Counselling and Wellbeing

Our counselling and wellbeing ethos is based on developing students’ growth in terms of their academic, personal and social capacity. Counselling at ABS is divided into three domains:

1. Psychological Counselling
2. Career Counselling
3. University Counselling

The Counselling Department aims to promote a nurturing environment for the students to thrive and recognise their potential both academically and socially. Our trained and experienced Psychological Counsellors coach students to deal with some of the challenging and demanding situations they may face preparing them to be internationally minded individuals. We have a specialist for the Primary School KG1 to Grade 5, Ms Sajidah Shamaileh. Our specialist for Middle Years School students is Ms Hala Hamad, and our specialist for the IB College is Ms Rasha Jazi. We have three full-time University Counsellors, Ms Suha Talhouni (Director of University Counselling), Ms Hanan Qubrosi and Mr Eric Wight.

The Department is committed to the Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling model. This model entails a holistic recognition of students’ needs without limiting the counsellor to a specific theory or theoretical discipline. In addition, it encompasses all parties’ involvement in order to reach an applicable plan of help, assistance, and support, whether for the student, family or staff member.

The Department also provides help and support by arranging appointments with students or arranging group sessions; not to mention the rich partnerships the Department creates with parents, the community institutions, in addition to professional institutions.

The Department also respects confidentiality. Therefore, some matters will not be discussed with anyone. In serious matters, which are a Safeguarding issue, the Safeguarding Officer, or the Deputy Safeguarding Officer, will be informed confidentially. Confidentiality is a child right in-line with our “ABS Deceleration of Child Rights”, which is fully aligned with the 1991 UN Declaration of Child Rights.

School Buses

ABS owns 21 modern buses providing transportation for students and staff members.

Students may use the bus service (depending on the area where they live and bus capacity) and can pay for a whole year or by semester. Where space is limited, priority is given to students who have pre-paid for a round trip.

Our bus drivers are well-qualified and experienced. All bus drivers undergo annual medical check-ups. A bus supervisor in each bus is responsible for the safety of the students on board. All buses are fitted with seat belts, carry fire extinguishers and first aid kits. On-board cameras record activity in each bus and each bus is fitted with a tracking system. A Head Driver oversees all aspects of bus transportation.

The School has its own garage with a spare parts shop and two qualified mechanics who are responsible for the daily maintenance of the buses.

Bus Registration Form 2022-2023

Bus Regulations

Cafeterias

• IB College Cafeteria – Blue Fig
• Middle School Cafeteria (The Village) – Blue Fig
• Primary School Cafeteria (The Hive) – Crums
• Sports Complex Cafeteria – Blue Fig

Information and Communications Technology

Our Vision: ABS uses appropriate educational technologies to effectively support learning and teaching and administration in line with AL TARBIYEH
Technology at ABS
Technology is an essentially integrated and highly effective component of student learning, school operations and home-school partnerships at ABS. This is made possible by strategically planning for and continuously updating a flexible and robust infrastructure that supports connected 1-1 devices across all school buildings. Educationally appropriate digital tools and platforms are chosen to support the vigorous and differentiated curriculum such as our virtual learning environments, communication and collaboration platform with a range of digital educational resources, production tools and specialised software supported by an effective student information system. A long term technology strategic plan as well as yearly action plans ensure that we continue to provide our learners with a technology-enhanced and highly stimulating learning environment.

We believe that the effective use of digital technologies and media is a seamless component of and is driven by high quality instructional practices that are embedded in our teaching and learning policy and our school’s guiding principles. This is translated into practice through the adoption of the aspirational ISTE student technology standards that are aligned with the IB programme frameworks and skills expectations and by teachers using the IB AID lens (agency, information design) for planning and reflection. Even though some explicit teaching of technology skills need to take place vertically and horizontally, yet for the most part, digital learning is embedded and integrated through the units of study, follow the design cycle when applicable and support inquiry-constructivist approaches whenever possible. Teachers are supported by a differentiated and ongoing professional development programme facilitated by ICT trainers, integration enablers and IT support staff available to all sections of the school.

As students engage with digital learning within and across disciplines, ABS aims that they also become engaged learners that are empowered to be partners in their own education as well as contributing members of a bigger diverse international community. Technology offers students advanced opportunities to enhance personalised learning and further develop their approaches and attitudes towards learning.

The IB learner profile is at the centre of the teaching and learning philosophy at ABS. Twenty first century tools are great enablers available to our young and adult learners alike to extend their learning and exemplify the IB Learner Profile attributes in new and exciting ways.

• The ability to develop research strategies to locate relevant online information, critically evaluate the accuracy and relevance of information, synthetize to build newer knowledge with meaningful connections and associations to concepts as well as to reflect on the whole cyclical process extend and support the INQUIRER and KNOWLEGEABLE learner attributes.
• Through online digital environments, learners are able to interact with diverse cultures and explore real-time and real-world events and challenges globally and locally. This enhances their ability to be creative and critical THINKERS, problem solvers, as well being OPEN-MINDED in appreciating diverse and multiple viewpoints.
• Through age-appropriate project based work, it is expected that learners become highly PRINCIPLED in adhering to academic honesty and acceptable use policies and guidelines. Learners also develop BALANCED and safe digital habits through a Digital Citizenship awareness programme that is embedded in the Wellbeing curriculum and AL TARBIYEH school motto.
• Online access to a wider community of peers, collaborators and audience provide valuable opportunities to develop effective COMMUNICATION skills as well as CARING attitudes towards oneself and others.
• Technology tools provide opportunities for learners to be RISK TAKERS through experimenting, testing and designing in engaging ways. This also helps in developing high agency where students REFLECT and are empowered by the knowledge of how they learn best, how best they can demonstrate their understanding and how they can grow as learners.