Al Mizhar American Academy (AAM)

• AAG location
• Years offered
• AAG curriculum
• KHDA rating
• How to apply?
• Fee structure
• AAG scholarships
• AAG transportation
• PTA and contact information

Also known as the Al Mizhar American Academy, American Academy for Girls (AAG) is a girls only school in Al Mizhar, Dubai. Offering education from pre-KG to Grade 12, the school teaches the American curriculum based on the Kansas State Common Core curriculum. Established in 2005, AAM is owned and managed by Taleem, a prominent name in the education sector of Dubai with a series of reputable schools. Currently, the school only accepts girls. Whereas, siblings of these girls can attend this school till KG2. Afterwards, boys are shifted to other Taleem schools, including Dubai British School, Jumeria Baccalaureate and Greenfield International School.

The girls’ only model allowed the school to offer more freedom to girls to explore and develop their strengths. As a result of its rigorous educational programme, campus facilities and dedicated teaching staff, AAM has become one of the top American schools in Dubai.

With a teacher-student ratio of 1:10 — American Academy Al Mizhar is home to over 600 students who are taught by 58 teachers and 19 teaching assistants. The facilities available within the campus support the academic and non-academic needs of children – developing well-rounded students.

Also, the presence of extra-curricular activities and school transportation and medical services make it an ideal school for those looking for a perfect environment for their daughters.

This guide by Bayut provides a comprehensive overview of the education and facilities provided by Al Mizhar American Academy (AAM).

Located in the southernmost region of Dubai – Al Mizhar, AAM is in proximity to numerous residential areas, including the following:

• Mirdif
• Muhaisnah
• Oud Al Muteena 1
• Al Qusais

Mirdif is the nearest residential community from AAM. Commonly known for its villas, the community also offers apartment-style living with state-of-the-art features.

• Villas for rent near Al Mizhar American Academy
• Villas for sale near Al Mizhar American Academy

Sprawling over an expansive plot in Al Mizhar, the school has a modern building with high-end facilities. The design of the building ensures classes, corridors and laboratories remain well-lit throughout the day.

It has a digital campus with ICT studios and high-speed internet connections throughout the school. To support the school’s syllabus including science-based subjects, science laboratories are available. The school also has a mini-auditorium, art studio and kiln, music room and pottery studios for art and craft activities. Other educational facilities within the building include two well-stocked libraries.

The school also has a considerable range of sports and outdoor facilities. These include an outdoor swimming pool (shaded), outdoor playing ground, kindergarten play area and shaded-free flowing play areas for younger children. It also has an outdoor multi-purpose sports field, indoor multipurpose hall and gymnasium.

Other facilities include a cafeteria with a dining place and prayer rooms.

Al Mizhar American Academy for Girls is situated at the back of Dubai Modern Education School on 11a Street in Al Mizhar, Dubai. The school is at a walking distance from Mirdiff Hospital. Residents of nearby communities can access the school via Al Khawaneej and Algeria Street.

Al Mizhar Academy is one of the few American private schools in Dubai that is a girls-only school. It considers the girls-only model to be more effective as compared to conventional mixed schools.

The quality of education offered at AAM is exceptional. The school’s syllabus revolves around the United States Common Core Standards, National Core Arts Standards and C3 Framework social studies state standards. The amalgamation of specialised standards and frameworks allows the school to provide specialised and advanced knowledge of different subjects. This leads to students getting an outstanding grasp on multiple subjects. Being an Apple Lighthouse School helps students to extract the best of these frameworks by integrating technology. The AAM is now one of the 10 schools in the UAE to be recognised as a Microsoft Showcase School. With this, the school aligns itself with H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision for smart learning in the UAE.

Besides rigorous education model, AAM attempts to balance out the curriculum by extracurricular programme. The school has a wide range of activities to help children build non-scholastic skills.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has issued a revised set of protocols once the Ministry of Education (MOE) decided to reopen schools for the academic year 2021-2022. Most COVID-19 protocols remain the same with slight modifications considering the current health and safety situation in Dubai. The revised COVID-19 protocols are as follows:

• COVID-19 vaccination is not mandatory for students and staff members. Employees eligible for the vaccine but who are not interested will have to submit a negative PCR test result every week. Unlike schools in Abu Dhabi, students are not obliged to submit negative PCR test results.
• All students must physically return to school by October 3. The remote learning programme will be offered to students that show a relevant medical certificate issued by the Dubai Health Authority. Schools can switch to distance learning if a positive COVID-19 case is identified.
• Parents can now pick up and drop off their children from the classroom if the school allows. However, schools should ensure that parents do not have access to other facilities on campus.
• Moreover, KHDA has reduced the minimum physical distance from 1.5 metres to 1 metre. However, schools should continue to take precautions by maintaining a safe distance. Staff members and students above six years old should wear a mask at all times.
• Schools are now allowed to conduct swimming and sports lessons, holiday camps, extracurricular activities, after-school clubs and catering services under strict health and safety measures. Schools must clean and sanitise the changing and sports areas after each group of children.
• Students are asked to enter the specific gates wearing facemasks. The school has to check their temperatures at the entry points. Students with body temperatures over 37.5-degree centigrade are not allowed to enter. They will be sent home with their parents.

For more information, read the detailed COVID-19 protocols and guidelines issued by KHDA.

The stages of education at AAM are:

American academy for Girls follow the American National Curriculum based on the common core state standards for core subjects and other standards for science-based subjects. The specifics for each phase of education is as follows:

The Early Childhood Program (Kindergarten)

The early years in AAM are co-ed from Pre-KG to KG 2. The learning programme is tailored to meet the needs of young individuals. With an inquiry-based approach, the school encourages children to explore and question. The diverse learning programme incorporates the following:

• Physical Health and Development
• Social-Emotional Development
• Communication and Literacy
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Creative Arts

Kids are curious to discover and explore their environment. Using this fundamental nature, the school engages children in different play-based activities.

In KG 1, kids experience a stimulating environment that is based on play and interactions. Students build social skills, enabling them to possess higher self-esteem and self-confidence. Children also learn to communicate and begin to understand the concept of shapes, sounds, letters, colours and numbers. These pre-schoolers explore language and literacy in KG 2 through different experiences. This class also strengthens the basic numeracy skills and helps children express themselves.

The Elementary School

The Elementary School program is crafted to set a robust foundation of emotional, social and physical development that each girl requires to succeed. At this phase, students are prepared for middle school.

Teachers use a plethora of techniques including multi-sensory and inquiry-based approaches, to hone the abilities of children. Students are placed in different goods to complete academic activities. This allows the girls to learn teamwork and communication.

The compulsory courses taught in the elementary school are:

• Mathematics
• Reading
• Science
• Social studies
• Spelling
• Writing

Students can also learn the following optional subjects:

• Arabic or Arabic as a Foreign Language
• Arabic Culture
• Library Media Skills
• Moral Education
• Music
• Physical Education
• UAE Social Studies

Secondary Curriculum

The Middle School

Al Mizhar American Academy understands that middle school is a very crucial time in the development of a child. This is because the individual experiences physical, social and emotional changes. The school strongly believes that the educational experience of the student must not be limited to intellectual abilities but focus on all-round development.

The curriculum in the middle school is comprehensive, student-focused and challenging, which enables girls to work on their abilities and reach their maximum potential. Core subjects in middle school include:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social studies

Team building activities are incorporated into the learning programme. Students can also study other courses such as:

• Arabic
• Art
• French
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• Islamic Studies
• Physical education

The High School

Al Mizhar American Academy has designed the high-school syllabus in a way that ensures a smooth transition from middle school to high school. It allows students to be independent and take responsibility for their studies. The school also ensures that no student is left behind and proper attention is given to everyone. It follows the American college preparatory curriculum, which challenges the information that has been acquired at earlier stages. The core subjects taught in high school are:

• English
• Social studies
• Science
• Mathematics

Students can earn additional credits in the following subjects:

• Physical education
• Information and Communication Technology
• Arabic or Foreign language
• Fine arts

Students should earn at least 26 credit hours to receive the Al Mizhar American Academy High School Diploma. Students of Grade 9 and 10 are introduced to pre-AP (Advanced Placement) programmes while students of Grade 11 and 12 study a variety of AP subjects. This is to ensure that they can easily adjust in colleges and universities following the American curriculum.

The KHDA is an education regulatory body established by the government of Dubai. The purpose of KHDA is to oversee and improve the quality of education offered by the private institutes in Dubai. To accomplish this, they inspect schools annually and offer a judgement on their performance based on a six-point scale: outstanding, very good, good, acceptable, weak and very weak. They publish an in-depth report for each school highlighting the positives and negatives of the school.

In the latest inspection report for the year 2018-19, KHDA rated AAM as ‘Good’. In its 10-year history, the school has maintained its good rating. KHDA highlighted several positives about the school, which are as follows:

• The school has made outstanding arrangements for health and safety. The campus is suitable for education and has high-quality resources for academics and non-academics provisions.
• Suitability of campus, the school’s arrangements for health and safety, and top-notch quality of resources for students are extraordinary.
• The students showed positive behaviour, a deep understanding of Islamic values, and understanding of people’s differences and needs.
• The personalised approach practised at the kindergarten stage is of very good quality.

Nevertheless, they can attain higher ratings in the future by improving the teaching methodology in Arabic and other subjects, designating leadership roles to staff and increasing the support offered by governors for monitoring the students’ outcome.

Like in many international schools in Dubai, the academic year at Al Mizhar American Academy School starts in August and concludes in July. The school splits the academic activities into three terms for effective education.

• The first term starts in the last week of August. Students expect a week-long mid-term break in the third week of October. The first term ends in the second week of December.
• After a three-week winter holiday, the school reopens with the second term in the first week of January. The term ends in the fourth week of March.
• After a two-week spring holiday, the third term starts in the third week of April and ends in the first week of July.

The students also receive holidays during national and Islamic events. For exact dates, one can view the KHDA approved Al Mizhar American Academy school calendar.

For admission in AAM, parents need to follow three easy steps:

Step 1 – Submitting an online application

The first step of the admission process is to submit the online application. Next, the school sends an acknowledgement email to parents. Before applying, the school encourages parents to contact the admission team and visit the school. A school tour helps parents in making an informed decision. You can book a tour by filling out the enquiry form.

Step 2 – Submitting documents and application fee

The email sent by the school includes information regarding the documents, ways to contact the admission team and the application fee. Please note that the application fee is a one-time, non-refundable and non-transferrable fee. The school asks for the following set of documents at the time of assessment:

• A passport-size photograph of the candidate
• A copy of the candidate’s and his or her parents’ passports and valid UAE residence visas
• Recent medical records, including vaccination record and a medical form
• A copy of the candidate’s and parents’ Emirates ID (to be submitted as soon as possible)
• A letter of recommendation issued by previous school (for admissions in Grade 9 to Grade 12)
• Previous school records
• An application fee of AED 525 (non-refundable and inclusive of 5% VAT)
• Transfer certificate (for admissions in Grade 2 and above)

The age-grade guidelines followed by the admission team at American Academy for Girls is given below:

This is based on the age of the students on 31st August (for schools beginning in September). Source: KHDA

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

Step 3 – Assessment and offer

The school will get in touch with you with a date for your child’s assessment. They assess the candidates based on maths and English skills. Children applying for kindergarten are observed while they interact with other kids. After clearing the assessment test, the school will extend the admission offer to parents. Please note that parents need to submit the deposit fee to secure their child’s place. The deposit fee will be adjusted in the tuition fee.

For further information, read the admission process at Al Mizhar American Academy.

Al Mizhar American Academy School Fees is as follows:

Parents can avail a sibling discount of 10% on tuition fees when they enrol their third child into the school that is attending any Taaleem school in Dubai. Please note that the school offers special discount on annual tuition fee of Emirates Airline. The annual tuition fee can be paid in three instalments. Deadline for the first instalment is 2nd August. Whereas, the deadlines for the second and third term are one month before the term start date.

The other fee charges are as follows:

• Application fee is AED 525
• Registration fee is AED 4,000
• Re-registration fee is AED 2,000
• KHDA fee is AED 120

Besides the aforementioned, the school charges additionally for extracurricular activities, transportation, uniform, exams and other external tests. Please note that uniform is available Zaks Store in Uptown Mirdiff from 10 am to 8 pm (closed on Fridays).

For further information related to other charges, view the fee structure for Al Mizhar American Academy.

The school offers scholarships on a case to case basis. Parents are requested to contact the school office and apply for these scholarships.

AAM hosts a canteen that delivers healthy and nutritious food for its students. Slices, a renowned meal provider in the UAE, manages the school’s canteen. Students can also bring healthy food from their homes.

Please note that the school strictly prohibits carbonated beverages, nuts and food containing pork.

It offers a reliable and comfortable school transportation service to its students. The school has a contract with Arab Falcon Bus Rental LLC. It is a reputable transport service provider in the UAE and is trusted by many schools. They comply with the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) rules and regulations. They own a fleet of well-maintained buses with state-of-the-art safety equipment. Besides technology, Arab Falcon Bus Rental LLC also has trained bus drivers and bus helpers that make every trip to and from the school comfortable.

The safety features in Arab Falcon’s buses include CCTV cameras, GPS for tracking, seat belts and an electronic attendance system. Please note that the decision to offer transportation services solely rest on the Arab Falcon. Transportation fees need to be paid in two cheques every 5 months.

Currently, AAM does not offer any boarding facilities to its students.

The students of AAM have the opportunity to go on holiday camps during breaks. This is to ensure that they learn new skills. For this purpose, they collaborated with the East Sports Management (ESM) academy. It is a popular sports academy in Dubai offering holiday camps to several schools in Dubai.\

The school considers sports as an important part of the student’s life. It helps in cultivating the spirit of friendly competition. They have incorporated several sporting activities in their extra-curricular programme aimed at students’ learning and recreation. The school encourages its students to take part in sports activities within the facilities available on the campus. These facilities are:

AAM encourages girls of Grade 1 to Grade 12 to take part in different extra-curricular activities to enhance their lives and to discover their inner abilities. Extra-curricular activities also help students to socialise with their peers out of the class and to improve their emotional and physical health.

The extra-curricular activities offered by the school include the following:

One noteworthy extra-curricular activity programme at the school is Creativity, Happiness, Innovation, Pioneering and Spirited (CHIP) activities. The programme aligns with the direction of the UAE and helps girls in learning life skills to compete in the 21st century.

To support the academic, personal and social development of the girls, AAM plans several field trips throughout the year. These field trips include both national and international trips where students learn and enjoy at the same time. The school has enforced strict rules and regulations for field trips to ensure appropriate supervision.

For national trips, students must reach the school premises by 8:00 am in uniform. Please note that permission from parents or guardians must be submitted before the day of field trips for proper arrangements.

A noteworthy school trip by Al Mizhar American Academy was the community service trip to Tanzania. The school planned this visit to build social awareness and the spirit of contributing to the global world. Here, the students engaged in plastering and painting walls and other related activities.

After-school care is an important part of the students in the AAM. Some extracurricular activities are organized after school timings to allow proper training and coaching of the students.

One prominent after-school care activity at the school is the early MBA programme. The programme is specifically for students interested in improving their university application or work placements. The London based programme involves lessons from the senior leaders and management of world giants such as Google, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs etc. It empowers the students with skills related to negotiation, decision-making, management, networking, finance and other managerial fields.

The school offers the programme in the second term. The timings and charges are:

• Day: Every Tuesday
• Timing: 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
• Charges: AED 1,850 (20% discount for early bird-offer)

To offer the best medical attention to its students, the school has a well-equipped medical centre. The medical staff consists of a part-time doctor and a nurse that takes care of the students.

Located next to the library on the ground floor of the school’s building, the medical centre features a comfortable waiting area and observational beds. The equipment within the medical rooms includes ENT diagnostic sets, nebuliser, oxygen cylinders, glucometer and sphygmomanometer.

Besides direct medical intervention, the medical staff also plays a role in assuring the health and safety of the children. They provide health services related to suggestions for healthy living and eating. All the practices within the medical centre of AAM align with the regulations drawn by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

AAM emphasises strongly on the role of parents in improving the educational and learning experience for their children. The school encourages them to be active participants in monitoring their child’s progress. For this purpose, they offer a wide range of communication tools that establish a channel between teacher/school and parents. The school advises parents to regularly check for emails and the school’s app.

Friends of AAM (FAAM) is a parent association, which is a representative of the strong coordination between parents and schools. FAAM also supports the school by raising funds and managing social events.

Schoology, the app by Al Mizhar American Academy, is the main source of communication between school and parents. It is also available on Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS devices. The app is a hub to all the school’s documents including policies, notifications, updates for events, examination schedule and much more.

For urgent updates and queries, parents and teachers can contact each other on the class WhatsApp groups. The school also updates parents regarding new developments on their social media accounts.

Location: Mirdif Area, Al-Mizhar 1, off Algeria Street, Corner 11A and 4A Street, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Emails and Telephone:

• For admissions: admissions@americanacademy.ae
• For general enquiries: +971 04 288 7250

Website and social media

• Official website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Instagram

Note that the cover image belongs to Al Mizhar American Academy (AAM).