American School of Bahrain
Riffa, Bahrain · Founded 2020 · Ages 2–18 · asb.bh
838
Students
51
Nationalities
80
Faculty Profiled
17
Acre Campus
1:19
Student-Teacher Ratio
Overview
| Full Name | American School of Bahrain (ASB) |
|---|---|
| Location | Building 1528, Block 934, North Riffa, Bahrain (near Bahrain National Stadium) |
| Founded | September 2020 |
| Operator | Esol Education (joint venture with Elm Education Fund / Mumtalakat) |
| Governance | Private, for-profit — operated by Esol Education with Bahraini sovereign wealth backing via Mumtalakat |
| Grade Range | Head Start (age 2) through Grade 12 |
| Founding Director | Dave McMaster (Canadian, 25+ years international education, previously in Hong Kong/China) |
| Enrollment | 838 students |
| Campus Capacity | ~1,200 students |
| Nationalities | 51 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 1:19 |
| Campus Size | 17 acres (60,000 sqm) |
Student Demographics
| Total Students | 838 |
|---|---|
| Nationalities | 51 |
| Bahraini | 37.16% |
| United States | 13.74% |
| Canadian | 6.45% |
| Other | 42.65% (48 other nationalities) |
Academics
| Curriculum | Standards-based American (AERO / Common Core Plus) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma Programme | Grades 11–12 — First cohort graduated 2024, second 2025. Results not published on school website. |
| Early Years | Ontario Kindergarten Program (PreK / KG1) |
| Languages — Mandatory | Arabic (all students) |
| Languages — Offered | French, Spanish |
| Special Programs | Bilingual Arabic/English program (Muzdawaj) |
| IB First Cohort | 2024 |
| IB Second Cohort | 2025 |
College Destinations
- McMaster University
- McGill University
- University of Alberta
- University of Toronto
- University of Waterloo
- Western University
- EMLYON Business School (France)
- University of Strathclyde (UK)
- Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance
Tuition & Fees (2025–2026)
All amounts in BHD (Bahraini Dinar). 1 BHD ≈ $2.65 USD.
| Grade Level | Annual Tuition (BHD) |
|---|---|
| Head Start (Age 2) | 2,900 |
| Pre-KG (Age 3) | 3,310 |
| KG1 (Age 4) | 4,730 |
| KG2 (Age 5) | 4,820 |
| Grade 1 | 4,900 |
| Grades 2–3 | 5,330 |
| Grades 4–5 | 5,660 |
| Grades 6–8 | 6,820 |
| Grades 9–10 | 7,910 |
| Grades 11–12 (IB) | 8,980 |
Additional Fees
| Application Fee | 75 BHD |
| Registration Fee | 300 BHD (225 BHD after credit) |
Discounts
| 3rd Sibling | 10% tuition discount |
|---|---|
| 4th+ Sibling | 15% tuition discount |
| Financial Aid | Installment plans available on case-by-case basis |
Campus & Facilities
ASB operates from a brand-new, purpose-built 17-acre (60,000 sqm) campus in North Riffa, near the Bahrain National Stadium. Opened in 2020, all facilities are contemporary in design with capacity for approximately 1,200 students.
Academic Facilities
- Technology-enabled classrooms
- STEAM Labs
- Maker Spaces
- Multi-level Library
- Art Studios
- Music Rooms
- Performance Spaces
Sports Facilities
- 2 Swimming Pools
- Large Indoor Gymnasium
- Basketball Courts
- Regulation Soccer Field
- 400-meter Running Track
Other Facilities
- Cafeteria
Sports & Athletics
| Teams per Year | Over 60 sports teams |
|---|---|
| Competitive Swimming | Yes — 5 days/week training |
Sports Offered
Football
Basketball
Tennis
Swimming
Volleyball
Golf
Badminton
Athletics
Conferences & Leagues
- BSSL (Bahrain Schools Sports League)
- ESOL Sportsfest
- GAAC
Extracurricular Activities
Dance (Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap)
Pottery
Clayworks
Photography
Cookery
Sewing
Lego
Amnesty International
Youth Club
MUN (Model United Nations)
Choirs
Bands
Accreditation & Memberships
Accreditation
- ACS WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)
- MSA (Middle States Association)
Memberships
- WIDA
- NESA (Near East South Asia Council)
- AAIE (Association for the Advancement of International Education)
Reviews & Reputation
Overall sentiment: Very Positive
Good Schools Guide
"Wonderfully welcoming school, exceptional facilities, happy and engaged students. Parents delighted."
Reddit (Teacher Reviews)
"Lovely school with great benefits."
Google Reviews
"Generally very positive."
Top Themes
Welcoming community
Excellent facilities
Strong leadership
Happy and engaged students
Areas to Watch
Young school (opened September 2020) — still building track record and alumni network.
Smaller network compared to established international school groups. No significant red flags identified.
Key Milestones
| September 2020 | School founded and opened |
|---|---|
| 2024 | First IB Diploma graduating cohort (results not published) |
| 2025 | Second IB Diploma graduating cohort |
Faculty Directory (80 Teachers)
Complete directory of all 80 profiled teachers from asb.bh. Gender breakdown: 51% Female (41), 48% Male (38), 1% Unknown (1).
| # | Name | Role | Department | Nationality/Origin | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nandi Thomson | Head Start Teacher | Early Childhood | South African | F |
| 2 | Dana Buqais | Pre-KG Dual Language Teacher | Early Childhood | Bahraini | F |
| 3 | Sakeena Akbar | Pre-KG Dual Language Teacher | Early Childhood | Bahrain | F |
| 4 | Anny Malik | Pre-KG Teacher | Early Childhood | Canadian (Toronto) | F |
| 5 | Brittany Freitas | KG 1 Teacher | Early Childhood | American (South Carolina) | F |
| 6 | Hiba Abdeljalil | KG 1 Dual Language Teacher | Early Childhood | Palestine | F |
| 7 | Deanne Jackson | KG 2 Teacher | Early Childhood | Canadian | F |
| 8 | Tarryn Pods | KG 2 Teacher | Early Childhood | South Africa | F |
| 9 | Muna Haji | KG 2 Dual Language Teacher | Early Childhood | Bahrain | F |
| 10 | Belgues Alharazy | KG 2 Dual Language Teacher | Early Childhood | — | F |
| 11 | Diana Norseen | Grade 1 Teacher | Elementary School | — | F |
| 12 | Louise Daly | Grade 1 Teacher | Elementary School | Bahraini | F |
| 13 | Liezl Dugina | Grade 1 Teacher | Elementary School | Filipino | F |
| 14 | Corta Nilsson | Grade 2 Teacher | Elementary School | American | F |
| 15 | Julia Hall | Grade 2 Teacher | Elementary School | American | F |
| 16 | Alexandra Galleguillos | Grade 3 Teacher | Elementary School | American (Louisiana) | F |
| 17 | Lexus Bird | Grade 3 Teacher | Elementary School | — | F |
| 18 | Ethan Fogel | Grade 3 Teacher | Elementary School | American (Milwaukee) | M |
| 19 | Bryony Russell | Grade 4 Teacher | Elementary School | British (England) | F |
| 20 | Michael Dulmage | Grade 4 Teacher | Elementary School | Canadian (Toronto) | M |
| 21 | Cameron Thomson | Grade 4 Teacher | Elementary School | South African | F |
| 22 | Bianca Briers | Grade 5 Teacher | Elementary School | South African | F |
| 23 | Lirene Burger | Grade 5 Teacher | Elementary School | South Africa | F |
| 24 | Alex Leccese | Grade 5 Teacher | Elementary School | Canadian (Ontario) | M |
| 25 | Jodi Styre | Head of English Department | English & Social Studies | Canadian (Saskatchewan) | M |
| 26 | Sarah Pillay | English Teacher | English & Social Studies | Northern Irish | F |
| 27 | Shelly Williams | English Teacher | English & Social Studies | American | M |
| 28 | Saba Sayeed | English Teacher | English & Social Studies | Pakistani/Canadian | F |
| 29 | Christopher Boatwright | English Language & Literature Teacher | English & Social Studies | American | M |
| 30 | Hiba Abu-Fayad | Head of Modern Languages | Modern Languages | — | F |
| 31 | Hiart Hernández Tellaech | Spanish Teacher | Modern Languages | Spanish (Basque Country) | M |
| 32 | Robert Cunningham | Head of Humanities & Business Management | Humanities | Irish | M |
| 33 | Hans Alexander Djurberg | Business & Economics Teacher | Humanities | — | F |
| 34 | Neil Visser | Social Studies Teacher | Humanities | South African | M |
| 35 | Kenneth O'Kane | History and TOK Teacher | Humanities | Irish (Belfast) | M |
| 36 | Nazneen Abbas | Psychology Teacher | Humanities | Indian | F |
| 37 | Nader Khairellah | Head of Math Department | Math & Science | — | F |
| 38 | Ibrahim Hakan Sapmazli | Head of Science Department | Math & Science | Turkish/American | M |
| 39 | Danielle Davis | Science Teacher | Math & Science | American (Atlanta, GA) | M |
| 40 | Dr. Farhana Dulmage | Science Teacher | Math & Science | Canadian | F |
| 41 | Lewis Williams | Math Teacher | Math & Science | — | M |
| 42 | Kyle Fernandez | Math Teacher | Math & Science | South African | M |
| 43 | Michael Haddad | Math Teacher | Math & Science | Canadian/Lebanese | M |
| 44 | Mohammed Yaseen | Math Teacher | Math & Science | British (Kashmir/London) | M |
| 45 | Eftal Inan | Computer Science & Technology Teacher | Math & Science | — | M |
| 46 | Jacqueline Lommerse | ESS IB & Integrated Science Teacher | Math & Science | American (Texas) | F |
| 47 | Hidde van Lierop | Math & Science Teacher | Math & Science | Dutch/Rwandan | M |
| 48 | Mohammed Basha | IB Physics Educator / Google Certified Trainer | Other | Egyptian | M |
| 49 | Hiba Okar | Technology Integrationist | Other | Syrian/Lebanese | F |
| 50 | Camila Vasconcelos | MS Art Teacher / Head of Fine & Performing Arts / CAS Coordinator | Creative Arts | Brazilian (Rio de Janeiro) | F |
| 51 | Berenice Coelho | Elementary Art Teacher | Elementary School | — | F |
| 52 | Margaret Casey | Middle School Art Teacher | Creative Arts | American (Minnesota) | F |
| 53 | Enas Rabaiah | Arabic Teacher / KG-12 Arabic Curriculum Coordinator | Arabic & Islamics | — | M |
| 54 | Tahani Khdairi | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | — | M |
| 55 | Hanan Saddou | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | Jordanian | M |
| 56 | Iman Abboud | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | Lebanese | M |
| 57 | Rahaf Kassab | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | — | F |
| 58 | Ahlam Madan | Islamic, Social Studies, Citizenship Teacher | Humanities | — | F |
| 59 | Mohammed Alqasrawi | Arabic Learning Support | Arabic & Islamics | Jordanian | M |
| 60 | Ruba Kurdi | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | Jordanian | F |
| 61 | Mohammed Qadoumi | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | Jordanian | M |
| 62 | Hanin Ibrahim | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | — | M |
| 63 | Ghufran Alnuaimi | Arabic Teacher | Arabic & Islamics | — | F |
| 64 | Noor Taqi | Early Childhood & Elementary Counselor | Elementary School | Bahraini | F |
| 65 | Sara Seyam | Middle & High School Counselor | School Counselors | Egyptian | M |
| 66 | Nathan DeSouza | University Counselor | School Counselors | British (London) | M |
| 67 | Kathryn Adams | Curriculum Coordinator & English Teacher | English & Social Studies | British | M |
| 68 | Caryn Pelletier | Head of Learning Services (EC & Elementary) | Elementary School | American (Maine) | M |
| 69 | Natasha McGlade | Head of Learning Support (MS & HS) | Learning Support | Irish | F |
| 70 | Jennifer Morrissey | Learning Support Teacher | Learning Support | American (Boston) | F |
| 71 | Eimear Peoples | Learning Support Teacher | Learning Support | Irish | M |
| 72 | Hiruni De Silva | Learning Support Teacher | Learning Support | Sri Lankan | M |
| 73 | Scott Rogal | Band Teacher | Performing Arts | Canadian (Saskatchewan) | M |
| 74 | Carmen Carolina Poblete | Music Teacher | Performing Arts | Chilean (Patagonia) | M |
| 75 | Rodrick Freitas | Drama Teacher | Creative Arts | — | M |
| 76 | Suim Shin | PE Teacher | Other | Korean (Seoul) | U |
| 77 | Carla Bou Najem | Aquatic Director & PE Teacher | Other | Brazilian/Lebanese | F |
| 78 | Josef Nohra | PE Teacher | Other | Czech/Lebanese | M |
| 79 | Elliott Bloom | PE Teacher | Other | British | M |
| 80 | Jeanne Morris | Librarian / Digital Learning Specialist | Other | American | M |
Source: asb.bh teacher profiles. Gender inferred from pronouns and names. Nationality from bio text where available.