American School Dhahran (ASD) is a not-for-profit, Kindergarten to Grade 12, international school serving the American community as well as the needs of the diverse international population in the Dhahran/Khobar area of Saudi Arabia. ASD offers an American standards-based curriculum capped by either the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program or a wide range of AP courses.
At ASD we are driven by our mission, ‘We inspire innovation and compassionate action.’ Throughout their lives, our children will need to find innovative solutions to problems in a rapidly changing world. They will also need to act compassionately to ensure that the world they create is peaceful and humane.
ASD teachers believe in collaborative planning practices to guarantee the fidelity of every student’s education. Emphasis has been placed on moving away from the traditional model of textbook teaching to designing courses based on standards. This backwards model of unit and course design has been shown to be innovative in terms of increased student-centered classrooms focused on learner agency. Coupled with this have been newly adopted standards that have been carefully implemented to maximize professional learning and support.
From the earliest grades, ASD students are encouraged to be active learners. They analyze and question, take risks and learn within a supportive environment. Agency and autonomy increase as they progress, and students are given ample opportunities to grow through an exciting range of enrichment programs, after school activities and leadership opportunities. We offer a broad range of courses and, in the high school years, a carefully tailored college-prep program.
At ASD, we view our community as a family of educators, students and parents working together to inspire innovation and compassionate action.