CAC High School Principal’s Notes
As I write this week’s edition of the Highro, the high school production of “The Giver” is preparing to run tonight at 6:00 pm and tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm. Tickets are still available at the door. Students in the arts department are making their final preparations for the annual IB Art Exhibition, which opens its doors on Sunday, March 3rd. On March 4, the Varsity Dance team will be presenting a Dance Festival. We encourage all our parent community to join these events in celebration of the hard work and creativity of our arts students. (See times and locations below.)
It’s hard to believe that quarter 3 will conclude a week from today, and the final quarter of the year begins when we return to school after spring break on March 17. It is worth remembering, however, that this is a “progress check” report, not a formal school report. The quarter three grade does not appear on the student’s high school transcript. A progress report is an indication of how students are performing on work which has been completed so far. By the end of the semester, teachers will have completed the full assessment plan for each course and a more balanced and detailed picture will emerge of their achievement. If you have not done so already, now would be a good time to check in with your student to ask them how they feel things are going ahead of receiving the progress report soon after spring break. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on campus March 26 and 27th. Details for signing up for conferences will be sent following the Spring Break.
This week some of the Grade 10 classes were fortunate enough to meet our visitors from Nepal, Adriana Brownlee and Gelge Sherpa. Two Mountaineers who hold Guinness world records in Mountaineering and who have summited 14 of the 8000m peaks. Adriana and Gelge shared their knowledge and experience of climbing as well as teaching our students techniques of climbing and belaying on the CAC climbing wall. Over 60 HS students were able to climb over 2 days. A fantastic experience for all.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.
Dates for your Diary
• Thurs 29 Feb – Fri 1 Mar – High School Production “The Giver” 6:00 p.m. CAC Theater (2:00 p.m. on Friday 1 March)
• Sun 3 Mar – IB Art Exhibition Opening (5:30 p.m. HS Art Gallery)
• Mon 4 Mar – Dance Festival (6:00 p.m.) Theatre
• Tue 5 Mar – Grade 10 PSAT (no G10 classes for periods 1&2)
• Fri 8 Mar – First day of Spring Break
• Sun 17 March – Return to school (F Day)
• Tue 19 March – Q3 Progress Report Issued
• Tue 26 March – Parent Teacher Conferences (Drop-Ins), after school
• Wed 27 March – Parent Teacher Conferences (by appointment), all day, no school for students
Andrew Buckman Rachel McCall
HS Principal HS Assistant Principal
Counseling Department Announcements
Week of February 29, 2024
Grade 10 PSAT Announcement – 5 days away!
Date: Tuesday, March 5, during A and B blocks
Format: Digital via the Bluebook App (students must download)
Devices: Students will use their own devices (no chromebooks allowed)
Rooms: MS Hall, HS Meeting Room and the Cairo Room – specific room assignments will be shared as the test date nears
Prep & Details: Please review with your child and check the links provided in Mr. Semler’s email.
Students MUST download Bluebook on their devices in order to test. Downloading instructions here.
Juniors- special summer program: University of Chicago
A special opportunity for a summer program through the University of Chicago – Emerging World Leaders– The University of Chicago’s Emerging World Leaders program is a one-week, on-campus program during which students will learn about the benefits of an interdisciplinary liberal arts education at an internationally recognized research university. Throughout the course of the week, students will learn directly from distinguished faculty, work closely with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to learn about highly selective US admissions, and explore all the city of Chicago has to offer. The program will be held from Sunday, July 14th through Friday, July 19th, 2024 and is open to any student currently in 11th grade and at least 15 years old.
See poster attached. (Deadline to apply is March 5th)
Reference this poster to learn more.
Junior families Please schedule your college meeting with your parent/s and counselor to occur by April 18th.
Grade 11: Tuesday Sessions
Tuesday sessions continue, with sessions on the US, Canada, and the UK happening so far. Next up is March 17 when we take a look at essay writing for US applications.
Explore Global Summer Opportunities. Discover a wide range of summer programs worldwide in various subjects via our constantly updated list. Click here to access and regularly check for new additions
Upcoming college visits:
AT CAC:
Sunday, March 3rd 11:15 am to 12 noon outside the high school:
• Budapest Business University, Hungary (largest business training institution in Hungary)
• University of San Raffaele, Italy (medical studies in English in Milan)
• CESI Graduate School of Engineering, France (engineering studies in French)
Wednesday, March 6th 11:15 am to 12 noon outside the high school :
• Sorbonne, Abu Dhabi
IN CAIRO:
Universities representative in Cairo:
Barcelona Flight School
Friday, March 1st 3 pm to 9 pm at the Royal Kempinski Hotel (outdoor area)
Contact Antonella Mela amela@barcelonaflightschool.com to set up a meeting
John Cook University, Australia.
Shruti Srinivasan will be available to meet families while he is here in Cairo over the weekend of March 1-2. Please email him to set up your time (he will be located in Maadi).:
shruti.srinivasan@jcu.edu.au
Education Fair in Cairo: March 2rd: Read about the event here: https://begin-expo.com/en/events/international-education-fair-cairo/
ACT test information:
The registration for the remaining 23-24 test dates are as follows:
Saturday, April 13, 2024 (full at CAC)
Saturday June 8, 2024
Registration details here!
Claudia Bean, Jody Stiles, Kasey Semler
HS Counseling
General Announcements
The Giver
This year’s HS production
February 29th @ 6.00
March 1st at 2pm.
Sometime in the future, an 11-year-old boy named Jonas lives in a seemingly perfect community in which there is little pain and little crime. People are polite. Everyone belongs to a supportive family. But this harmony comes at a price. There is also no choice, and real emotions are nonexistent. Life is dictated by strict rules and being different is shameful.
At the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas is given the highly honored Assignment of Receiver of Memory. The Receiver is the sole keeper of the community’s collective memory. Through his new role Jonas comes to learn pain, love, sacrifice and choice. The story is one of courage and discovery.
The talented HS Theatre ensemble have taken on this challenging and imaginative story for you to enjoy. Join us to witness the stage version of this well known work of YA fiction.
****Running time 90 minutes with a 15 minute interval****
****Please note- strobe lights, loud noises and references to violence and war are used during the show****
****Suitable for older MS and up****
Tickets on sale at the MS and HS offices, 300 EGP
Siobhan Buckman
HS Drama
IB Visual Arts Exhibition March 3rd 5:30 pm (Third Floor HS Building)
The IB Art Exhibition opening is coming up soon, so SAVE THE DATE for March 3rd at 5:30 pm, in the HS building, 3rd floor.
It is the event that everyone has been waiting for, an amazing opportunity to see what our HS students are producing in the visual arts studios as we will display pieces from Studio Art 1 and 2 and Digital Arts classes complementing the main IB Visual Arts show.
The HS String Ensemble will perform as well, making it a fun evening for everyone.
Please join us and participate in this great event. It will be memorable!
Isabel Torres
HS Visual Arts
Dance Festival March 4th 6:00 p.m. (Theater)
All CAC community invited (free entrance)
Baladi Bread Sale – March 7 (8:00 am – 1:00 pm)
Let’s celebrate Egypt’s rich culinary heritage on Egypt Festival Day – March 7th. Baladi bread is another delicious experience here in Egypt. This traditional bread, a staple of Egyptian cuisine, is renowned for its rustic texture and delicious flavor. It is made from simple ingredients like flour, water, yeast, and salt. Join us at the Egypt Festival to savor this iconic bread and experience the true taste of Egypt!
Notes:
MS/HS Students: Get your Baladi bread! Purchase a loaf from the cart in front of the MS Library for L.E. 15.
The Egypt Culture Team
From Aquatics
CAIRO AMERICAN COLLEGE
HASSAN-WEBB AQUATICS CENTER
Tuesday Programs
Dear Parents,
The CAC Swim School staff welcomes your children to the Learn-to-Swim Program.
Learn-To-Swim
The Learn-To-Swim program is for new or beginner to intermediate-level swimmers ages 3 years old and up to help them improve their swimming skills and water safety knowledge. It’s a great program for swimmers who are not yet ready for the swim team but still want to be involved in swimming activities. Learn-to-swim classes begin at 3:25 pm and end at 4:15 pm.
A few items to bring to your attention :
• Classes are held every Tuesday from March 19th- May 14th, 2024.
• If your child normally rides the bus, please communicate with the Transportation Department about any changes. There is no ASA bus service on Tuesday.
• There are no lessons on early release days.
• Program fees are $90 for the 9-week session.
Children are not allowed on campus unsupervised after the school day. Parents are responsible for dropping in and picking up their children at the pool area for the class.
Thank you for your involvement as we strive to make your children’s learning-to-swim process enjoyable and safe.
**If you are interested, please fill out the signup form.
Sincerely yours,
tpetrovna@cacegypt.org
asafey@cacegypt.org
Aquatics Office
4:20pm and 5:30pm buses
Kindly be informed that the 4:20pm and the 5:30pm buses will not be operating effectively Sunday, Feb 18th till Thursday, Mar 14th due to the end of the after school activities session. The only buses that will be operating are the 3:20pm buses.
After school activities buses will resume on Sunday Mar 17th.
Mohamed ElGhalban
Motor Pool Manager
Spring Break Adventures:
Hey CAC! Ready to turn your Spring Break escapades into lifelong memories? Whether you’re exploring new destinations, soaking up the sun, or enjoying cherished moments at home, we want to see it all! Share the joy, the laughter, and the unforgettable moments that make your break spectacular! Let’s showcase our diverse and vibrant CAC community spirit. Submit your shots and videos [preferably vertical] through this form and enjoy our fun recap on social media when you’re back.
Let the Spring Break Adventures begin!
https://forms.gle/jRt4q9pg21ahDy4F6
Nour Nader
Community Outreach Officer
Booster Club News
Booster Club
From the PTO
We owe our amazing community incredible thanks for the hard work and generous support that made this year’s International Festival such a success. So many of our community members donated and volunteered to bring each of our 25 country booths to life!
Every year, at the beginning of Ramadan, PTO gives our hard-working GSS staff a gift to brighten their holy month. PTO will use a portion of the proceeds from International Festival to help fund these gifts. If you would like to contribute, there will be a donation box near the cashier’s window. Envelopes may also be left at security labeled with PTO GSS Ramadan.
We also held a general meeting earlier this week, thanks to everyone who attended! We will have minutes available on our Facebook Group shortly.
CAC PTO
Global Squad Basketball Camp
The Global Squad Basketball Camp is once again coming to CAC and this time for all 3 school divisions.
Athletics & Activities Office
Email: psilick1960@gmail.com