Bahrain: American School of Bahrain (ASB) is all set to open its campus for its very first academic year in September 2020. Featuring state of the art and innovative facilities, ASB aims to combine real-world, inquiry-based teaching with the latest educational technology, bringing key 21st century skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity into the classrooms.
Designed to support its future-focused ethos, the school’s campus incorporates advanced educational opportunities with collaborative learning spaces, informal student presentation areas and immersive technological learning experiences.
From its Early Childhood Center and Elementary School to Middle and High School, the campus incorporates purpose-built, age appropriate learning environments while maintaining a natural flow throughout. Classrooms are interconnected with common areas such as the student commons, athletics complex, playgrounds, learning hub and cafeteria. Break-out areas further allow teachers to divide students into smaller groups giving them the opportunity to share ideas and build on each other’s experiences while large, covered outdoor learning spaces offer students the chance to extend their learning beyond the classroom walls.
Other notable on-campus features include the orientation of the buildings to incorporate natural light and minimize the environmental impact of solar heat gain with majority of the classrooms having north and south facing windows to reduce direct sun exposure while maximizing solar energy control. Furthermore, spacious covered exterior areas provide shaded gathering points to beat the summer heat while the gym and auditorium facilities are accessible to students from the interior of the campus with separate access for the public through the parking area, thereby contributing to a safe and secure environment.
ASB’s unique location in Wadi Al Buhair in North Riffa near the Bahrain National Stadium, allows for easy access via a dedicated road, and includes multiple vehicle access points to help tackle the issue of high levels of traffic during peak hours in the educational district of Bahrain.
“At a time when personal outreach and human touch have never been more important, I see ASB acting as a community catalyst to bring families and the school together in an effort to help students discover their individual passions and talents,” Dave McMaster, Founding Director, said. ASB is being established in Bahrain by Esol Education, the world’s largest operator of high-quality international American schools, in a joint venture with Elm Education Fund (Elm), a Bahrain-based education platform backed by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the country’s sovereign wealth fund. Elm establishes and co-invests in world-class educational institutions in partnership with leading global operators.
