I would like to welcome you to the website page of the Applied Technology High School (ATHS), Al Ain Boys Campus.
For the ATHS Al Ain Boys Campus, the 2011/12 Academic Year has started as one characterized by transitions. Our name has now changed from IAT Al Ain to Applied Technology High School (ATHS) Al Ain. After enrolling our 1st batch of Grade 9 students last year we have this year also enrolled our 1st group of Advanced Science Program students in Grade 9. This is a group of specially selected students to follow an advanced science program where the emphasis will be on subjects like Mathematics, Physical Science as well as Life Science. We have also graduated our 5th batch of Grade 12 students while the fledgling Al Ain Girls Campus has transitioned into a fully autonomous school adjacent to the Boys Campus.
At ATHS Al Ain Boys we have an efficient Student Services department which offer our students support in all fields like counseling, career counseling, health and wellness via a Body Mass Index program and academic support via Student Academic Mentoring program and a system of Remedial or Supplementary classes as part of our new Saturday Activity Program for Extra-Curricular and Tutoring (SAPET) program. Our students are also involved in our Community Service Program (Fazza) to encourage our students to play a significant role in promoting and preserving the culture and heritage of the UAE. In this program our students participated in the National Day celebrations in Al Ain, cleaning up of the desert activities and training services to parents and special needs students.
This is now the 3rd year of applying the One-One Learning solution where each teacher, as well as each student, have an Apple MacBook Laptop and use these effectively in the curriculum delivery and student learning activities. Lots of in-house Professional Development as well as the Intel Training assisted our staff to really come up with effective and innovative new teaching strategies incorporating these new technologies. Even the students were so enthused by this that this project might be extended to include the use of iPads by students and staff in the near future.
We are furthermore pleased with our International Certification program whereby our Grade 12 students are encouraged, and assisted, to obtain an IELTS band 5.5 (academic) certification as well as an IC3 computer competency certification plus a host of other subject specialized certifications like SAT, as this allow most of our students to skip the foundation year at most local universities and move directly to the Freshman Year. This has become a very important component of our students’ qualifications as it forms an integral part of the articulation agreements entered into with HCT and UAEU.
During the years, parents’ involvement was evident in the high number of parents who attended the Parents’ Evenings during the year arranged after each System Wide Standardized Quiz and End of Term exam. In all cases, the attendance was between 70 and 80% of parents attending.
During the Career Exploration Day, we have had more than 40 universities and private sector industries participating and offering our students study and career opportunities.
In addition to our state of the art school buildings which provide our students with the most modern teaching and training facilities and creating a pleasant study environment for all our students and staff, we are fortunate that this year we have also opened our new Gymnasium facility, featuring a multi-purpose sports hall, indoors swimming pool and diving board, a gymnasium equipped with training equipment, a squash court, bowling alley plus a Jacuzzi, Sauna, Steam room and a number of smaller halls for aerobics and gymnastics training.
This summer our grade 11 students will once again participate in the Industry Internship Training Program. In this they are exposed to local industry and gain extensive knowledge of the educational and training requirements of industry. In return, industry takes note of the academic and leadership capabilities of our students for future employment. Our students are therefore held in very high regard by industry and are ensured of future careers within local industry.
To all prospective students, or even staff members, I would thus like to invite you to take up the challenge and join us for your studies or employment with us and ensure your future career in this rapidly developing and technology driven, UAE Industry. You are the future “captains of industry” who will take the UAE to the next level of industrial development.
Dr. Lourens CronjePrincipalATHS, Al Ain Boys Campus