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Academics

What We Teach

Our instructional continuum begins with a holistic approach to learning, based on a unique blend of American and Finnish pedagogies and curricula in the primary years, transitioning to the project-based, experiential learning of the American curriculum in the secondary years.

Learning at Dar Essalam American School promotes students' skills in:

Creative and critical thinking

Problem-solving

Understanding different viewpoints

Ethical decision-making

Proactive and interactive goal-setting

Learning Spaces

Created by the world-renowned American architectural firm, FXCollaborative, in partnership with Omar Alaoui, Morocco’s preeminent architect, the school was designed with modular and agile spaces to offer total flexibility for learning activities.

State-of-the-art spaces include the Black Box Theater, where students have the freedom to explore traditional and alternative performance techniques, express their art in different forms, and organize events; and the Makerspace, a universe dedicated to design, exploration, and experimentation, where learners familiarize themselves with the latest technology equipment.

These specially designed environments for learning and growth provide a link between instruction and interests. Activities are offered and promoted in the areas of athletics, visual arts, music, and theater. Students are also encouraged to pursue new avenues such as community outreach services, student leadership, and mentoring. The intersection of curricular and co-curricular activities are a central part of the extended community at Dar Essalam.

Our teachers

Relationships. Teachers. More often, research tells us that the relationship students develop with their teachers goes a long way to making a difference in their educational success.

This idea has guided us as we recruited our teachers for Dar Essalam American School. Our teaching staff this first year is made up of teachers with extensive international teaching practice. They have over 16 years, on average, of teaching experience.

Hailing from the UK, Australia, the US and Finland, we have gathered a strong group of educators who are ready to do their finest work here in Morocco. We are excited to introduce them to you! 

Nicole Roetter Gresback

Elementary SCHOOL TEACHER

Mark Martin

Middle School Maths SCHOOL TEACHER

Shalin Guillen

PREK SCHOOL TEACHER

Wilson Ashton

Secondary Mathematics SCHOOL TEACHER

Jeffrey Gresback

Middle school social studies teacher, and high school business management SCHOOL TEACHER

Alison Pluim

Secondary School Counselor

Chantal Butzbach

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Nancy Shay

International Diploma Programme Coordinator & English SCHOOL TEACHER

Ali Bougrine

Health and Physical Education SCHOOL TEACHER

Michelle Khallafi

Elementary School Teacher

Mohammed Omari

ARABIC SCHOOL TEACHER

Liz (Elizabeth) Wolden

Elementary Music SCHOOL TEACHER

Adil El Megaless

ARABIC SCHOOL TEACHER

Johanna Winberg

Elementary School Principal

Lyubov Borisova Waters

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Sirkku Huuska

Elementary school teacher

Anniina Kapanen

French Language Specialist

Eeva Sirkku Konola

Elementary school teacher

Alex Maros

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Melanie Tahan

Librarian

Sandi Engler

College Counselor

Megan Skaggs

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Joseph McPherson

Design teacher & EAL support SCHOOL TEACHER

Joan Bolander

Learning Support SCHOOL TEACHER

Angel Araoz

Wellness SCHOOL TEACHER

Michelena McPherson

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

LaShonda Terry

Elementary SCHOOL TEACHER

Elementary SCHOOL TEACHER

Nicole Roetter Gresback

Nicole Roetter Gresback has been an elementary teacher for 26 years. She taught in the United States, Taiwan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and most recently in Myanmar.

Middle School Maths SCHOOL TEACHER

Mark Martin

Mark Martin is from Athens, Georgia, United States. He has 15 years of experience as an educator in mathematics and has served on several departments like School Improvement Leadership Team, Mathematics Chair, Curriculum Writer Committee, Data Team Leader, and Benchmark Assessment Committee member.

PREK SCHOOL TEACHER

Shalin Guillen

Shalin Guillen teaches students in PreKindergarten at our school. She is from the United States and for the past 5 years has taught at schools in France, Morocco and the USA.

Secondary Mathematics SCHOOL TEACHER

Wilson Ashton

In his 12th year of teaching both in the United States and overseas, Wilson Ashton taught secondary and IB math. Wilson taught in Texas, China, and Colombia, from Algebra to Calculus. Aside from math, Wilson has two United States Soccer Federation coaching licenses, and has also coached volleyball, table tennis, and the math team.

Middle school social studies teacher, and high school business management SCHOOL TEACHER

Jeffrey Gresback

Jeffrey Gresback is our middle school social studies teacher and high school business management teacher. He has M.Ed. from the University of Minnesota, USA. His intellectual pursuits have brought him to delve deeply into the history of the Middle East while studying at the American University of Cairo. His initial academic foundation lies in the social sciences of geography, economics, and history. The countries he has taught before include Bangladesh, Pakistan, Taiwan, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. 

Secondary School Counselor

Alison Pluim

As a secondary school counselor at DAS, she is here to support our students’ social and emotional well-being. Her previous experiences include working as a DP psychology teacher and upper school counselor in other international schools in  Indonesia, UK, & Marrakesh. At home in Canada, she has worked in private therapy and as a counseling therapist with children & youths in clinical mental health settings.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Chantal Butzbach

Chantal Butzbach is our Kindergarten Teacher. She is from the United States and has over 19 years of experience teaching in Morocco, Congo, and China.

International Diploma Programme Coordinator & English SCHOOL TEACHER

Nancy Shay

Nancy Shay is the International Diploma Programme Coordinator and an English teacher at DAS. She taught in the United States for over three decades and has also taught internationally in Israel and the Cayman Islands.

Health and Physical Education SCHOOL TEACHER

Ali Bougrine

Ali Bougrine is a Wellness Teacher for Grade PreK4 to Grade 5. He is from Morocco and has taught at international schools in Morocco and Indonesia for the past 7 years.

Elementary School Teacher

Michelle Khallafi

Teaches Kindergarten at DAS. She is from the United States with a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and is certified in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She has over 7 years of teaching experience at different schools in the USA.

ARABIC SCHOOL TEACHER

Mohammed Omari

Mohammed Omari teaches Arabic Language to Grades 1 to 9. He is Moroccan and has been teaching Arabic at various schools in Morocco for the past 6 years.

Elementary Music SCHOOL TEACHER

Liz (Elizabeth) Wolden

Liz is the Elementary Music Teacher at DAS and has taught in the US, Egypt, Myanmar, India, UAE and Vietnam.

ARABIC SCHOOL TEACHER

Adil El Megaless

Adil El Megaless teaches Arabic Language to Grades 1 to 9. He is from Morocco and has been teaching at different schools in Morocco for the past 16 years.

Elementary School Principal

Johanna Winberg

Johanna Winberg is the Elementary School Principal. She is a teacher and principal from Finland, and she has a master’s degree in Education. Johanna has previously worked in Sweden, Qatar and Lebanon.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Lyubov Borisova Waters

Lyubov Borisova Waters is our Elementary School Counselor. She is an American citizen with over 27 years of experience working as a school counselor and principal.

Elementary school teacher

Sirkku Huuska

Sirkku Huuska is an elementary school teacher at DAS. She studied in the USA and UK. She has a master's degree in sciences of education from The University of Helsinki in Finland. She has more than 15 years of experience in professional teaching in Finland and Denmark. 

French Language Specialist

Anniina Kapanen

Anniina Kapanen is a French acquisition teacher.  She taught French, Spanish and literature in Finland for the last ten years. She has also worked as an educator in Portugal and Mexico.

Elementary school teacher

Eeva Sirkku Konola

Ms. Eeva has a master's degree in education. She is also a qualified subject teacher of mathematics, English, Finnish, Literature and has a diploma in leadership and administration in education (Principal’s qualification).

She has more than 35 years of teaching experience in all grades, from KG to Middle School, mainly the Finnish educational system. She has been teaching overseas for 8 years, in the UAE, Oman and Maldives.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Alex Maros

Alex Maros is the teacher for Grade 4. He is from the US and has been teaching at different schools in the USA for the past 6 years.

Librarian

Melanie Tahan

Melanie Tahan is our PK-12th grade school librarian. She has been a teacher and school librarian for over 25 years. She has taught in the United states, Japan, Morocco, Scotland and Myanmar.

College Counselor

Sandi Engler

Sandi Engler is our College Counselor and Student Well Being Team Leader. Originally from the USA, she has spent the last 35 years working overseas in India and primarily Turkey where she served as a teacher, Director of English, and Director of College Counseling. Sandi is a member of both IACAC (International Association of College Admissions Counselors) and NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counselors). Her expertise spans across setting up and managing college counseling departments; advising and preparing students for university applications worldwide, as well as maintaining strong relationships with university representatives.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Megan Skaggs

Megan Skaggs teaches Grade 1 at DAS. She is from the United States and has spent the last 10 years at different schools in the USA, Egypt, Albania, and China.

Design teacher & EAL support SCHOOL TEACHER

Joseph McPherson

Joseph is our Design & EAL support teacher.  He has taught in Japan, China, Vietnam and the US. After 3 years of supporting IB Design teachers at his previous school in Vietnam, he is excited to share his love of the creative process with the students of DAS. Mr. Mac also enjoys cycling, sailing and exploring music through the flute and guitar.

Learning Support SCHOOL TEACHER

Joan Bolander

Joan Bolander is our learning support teacher. She taught students with a variety of disabilities, learning and behavioral challenges in the United States.

Wellness SCHOOL TEACHER

Angel Araoz

Angel Araoz is originally from Cuba where he taught physical education for 9 years. He came to DAS from Finland where he worked for the past four years.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Michelena McPherson

Michelena McPherson teaches Grade 5 at DAS. She is American and has over 24 years’ experience teaching at schools in Japan, USA, China and Vietnam.

Elementary SCHOOL TEACHER

LaShonda Terry

LaShonda Terry started her teaching career as an elementary school teacher in the U.S. She later earned her MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and went on to teach in the UAE and Mauritania. She also taught online classes to students in China.

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We begin our early years program with four year olds. Along with our Kindergarten classes, they will be our youngest group to start their journey with many hands-on and active learning experiences with a teacher and assistant in each classroom.

Students in grades 1 to 5 will be assigned to a homeroom teacher and a grade level assistant. They will combine core subject lessons in math, science, social studies and English with supplemental learning in art, music, crafts and physical education. Their time is not limited to in class work, but also outdoor learning experiences with much time for recreation and movement activities. Students will be exposed to the Arabic and French languages from the early years program, through song, dance and storytelling. They will continue in subject classes for both languages with additional opportunities to practice the language during selected units for classes in art, music and other subjects.

Our Cultural and Entrepreneurial paths begin in these elementary years and provide students with true experiences in Moroccan culture as it relates to their learning objectives.

In the middle years of grades 6 to 8, students go through a transition that expects more independence and responsibility.

At this level, core classes are taught by a variety of teachers and students must move from room to room, with materials and supplies needed. Similar supplemental classes are offered, although there is more choice and unique opportunities. This is where our Makerspace curriculum will begin in earnest, as well as lessons on daily living skills through our Life X-perience course. Language learning continues for these years, with an emphasis on literacy and conversation in both Arabic and French.

During these 3 years of learning, students will continue on the cultural and entrepreneurial exploration of Morocco, with trips and experiences outside of the four walls of the school.

Our high school program begins in Grade 9 and continues through Grade 12. Students have the opportunity to make more choices about their learning in these years, preparing them for university and putting them on the path to success.

Subjects of study include the traditional American curriculum courses in English, math, science, and history, with the addition of international language and cultural options.

We also incorporate some 21st century choices such as Robotics and Coding, as well as other elective classes. High school students receive counseling support that builds their self-esteem and social development, while also working on career planning and university selections.

During these final years of secondary schooling, students at Dar Essalam are encouraged to find their voice and move toward their global calling.

Our boarding program is open to students starting in Grade 7. Students follow the same course of study as their day-school peers, with the added benefit of complete immersion in DAS’s student-centered, multilingual learning environment, plus 24/7 social-emotional support and mentorship from caring and qualified boarding staff.

Our secondary teachers support the boarding program through regular pastoral care, involving additional subject-area instruction, individualized academic support, outings across Rabat, and dynamic extracurricular activities.

Students also benefit from supervised, after-hours access to DAS’s state of the art learning environments, plus the boarding program’s very own “Atelier”, a digital design and media lab.

Student Supports

We offer students learning support in the area of English language acquisition and overall academics. Our programs are inclusive and developed alongside classroom teachers and their instructional program.

Our English as an Additional Language program (EAL) provides supplemental teaching of skills that are essential to reading, writing and speaking English in the classroom. We use the teacher’s lessons to reinforce vocabulary, practice fluency and increase production in written tasks. Students will be monitored using the WIDA language assessment and will work towards a proficiency level to be independent in their core classroom learning.

Our Learning Differences program (LD) is designed to support students with mild to moderate learning needs. The services are provided to flexible groupings and are tailored to the students’ strengths and areas for development. We serve students inclusively with the classroom teacher and other staff working together to adapt lessons and create a variety of opportunities to show their learning.

Calendar

Our school year calendar has 180 instructional days, spread out over ten months. Students will be given the national Moroccan holidays, as well as breaks in the fall, winter and spring. The school year will be divided into two semesters with twice a year report cards and meetings with parents, teachers and students.

2023/2024 School Calendar
2024/2025 School Calendar
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