CAC High School Principal’s Notes
Students in English Class
Design and Engineering Class
The first university acceptances are coming in!
CAC high school is a big and busy place. There is a lot happening, many activities to keep on top of and many systems and procedures for the smooth operation of the school. The overall academic landscape is also complex. As a parent, sometimes this full schedule and level of complexity can perhaps be a little overwhelming.
An easy and proactive way to be informed and aware of how the school operates is through the Student-Parent Handbook. The handbook is available to download as a PDF on the CAC website in the High School section.
The handbook is organized into categories which include: the daily life of the school, basic operational matters, a contact list to help you know who to reach out to with questions, school policies on academics, and behavioral expectations. Some key pieces of information that may be of interest to you as a parent may be:
• The schools policies on attendance and punctuality.
• Academic expectations.
• Assessment and grading—including reporting procedures.
• Academic integrity—The expectations we have of students in terms of how they approach their academic work honestly and ethically.
• Dress expectations.
• Health and safety—including information about alcohol and drug awareness, policies and procedures.
• Athletics and Activities.
• School trips.
• School services.
If you have not already done so, please download a copy of the handbook today, and familiarize yourself with some of the important policies of the school. This helps you to be informed as a parent and able to engage and interact with the school efficiently and have meaningful conversations with your child about what the CAC expects and how it operates. We are always here to work in partnership with you and I encourage parents to come into school (or email us) any time if you have questions, queries or concerns; we value your feedback and ongoing partnership.
IB Theatre ISTA Workshop
The grade 11 IB Theatre class has had a very special 3 weeks engaging in a series of workshops led by a visiting artist from the International Schools Association (ISTA). ISTA design and lead workshops aimed specifically at students worldwide who are pursuing a love of the Arts through the IB Theatre course and they explore the key areas of curriculum using practical and physical approaches. The artist, Fenella Kelly, is an international drama specialist, teacher, teacher trainer and dancer. She has worked in Istanbul, Brazil, India and Egypt. In fact she is a former faculty member of CAC! It was a fantastic opportunity for these students to work alongside an expert of this caliber and also an invaluable way to introduce them to the multifaceted areas of learning that make up the IB Theatre course.
Grade 12 IB Theatre Performance
Speaking of IB Theatre classes, the Grade 12 IB class shared their final devised performance with a public audience last week. The piece was an excellent example of how art can communicate big ideas relevant to our world and what connects us as in our human experience. I hope you enjoy these few photos of the two experiences.
Cross Country Travelling Team
And finally, our varsity volleyball, cross country, and soccer teams are currently in Europe, representing CAC in the Season One ISAA tournaments. Next week I will be able to update you on how they get on. In the meantime, we send them the best of luck and a hearty…Go Eagles!
P.S. – The October 2023 WWW survey will close Saturday evening. Please take a few moments to leave your feedback on your family’s experience with the program.
Dates for your Diary
• Wed 15 Nov – Parent Coffee Morning (9:30 am, HS Meeting Room)
• Wed 15 Nov – Season 1 Athletics Awards Night (5:30 pm, Theatre)
• Thu 16 Nov – HS Talent Show (Theatre, 6:00 – 8:00 pm)
• Sat 18 Nov – Girls Get Strong event on campus
• Wed 22 & Thu 23 Nov – Thanksgiving Holiday (no school)
• Tue 28 Nov – Early Release Day
• 4 & 5 Dec – Winter Concert Series
• 4-7 Dec – Exam preparation and review days in school
• 10-14 Dec – Semester 1 Exams
• 15 Dec – Winter Break begins
Andrew Buckman Rachel McCall
HS Principal HS Assistant Principal
Counseling Department Announcements
Week of November 9, 2023
SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, Nov. 29th at 6 pm
USA Financial Aid and Scholarships Overview. Learn what’s new for FAFSA and US based financial aid for 2024-25 and about scholarship opportunities for international students. This will be a virtual presentation by Shawn Abbott from Tulane University. An RSVP and Zoom link will be sent soon.
Grade 10 programming
This week, counselors introduced the Grade 10s to the various pathways/courses available for their junior and senior years at CAC. We aimed to get them comfortable with the terms and choices they’ll have as we explore these options in depth later in the year. Additionally, the students completed a career interest profiler and reflected on the connection between their interests and potential future studies.
Grade 11 programming
Our Grade 11s spent some time reflecting on their future. On Maia Learning, they took an interest inventory where they discovered and reflected on possible careers that may fit their interests. They also were able to get a snapshot of what the next 12 months will look like for them as they prepare their postsecondary applications.
ACT Prep Course with Higher Ground Learning – March 2024
We’re excited to announce a collaboration between CAC and Higher Ground Learning. Join us for an intensive in-person ACT prep course, spread across two weekends in March, right here at CAC. There must be at least 5 people enrolled for the course to take place. For details on registration, dates, fees, and more, click here.
ACT test information:
The registration for the remaining 23-24 test dates are as follows:
Saturday, December 2, 2023 (CAC is full; please sign up at other centers in Cairo)
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Saturday June 8, 2024
Registration details here!
Claudia Bean, Jody Stiles, Kasey Semler
HS Counseling
General Announcements
From the Transportation Office
This is a gentle reminder that the 4:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. buses will not be operating till Nov 19th due to the end of the after school activities session last Thursday. The only bus that will be operating is the 3:20 p.m. bus.
Transportation Office
ES-CCA After-School Activities
The ES students always leave each session with big smiles, Thanks to the wonderful High School students who generously donate their time, knowledge, and kindness. The ES Activities office greatly values the support and dedication you have demonstrated throughout the program and recognizes the significant contributions and impact you had. We are thrilled to have such a fantastic group of HS students and look forward to collaborating with you in the future.
ES- Activities Volunteers
Elementary after-school activities are fun, optional activities scheduled from 3:15-4:00 on campus every weekday except for Tuesdays. Activities are offered to grades K-5.
We offer a range of choices to enable students to explore their talents and interests.
These activities develop useful life skills, such as responsibility, teamwork, communication, creative thinking, and self-confidence. We were blessed to have our first CCA season this year.
Volunteer engagement would be much appreciated. Students/ parents who are interested in supporting the CCA program for the upcoming season please contact me at mabdelfattah@cacegypt.org.
Season Timeline:
Sunday, November 5, 4:00 p.m.- Sign-up begins
Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 a.m. – Sign-up closed
Tuesday, November 14, 4:00 p.m. – Confirmed activities sent to parents
Week of Sunday, November 19 – First week of the season
Week of Sunday, February 11 – Last week of the season
Last day of the season. Thursday, February 15.
Mahmoud Abdel Fattah
ES Activities Coordinator
Email: psilick1960@gmail.com
Borders NOT Barriers.
20 days for 2M lives.
Just a few hours away people in Gaza are facing very challenging conditions and it is our duty as global actors to help them. This is why two CAC students, Hannah Abdelshahid and Nadia Assaad, have started a donation drive that will aid Gazan men, women, and children in need. This donation drive will be from November 6th – November 26th. You can donate items (red donation boxes scattered around the school between the MS, HS, and front gate)
People can donate a variety of things including but not limited to:
• Children’s products (Diapers, bottles, milk, baby clothes…)
• Hygiene products (masks, soap bars, shampoos, body wash, anti-bacterial wipes/sprays)
• Food products (canned food – tuna, beans, hummus, etc.)
• Clothing ps. unused garments are encouraged.
• Towels
• Footwear: shoes and socks, slippers
• Women’s products (pads)
• Medical/resourceful supplies (flashlights, any medical assistance equipment, including – CPR machine, blood testing…)
Donations will be categorized and sent to one of the following organizations and into the Rafah border.
• Egyptian Food Bank
• Egyptian Red Crescent
• Egyptian Clothing Bank
Contact @25nassaad@cacegypt.org and 25habdelshahid@cacegypt.org for more information.
PS: follow @bordersnotbarriers on Instagram!
Hannah Abdelshahid and Nadia Assaad
COMING UP! on Monday, Nov. 20
The 10th Annual General Services Staff (GSS) Appreciation Lunch
The GSS Appreciation Lunch has been a CAC tradition since 2013 where the entire CAC community comes together to show appreciation for our hard-working GSS teams. These teams are the: security guards, janitors, gardeners, bus monitors, drivers, car washers, electricians, painters & and carpenters. A total of 170 members. On that day, we organize the packing of delivered meals relying on the generous contributions of the CAC community. This event was initiated by an ES, Han Byul Lee who is now an Alumna of the Class of 2020. Check her VIDEO on the CAC Facebook Page.
If you would like to join the planning team, please get in touch with the Service-Learning Office,
Ms. Ereeny Gawdat egergess@cacegypt.org
01200 278 966
Ereeny Gawdat
PreK-12 Service Learning & CAS Coordinator
ES Production of Animal Jam
The Chicken Rockstars ARE COMING TO CAC!!! TICKETS ON SALE until opening day Thur. Nov. 9th! Shows: Thurs. Nov. 9, 6pm & Friday, Nov. 10, 3pm. Can’t wait to see you there!! 200 le
ES Production Team
From the PTO
We started the week with our General Meeting on Sunday afternoon. We are grateful to all the people who attended. Please find detailed minutes here.
Our drive for contributions in support of General Services Staff Appreciation has already gotten off to a great start. We need to keep up the momentum to reach our goal ahead of the event on November 20th. For your reference, each meal for this event costs 1000le and we are aiming to provide for 180 staff and their families. Please see the flyer for how to contribute.
We are organizing for a winter bazaar and are looking for interested vendors.
Thank you for being a part of our community #loveCACPTO
CAC PTO