School to follow a Common Core Standards based curriculum

Announces admissions for Kindergarten to Grade 5

Dubai, April 14, 2011: Innoventures Education Investments (IVEI), the driving force behind successful educational institutions in Dubai including the Dubai International Academy and the Raffles International Schools and Nurseries, today announced the launch of Collegiate American School in Dubai.

Located in Umm Suqeim, Collegiate American School offers a curriculum based on the American Common Core Standards with a focus on technology-enabled learning environments and infrastructure. The school programme is inspired by best practices in curriculum, assessment and instruction. The Common Core Curriculum modules balance hard statistical abilities with the softer but no less important skills of inspiring and managing people. The curriculum also takes learning beyond the classroom, emphasizing on case analysis and class discussions more than academic exercises. The school's curriculum is designed to provide a clear framework to prepare children for the future with benchmarks that are epitome for success.

Collegiate American School offers a 12-year education system and today opens for admissions from Kindergarten to Grade 5. The academic session will start in September 2011. 

Commenting on the new school, Poonam Bhojani, CEO, Innoventures Education Investments, and Director, Collegiate American School, said: "At Collegiate American School, we emphasize on early development. The student development programme is designed to enable students to find a powerful voice and build mentors. I believe that the Collegiate American School is a substantial step forward toward bringing a new form of educational excellence in the UAE."

With the access to iPads, laptops and other contemporary tools, the student development programme at the school focuses on technology integration in age appropriate ways, facilitating knowledge flow. There is a strong emphasis on digital and online resources along with traditional textbooks based learning, teaching the skills of the 21st Century.

"The launch of Collegiate American School stems from the belief that the development of one's identity is intricately linked to an emerging sense of humanity and ethics. In teaching an independent and critical thought process in the arena of integration, Collegiate American School will be a place where students intuitively consider power, perspective, bias, access, and sustainability as they carry out the work of their lives and a bright future ahead," said Donavon Reinsmoen, Superintendent, Collegiate American School.

Collegiate American School offers strong academic programmes in math, science, language arts, which connect with online services to enhance personalized understanding of the concepts. Specialist teachers provide learning opportunities in French, Spanish, Music, Art, PE, Technology and Arabic for all grades. English Language Learner (ELL) is also offered.

"The Arabic and Islamic programmes follow the Ministry of Education requirements, with special emphasis on developing the conversational skills of Arabic for Arabic A and B as well as reading and writing. Social studies (humanities) integrate local and regional studies along with grade level topics," Donavon added.

"Collegiate American School aims to maintain a fair mix of students with nationalities from all over the world, including those with different cultural and curricula backgrounds. The school will accept students who are able to demonstrate an ability to successfully learn within and contribute in a positive way to the school. The key variable the school offers is the standards that set a rigorous course of education readiness not by piling topic upon topic but by demanding that students develop a depth of understanding and ability to apply subjects to novel situations," added Poonam Bhojani..

For admissions and related details, please contact the Admissions Office located on the premises of Raffles International School, South Campus, Sunday through Thursday between 8am and 4pm, or call +9714 427 1200 / email admissions@casdubai.com. For more details about the campus and the fee structure, please log into www.casdubai.com.

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About Innoventures Educational Investments LLC (IVEI):
A privately held company, Innoventures is focused on creating stakeholder value through 'for profit' institutions delivering premium International education. Promoted in 2004, IVEI Board includes Abdulla Majed Al Ghurair (Chairman), His Excellency Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Hamdi Osman, Toby Hoare and Avishesha Bhojani (Managing Director).

The flagship institution of Innoventures is the Emirates Hills located Dubai International Academy. Set up in 2005, DIA is UAE's first school to be authorised to offer all 3 world renowned programmes of International Baccalaureate, namely the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).

In March 2010, IVEI took over the management of the Emaar Properties portfolio of schools and nurseries and now operates several nurseries and schools including Raffles International School, Raffles Umm Suqeim Nursery, Springs Nursery, Emirates Hills Nursery, Arabian Ranches Nursery, among others.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Ashutosh Gupta
BPG Public Relations
T +971 555088835
ashutosh@batespangulf.com

© Press Release 2011