CAC High School Principal’s Notes
HS Christmas Tree Decorated by the Booster Club – Thank you!
Winter Concert Series
Our recent winter concerts were a festive celebration of student talent and the power of the arts! The middle and high school bands, choir, and strings ensembles delighted audiences with beautiful performances, showcasing the creativity, dedication, and teamwork that music inspires. Events like these remind us how important the arts are in fostering self-expression, confidence, and a strong sense of community. A heartfelt thank you to our music teachers and families for supporting our young musicians and making these concerts so memorable.
There’s lots to enjoy at school this weekend. Tomorrow, our PTO is hosting the Winter Bazaar, a perfect opportunity to do some early holiday shopping while supporting our school community. We are also proud to host and welcome several international schools for our basketball and wrestling tournaments:
• ABA Oman International School
• American International School of Bucharest
• Schutz American School, Alexandria
• American International School of Ryadh
• International Community School of Addis Ababa
• American International School in Egypt
Events like these—along with our recent winter concerts—highlight how arts and athletics are essential parts of our holistic educational experience, helping students grow as confident, creative, and well-rounded individuals.
Come cheer on our athletes, enjoy the festive spirit, and be part of our vibrant community this weekend.
Andrew Buckman
HS Principal
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 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
Counseling Department Announcements
Week of December 4, 2025
Grade 9 seminars held this week. Our 9th graders met with the school counselors this week for their periodic Freshmen Seminar. During this session, we focused on effective test-taking strategies, practical study and preparation techniques, and healthy learning habits. We also invited a panel of high-achieving 12th-grade students to share their experiences and offer insight into what to expect during exams. Their perspectives helped our freshmen understand the importance of strong study habits, time management, and staying engaged throughout their high school journey.
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
Moving on from CAC before the winter break?
If you haven’t already informed us please use the link below to let us know if you are withdrawing from CAC at the end of this semester. Please note that middle school report cards and the final high school transcript which includes this semester’s grades will not be available until the last week of January 2026.
https://cacegypt.org/index.php/withdrawal-request
A few days before your departure, a withdrawal form that includes several signatures must also be completed by middle and high school students in order to clear any outstanding obligations, and turned in to the Admission/Registrar’s Office to release records.
Registrar’s office
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:
This Week in CAC Athletics – Come Support Your Eagles!
ISTA Theater Trip December 4-7
Some of our talented HS performers are heading to Siracusa, Sicily for the ISTA Theatre Festival December 4-7!
Let’s wish them luck as they take part in this incredible experience!
Thursday, 4 December – Friday 5 December
CAC Invitational Basketball & Wrestling Tournament
• Thursday: Girls Basketball at CAC + Boys Basketball at AUC
• Friday:
o Both Girls & Boys Basketball Playoff Rounds at CAC!
• Wrestling taking place on the Outdoor Court
Go Eagles!
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)
A Trip to the Association of the Protection of the Environment (APE) in Mokattam, the Trash Collectors Area( Zabaleen)
Saturday, Dec. 6th from 11:00 – 1:00
Join the MS Students as they deliver their collected Socks and Clothing Items collected during Spirit Week to the APE. A quick trip to deliver the donations in person, learn about the organization, and shop at their in-store shopping center.
• Check this VIDEO to Learn about APE
• Check their Website
• Check their Recycled Products
• Sign Up Here to join
If you would like to donate any clothing or non-clothing items, please bring them to the Red Box outside the Service Learning Office, and we will deliver them.
The Service Learning office is located in the MS Building, 1st floor, room 122
The Annual ES Toy Drive
November 30 – December 18
Join the ES Students to donate Toys to the Health and Hope Oasis(H&HO). This is the first supportive care center providing nutritional, physical, and emotional well-being for children recovering from cancer in an environmentally healthy setup. The H&HO is located in Wadi El Natrun on the Cairo-Alex Desert Road.
It serves low-income families, providing their services completely FREE of charge.
Our goal is to provide these children with 500 amazing gift bags!
The Gifts Criteria! Reviewed with the H & HO
(All must be new or in excellent condition!)
• Toys, such as dolls, cars, Legos, clean soft toys, etc.
• Coloring or craft books, stickers, etc.
• Winter Warmers such as scarves, socks, small blankets, etc.
• Backpacks
• Bikes, scooters, and tricycles for the Bike Track
• Chocolate, Candies, etc.
More details can be found in the ES Announcement
If you have any questions, please contact the service-learning office:
Ms. Ereeny Gawdat
Service Learning & CAS Coordinator
egergess@cacegypt.org
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.
CAC PTO