CAC High School Principal’s Notes
Spirit Week
I’m writing today’s article having just finished watching our student community gather for the final dress-up competition of Spirit Week. It’s wonderful to see their positive and creative energy, collaborative team spirit, and general enthusiasm. Spirit Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate not just school spirit, but also that elusive concept of school community. By working together in their grade level teams, and engaging in healthy competition, the sense of camaraderie and belonging is noticeably strengthened throughout the week.
Yes, it creates a little disruption and chaos, but here at the high school, we believe that the positive outcomes for our students far outweigh the minor interruptions these Spirit Week events may cause. We remain committed to our mission statement: learn, explore, and have fun. Spirit Week is a wonderful embodiment of these three words. I hope you enjoy the photos of some of the week’s activities.
Thank you also to our fabulous Booster Club for providing some much needed ice cream refreshment at the end of the day today. If you are interested in volunteering for the Booster Club, you can reach out to them using this email: boosterclub@cacegypt.org.
The faculty were deeply grateful to our wonderful Parent Teacher Organization today as we all met together at lunchtime to enjoy a beautiful lunch provided by our parents. The annual Teacher Appreciation Lunch is a fixture in the CAC calendar and I would like to give my thanks to all of our parent community for the wonderful support you show for our school through the course of the year. We could not do it without your partnership.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Enjoy the holiday tomorrow.
Andrew Buckman
HS Principal
Week Without Walls – Final Payment & Required Form
Dear Parents,
For families whose children are enrolled in an international Week Without Walls (WWW) program, please note that final payment is due on Wednesday, December 4.
An email was sent last Thursday from Mr. Semler with:
• Payment instructions, and
• A WWW Information Form to complete. This form is unique to your student and pre-filled with basic information.
This form is required for all participating students, as it includes health, dietary, and other important details needed to finalize travel arrangements and ensure student safety.
If your child is not currently registered for an international WWW trip but you are still interested, a limited number of spaces remain on select European WWW experiences. To inquire about availability, please contact us at cacwww@cacegypt.org or have your child speak with Mr. Semler at school.
Thank you for your support,
WWW Team
Semester 1 Exams Reminders
Semester 1 Exam Week is fast approaching: December 14th to 18th. The 2025 S1 Exam Schedule shows the daily schedule of all high school exams. Please read this in detail to gain a clear understanding of what the last week of school will look like.
Also, take a moment and review the following points to familiarize yourself with the exam procedures before arriving.
Arrival Times: Give yourself time to locate your examination room and be prepared to start your exams on time. Exam locations will be posted at the entrances of the building. Food venues on campus will operate at their regular times throughout the day. Students may remain on campus after exams.
• Morning Exams: Arrive on campus by 8:25 AM.
• Afternoon Exams: Arrive on campus by 12:40 pm.
The library will be open all day for studying, and the Reading Room & Study Rooms will be available from 7:30 – 8:25 am, 11:15 – 12:40 pm, and 3:00 – 5:00 pm.
Flexible Campus Access: Students are only required to attend school for their exams. Students with off-campus lunch privileges are allowed to leave school early after their last exam. Parents of students without off-campus privileges can email the HS school office to request early dismissal for the week.
Attendance Reminder: Examination timings are fixed and set by the HS Administration. Changes to the examination schedule on an individual basis will only occur under very specific circumstances, such as travel related to visa issues, sudden illness, or family emergencies. Official medical documentation is required to approve any medical absence.
Please be reminded that students who miss an exam without appropriate documentation will not receive a grade for that exam and will not be eligible to re-take the exam.
If you have any questions, please contact the Assistant Principal, Adam Smee: asmee@cacegypt.org
Adam Smee
HS Assistant Principal
Upcoming dates:
• Thu 27 Nov – US Thanksgiving Holiday (no school)
• Tue 2 and Wed 3 Dec – Winter Concert Series (Theatre):
– Strings & Choirs perform on Dec 2nd @ 6pm
– MS & HS Bands perform on Dec 3rd @ 6pm
• Wed 4 Dec – Final WWW payments due
• Fri 5 Dec – PTO Winter Bazaar on the CAC Campus
• 14-18 Dec – Semester 1 Exams
• 19 Dec – Winter Break begins
• Sun 11 Jan – First day of Semester 2. Will be an A Day.
• Thu 22 Jan – Semester 1 Reports Released
GSS Appreciation Lunch
Counseling Department Announcements
Week of November 26, 2025
Upcoming University Visits:
Mini Fair: Tuesday, December 2nd:
11:15 am-12:00 pm outside the high school
EU Business School:
UWE Bristol
University of Portsmouth
University of Essex
Kaplan USA
Kaplan UK
Oxford International Education Group
INTO
Study Group
CEG- Cambridge Education Group
GEDU Global Education
Global Study Group UK
ALEXANDER COLLEGE, Canada
University of Arts London
Global Student Admissions
University of Liverpool John Moores
Oxford Royale Academy Summer Programs
SAT Prep Class Spring 2026: Recommended for those who plan to apply to a university in the US and will take the SAT next May, June and beyond. The course will run over two weekends, April 17 & 18 and April 24 & 25, 2026. Please see the attachments here (flyer, parent letter, and calendar). To register, visit their website here: hgl.co/cac. The registration deadline is February 27, 2026.
Standardized Test Dates: Your student can click on this link to find out more about the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo for those planning to take a standardized test for university entrance requirements. Note: test registrants for any ACT test may receive a relocation notice if ACT moves the testing location from CAC to a different center. You will receive an email from ACT about a week before the test if you are moved.
Visit our CAC Counseling web site for information about college and career research.
Claudia Bean, Staci Petrich, Jody Stiles
HS Counseling
General Announcements
Activities & Athletics Update
Stay in the loop with what’s happening at CAC! For the latest updates, event details, and schedules, check out our live Google Calendar:
Coming up this week in Athletics:
Wednesday, 26 November: 3:30–5:00 PM
FIRST HOME GAME OF THE YEAR: JV Boys Basketball vs. NCBIS @ CAC
Sunday, 30 November·3:00 – 5:30pm
JV Boys & Girls Bball vs AIS @ AIS
David Goetz (Athletics and Activities Director) &
Kasey Semler (Activities Coordinator)
Parenting Together With Positive Discipline (Tweens & Teens) – Starts Feb.01, 2026
For CAC Parents with Children in Grades 4-12
Join Carey Harris & Amira Hashem for a parenting course designed for all CAC parents.
The 8-week long course meets weekly to…
• address real issues for parents of today’s tweens & teens
• learn over 50 long-term, take-away tools for parenting during the adolescent years
• create a support network for parents of the Cairo American College community
Space is limited! Save your spot – REGISTER HERE
To learn more about the course visit: https://parentingtogether.edublogs.org/
Carey Harris
School Counselor & Positive Discipline Trainer (CPDT)
From the Booster Club
CAC Spirit Store Holiday Sale!
15% OFF most items — plus even bigger discounts on select gear!
Sale Dates: November 29 – December 18
Special Event: Shop during the CAC Winter Bazaar on December 5!
Store Hours: Open on school days from 8–10 AM, 11:00–12:30 PM, and 2:30–4 PM
Enjoy our specially blended cocoa — 350 LE per packet!
Stock up on hoodies, tees, and spirit wear for the holidays!
(Sale excludes travel uniforms, calculators, and water bottles.)
Show your school spirit and soar like an Eagle!
CAC Booster Club
From the PTO
We’re excited to share this year’s Winter Bazaar flyer with you! It’s one of our favorite community events, and we can’t wait to celebrate together.
Tickets go on sale Sunday, November 23!
Available at the Front Gate and the Spirit Store.
Please remember: CAC IDs are required to purchase CAC tickets.
CAC PTO