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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! 

Lyubov Borisova Waters

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Michelle Khallafi

Kindergarten Teacher

Shalin Guillen

PREK TEACHER

Harry Houlis

Elementary & Secondary Principal

Marja Strid

Learning Support Teacher

Joseph McPherson

Design teacher & EAL support teacher

Ali Bougrine

Health and Physical Education Teacher

Megan Skaggs

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

Adil El Megaless

ARABIC TEACHER

Nancy Shay

International Diploma Programme Coordinator & English Teacher

Alex Maros

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

Meriem Bellamine

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Chantal Butzbach

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

Michelena McPherson

ELEMENTARY TEACHER

Mohammed Omari

ARABIC TEACHER

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.

Kindergarten 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.

PREK 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.

Elementary & Secondary Principal

Harry Houlis

Harry works as the Pk-10 Principal. Originally from the United States, he has worked in international education over the past 30 years in Kuwait, Poland, Croatia, Spain and Russia as both a teacher and an administrator. This is his second time working in Rabat having worked in Morocco 20 years ago. He is excited to be part of the DAS school as it continues to grow and develop.

Learning Support Teacher

Marja Strid

Marja Strid teaches students from preK3 to 10th grade when support is needed.

She has a master's degree in educational sciences and is a certified Special Education Class Teacher and Neuropsychiatric Coach.

Marja Started her career as a class teacher but has now been working in special education for twenty years. This is her second position in an international school. The previous was in UWC East Africa in Tanzania

Design teacher & EAL support 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.

Health and Physical Education 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 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.

ARABIC 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.

International Diploma Programme Coordinator & English 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.

ELEMENTARY 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.

TEACHING ASSISTANT

Meriem Bellamine

Meriem Bellamine is a Moroccan multilingual teaching assistant at DAS. She is a former student of the Casablanca American School, where she also worked for 5 years. She is passionate, loving and caring person who also loves new experiences and challenges. She lived in Switzerland and Spain and loves sharing and learning about different cultures.

ELEMENTARY 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.

ELEMENTARY 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.

ARABIC 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.

Schedule a virtual or in-person appointment with a member of our admissions team

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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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