American School of Dubai

[teacher4429]

I've been watching this school for some time as it has had such a great reputation. I'm a HS teacher and noticed that in the past three years there have been three different principals. This doesn't seem like a positive thing. Can anyone at the school provide some insight? How is life in the HS?

[PsyGuy]

Well, 1) It's in the middle east. 2) it's run like a for profit school, with a strong parent influence board, and Parent Association. Parents get what they want, and it's a futile task to be an administrator, and be little more then a puppet and a sock puppet for the board.

[Walter]

You know zero about the American School of Dubai, Dave, but it seems like you cannot stop yourself from posting. Harmless enough on one level but some people may think you have the faintest idea what you're talking about. Seriously, I think you're in need of help.
For 4429, Their previous head of school was a good guy, and they have appointed this year one of the top heads on the circuit who will spend his every working day trying to make ASD better still. If you want to work in the Middle East, this is one of the top three schools. (Which means that someone with Psyguy's laughable employment history wouldn't make it to first base at a recruiting fair.)

[overseasvet2]

This is one of the top schools in the region. I believe all the division principals are changing with the hire of a new head of school - the former head of Singapore American School.

The school has experienced explosive growth in recent years. That has its own set of challenges but the school remains one of the great spots to work in the Middle East.

[PsyGuy]

Thank you to the ME cheerleading team.

The top three of anything from the bottom of the barrel is still the bottom of the barrel .

Any school that sees its staff as exploitable resources and not assets worthy of investment, and discards as you describe a "good guy" has some serious issues with managing it's human capitol.

[JISAlum]

[quote="overseasvet2"]This is one of the top schools in the region. I believe all the division principals are changing with the hire of a new head of school - the former head of Singapore American School.[/quote]

Don Bergman?

[Walter]

You just get worse and worse. You aren't a poster, you're a blurter. You just blurt out the first things that come into your head.
You have no idea about AS Dubai, and your experience of the Middle East is limited to a few weeks in Cairo before you did a runner. If you don't know about the school, you have no right to try to influence people who are asking a legitimate question about one of the best schools in the region - and one of the very few non-profits.
So you don't like the region? So who cares.
JIS Alum, the new head is Brent Mutsch who made an active choice to leave SAS after five years to take on this school.
4429, ASD is already a good place to be, and he will make it better still. You should pay no attention to Dave P.

[JISAlum]

[quote="Walter"]
JIS Alum, the new head is Brent Mutsch who made an active choice to leave SAS after five years to take on this school. [/quote]

Thanks Walter....

[teacher4429]

Thank you for all of your responses. I've been following this forum for quite awhile now and have come to my own opinion about replies that I find credible and replies that I always ignore. Honestly, I find it amazing how many good threads are hijacked by a reply full of complete and utter nonsense and outright lies. Walter, I find your responses always balanced and well-thought out. Thank you for taking the time to reply to many of the questions people pose here, including mine.

[PsyGuy]

I'm familiar with AS Dubai, and am qualified to respond regarding the school. AS Dubai is run like a for profit, regardless of its official status. Many schools that are non profit for various tax and marketability reasons, are still RUN like for profit schools.

Again, the best of the bottom of the barrel is still the bottom of the barrel. It's an accurate reflection and comment on the school. Who cares, well readers who want to know about schools in the middle east,that's why I responded to the post.

"Active choice"' is there some other kind of recruitment choice? Like a passive choice, or unconsciouse choice, seriously? This is the active part of that choice, AS Dubai, offered him enough to leave, it's that simple, and if there is one thing the ME provides (and it really is only one thing) is money.

[SKMNVMAH]

I know that I shouldn't rise to the bait but on Sept Psyguy said this about AS Dubai.

Its a very good school, definitely tier one, probably the elite school in the region. Savings however is going to depend on your lifestyle, and you can easily spend a LOT of money in Dubai, very quickly. If you stay home a lot, and just watch DVDs and eat at food stalls or at home, you could save half your salary (understand that those 10K allowances though are only one time allowances, you wont get them your second year). if you want to have any type of night life, or social life, or really eating out, or shopping, you could burn though that money very fast. Understand, there isnt a lot to do in Dubai thats cheap

Now he is trashing the school. I think I smell a troll. Perhaps he will find a new bridge to hide under!

[PsyGuy]

My apologie for cross posting different topics. My prior comment was regarding Dubai the city itself, this post is specifically on the school.

Again, sorry for the error, and thank you for bringing it to my attention.