PTA Handbook 2019-20

PTA COMMUNITY HANDBOOK
2019-2020

WELCOME
ACS SUPERINTENDENT
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the American Community School of Abu Dhabi! When I have moved to a new commu-
nity, one of the first things that I like to do is to learn as much as I can about the culture that exists
at the school and find out how things are done. Our PTA members have taken a great deal of care to
prepare this handbook in order to help answer these types of questions.
Please read through this handbook and feel free to ask any questions that remain unanswered. I en-
courage you to join the PTA and become involved in our school activities. This handbook gives you an
overview of the current activities sponsored by the PTA. We are very interested in hearing your ideas
for activities or initiatives that you think would contribute to fostering a greater community spirit at
ACS.
Our teachers and staff are very grateful for the help they have received from the PTA in enhancing
and enriching classroom activities and equipment that supports student learning. Together, we have
created a culture that is in alignment with the school’s mission of preparing a culturally diverse student
for a life long commitment to learning, service and global citizenship.
Thank you for choosing to become members of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi. I
look forward to working with you as we continue to make ACS a school that challenges and motivates
our students to do their very best.
It is truly an honor to be a part of this vibrant and caring community. Please feel free to stop in and
speak with me at any time. I look forward to your participation as a member of the ACS learning
community.

Monique Flickinger
Superintendent

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WELCOME
ACS PTA PRESIDENT
Dear ACS Community Members,

On behalf of the PTA team for the 2019-2020 school year, I would like to extend you a warm welcome to
ACS.
The PTA New Family program is especially tailored to facilitate the integration of new students. We hope
to see many of you in the ACS Auditorium for the following events:
August 29th - New Family Coffee at 8:15am in the Auditorium
September 6th - New Family Reception at 5:00pm in the Auditorium
The PTA looks forward to welcoming and helping all new ACS families settle into our ACS Community
and Abu Dhabi.

Aman Al Tawil
PTA President

MEET YOUR PTA OFFICERS
PTA President, Aman Al Tawil
Aman and her family moved to Abu Dhabi in 2011 arriving from New York City. She has three children,
Tala in 6th grade, Laith in 4th grade and Haya who is 4 years old. Aman feels lucky to have been able to
volunteer at ACS beginning with her kids’ KG years until the present as an assistant homeroom parent,
Girl Scout troop co-leader, snow cone volunteer, holiday extravaganza volunteer and looks forward to
serving as the PTA president next year so that she can continue to be involved in the ACS community.
Prior to becoming a full time mom, Aman practiced regulatory energy law in Washington, DC and in
NYC. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Bucknell University graduating Magna
Cum Laude and a law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University.

PTA Vice President, Roulana Jarrar-Qubbaj
Roulana Jarrar-Qubbaj, along with her husband Muhannad and three children, Leyanne (ACS Class of
2018, Trinity College Class of 2022), Faisal (currently Grade 11), and Aya (currently KG2) moved to Abu
Dhabi in 2006 from the UK. Over the past thirteen years, being part of the ACS community and family
has been an amazing experience for her, her husband, but most importantly her children. ACS has always
been her children’s “happy and safe” place.
At ACS, Roulana has been involved in different capacities over the years: Homeroom Parent for various
grade levels, PTA president for three years, Middle School Liaison, High School Liaison, VP of the Viper
Club, and involved in Fall Festival and Holiday Extravaganza. She has also been actively involved in nu-
merous other annual school events and festivities.
Roulana studied accounting and finance in Toronto.

PTA Secretary, Kristin Dougherty
Kristin and her family recently moved to Abu Dhabi in November 2018 from Maryland, just outside
of Washington, DC. She has a daughter in 2nd grade and a son and KG2. In her first months here at
ACS, Kristin has volunteered in her children’s classrooms and with the ACS Gala Committee. She is
looking forward to being more involved in the ACS community in the coming years.
Kristin holds a B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo and a M.Ed. in School Counseling from Bos-
ton University. Prior to becoming a full time mom, Kristin worked in College Admissions and as a
School Counselor at the Middle and High School levels.

PTA Treasurer, Neha Karumanchi
Neha moved to Abu Dhabi along with her husband, Prasanth, and children Aanya (3rd Grader at
ACS) and Viraat (~3 years old) in January 2016. After having lived in India, Bahrain, New York, Phil-
adelphia, France and California, Abu Dhabi is where she feels most at home. On the professional front,
Neha had worked with The Oberoi Group (India) and Regus Inc. (Bahrain, USA and Abu Dhabi) in
leadership positions across Sales and Operations before deciding to be a full-time homemaker in 2016.
In the 2017-18 school session, Neha volunteered at ACS as a homeroom parent, for the Fall Festival,
and for the Gala. She looks forward to serving the ACS community in 2019-20 as the PTA Treasurer
combining her personal interests with her passion to serve.

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THE PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION OF ACS
The ACS Association consists of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and the ACS Board of Trustees.
Association Membership
• The parents or guardians of students enrolled in ACS are automatically members of the Associ-

ations and therefore automatically members of the PTA. Membership in the Association ceases
when a parent or guardian no longer has at least one student enrolled in ACS.
• School personnel, including teachers, aides, librarians, secretaries, etc. Membership in the Associ-
ation ceases when employment at ACS is terminated.
• Invitees by Board of Trustees.
PTA Purpose
The purposes of the PTA shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:
• To bring together the Association membership for the support of school-related activities
• To serve as a medium through which members may become acquainted and may cooperate with
each other, with school personnel, and with the trustees
• To elect members of the Board of Trustees
• To hear progress reports regarding the school and its program, plans for the future, and other re-
lated matters
• To encourage the free exchange of ideas among the members of the Association, school personnel,
and trustees
• To promote the welfare and development of children in the school and the community
• To cooperate with other organizations and agencies active in child welfare (such as coordinating
councils or conference groups)
• To celebrate the children of American Community School of Abu Dhabi
• To support the Core Values of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi
• To facilitate the organization, development, and ongoing operation of the Viper Club to support
all programs coordinated under the American Community School of Abu Dhabi Athletics and
Activities Director
• To support the organization, development, and ongoing operation of Parent Liaisons for the Ele-
mentary, Middle, and High School divisions of the American Community School of Abu Dhabi.

The Purposes of the ACS PTA are promoted through programs directed toward the ACS community
and the general public; and developed through committees, sub-organizations, projects, events, and
programs; and are governed and qualified by the basic policies set forth in Section I of the Association
Bylaws and in Article IV of the ACS PTA Bylaws
PTA Character
The PTA is organized and operated exclusively for the sponsorship of the American Community School
of Abu Dhabi. It is non-commercial, non-partisan, and non-sectarian. No part of its earnings or net
income is to the benefit of any individual, and no member of the Association or trustee is to receive or
be entitled to receive any pecuniary profit from the operations. The PTA is a voluntary, democratic or-
ganization of persons interested in the welfare of the American Community School. The PTA officers
are elected annually by the association members at large.
PTA Mission
The PTA’s mission is to build bridges between all members of the ACS Association. The Association
includes families, alumni, personnel and trustees. We strive to enhance our students’ learning experi-
ences, global citizenship, and also strengthen communication between home and school, all through a
multitude of programs and effective fundraising. We celebrate every child.

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Core Values: PTA stands for
• Collaboration: We work in partnership to accomplish our agreed-upon goals, supporting ACS core

values.
• Commitment: We are dedicated to making ACS a strong community, with focus on children‘s

well-being, global citizenship, and educational success through strong parent, family, and commu-
nity involvement.
• Accountability: We acknowledge our obligations. We deliver on our promises.
• Respect: We value our colleagues and ourselves. We expect the same high quality of effort and
thought from ourselves as we do from others.
• Inclusivity: We invite the stranger and welcome the newcomer. We value and seek input from as
wide a spectrum of viewpoints and experiences as possible.
• Integrity: We act consistently with our beliefs. When we err, we acknowledge the mistake and seek
to make amends.
PTA Structure
• PTA Executive Committee is made up of the PTA president and officers.
• The Executive committee will meet regularly to conduct its business as called by the PTA president.
• PTA Board is made up of the PTA executive committee + Viper Club (president or treasurer) +
School Liaisons (ES, MS & HS) + Teacher Reps + Standing Committee Chairs.
• The PTA Board will meet once a quarter to conduct its business. Additional meetings may be
called by any PTA Board member as needed. A majority of members present and voting shall de-
cide matters brought before the Association except as otherwise provided in the By-Laws.
• PTA Event Chairs is made up of the chairs for ALL PTA sponsored events.
• The PTA Event Chairs will meet once a year to discuss the planning of the various events. The
meeting shall be called by the PTA president. This can be during a quarterly meeting.

PTA Roles of the Executive Committee
PTA President
The president will ensure PTA funds are allocated to programs and events that map out to the PTA
mission and report back to the association on all decisions made and money spent. In this capacity, the
PTA president will run the needed meetings, create the needed committees and engage the community
appropriately.
PTA Vice President
The Vice President of the Association will perform all duties as the President may from time to time
prescribe. In addition, the Vice President will perform the duties of the President in the absence of the
President.
PTA Secretary
The Secretary of the Association keeps minutes and archives all PTA (Officers, Association) meetings,
keeps attendance, and supports the other officers.
PTA Treasurer
The Treasurer of the Association will keep records of all expenditures and receipts of the Association
per se. Association funds will be kept separate from ACS funds, which are handled exclusively by the
Board of Trustees. The Treasurer will only approve expenses that are within budget. They will submit
the books to be audited annually or upon request, and shall report to the Association on financial
matters quarterly.

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PTA Board
The general duties of the PTA Board are:
• To transact necessary business in the intervals between PTA meetings and such other business as

may be referred to it by the PTA, maintaining a coherent and an integrated interface
• To create standing and special committees as needed to support PTA mission
• To approve the plans of work of the standing and special committees
• To present a report at the regular meetings of the PTA
• To prepare and approve proposed budget to be presented to the PTA members for adoption
• To obtain Association membership approval for any changes to the adopted budget over $300.00
Viper Club
The Viper Club will elect the following officers: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The
Viper Club treasurer will report accounting to ACS PTA treasurer and to the Association as stated in
the PTA Bylaws.
The Viper Club representative(s) to the PTA board will be the link between the Viper Club and the
PTA to coordinate events and programs for the support of the athletics, academic and fine arts activi-
ties, ensuring all such events are coherently mapping to overall PTA mission.
School Liaisons
The mission of school liaisons is to empower, inspire and serve through the enhancement of commu-
nication; advising; and community building.
Liaisons work in collaboration with the administration in order to maintain timely, relevant and con-
sistent communication from school to home. To offer additional support to help the school achieve
its mission and collaborate on ACS’s continuous advancement of a learning environment focused on
educating and raising responsible young adults. Our efforts to serve to strengthen the parent network
in the perspective school so students, families and the school can flourish.
Liaison committees consist of one or two parent representatives from each grade (with alternates) and
the PTA liaison. We typically add new members each May.
Liaisons do not become involved in individual concerns about isolated incidents, private student or
teacher matters. There are channels available for parents to resolve those issues outlined below in esca-
lation/decision making path.

Teacher Representative
The Teacher Representative, as selected by the Superintendent, will:
• Attend PTA board quarterly meetings.
• Aid with planning events always with the goal of improving student learning.
• Report at Association meetings on the activities in the classrooms.
• Give feedback to the PTA and school administration on planned events and ideas.
PTA Event Chairs
PTA event chairs will meet with the PTA executive committee at the beginning of the year to review
event budget, and review and agree on planning guidelines before planning their events. Each event
chair will form sub-committees to help plan and execute their events as they see fit. Upon finalizing
each event, the chair has the responsibility of updating their event file(s) before handing it over to PTA
secretary, filling a feedback form on their event, and soliciting feedback from the community on their
event.

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Parent Involvement
Volunteering in the schools has been proven to improve student performance in significant, measur-
able ways. We are fortunate at ACS with a rich set of parents that share that belief with the research
community, which is apparent in our student body.
We thank you in advance for your involvement and wanted to share with you the tangible effects of
all what you do.
The PTA believes that parents are children’s first teachers, and that parent involvement is essential
throughout a child’s education experience. With parent volunteering, research shows that students will:
• Earn higher grades / Achieve higher test scores
• Complete homework more effectively
• Show increased motivation, higher level of self-esteem
• Decreased use of drugs and alcohol
• Fewer instances of violent behavior
Other Benefits include:
• Parents who volunteer communicate more with teachers and staff.
• Parents in the classroom have the opportunity to get to know your child’s classmates.
• Parents become more in tune to the needs of the school and students.
• Whether they admit it or not, kids are delighted at seeing their parents in the school.
• Communication between school and family significantly increases.
• Events and programs efficiency will increase due to increase in volunteerism/parent help.
• Parents will get more connected with your Parent Group and membership will grow; parents will

understand the impact of involvement beyond attending a meeting.
• You build stronger advocacy for children in your community when volunteers buy into their role

as proud school-supporters.
• You build future volunteers as children witness firsthand, parent volunteerism. They will surely

imitate the good example.

Involved parents bring skills in parenting, advocacy, communication, learning support, and volunteer-
ism to promote the well-being of their children.
PTA can help bring families and schools together. Many parents feel that they cannot participate in the
PTA because they cannot come to meetings or be on campus during the day. We want everyone to feel
that they are a true part of the ACS Community fabric. Whether you have a couple of hours or a few
days, your ideas, your time, and your talents are truly needed. We can match your time constraints and
interests to needed tasks. There are endless possibilities in ways you can help.
We have some exciting things planned for this year such as the ES Fall Festival, MS Sports Festival, HS
Career day, All school International day.... just to name a few.
A full list of PTA sponsored events for this year is listed on the school website. We would love to hear
from you! Please feel free to contact any of the officers or Liaisons with new ideas or feedback at any
time. We will also happily answer any questions you may have.

CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION
The PTA will communicate with parents and staff through various channels, but not limited to:
• Quarterly meetings
• Quarterly newsletters
• Social Media updates
• Email

WELCOME ON BOARD

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something ”

- Unknown