Dhahran Ahliyyah School
Dhahran Ahliyya School (Arabic: مدارس الظهران الأهلية) Originally a private Arabic-medium day school, DAS is now a dual language school moving gradually toward a more international curriculum. DAS was founded in 1977 , DAS has now achieved American accreditation (NCA) , it now can offer both Saudi diploma and an American diploma.
Admission
Application: Students may apply for admissions to DAS at any time during the school year but they will not be accepted unless they complete the following four steps:
» Step 1 The parent presents the completed application in a hanging file to the DAS Registrar at any time before the entrance exam. The file should contain all the official papers requested and will be final only when all the papers are on file at the school. The official papers required are the following:
- Birth certificate (Photocopy)
- Family Document for Saudis or Passport with Residence (Iqama) for non-Saudis (Photocopy)
- Photocopy of Aramco ID for Aramcons
- Health Certificate which includes a photocopy of the record of immunizations (If the child is accepted in the school, this record must be updated before the child can begin attending.)
- Photograph of the student
- For a student to enter grade 2 or above, a photocopy of the grades and report from the previous school
NOTE FOR SAUDI ARAMCO PERSONNEL: It is important for Saudi Aramco personnel to know that the formal date of the application will be the day on which the file is completed at the Registrar's office with all the papers in place.
» Step 2 The student attends an orientation meeting in the place in the school where he will later be examined. Those entering grade 2 or above will also receive worksheets for practice.
» Step 3 The student sits for the exam or attends the entrance interview on the date announced by the DAS Registrar and posted on the DAS website. The interviews for pre-school and first grade are usually in the second month of the second semester. The exams for grades 2 and above are usually nearer to the end of the second semester.
» Step 4 Parents come to the school to pick up their individual letters with the admission results. These letters are all distributed at the same time on a Thursday (usually two weeks after the exams) announced by the registrar and posted on the school's website. It should be noted that the selection decisions are made by a committee based on the priorities stated below and in light of the availability of spaces in a given year.
» Step 5 Parents of children who have been accepted are required to pay the entire annual tuition for the first year within the one week after the announcement. If they do not pay in that time, the space will be given to the first child on the waiting list.
School’s Population
The total number of students reached 1730 in 2008-2009. Class sizes range from 12 to 25 with an average of about 23 per class. The composition of the student body is about 95% Saudi Arabian citizens and about 5% Arabs of other nationalities. Since acceptance to the school at all levels is based on DAS entrance exams, the students are an exceptional group in terms of their abilities, motivation and parental support. All DAS graduates expect to go to university either in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere.
scholarships
In DAS no scholarship programs are available so all students are paying the standard tuition and some are also paying for transportation provided by the school. Dependents of employees of Saudi Aramco (our national oil company) pay 65% of the total tuition as part of the agreement between the school and the Company for lease of the building. This relationship between DAS and Aramco is very important for many reasons; among them is the fact that it ensures that DAS will not become simply a school for the rich but will continue to have a sizable percentage of its students from the middle class. Maintaining the presence of these students in the school is a major objective of the school's founders.
New International Program
a new era of DAS has started , All students from pre-school through grade 8 (second intermediate) will take the same dual language international program. On entering grade 9 (third intermediate), they may choose either the International Secondary Program or the Saudi government Muqararaat Program the same one that we have had at the secondary level since 2005. Whereas the International Secondary Program will focus on English and the Muqararat Program will focus on Arabic, students in each program will take many of their subjects in the other language so we will continue to develop their abilities in both English and Arabic. The first class in the International Secondary Program will be starting 9th grade in 2009-2010 and will graduate in 2013.
What are the advantages of establishing this new program? Our goal is to provide a dual language program through which our students are able to learn, work, and think in both English and Arabic. Research has shown that students who are proficient in more than one language are able to achieve at higher levels, are more able to use creative problem solving skills and are better able to interact with people from other parts of the world. These are among the skills they will need to meet the challenges of Saudi Arabia in the coming decades. Because these are 21st century children, they need 21st century skills and attitudes. We believe it is good for the students and good for our country to give them this kind of preparation. What will we gain through this program? We will be able to give our students better language skills in both English and Arabic. We will be able to put our own standards and curriculum at all levels. As a result, we will be able to broaden and improve the curriculum for both languages. We will also be able to choose current textbooks to serve our curriculum. Along with the textbooks will be up-to-date instructional materials and teaching guides that are more appropriate for teaching 21rst century skills. We will be able to use more effective means of assessing and reporting learning – projects, research, presentations, and other means – and give enough credits to such projects that students are motivated to work on them. Our students and teachers will be able to benchmark their skills with other students all over the world. In this way, we will really know whether or not our students are achieving at world class levels.
Is this program accredited?
To accomplish our mission, we are planning our own dual language curriculum from kindergarten through grade 8 (second intermediate). For the 9th grade (third intermediate) , students will choose whether they want the International Secondary Program, which will teach math and science in English, or the Muqararat program , which will teach mathematics and science in Arabic through the government curriculum. Those completing the Muqararat Program will receive the Saudi Ministry of Education diploma. Those completing the International Secondary Program will receive the American Diploma. DAS has official permission from the Saudi Ministry of Education to implement this dual language international program because it is now accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) which is part of a larger institution called AdvancED . AdvancED, which includes the organization known as CITA, forms the world's largest education community, representing over 27,000 public and private schools, 6,000 school districts in 65 countries and serving nearly 15 million students. DAS earned general accreditation for its K-12 program in the spring of 2009 and so may now begin work to complete other requirements specific to the secondary diploma program within the coming three years.
What is the basis of the new curriculum?
Under the guidance of expert educational consultants, DAS personnel have exerted a great deal of effort over the last ten years studying the standards and benchmarks of several different countries and states as well as guidelines developed by the United Nations, and organizations of international schools. After extensive research and discussion, translation of multiple systems, and piloting of various approaches, DAS has now established world class standards and benchmarks for math, sciences, English, geography, physical education, art, and technology. Work continues on the finalization of standards for Arabic and the development of standards for Islamic studies, and history. These standards clarify what we are targeting. Our approach to work must now be revised and re-aligned in order to ensure that our students will be working at the expected level. Information about these standards will be shared gradually with the students and parents as our ability to work toward them increases.
How will DAS prepare the students for secondary?
Until the beginning of the 9th grade (third intermediate), the program will be the same for all DAS students. Because of the research that emphasizes the importance of children learning the basic subjects in their own language first, our focus in kindergarten, first and second grades will be on introducing math and science in Arabic while we are developing English language skills. At grade three, we will begin teaching science in English and at grade four we will introduce math in English. From grades 3-8, we will gradually be increasing the amount of time and subject matter that will be taught in English but without neglecting the Arabic. The students will use the same series of books in English and Arabic for math and science but will alternate languages year after year in order to be sure that they develop in both languages, not just one. The plan for the teaching of math and science is shown below. Throughout all these years, the students will continue to take Islamic studies, Arabic language, and history in Arabic. Other subjects will change as needed in order to give the students a balance of both languages.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the International Program
1. Is this program accredited?
»DAS is now accredited as a school from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education and also from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). NCA CASI is part of AdvancED which is the world's largest education community, representing over 27,000 public and private schools, 6,000 school districts, 18,000 volunteers in 50 states and 65 countries and serving nearly 15 million students All DAS diplomas and official papers will now carry the NCA CASI seal of approval. Application for accreditation of this particular program from NCA CASI cannot be made until after it has been running for a couple years. We shall apply for the accreditation as early as permitted and expect to have it before any of our students graduate from the new International Secondary program.
2. Are there other schools in Saudi Arabia that have been accredited by NCA CASI?
» Yes. There are more than seventy schools in Saudi Arabia that have been accredited by NCA CASI or by its branch, CITA, as schools in a general sense. Only those schools that have had the international secondary program running for a few years could have accreditation for that program specifically.
3. Is NCA CASI recognized by the Saudi Ministry of Education and the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education?
» Yes. It was the Ministry of Education that instructed DAS to get accreditation from the local branch, CITA, in order to earn permission to introduce international programs.
4. Will graduates of this program be able to attend Saudi universities? »
» Yes. Since the program is accredited by the Saudi Ministry of Education, its graduates can attend Saudi universities. Because they have studied in English, it will be easier for those who are entering Saudi programs that are given in English.
5. Will graduates of this program be able to attend international universities? » Yes. Our graduates have always been able to attend international universities. Now it will be even easier because of the additional English and because the program is accredited by an international accrediting agency.
6. What standardized examinations will the graduates be expected to take? » All students will take the TOEFL, the SAT I and the SAT II. It will also be possible to take the Saudi government exams Quderat and Tahseel in Arabic and/or English.
7. How much of this program will be taught in English?
» In the first year of the program, at least 23 periods will be taught in English. In subsequent years, the number will increase gradually.
8. Will my child continue to progress in Arabic as well?
» DAS has set as its goal that all its graduates will be able to learn, work and think in both languages. For that reason, there will always be a minimum of ten periods in which the medium of instruction is in Arabic, usually more than ten. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education requires that students in the international programs continue to take Islamic studies, Arabic, and history in Arabic.
9. How will the students be assessed and graded in this program?
» In the secondary program, grades will be given separately for each semester, just as they are now for the Muqararat program. A variety of assessment tools will be used for continuous assessment of student learning throughout the semester. These tools include: performance tasks, research assignments, laboratory assignments, class work, homework, tests, quizzes, participation, and attendance. Semester grades are assigned according to the table below, according to the learning activities of each marking period, and a mandatory final semester exam. Students are required to take exams at the published time. » The final exam is worth 20% of the student's overall grade, and the final grade is cumulative. The percentage breakdown for the entire semester is as follows: Marking period 1 = 40% Marking period 2 = 40% Final exam = 20% » A student cannot pass a course by only passing the final exam. However, he also cannot pass the course if he doesn't take the final exam. Students must have at least 60% to pass the class.
10. How are students chosen for this program?
» Students are chosen on the basis of the level of their English over the previous years.
11. What if my child starts the Arabic Muqararaat program but then decides he wants to move to the International Secondary Program?
» If, at the beginning of the 2009-2010 or the 2010-2011 school years, the student passes the exams in English and in math and science in English and if there is space in the class, he can enter.
12. What if my child starts the International Secondary Program and then wants to move back to the Arabic Muqararaat program?
» In the first year, he has the right to change within the first 2 weeks. After that, if he can pass the entrance exams and if there is space in the class, he can apply to the Ministry to change at the beginning of a new school year on entry to the 10th grade (first secondary).
13. How will the tuition rates change in this program?
» In 2009-2010, the tuition rates will not change. The only increases in cost for the parents in the coming year will be in the required purchase of textbooks for any subject in which government books are not used – math, science for all levels, grades 1- 12, either in Arabic or in English. » In 2010-2011, the tuition rate for the entire school will rise because the expenses for the entire school will be rising. The rate for the International Secondary Program will increase more because the additional expenses will be considerably more. We do not yet know for sure but will inform you at the end of 2009 or before the beginning of the second semester.
School's Song
- * O Dhahran Ahliyya Schools
March to high hopes, You light up our ways, You are the spring of giving, You have given us. You are the summit of our generation’s high hopes.
March with the Grace & care of Allah O! Symbol of sweet hopes, O! Spring of freedom, Dhahran Ahliyya Schools
You have filled the dawn of our life with glories, You have enwrapped us with knowledge, & Implanted the love of good deeds in our souls. March with the Grace & care of Allah O! Symbol of sweet hopes, O! Spring of freedom, Dhahran Ahliyya Schools
Your high expectations and faith, help us build our country, We are all for one & One for all. March with the Grace & care of Allah O! Symbol of sweet hopes, O! Spring of freedom, Dhahran Ahliyya schools
Long live the king, He sponsors & supports our high hopes, Long live the king, The Custodian of Islam. O! Symbol of sweet hopes, O! Spring of freedom, Dhahran Ahliyya schools
Tuition fees
2009-2010—No change in tuition. Parents must purchase the students' test books for science and math.* 2010-2011—Full tuition – SR40,000 – SR45,00 (approx. 12,000 $ ) , Aramco SR26,000 – SR29,250 ( approx. 8,000 $ )
Possible tuition rates for all students in grades K-9 + Grades 10-12 Muqararaat 2009-2010—No change in tuition. Parents must purchase the students' test books for science and math.* 2010-2011—Full tuition – SR30,000 – SR35,000 ( approx. 9500 $ ) , Aramco SR19,500 – SR22,750 ( approx. 6060 $ )
As with the rest of the DAS program, 50% of the spaces are reserved for Saudi Aramco dependents who will pay 65% of the full cost. Any Saudi Aramco students that are outside that 50% quota must pay the full tuition.
- Regarding the textbooks that must be purchased, DAS will bring them and sell them at the beginning of each school year.
The Student Support Unit
The Student Support Unit aims at early identification of students who learn differently from others. It offers a variety of services that both encourage them and assist in removing barriers or giving the extra or specialized tuition needed for the special needs student to move forward, particularly in Arabic, English and mathematics. This program is undertaken by specially trained staff at the elementary level and, in the boys' school, at the intermediate level. In the girls' school, some further assistance is offered for intermediate and secondary level students by regular teachers in specially assigned periods.
Languages
While DAS has been basically an Arabic school and most subjects have been taught in Arabic, it has always had a strong English program that has been well supported for all age levels and expanded with extra reading, research and presentations. The school now aims to move toward being a dual language school in which all students reach the level where they can learn, work and think in both languages. For this purpose a new plan has been designed through which the English program is strongly established in the primary years and gradually expanded in subsequent years. Since research points to the importance of children studying math and science in their own language first, these subjects will continue to be taught in Arabic in the primary years but students will gradually have opportunities to study math and science in both languages over subsequent years. The target will be to give all students enough of both languages that they are able to choose either of two secondary programs, one in English and one in Arabic.
At this time, DAS is preparing itself for this new approach by working to improve the instruction of both languages. In the 2008-2009 academic year, students in the elementary level have from eighty to 120 minutes per day in English and the rest of the program is in Arabic. In grades three to six, eventually, the amount of English in the intermediate level will increase but we may not be ready to start that until the 2010-2011 school year. Possibilities are being studied and more detailed plans will be established within the coming months. With the new secondary curriculum, an increasing number of electives will be offered in English beyond the basic program and some students will be able to fulfill some science and/or math requirements in English. In the 2007-2008 academic year, DAS started making it possible for some students to fulfill some English requirements through distance learning courses offered by Stanford University’s Educational Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY). In the future, it is planned that every student will take at least one distance learning course before graduating from DAS.
Clubs , community services and Athletics
All students from third elementary and above are involved in club activities and community service projects during normal school hours. These activities are aimed at helping youth discover their talents and interests, develop skills of leadership and group work, and learn more about the world through involvement in projects of service to their school and to the community. Students are encouraged to choose different projects or activities each semester in order to have a variety of experiences. Most students are involved in at least one semester-long service project each year. The current list of service projects and club activities is enclosed with this profile.
Among the new club activities popular among the students are the Model United Nations and the Lego Robotics Activities. DAS teams have come home from national and international competitions with prizes and awards of various sorts. Athletic activities are always popular, of course, especially with the boys since Saudi society is not yet accustomed to having athletic events for girls. There are activities during school time, during recesses, and sometimes there are practices and events. DAS boys participate in on-going tournaments after-school for several sports, such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis and others. Selected teams of boys also travel to other schools and cities for friendly competitions and championships. Some DAS boys and girls also participate in athletic activities organized by local sports clubs after school time.
Annual Charity Running
DAS is an active organizer and sponsor of The Annual Charity Running that is held in the city of Dhahran.