 Caroline and Brad Heming Muna Hindi and Mutasem Dajani Roulana Jarrar and Muhannad Qubbaj Jennifer Josefson and Mikhail Babynine Bushra Kamran and Kamran Sadiq Melissa and Kirby Lindsey Meriem Marrouni and Abdul Balfaqeeh Beth Ann and Salem Mattar Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and Africa

Susan and Bill Nash Heather Sullivan and Pieter Schoorel Louise and Villiers Terblanche Zublin

BRONZE (AED 10,000+)

Afra Al Awani and Rashed Al Shamsi Ahmed and Sallama Al-Sayegh Mazoon Albwardy and Mubarak Alnakhi Dana and Peter Allen* Jerita and Matt Burreson Yvette L. Campbell* Mouna and Scandar Cobti Nadine Fallah and Okab Sakr Lori and Daniel Garmus Amber and Victor Guthrie* Nesrine Haddad** and Issam Khoury Siham Hyani and Duane Toth Jubail Island Investment Mahnaz Karim and Faiz Ahmad Teng Cindy Khoo and Jason Kroll Ying Lu and Youguo Liang Lizeth Maalouf and Raymond Makhoul Samira Maatouk and Ahmed Mahfoodh Brandy and Kevin Mansfield The Mattar Family Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Rana Sidawi Naaman and Marwan Naaman Lana Nasser and Hani Baramki Nectar Beverly Paulis-Lukaszewski and Paul Lukaszewski Nada and Gordon Prouty Sophia and David Scott Leslie and Leon Shivamber

PEARL (AED 5,000+)

Anonymous (2) Ayesha and Azeem Akhtar Khuloud Al Nuwais Latifa Almazrouei and Mohamed Alsuwaidi ‘07 Huda Alsabbagh and Ahmed Almahmoud Nadia Bardawil and Daniel Feldman Leslie Bellas and David Weiler Paula Caron and Dan Teper Heidi and John Coleman Milena Crepaldi and Massimo Cristaldi Kirsten and Levent Edepli Paola Erazo and Juan Hernandez Miran Farah and Rami Tarazi Allison and Turner Herbert Dana Kassissieh and Anton Bawab Lara and Fethi Kirdar Ghada Kozak and Banna Sado Katmerka Kurtovic Bosch and Jonathan Bosch Sabine Luckhardt and Karl Poulin* Sarah Mavrinac and Neil Jones Mia and Mick McColgan* Lane and Anthony Mohr Mira Naaman ‘98 and Joseph Iskandar ‘98 Alexandra Jaar and Yacoub Nuseibeh Diana Rafeh and Zahi Abu Hamze Fatiah Touray and Mohamed Diakite Joni and Andrew Wills*

JADE (AED 2,500+)

Anonymous Haya and Rami Abulaila Sabrina Aebi Cassim and Faris Cassim

Reem Al Fahim ‘99 Aman Al Tawil and Sadeer Munir Mariam and Obaid Al-Zaabi Tuaiba Almheiri and Musabbeh Alkaabi Raya and Omar Asfour ‘96 Amal Benhaimoud and Jamil Hamdan Madi Natalia de Souza e Camargo Barros and Christoph Peter Biedermann Colliers Project Leaders Nazim Dbichi Natalie and Vipul Engineer Monique and Brad Flickinger* Elena Marina and Emilian Marcel Gheorghiu Maysoune Ghobash** Nancy and Alex Gleason Leah and Adam Graber Carolyn and John Hackworth Ximena and Steve Halvorson Robin Solomon and Erlan Ibrayev Shefali Jashanmal ‘95 Neha and Prasanth Karumanchi Teresa and Michael Kirby Sofia and Robert Kukulka Haeyoung Lee and Jangyong Cho Kyounghee Lee and Keunsang Cho Anthi Manola and Ghassan Chehade* Hania and Mohamed Kuleib Hanya and Wassim Mikati* Cinzia Montanari and Andrea Valerio Maccio Michelle Raphael and Marc Sievers Christina Devitt and Chris Rose* Jumana Salem and James Weir Jane Sayers and Pradeep Sharma Corrie and Joshua Schulze* Annual Report 2022-23 | 17

CELEBRATING A CULTURE OF GIVING 2022-23

Our Donors cont.

Julie and Michael Thurston Erin and William Watts Erinn and Matthew Welborn* Hashil Zamzam ‘11

FRIEND (up to AED 2,499)

Anonymous Abby and Thomas Abbot Sheraz Abdalla and Samer Abdelhaq Sarah Abdallah Nadine Abdou and Wassim Jabbour Averi and Phil Abraham* Rayyan Abu Taha and Mohamad Ghneim Lina Adella and Dilnesaw Asrat Hanadi Al Fahim Waheeda Al Tamimi* Seema Alakkat and Manoj Kunnanoth* Sela and Rami Alasadi Shoni Alimchandani and Nihit Shah Tamara Alkhateeb and Ma’an Ghannam* Avi Amarathunge and Indika Sathischandra Morawaka Arachchi* Jodi Amy and Jeffery Strong George Antonios ‘96 Sarah and Stephen Ashley Katia and Nabil Azar Soomin Bae Mahmoud Bafagih* Liz Beneski Roseline and Richmond Boaitey* Jessica Boerema* Leslie Bosch Tara Bradford and Peter Syrenne* Nora and Thomas Brannan* Gwyneth Bravo and Paul Sidlo Joanna and Kareem Budair Deborah and Gregory Burger Dave Burke Velma Burt* Asma Bushra Anwar and Muhammad Asharaf Vellapalan Crissy Calera* Raffaella Capelloni and Guido Cappellini Massimiliano Carlomagno Lisa Carse and Ramon Palau Ginesta Ligia Castanheira and Carlos Torres Bobbi Donison and Jason Charles* Mary Chase Doll and TImothy Doll Gangadharan Chonnambi* Danielle and Andrew Claerhout Ashley and Adrian Cleckley* Allison and Justin Cleveland Hana and Ben Cluff Heather and Kevin Collins* Peter Commodore* Laura and Cordell Copa Kim and Christophe Cottin* Maria and James Cowell Diane and David Cramer Amy and Joshua Davis Hanadi Dayyeh and Yousri Al Amir* Kelly Dean* Lari Delaire and Marc El Jichi* Irina Dencef and Jacques Kobersy Jenny Derby* Farwa and Hasnain Devji* Hanny and Jonathan Diaz* Chantelle and Shaun Dreyer* Mariam Elfatih

Salem Elfatih Christy El Jerby* Farah El Khatib and Milad Yousef Lina El-Labban-Lampkin and Vandy Lampkin Doris Elia and Bernard Nasr Jasmine Elshear* Debrah and Todd Emery* Yomna Esmat and Ahmed Sherif Danielle Evans* Katherine and Paul Evans Gaby and Hisham Fadel* Barbara Farahnick and Pierre-Yves Mathonet Sahar Farooqi and Faisal Naseer Seema Faruqui Francesca Ferrara and Luca Assecondi Lisa Ficek Samah Nour and Husham Gabralla Robin Gabriel and Nour Mostafa* Casie Gaebler* Elisabetta Gambarelli and Romeo Bandini Elizabeth and Daniel Garbutt Jorge Garcia Oleksandra and Andrew Gelbach Saoussan Ghandour and Rami Awadalla Mahasweta Ghoshroy and Indranil Ghosh Robyn and Andrew Gibson* Emily and Preben Gietz* Amy Greene and Robert Pfeiffer* Sajid Ali Gularas Nhung Ha and Keith O’Brien Parisa Habibi and Jose Luis Del Prim Marcen Sherin and Amro Hamza Nelly Hanna and Antoine Achkar Natalie Hanson* Courtney Harden* Ashton Hawke* Sandra Hay* Katrin Herz Khneisser and Carlos Khneisser Angelyn and Eric Hilgendorf Megan Holmstrom Alina Hrynevich and Mahmoud Abdullah Joan Hugo* Layal Ismail and Firas Youssef Faiza Jama* Naveen Jamal* Sonja Jashanmal Jhangiani and Suhail Jashanmal ‘93 Deepthi Jayarajan and Rajanish Balakrishnan* Valia Jimenez and Fawzi Rinno* Haly and Jeremy Johnson Laurie and Belal Joundeya* Noor Kabbarah and Tarik Tadmori Alice Kaboli and Roland Gerges Rania Kahoul and Wassim Charara Ayisha Kalluveettil and Suhail Nelliyullathil* Sreegish Kandy* Mamta and Manish Kaushik Andrew Kempe* Geraldine and Craig Kennedy Pappan Kizhakineel* Rana Kobeisi and Chris Neurinski* Kalli Kontozoglou and Antonis Slicher*

18 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

Aneesh Kumar* Sky Kurtz Minjung Kwak and Jun Sang Bae Ajmer Lal* Harmesh Lal* Yvette Lane-Newton and Sean Newton Faith and David Lawal Mary Lawson and Matt McGrady* Yoon Hee and Joon Ho Lee Trine Ljungstrom and Kristian Mogensen Michelle Lopez and Abdulla AlShamsi* Shezhi Lu Evelyn and Junior Lucero* Nilsa Luna* Paolo Luschi Kasia and Darryll Lywood Diana and Michael Makarem Nadia Makarova and Bruno Ravagli Meenu Mangal and Vikas Bahl Araxy Markarian Chiara Maria Marongiu and Davide Felugo Jelica and Scott Martin Heather Massaquoi* Amanda and Wasef Mattar ‘99 Mona and Assem Mawlawi* Loretta Mazzuchin* Monique McCray and Robert Osley Marielle and Marlon Medina* Mattia Molinari Paolo Molinari Sofia Molinari Gabriella Moujaes Sumera Muhammad and Arshad Mehmood* Arti and Bhairav Mehta Martha and Matthew Miller* Nafisa Mohamed and Mutaz Dafalla Vinod Mohan* Jordan and Isaac Moog* Kate and Zachary Moon Ashiq Muhammed* Amy Mulvihill and Robert Desormeau* Jenna and Tony Murray* Suha Naffa and Akram Ayoub* Ranya and Salim Nasser Joanne and Michael Neal Patricia Odie* Rumi Orita and Ayoub Nahal Shihab Parapurath* Luann Chamayne Parker Magdalena Pasikowska and Daniele Ibleto Lisa Paterson and Brent Raven* Stefania Pecoraro and Joseph Arlotto Luka Peros ‘95 Marise Philip-Jayendran and Jayendran Satkunananda* Eva Piazzolla and Pietro Calugi Nija Pradeep* Nivedya Prasannan and Sanu Puthankatil ‘95 Melisa Pubil* Nimmi Rajasree* Mercedes Avila and Ernesto Ramos* Madhvi Rana* Josefina Raña and Martin Bowen Stephanie and Michael Ray Cathline Reyes* Jennifer Ricks* Amber and Shoueb Rifai* Teresa and Anthony Rinderer

Victoria and Kegan Rodrigues Javier Rojas Angie Romera and Lluco Pons* Gary Rosholt Natalia Ruchina and Artem Ruchin Jean Rueckert* Sally and Hani Sabbour* Atheel Sahel* Diana Sahloul and Bilal Bakhache Kay and Michael Saich* Enrico Salardi Monica Salloum* ‘16 Wafa and Elias Salloum Nandita Saxena* Janey and Herman Schueller Sandra Sfeirova* Vinita Shalini and Ravi Shekhar May-yi Shaw and Antonino Perona Azam Shibli ‘95 Hoda Shoreibah ‘07 and Mahmoud Semary Liz Shrestha* Marwa Shuhaiber ‘95 Sarah Siblini and Clement Bontemps Sarika Singh and Nitin Chowdhury Heny Ekafenty Situmorang and Akim Kasimin Klara and John Sjodin Ayoung Sohn and Tae Yeon Kim Dominika and Lukas Sokol Yulia Solomakhina and Anton Boronin Valentina Sommacal and Pirro-Tomaso Perri MeMe Spurgeon* Adi and Anderson Stanciole* Valentina Stefanoni and Matteo Terrevazzi Kayla Stykalo* Lara Suleiman and Amjad Halaseh Aigul and Baglan Sultanbek Debbie and John Sutherland Mullika Swaisaenyakorn and Pieter van Eck Nao and Yoshio Tanaka Hope Teague-Bowling and Nate Bowling* Fadia Terzian* Suzan Terzian and Hadi Sha Alina and Mark Thomer Celine Thyssen Miller and Jason Miller Rosaline Chek Tang Ting and Francis Ik Sing Ho Darleen Todd Amy and Jeremy Trescott Christina Varela and Tim Cabrera* Vinod Veliyat* Gila and Rudolph Paul Fernand Waels Lone Wennestad and Bo Petersen* Andi and Brent Whitaker* Leslie and Eric Wilson Adrienne and John Winner Krystle and Zach Winter* Neri and Timm Wolter Qun Xu Manal Zaghloleh and Abdulla Al Saadi Yan Zeng and Wei Luo Randa and Muneer Zuhdi* Nujoud Zuriekat and Philippe El Bacha

Includes in-kind and cash contributions. *Indicates ACS Faculty & Staff. **Indicates Former ACS Students.

FINANCIAL REPORT 2022-23 2022-23

Our Finances The American Community School of Abu Dhabi is a nonprofit, 501.c.3 organization registered in the United States and incorporated in the United Arab Emirates. ACS is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, responsible for ensuring the School’s long-term sustainability through fiscal responsibility and strategic planning. Current parents, faculty, and staff are members of the ACS Association and participate in its governance by electing the Board of Trustees.

The Board is responsible for approving the annual budget and providing active oversight to ensure responsible fiscal management of the School. They also ensure the School’s finances are audited annually. KPMG were ACS’ auditors from 2011 to 2019.

In May 2020, the ACS Board first engaged Ernst & Young to conduct the School’s 2019-2020 audit. EY again performed the audit on the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school year finances. As always, ACS received an unqualified Audit Opinion.

We are pleased to report that ACS ended the 2022-23 school year in a strong, fiscally prudent position.

OPERATING REVENUE ● 94.49% Tuition & Fees ● 1.23%

Priority Seating Amortization

● 3.82%

Contributions

● 0.46%

Other

OPERATING EXPENSES ● 77.93% Staff (Salaries & Benefits) ● 8.02%

Materials & Activities

● 3.70%

Depreciation

● 3.64%

Other & Admin

● 6.71%

Plant Operations

THE OPERATING BUDGET The financial status of ACS remains robust, ensuring operational continuity. The fiscal year 2022-23 yielded results that align with our overarching objectives: maintaining a disciplined budget, bolstering academic and extracurricular programs, and ensuring the longterm financial health of the institution.

Enrollment and related revenue are the primary drivers of ACS’s operational framework. During the 2022-23 academic session, enrollment levels rebounded to prepandemic figures, experiencing a notable increase of approximately 5%.

As a nonprofit entity, ACS channels its revenue back into the institution, acknowledging the pivotal role educators play in fostering student development. In the most recent academic year, 80% of tuition income was directed towards salaries and benefits while preserving a favorable student-teacher ratio of 9:1 across the school.

ACS is committed to cultivating an optimal learning environment conducive to student achievement.

A significant milestone in this endeavor was the commencement of construction on our new ACS campus on Saadiyat Island. Funding from prior Capital Fee revenue reserves facilitated the continued progress of this ambitious project.

Annual Report 2022-23 | 19

CLASS OF 2023 IMPACT

95 graduates Applied to more than

290 individual universities

670 university applications submitted 82% of graduates accepted into their Top 3 universities

93% of the class had a 3.0 GPA or higher

UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES AND MATRICULATION FOR THE CLASSES OF 2020-23 UNITED STATES

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Allegheny College American University Appalachian State University Architectural Association School of Architecture Arizona State University (2) Auburn University Augustana College Bard College (2) Barnard College Baruch College of the CUNY Bates College Baylor University (2) Belmont University Bennett College Bennington College Bentley University Berklee College of Music Birmingham-Southern College Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Brigham Young University (2) Brigham Young University, Idaho Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California College of the Arts California Lutheran University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State University, Long Beach California State University, Monterey Bay Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Carroll College Case Western Reserve University Chaminade University of Honolulu Champlain College Chapman University Cleveland State University Coastal Carolina University

College of New Jersey College of William & Mary Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Columbia College Chicago Columbia University (3) Cooper Union Cornell University Cuesta College CUNY Bernard M Baruch College CUNY Hunter College Dartmouth College DePaul University (2) DigiPen Institute of Technology Drexel University Duke University East Carolina University Eckerd College Elmhurst College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott Emerson College Emory University (2) Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts Everett Community College Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Florida State University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College George Mason University George Washington University (6) Georgia Institute of Technology Glendale Community College Grand Canyon University Hamilton College Hampshire College Harvey Mudd College Haverford College Hawaii Pacific University High Point University Hofstra University Hollins University Hope College Howard University Hunter College of the CUNY Illinois Institute of Technology (2)

Illinois State University Indiana Institute of Technology Indiana University at Bloomington Institute of Culinary Education Iowa State University James Madison University Jefferson University John Carroll University Johnson C. Smith University Keiser University - Ft. Lauderdale Kent State University Lake Forest College Lamar University Leeward Community College Longwood University Los Angeles Pierce College Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University (3) Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Loyola University New Orleans Lynn University Macalester College Manhattan College Marist College Marquette University Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Marymount University Massachusetts College of Art and Design Michigan State University Michigan Technological Institute Middle Georgia State University Middle Tennessee State University Milwaukee School of Engineering Monmouth University Montana State University Montclair State University Montgomery College Mount Holyoke College New Jersey Institute of Technology New York University (14) Nichols College North Carolina Central University North Carolina State University (2)

Northeastern University (11) Northern Arizona University Northern Michigan University Northern Virginia Community College (2) Northwestern University Norwich University Nova Southeastern University Oakland University Occidental College Ohio State University Ohio University Oregon State University Pace University Pasadena City College Pennsylvania State University (4) Pepperdine University Pomona College Portland State University Pratt Institute Principia College Purchase College, SUNY Purdue University (3) Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Ringling College of Art & Design Rochester Institute of Technology Roger Williams University Rollins College Rutgers University, New Brunswick (2) Saint Louis University Salve Regina University Sam Houston State University San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design (7) School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Scripps College Seattle University Seneca College Seton Hall University Shenandoah University

Skidmore College Smith College Southeast Missouri State University Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Southern Methodist University St. John’s University St. Mary’s College of Maryland St. Olaf College (2) Stanford University (2) Stevens Institute of Technology Stonehill College Stony Brook University Suffolk University SUNY, Brockport SUNY, Buffalo State SUNY, New Paltz Susquehanna University Sweet Briar College Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University (4) Texas Christian University Texas State University Texas Tech University (2) Texas Woman’s University The New School – All Divisions Towson University Trinity College Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University Union College United States Military Academy United States Naval Academy University of Arizona (4) University at Buffalo, SUNY University of California, Berkeley (7) University of California, Davis (3) University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles (4) University of California, Merced University of California, Riverside University of California, San Diego (3) University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz (2)

University of Central Florida University of Chicago (2) University of Cincinnati University of Colorado, Boulder (2) University of Colorado, Colorado Springs University of Connecticut University of Dayton (2) University of Delaware University of Denver University of Evansville University of Florida University of Hawaii University of Houston University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (4) University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of La Verne University of Maine University of Mary Washington University of Maryland, College Park (2) University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth University of Massachusetts, Lowell University of Miami University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (4) University of Michigan, Dearborn University of Michigan, Flint University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Minnesota, Duluth University of Minnesota, Morris University of Missouri, Columbia University of New Hampshire at Durham University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Greensboro

CLASS OF 2023 IMPACT

MATRICULATION

60% US 19% Canada 12% Europe 6% UAE 3% UK

2023 GRADUATION SPEAKER - AHMED AL AHMADI ‘11 This year’s ACS graduates heard from our very own Ahmed Al Ahmadi, a 2011 alumnus and current member on the ACS Board of Trustees. As this year’s commencement speaker, he shared his perspectives as a student and alumnus with the next generation of graduates.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of North Dakota University of North Florida University of Northern Colorado University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Portland University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Florida (2) University of Southern California (2) University of Tampa (2) University of Tennessee University of Texas, Arlington University of Texas, Austin (3) University of Texas, Dallas University of Texas, San Antonio University of Tulsa University of Utah University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin Ursinus College Utah Valley University Valparaiso University Vassar College Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia Tech (2) Virginia Western Community College Wake Forest University (2) Wake Technical Community College Washington State University Washington University, St. Louis Wayne State University Webster University Wellesley College (3) Wesley College Wesleyan University West Texas A&M University

West Virginia University Western Illinois University Western Washington University Wheaton College IL Woodbury University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University Xavier University

CANADA

Alberta College of Art and Design Bishop’s University Brock University Capilano University Carleton University Concordia University (7) Dalhousie University Emily Carr University of Art and Design Grande Prairie Regional College HEC Montreal Huron University College at Western Lakehead University Laurentian University McGill University (2) McMaster University (2) Mount Allison University Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Ontario Tech University Queen’s University RUBIKA Montreal Ryerson University Saint Mary’s University (2) Sheridan College Institution of Technology Simon Fraser University St. Francis Xavier University Thompson Rivers University Toronto Metropolitan University Trent University University of Alberta University of British Columbia (6) University of Calgary (3) University of Guelph (3) University of New Brunswick University of Ottawa University of Toronto (18) University of Victoria University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario University of Windsor

Vancouver Film School Vancouver Island University Western University (5) Wilfrid Laurier University York University

UNITED KINGDOM

Abertay University Aberystwyth University Anglia Ruskin University Arts University Bournemouth Bournemouth University Birkbeck, University of London Brunel University London Cardiff University City University of London Coventry University Durham University Edinburgh Napier University Goldsmiths, University of London Hult International Business School, London King’s College London Kingston University Lancaster University London School of Economics and Political Science Loughborough University Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester University Met Film School Newcastle University Northumbria University Nottingham College Queen Mary University of London (2) Ravensbourne University Richmond, The American International University in London Royal College of Surgeons Royal Holloway, University of London SOAS, University of London Solent University Ulster University University College London (2) University of Aberdeen University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Buckingham

University of Central Lancashire University of Dundee University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Huddersfield University of Kent University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Manchester (2) University of Nottingham University of Sheffield University of St. Andrews University of Surrey University of Sussex University of Warwick University of West London University of Westminster University of York University of the Arts London

EUROPE

American College of Greece American University of Paris American University of Rome Amsterdam University College BI Norwegian Business School, Norway CEU San Pablo, Spain College Universitaire de Sciences Po, France Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, Netherlands (5) Erasmus University College, Netherlands (2) ESADE Business School EU Business School, Barcelona EU Business School, Geneva Florence Institute of Design International, Italy Fontys University of Applied Sciences Franklin University, Switzerland Hague University of Applied Sciences Hanzehogeschool Groningen, Netherlands IE University, Madrid Campus, Spain Jyvaskyla University Applied

Sciences, Finland Les Roches Schools of Hotel Management Luiss Guido Carli LUNEX University Maastricht University Medical University of Gdansk Mikkeli University Applied Sciences National University of Ireland, Galway NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences Nord University Paracelsus Private Medical University Paris College of Art, France Ramon Llull University Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Ireland (2) Saint Louis University, Madrid, Spain Saxion University of Applied Sciences SciencesPo/Columbia University, France SRH University, Berlin Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia Tilburg University Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Universidad Europea de Madrid Universita Bocconi, Italy Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands Universiteit Maastricht, Netherlands Universiteit Utrecht, Netherlands University College Utrecht, Netherlands University of Amsterdam (3) University of Groningen, Netherlands (2) University of Liège University of Limerick, Ireland Universidad Navarra, Spain University of Nicosia University of Tartu, Estonia University of Twente, Netherlands University of Veterinary

Medicine, Budapest Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2) Vrije Universiteit Brussels Webster University, Geneva Zuyd University Applied Sciences, Finland

MIDDLE EAST

American University in Dubai American University of Beirut, Lebanon American University of Sharjah, UAE (5) Heriot-Watt University, Dubai Gulf Medical University Lebanese American University, Lebanon Middlesex University Dubai Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE (8) RAK Medical and Health Sciences University Royal College of Surgeons, Bahrain Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi University of Balamand, Lebanon Zayed University, UAE

OTHER

De La Salle University, Philippines Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Monash University National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality & Tourism NYU Shanghai University of Hong Kong University of Nottingham, Malaysia Savannah College of Art and Design, Hong Kong Yale-NUS College, Singapore

KEY

Listed = Acceptances Bold Type = Matriculation ( ) = Number of Students Matriculated

ALUMNI CELEBRATING 50 YEARS ALUMNI JOINED THE 50TH KICKOFF PARTY On November 7, we welcomed back 25+ alumni and former parents for the first on-campus community event since the pandemic in 2020 to help us kick off our 50th anniversary year.

DAVID CHAMBERS, FORMER PARENT, RECREATES HISTORY ACS celebrated the UAE’s 51st National Day on a beautifully sunny morning filled with Emirati culture, rich history and great fun with an epic UAE flag photo re-creation.

A big thanks to former ACS parent David Chambers, owner of the Trident Support flag company, for the brilliant idea and help to recreate the original picture from 2001, with hundreds of our students and staff holding up the 20mx40m UAE flag.

2001

2023

WASHINGTON DC ALUMNI REUNION On February 4, 40 guests attended an ACS reunion to celebrate our 50th and share updates on the new campus! Former ACS parent, Laura Puryear, hosted a lovely reunion in her home in Washington, D.C., for alumni, former parents and former staff including current ACS Superintendent Monique Flickinger and former Superintendents David Cramer (1998-2003) and Robin Heslip (2013-2018).

22 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi

ALUMNI RECEPTION AT US AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE On March 10, United States Chargé d’Affaires Sean Murphy hosted a special reception at the US Ambassador’s Residence to celebrate ACS’ 50th.

More than 50 guests alumni from four decades, former parents and former and current staff were attended and were treated to a sneak peak of our new campus!

ALUMNI CELEBRATING 50 YEARS LUKA PEROS ‘95 VISIT - RENOWNED ACTOR AND PRODUCER

ALUMNI NEW CAMPUS TOURS As our new campus’ construction ramped up, ACS organized special alumni tours throughout January and March, showing off the exciting progress of our new home to more than 35 visiting alumni, former parents and former staff.

Internationally acclaimed Croatian actor known for his role as Marseille in Money Heist, Luka Peros from the Class of 1995, visited ACS throughout the 50th year to work with students and staff.

JOHN & CAROLINE HACKWORTH - ACS LEGENDS CELEBRATE 50TH After more than two decades, John Hackworth (ACS’ first High School principal) and Caroline Hackworth (former school librarian) returned to Abu Dhabi as special guests for our 50th milestone year. An enthusiastic group of alumni from the 1990s were eager to welcome the Hackworths back to ACS. Mr. Hackworth, alongside HE Sheikh Nahayan, presented the 2023 ACS Community Leadership Award to H.E. Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the 50th Anniversary Golden Gala.

Pictured: Sanu Puthan Katil ‘95, Suhail Jashanmal ‘93, John and Caroline Hackworth, Luka Peros ‘95

ALUMNI GAMES To close the year-long celebration, we hosted the Alumni Games on March 12 for visiting families and offered the opportunity to connect and reminisce on our original campus one last time.

“Returning to ACS for the 50th reunion was incredibly gratifying for so many reasons. While visiting the old campus brought back many wonderful memories, seeing the new, beyond state-of-the-art Saadyat campus assured me the trajectory of excellence at ACS will continue. However, connecting with so many former students and parents, who remain active at ACS sharing their time, talents and treasure, was the most reassuring aspect of the visit. Their loyalty indicates to me that the impact of ACS can be profound and lasting.”

– John W. Hackworth (First ACS High School Principal 1990-1999)

Annual Report 2022-23 | 23

AMERICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABU DHABI P.O. Box 42114, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. +971 2 681 5115 acs.sch.ae

ACCREDITATION AND MEMBERSHIPS AAIE Association for the Advancement of International Education

IBO International Baccalaureate Organization

AISH Academy of International School Heads

MESAC Middle East South Asia Conference

ASCA American School Counselor Association

MSA Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

ASCD Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

NACAC National Association for College Admission Counseling

GOA Global Online Academy

NESA Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools

IACAC International Association for College Admission Counseling