American School of Dubai

4.1 / 5

(17Reviews)

Ranking:

Country:# 3Top 3

Region:# 7

Overall:# 55

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Located:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Region:

Middle East

Website:

www.asdubai.org

Score Over Time:

Category Scores:

8.2

Overall Grade

How are scores determind?

8.5
School
8.4
Students
8.4
Administration
7.7
Salary
8.5
Benefits
7.2
Housing
8.3
Colleagues
7.5
Place
8.6
Professional Development
9.2
Settling In
8.8
After Arrival

Affiliate:

Additional Information:

Curriculum:

Grade Levels:

Type:

Enrollment:

American

AP

K-12

Non-profit

1900

Review Summary:

School Students Administration Salary Benefits Housing Colleagues Place P.D.Settling In After Arrival

School:

Question 1:

The facilities of the school adequately provide for a positive learning/working experience.

8.5 / 10

Question 2:

School provides adequate access to teaching materials without any extra expense by the teacher (books, lab supplies, art supplies, materials, copying, etc.

9.2 / 10

Question 3:

School is well funded to provide students and faculty with adequate materials to support their course offering.

8.8 / 10

Question 4:

Parent community is actively involved in supporting the school's mission and their child's education endeavors.

8.5 / 10

Question 5:

Classroom student to teacher ratios are kept low.

7.5 / 10

Students:

Question 6:

Students are generally of high aptitude.

8 / 10

Question 7:

Student interactions with faculty are primarily characterized by respectability.

8.6 / 10

Question 8:

Students are of diverse ethnicity.

8.5 / 10

Administration:

Question 9:

Administration positively supports faculty in a professional manner.

7.6 / 10

Question 10:

Administration actively encourages a dialogue concerning school related issues.

8.1 / 10

Question 11:

Administration is actively engaged in developing/supporting/maintaining a clear school vision.

8.5 / 10

Question 12:

Administration makes sure that the financial stability and integrity of the school is well maintained.

8.9 / 10

Question 13:

Administration/Ownership uses school funds to support the well being of the school.

8.8 / 10

Salary:

Question 14:

Salary scale is competitive.

7.2 / 10

Question 15:

Salary provides the opportunity to save appropriately.

7.8 / 10

Question 16:

Salary provides the opportunity to travel during vacation.

8.4 / 10

Question 17:

Salary scale provides for vertical and horizontal movement based on years of experience and/or units/degree's earned.

7.4 / 10

Benefits:

Question 18:

School provides a quality health insurance plan that covers all major medical (health, vision, dental.

8.5 / 10

Question 19:

School provides retirement benefits that are competitive.

9.1 / 10

Question 20:

School provides a health insurance plan that covers international travel/coverage.

9.1 / 10

Question 21:

School provides for faculty child tuition benefits.

9.3 / 10

Question 22:

School provides strong support for maternity benefits.

6.3 / 10

Question 23:

School provides an adequate amount for end of contract airfare cost.

9 / 10

Question 24:

School provides an adequate shipping allowance.

8.4 / 10

Housing:

Question 25:

School provides quality available housing or a housing stipend that affords quality housing.

7.6 / 10

Question 26:

The proximity of housing in relation to school location is within an acceptable distance of travel.

7.8 / 10

Question 27:

Options of moving housing during the course of contract is acceptable.

6.1 / 10

Colleagues:

Question 28:

Colleagues foster a welcoming environment to new faculty.

8.3 / 10

Question 29:

School hires a diversity of family structures (Singles, couples, families.

8.2 / 10

Question 30:

Colleagues foster a professional environment that supports growth.

8.7 / 10

Question 31:

Colleagues foster a personal support structure in place of family.

8.2 / 10

Place:

Question 32:

City the school resides in provides opportunities for things to do without having to travel

8.3 / 10

Question 33:

City the school resides in provides easy opportunities to travel to other places.

9.1 / 10

Question 34:

Local culture is apparent in the city/country in which the school resides.

6 / 10

Question 35:

Local culture of in which the school resides is open to integrating expats into local customs and traditions.

5.6 / 10

Question 36:

City/Country in which the school resides does not exact personal restrictions on lifestyle choices.

6 / 10

Question 37:

City/Country in which school resides provides for potential tax benefits.

9.3 / 10

Question 38:

Quality of local health care is excellent.

9 / 10

Question 39:

Cost of living in the city/country where school resides is reasonable.

6.6 / 10

Question 40:

City the school resides in has excellent infrastructure for mass transportation (e.g. - is a car required.

6.7 / 10

Question 41:

City/Country in which the school resides provides for adequate personal safety.

8.9 / 10

Professional Development:

Question 42:

School makes available a variety of professional development opportunities.

8.8 / 10

Question 43:

School makes available funds to support continued development.

8.6 / 10

Question 44:

Time is specifically set aside in the calendar for faculty and staff formation.

8.5 / 10

Question 45:

Faculty and Staff are encouraged to professionally grow by the school.

9.1 / 10

Question 46:

Faculty and Staff are encouraged to experiment, implement, and bring up new ideas for classroom innovation.

8.1 / 10

Settling In:

Question 47:

School meets you on arrival and escorts you to accommodations.

9.4 / 10

Question 48:

School provides an adequate orientation to the school and local culture upon arrival.

8.9 / 10

Question 49:

School provides an allowance to support the transition.

9.4 / 10

After Arrival:

Question 50:

Facilities of the school were well represented during the hiring process.

8.7 / 10

Question 51:

Contract is honored based on what was agreed upon during the hiring process.

9.1 / 10

Question 52:

School actively maintains a dialogue and support structure to make sure basic needs are being met.

Reviewed:

11/09/2012

ASD is a school in transition on many many levels, but the new leadership is strong and committed to excellence. In some ways, perhaps too committed to excellence this early in the change, but none-the-less a very rewarding professional and professionally demanding school. If you want to be in a place that demands the best out of you, then ASD is it, but nothing is free, and such demands can come at the cost of time and energy. The school is spanking new, with top notch facilities. Dubai is vibrant but also a bit plastic; lots of shopping, not as much culture, but a quick hop to many other parts of the world.

8.4

Reviewed:

11/09/2012

ASD is an excellent school in the Middle East region. The big hinderance to ASD is Dubai. You either love it or hate it. There are a few things to do that are traditional "Dubai", but those are usually done in your first year and from there you are searching for ways to entertain yourself. There is not much local culture here for an expat. It is easy/safe living. ASD has excellent resources - it is well funded and supported. The school facilites are fantastic, with a few kinks still to be worked out as the school just moved into a new campus two years ago. The divisional workload though is not always equitable, so the division you are going into makes a difference. The school also has a brand new administration team - all new principals, a new superintendant and a new director of learning. Thus far the energy has been positive, and new initiatives are being put in place. It's too early to tell what the fruit of that will be. This is a school you work hard at. There are expectations, but not unmanageable.