American Community School of Abu Dhabi

The first campus was founded in 1972, near the Japan Oil Company off Sheikh Zayed the First Road, by the US diplomatic mission and representatives of major oil companies. In 1975 the campus moved to its current location on Sultan bin Zayed Street – a site donated by President Sheikh Khalifa and further extended by him in 1989. This allowed ACS to add a high school in 1991 and offer more extra-curricular activities, including media centers, a theatre, a dance studio, and multipurpose rooms.

ACS facilities consist of 4 main buildings: Elementary School Grades KG-3, Elementary School Grades 4-5, Middle School Grades 6-8, and High School Grades 9-12.  The Middle School building is surrounded by a landscaped central outdoor courtyard with pergolas and tables often used for poetry readings, filming, recitation, etc. The High School has a dedicated courtyard used mainly for breaks and lunch. Because of its capacity, ACS hosts local and international athletic tournaments, fine arts conferences and service learning workshops, particularly those of the Middle East South Asia Conference (MESAC).

Facilities of note include:[11]

• 3 Drama studios (one per division)
• 3 Art rooms (1 per division)

• 2 Library / Media centers (Elementary and Middle & High School)
• Music room (Elementary School)
• 2 Choir Rooms (Middle and High School)
• 9 science laboratories (3 Middle School, 6 High School)
• 2 shaded Elementary playgrounds: one for KG1 and KG2, the other for Grades 1-5
• Dedicated technology spaces including Elementary School Innovation Lab, Middle School Techttoo Studios, High School Design Tech Fab Lab, computer programming and robotics space, and a film studio
• Cardio and Weight Rooms
• Band Room and Music practice spaces (shared by Middle and High School)
• Auditorium
• Shaded (heated and chilled) swimming pool
• 2 gymnasiums
• 2 large playing fields (Jassim Field and Cramer Field).  Cramer Field is constructed of Astroturf, an artificial grass.
• Several multi-purpose spaces
• A parent-run store selling uniforms and spirit merchandise

ACS is split into three divisions: Elementary School (ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 5), Middle School (Grades 6 to 8), and High School (Grades 9 to 12). A principal and assistant principal guide each division.

Middle School offers core subjects and two to four (depending on grade level) electives that the students choose.

In High School, starting in 2007, ACS started to offer the IB Diploma program consisting of a wide variety of International Baccalaureate (IB) classes. Since 2018, ACS offers a selection of AP (Advanced Placement) classes. Students are also given a wide range of elective courses to choose from. All High School students must complete 10 hours of community service each year.

To graduate from ACS, students must have at least 25 credits at the end of four years. Along with the general requirement of 25 credits, students are required to obtain a certain number of credits in particular areas of study as well as complete 10 hours of community service each year of High School.

Service learning[12]is part of ACS's Mission and community service at ACS is extensive, and includes a wide range of student-driven and organized efforts, as well as a number of established organizations such as Habitat for humanity, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Roots & Shoots,[13] and Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF).[14] 5,000+ hours of service are contributed annually by ACS students in grades 1–12.

In 2021, ACS received the Future-Thinking Innovators Award at the International School Awards[15] for the Middle School technology program.

There are approximately 135 educators at ACS.  These teachers represent 20 nationalities, approximately 50% American, 30% Canadian and 20% other countries.  65% hold Advanced Degrees (Masters and / or Doctorate) and spend an average of 6 years at ACS.  ACS have an average student to faculty ratio of 9:1.[16]

The student body consists of approximately 1,200 students[17] from 56 nationalities. About 58% of the students are from the United States, 8% from Canada, and 4% from the UAE itself.

• H.E. Khaldoon Al Mubarak,[18] the chief executive of Mubadala Development Company and Executive Affairs Authority
• Anwar Nusseibeh, son of H.E. Zaki Nusseibeh, Foreign Minister of State
• Luka Peroš, Croatian actor best known for the role of Marseille in Money Heist[19]

In 1975, Santa Claus arrived at ACS by helicopter; coming down to the school campus. Soon after the event, a popular celebration was created known as "Breakfast With Santa" starting at the beginning of each December, every year. Breakfast with Santa has been a tradition at ACS ever since.

• 1976 – Astronauts Vance Brand, Thomas Stafford, and Donald Slayton of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
• 1982 – Alex Haley, author of Roots
• 1983 – Muhammad Ali, boxer and philanthropist
• 2017 – Alfred Worden, astronaut, and Allyson Felix, Olympic athlete
• 2018 – Charles Frank Bolden Jr., astronaut
• 2019 – Peter Schumlin, former Governor of Vermont; Helen Clark, 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand; Peter Mayer, songwriter, vocalist, and lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band
• 2020 – John Register, US Paralympian

Jane Goodall, anthropologist, visits ACS often.[20]

• Nate Bowling, current HS teacher, 2016 Washington State Teacher of the Year and 2016 National Teacher of the Year Finalist[21]
• Brad Flickinger, current MS teacher: author of Reward Learning with Badges: Spark Student Achievement (2016)[22]
• Randall Girdner, current HS teacher: author of Boyd McCloyd and the Time-Travelling King (2020); The Wizard of New York City series (2016)
• Matt McGrady, current HS teacher: featured on p. 90-91 of The Power of Making Thinking Visible: Practices to Engage and Empower All Learners by Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church (2020)[23]
• Robert “Bob Rob” Medina, current HS teacher: author of Denvoid and the Cowtown Punks (2015) and Y Con Tu Espíritu : Palabras y Muertitos (2020)[24]

Extra-curricular activities include music, art, drama, choir, robotics, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, badminton, swimming, cross country, track & field, golf, fitness training, digital photography, multimedia, Model United Nations, debate & forensics, academic games, audio production, and a wide variety of other activities based upon student interests.[25]

ACS is a member of MESAC, a regional conference allowing its students to meet and compete against students from other MESAC schools in both athletic and non-athletic events. The school was formerly a member of the Eastern Mediterranean Activities Conference (EMAC).

ACS has also hosted The MS Arts Invitational, featuring band, drama, choir, and art.

• Americans in the United Arab Emirates

• ACS