Dear ASD Community,

Campus Life Beyond the Classroom

As we round out our first four weeks of the school year, our extracurricular and co-curricular programs are officially in full swing. Our campus is absolutely alive from 5:30 A.M. until 9:00 P.M., nearly every day of the week.

• In Elementary School, our popular After School Activities (ASA) have 635 students participating in 43 distinct activities each week.  We also have 146 students participating in 3 morning choirs and drama ensembles.

• Our Middle School has 9 diverse after-school clubs with 114 students participating, 5 recreational sport groups with 175 participants, and 5 competitive PAAC-6 Teams with 57 student participants.

• The High School boasts an impressive 11 competitive MESAC teams comprised of 170 students. Simultaneously, a dedicated cast and crew of 50 students are deep into rehearsals for the High School Musical production of Rock of Ages.

• And crosscutting all divisions of the school is our HYDRA Aquatics & Athletics program, which has an amazing 812 student participants this term.

The remarkable level of engagement reflects our shared belief in developing the whole child. Additionally, each of these diverse experiences directly advances the ASD Vision of “Empowering Learners to discover their passions, develop their talents, and positively impact our world.”

A fervent “thank you” to our coaches, activity leaders, directors, and parents who dedicate their early mornings, late evenings, and weekends to provide these opportunities for our students. The sheer level of involvement is a testament to the strength of our ASD Community, and what it means to be One ASD Family: Stronger Together.

Celebrating Partnership Across All Divisions

Also aligning with our shared commitment to whole-child development, Back-to-School Nights are another important step in building trust, open communication, and active partnership. 

With our final Back-to-School Night concluding this week, we have officially completed these evenings across all four divisions. A big thank you goes out to our incredible faculty, staff, and divisional leaders for organizing such informative, welcoming evenings, and to every parent who joined us on campus. 

We look forward to building on this partnership throughout the year ahead.

Board Responsibilities

I touched on this during our recent Back-to-School Nights, but for those who couldn’t make it, I want to highlight a fundamental aspect of our non-profit identity: ASD has no private owner or commercial shareholders. All tuition revenue goes directly back into ASD's people and programs. And instead of an owner dictating a direction, we are governed and led by a dedicated Board of Directors.

The Board and the Director each play essential but distinct roles, working together to guide the school forward. The Board is responsible for setting policy, shaping the school’s mission and vision, and ensuring financial and legal oversight.  They also hire and evaluate me, who serves as the school’s chief executive.  I, in turn, lead the day-to-day operations of the school: overseeing faculty, curriculum, student discipline, and the implementation of programs that achieve our multi-year strategic objectives.

This partnership between governance and leadership ensures that our non-profit school upholds best practices while continuously strengthening the learning experience for every student.

Keeping Our Community Healthy 

The start of a school year inevitably brings a seasonal rise in common illnesses. Maintaining a safe, healthy school is a collective effort, and simple daily habits can make a significant difference. We encourage all families to help us reinforce good hygiene routines at home, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the restroom.

We also ask that you monitor your child(ren) closely for symptoms and keep them home when they are unwell. As a reminder, students may return to school only after they have been completely symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication to manage fever, stomach upset, or other symptoms.

Additionally, if your child(ren) has any new medical conditions, allergies, or medications, please partner with us by updating our school nurses directly at nurses@asd.edu.qa. Keeping this information current helps us care for your child with the essential knowledge needed to ensure that our staff can respond quickly and appropriately as necessary.

Preparing for International Week

International Week stands as one of our most cherished traditions at ASD because it celebrates who we are at our core: a vibrant, multicultural community united as One ASD Family. This year, our International Week will occur on December 13-16, 2026.

The Parade of Flags is a particular highlight of our International Week. Leading a country’s colors in the Parade of Flags is an incredible honor for our students and families. Selecting student representatives is always a thoughtful and delicate process, and each year we refine our protocols to ensure fair and equitable opportunities across all divisions.

The updated criteria and guidelines for this year’s flag bearers are now published with full details on our International Week Page.

More information about our International Week, including the various activities and celebrations, will be shared as we get closer to this milestone event.

In Closing

It has been an incredibly full and fast four weeks of school. Let’s keep this great momentum rolling as we head toward our October Break, where a much-needed period to pause, rest, and recharge awaits us all.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead; take good care of yourselves and each other.

With Gratitude,

Dr. Victor Guthrie

Sat, September 12

• SAT

Sun, September 13

• LES Day A

• UES/MS/HS Day 3

Mon, September 14

• LES Day B

• UES/MS/HS Day 4

Tue, September 15

• LES Day C

• UES/MS/HS Day 5

• PACT DAY - Dismissal at 12:30 p.m.

• HS Service Speaker Series: Keynote by Arrie Van Deventer, founder of The Rhino Orphanage, 9:20 a.m - 10:20 a.m., ASD Theater

Wed, September 16

• LES Day D

• UES/MS/HS Day 6

• HS Parent Advisory Forum, 8:15 a.m., HSPR

• MS Curriculum Night, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., ASD Theater

• UES Principal Coffee, 8:10 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., ESPR. Click here to register

• JV Volleyball Games, 3:00 p.m., Qatar Finland International School

Thu, September 17

• LES Day E

• UES/MS/HS Day 7

• Deadline for CAST Fall Carnival Logo Design Competition. Click here for guidelines and submission instructions. 

• AMA MS/HS Bake Sale, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., MS/HS Cafeteria

Reminders:

• September 19: BFHA Beginning-of-Year Cookout. Click here to RSVP

• September 22: Deadline for PTA Friendship Festival Logo Design Competition. Click here to enter.

• September 24: ES Muffins With Mom. Regrettably, we are fully booked for this event. There will be more opportunities to connect later in the year!