The School

Al Worood Academy is a national private school located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.  It has been in existence since 1982, and has grown under the influence of its founder, Dr. Abdulla Al-Nuwais.  The enrollment is currently just under 3,000 students, ranging in grades from Nursery, and KG1 and KG2 through grade 12.  The school is housed in two large buildings, each with three floors of classroom and laboratories.  The main building houses all of the administration on the main floor – that’s where my office is – plus KG classrooms.  The main building is for Nursery, KG 1 & 2, grades 1-6, and girls in grades 7-12.  The second building is referred to as the Boys Building because it houses boys enrolled in grades 7-12.  As per the regulations of the Ministry of Education all male and female students are separated beginning in grade five.  In most grades there are from 8-11 classrooms of students.

I have been at the school for just over one week, trying to learn my way around the physical facilities and to meet as many of the staff as possible.  Many have dropped by my office to meet and welcome me, to introduce themselves, and tell me what they do.  I’ve even managed to have some interactions with some of the students – and anyone who knows me knows I love doing that!  At this time of the school year we have just begun exams for end of the first term of school.  This is a very different atmosphere from the regular school days, but very typical of any school: students studying those last few moments before going into the testing room.  When all exams have been completed it will be mid-year holiday – two weeks for everyone, students and staff . . . and almost that much time for administrators.

Al Worood enjoys an excellent reputation in the area.  Several of the teachers have been at the school for 10-20+ years.  Some of them were students at the school, and have now returned to teach at the school.  The school is accredited by the Middle States Association, a sister regional accreditation association to Southern Association for which I worked for six years.  It is also accredited by CITA – now an active part of AdvancED, the parent organization for SACS, NCA, and CITA.  The school is a center for the internationally recognized examinations of EDEXCEL and the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).  It is also a center for the American TOEFL-IBT, PSAT, and SAT tests.  It’s a place where I can work and belong!  Together, I believe we’re going to do great things for our students and the school!

Next time, more about the area . . .