Student Resources

Technology and innovation is an integral component of learning at ASD for students as well as faculty/staff. We leverage a wide variety of services and applications across the curriculum. Every Elementary School student has access to an iPad or MacBook. In grades 6-12, every student is required to have their own Apple laptop for educational use. The Learning Systems team and coaches support K-12 teachers through a variety of inservice programs, online learning, and 1:1 instruction. 

The ASD student uniform is worn by all students PreK - 12. Student uniforms support our learning-focused environment and promote the school’s core values of compassion, excellence, integrity, respect, and responsibility. As a school located in the United Arab Emirates, the uniform is designed to respect host country culture and promote respect and responsibility for self. The ASD uniform garments are aligned with division dress code policies.

ASD elementary and middle school students have the choice of several shirts, sweaters and a zip-up jacket. Bottoms include pants or shorts for males and jumpers, skirts (ES), skorts (ES), pants, shorts, and capri pants for females. High school students have the choice of several shirts as well as sweater and jacket options. High school males wear pants and female students have the option of pants or capri pants.  

Please note: ASD uniform vendor information is given to enrolled families. We ask that you plan ahead and purchase uniforms through designated vendors as there are no uniforms available for sale on campus. Also, please review the school handbook for each division for dress code requirements which includes details about accessories, footwear, and sprit/dress-down days.

P.E. Kits

All ASD physical education classes require a P.E. uniform. Often referred to as the P.E. Kit, the uniform is a red sports shirt and black athletic shorts made of quick-dry fabric. P.E. Kits are purchased on campus at the ASD school store. 

Elementary School

All school supplies for elementary students are provided for each child through the classroom. Elementary students are required to bring from home a sun hat for outdoor wear and water bottle. For those bringing lunch from home, students bring their own personal lunchbox.

Middle School

Students have grade-specific lists of school supplies needed for the year. Enrolled families receive these lists each spring to prepare for the following school year. Supplies can be brought from home/purchased locally or purchased at the beginning of the school year from the ASD school store.

High School

Because high school courses and needs vary, faculty share supply needs with students at the beginning of a course. Supplies can be brought from home/purchased locally or from the ASD school store. However, calculators are required for all math courses. Many families purchase calculators in home countries where they are more available and sometimes less expensive. The Texas Instrument (TI)-83, (TI-84) and the (TI)-Nspire models are the standard calculators.

Through our food services provider MasterCook, ASD offers pre-plated, pre-ordered, healthy hot and cold lunch options for ES students as well as a 3-course menu for MS and HS students with 4 choices of meals per day.

This includes vegan and vegetarian options,  a commitment to sustainable goals including using as many biodegradable products as possible and integration with the ASD Sustainable Garden, Kitchen Classroom, and composting program, and a secure cashless pay system for payment of individual lunches or snack items.

There are several additional snack and beverage items available from two on-campus cafés and from the Falcon's Nest kiosk.

ASD is an allergen-aware campus, and not an allergen-free school. An allergen-aware campus seeks to create an environment in which children with severe allergies can progressively assume responsibility for monitoring and taking action aligned with their medical condition. ASD provides food labeling and monitors the sales of foods with allergens most likely to cause severe reactions. ASD parents should contact the Health Office to provide all medical conditions of students. An ASD Nutrition Committee, comprised of faculty and parent volunteers, helps bring nutrition to the forefront of our food services. The school also provides a food labeling and ranking system to support education on food choices. 

The goal of the Health Office is to support the maximum learning experiences for ASD students, as well as faculty and staff through wellness and safety. The Health Office provides health and wellness education for the ASD community, assists with managing wellness for school-sponsored trips, and ensures compliance with the requirements of the Dubai Health Authority.

Staffed with physician, Dr. Omaima Ataya, four nurses, and an administrative assistant, ASD provides health services during the school day and for after-school activities and weekend athletic tournaments. The Health Office is responsible for reviewing and maintaining student health and immunization records and conducts medical exams as required by UAE law. The Health Office is also active in planning the annual middle school and high school Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) program and providing classroom education. The Health Office serves the community by making available information on local health services, practitioners, clinics, and hospitals. For questions, please contact the Health Office.

Student Drop-off & Pick-up

ASD seeks to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all students, faculty and staff, parents, and visitors. To maximize student learning, ASD relies on the entire community to follow traffic systems and parking rules. Arriving to campus early provides the best opportunity to ensure ease of student transition to learning. Traffic flows around campus in a clockwise pattern. Middle and High school students should enter campus using security gates 3. Elementary families utilize gates 5 and 6. Please be mindful of designated areas for drop-off and pick-up especially around gate 1. Classrooms open daily at 8:00 a.m.; learning begins at 8:15 a.m.

Bus Service

ASD’s official student transportation provider is School Transportation Services. STS is a well established Dubai-area transportation provider that transports over 60,000 students and other passengers every day across the UAE. They offer safety features as GPS monitoring, electronic attendance systems, seat belts, central operations control, an on-site campus representative for ASD families, and professionally trained drivers. Utilizing student bus transportation benefits the environment and reduces carbon footprint while also reducing congestion at peak traffic times at ASD. STS provides a number of departures from campus and pick-ups from most major neighborhoods in Dubai. Detailed information including pricing is available to ASD families. 

Carpools/Ride Sharing 

Some ASD families supplement school transportation with carpools. These are arranged independently between families based on their interests and needs. ASD families interested in carpooling may contact the Admissions Office to learn of others located in their neighborhood.