From Our Headmaster

Volume 3 Issue 1; March 23, 2015

A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y S C H O O L AT B E I R U T

ACS Welcomes You

Important

We need your photo and a short introductory paragraph for our next issue.

Please note that entry to Lebanon is not granted to people with passports showing

Israeli visas or stamps. If this applies to you, please get a new passport immediately.

Your first paycheck will be available on the last working day of September.

Arrival date at Beirut should be around August 17 - 18, 2015.

Keep this issue! You will be met by someone from the welcoming committee and your

principal in the greeting area after you pick up your baggage and go through customs. Our pictures are in the issue.

Karim Abu Haydar

Welcome to our first issue of the welcoming committee newsletter. In these newsletters, we will try to answer

most of your questions, at least those that might apply to all of you. For individual concerns please contact

your “buddy.” The school will be providing you with his/her name soon.

Welcome to the newest members of the ACS faculty. We are very excited to have you join us. This photo was taken a few weeks ago and shows my wife and I snowshoeing in Hamana, about 1000 meters above Beirut, and only 45 minutes away with no traffic. We have had a lot of snow in Lebanon this winter, but in Beirut, despite a few cold and rainy days, the average temperature has still hovered in the 60s, and we promise you many warm sunny days, as well as the opportunity for some skiing and hiking in the mountains.

We are having a great year at school and the welcoming committee that will plan your transition to ACS has just started meeting. Within the next month the first new building at ACS in the past 60 years will be complete and we will start moving in in April. That building will house our 4 sections of fifth grade, 3 music rooms, 2 language classrooms, 16 faculty apartments, and the Head's apartment as well.

You will get updates from time to time, but know that we are very excited about

you joining us, and we will organize a great welcome for you in August. Hamilton Clark and Ceci

I would like to welcome you to ACS at Beirut. The ACS community is a wonderful

mix of people that are committed to working together to provide our students a

rich educational experience. Lebanon and Beirut have a great deal to offer in the

fine arts, delicious cuisines from around the world, the outdoors and history that is

over 5000 years old. I look forward to meeting you in August.

From Our Deputy Headmaster

Hello to everyone joining the ACS community this summer and I hope you are looking forward to the road ahead. I am eagerly anticipating my second year as the new high school principal and continuing the work we engaged in this year with our outstanding group of teachers and students. Beirut continues to be an exciting post with great weather, restaurants, and travel opportunities—having worked in Cairo and Abu Dhabi, this has been a great change for us. I am lucky to have a wonderful family with me as well; Kim, who teaches PE in the early years and middle school sections, and our daughters Reagan & Katelyn who will both be in Bright Beginnings next year. We call Las Vegas home so if you happen to be visiting "Sin City" this summer, let us know.

Meet Your Principal

Robert Evans - HS Principal

Phil Wendel - MS Principal

Sawsan Yaseen - EY Principal

ACS Welcomes You

Welcome to ACS Beirut! This has been my first year at ACS, as the Elementary School Principal, and I’m delighted that you are joining our community. I’m here with my husband, Donn, who is in private business, and with our cocker spaniel, Schooner. We have a family home in Portland, Oregon, where we plan to spend our summer holiday. Our daughter, Katie, mostly grew up overseas and is now in her second year of college in the US. I count myself as one of the fortunate ones to have lived and worked in many places around the world, including Singapore, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Jakarta, and now Beirut. This first year, we’ve really enjoyed exploring both the city and the countryside. Lebanon has a lot to offer!

Welcome to the Early Years Division at ACS! You’ll be a great addition to a team whose members are very professional, dynamic and passionate about children and their learning, and I trust that you are, too. Together we will embark on a learning journey as we dialogue and communicate to build relationships with children, parents and colleagues. This journey will be joyful as it reflects the Early Years vision, “Nothing without Joy” for everyone. I look forward to meeting you in

August!

Welcome to ACS! I am excited to have you join our middle school faculty this year. You are joining a vibrant, dedicated group of middle school educators who are student-focused and have a deep understanding and appreciation for the many development challenges the middle school child experiences. The Middle School is a warm, caring and challenging place for our students. As such, students feel safe here and generally like coming to school.

This is my fifth year at ACS, and I am finishing up my first as the Middle School Principal. I previously was a middle school principal at an independent school in Atlanta, GA, for five years, after serving there the previous 10 as a teacher and assistant principal. I have had 24 years in education- nine as a full-time classroom teacher and 12 as an administrator; although, I have continued to teach at least one class while serving as principal throughout my career. Outside of the walls of ACS, I enjoy yoga, running, biking, hiking, playing basketball and all the flavors of Lebanese culture.

Diann Osterlund - ES Principal

When you arrive in Beirut you will receive a shipping allowance which will vary in

amount depending on your status (single, family, etc.). This is the only money you will

receive before pay day at the end of September, on the last working day of the

month. You are entitled to ask for an advance in salary from the Business Office.

Please feel free to do so. Shipping allowances do not go very far. Beirut can be an

expensive city and getting your apartment set up, getting cleaning products,

groceries and other essentials you need when moving into a new home, and just

general living for the almost two months without a pay heck is very expensive. As of

last year, most singles need a minimum of $1500 USD in addition to their shipping

allowance to get through until their first pay day. In Lebanon both USD and

Lebanese pounds are accepted in all places and I would suggest that you bring

enough cash with you to help you get by until the end of September and again

contact the business office if you need an advance. It is expected that you may

need to do this.

Finances & Your First Pay Check

Travel Arrangements

As you all already know, Jocelyne will be

handling your travel arrangements along with

her assistant Ghada Temsah.

Here are reminders of what was in your welcome

email letter:

Travel arrangements:

You may choose to do your own travel

reservation and you will be reimbursed in your

September pay OR we will book and pay for

your ticket.

If we are booking your ticket, please advise us

of your departure city (home city) and specify

your airport name Jocelyne

ACS Welcomes You

YOUR SHIPPING AL-

LOWANCE WILL BE

THE ONLY MONEY

YOU WILL RECEIVE

BEFORE PAY DAY.

YOU WILL RE-

CEIVE YOUR

FIRST PAYCHECK

ON THE LAST

WORKING DAY

OF SEPTEMBER.

Raouche or Pigeon Rock

Reservation guidelines: Arrival date at Beirut should be around August 17 - 18, 2015. Keep in mind that orientation

begins August 19, 2015.

We will advise you about your flight information and will arrange for a member of our

welcoming committee to meet you at the airport.

If you will be traveling with a spouse/dependent I will need a copy of their passport.

If you are traveling with a pet, let me know ASAP so I can choose an airline that is pet friendly..

Shipping

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU BRING YOUR BELONGINGS WITH YOU ON THE AIRPLANE AS EXTRA

LUGGAGE. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE AIRLINE IN REGARDS TO LUGGAGE ALLOWANCE BEFORE DEPARTURE.

DO NOT INCLUDE CDs, DVDs OR PRESCRIPTION OR OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS IN YOUR SHIPMENT.

INCLUDE SUCH ITEMS IN YOUR TRAVEL LUGGAGE.

We recommend that you bring your belongings with you on the airplane as extra luggage. Please check with

the airline in regards to luggage allowance before departure. However, if you must ship your belongings, we

recommend the following shipping companies:

CIEL, please contact Mr. Fadi Marchi at Tel: 00961- 4- 522149 Mobile: 00961-3-687450

fadi.marchi@ciel.me

COMPASS LOGISTICS, please contact Mr. Mario Nassif at Mobile: 00961-3-355152 mario@compasslog.com

CARGO MASTER LINE, please contact Mr. Jack Abou Zeid at Tel : 00961-1-561000 jacques@groupage.com

NATIONAL SHIPPING CO., please contact Ms. Mirielle Sfeir at Tel: 00961-1-560986 Ext: 314

m.sfeir@radec-lb.com

LEVANTINE, please contact Mr. Wael Daher at Tel: 00961 -1 368170. info@levantine.com

Beirut Cargo Center (BCC), please contact Mr. Jad Daccache at Tel: 00961- 1 48 22 11 Ext.

118; Jad.Daccache@bcclogistics.com.

Beirut International Movers (BIM), please contact Ms. Georgette Bejjani, at Tel: 00961-1 49 55 00 Ext.

107; info@beirutmovers.com

General Transportation Services SAL – GTS, please contact Mr. Nabil Ghantous at Tel: +961 1 585 777 (10

lines) Ext. 208 nabilghantous@gts.com.lb

Whether you ship with one of the above mentioned company or any other shipping agency, we urge you

to insist on a written quotation / invoice describing clearly the services and related charges you are getting, this

is the best way to avoid surprises later.

Do not include CDs, DVDs, Video tapes, or prescription or over-the-counter drugs in your shipment . Include such

items in your travel luggage. Please note that a door-to-door service does not include Lebanese custom duties

charges if any.

Clearing a shipment through Lebanese Customs could take up to three weeks from the time it arrives to Beirut.

You have to be present in Beirut for the shipment to clear; the shipping/clearing agent will need your passport

to do the job. We recommend you ship your belongings three weeks before your departure if you are shipping

by air, eight weeks before departure if you are shipping by sea, so it may arrive to Beirut around the same

time you do. In any case, consult with your shipping agent on when to ship and ask him questions about custom

duties (based on your packing list he should be able to tell you what is subject to custom duties and what is not)

and give you an approximate figure of your custom bill and your total bill for shipping and clearing charges.

(From past experience, custom duties on personal effects were not significant, but it all depends on what you

are bringing in).

ACS Welcomes You

ACS Welcomes You

Your Mail

Whenever you are settled in Lebanon, you may forward

your mail to either of the following addresses, as it is

not advisable to have it delivered to your flat.

American Community School at Beirut

PO Box 11- 8129

Riad el-Solh, Beirut, 1107-2260 Lebanon

This will get delivered to our PO Box; we do empty the PO

Box 2 to 3 times a week.

OR

If you'd rather have it delivered to the school's post office

station, simply use

American Community School at Beirut,

67 Nigeria Street, Jal al-Bahr, Ras Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon 2035-8003

You may use the ACS NY office address for important mail

such as bank statements, financial statements etc. Only small

(5"x 9”) light weight (up to 2 oz) envelops are forwarded

weekly via courier to Beirut. Bulk mail, parcels, catalogues,

pamphlets, etc. will not be forwarded.

American Community School

3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 8th floor

New York, New York 10017

Kaak Seller on the Corniche

Early 20th Century Beirut house: These are

disappearing.

To give you a clear picture of Lebanon, we have to include a

picture of a cat. This particular cat, Bela, belongs to the school and

yes she has been spayed and has all her shots. She makes her

home outside of the day care area.

Cats are everywhere. We hope you like them; if not, they will most

likely stay out of your way. Many of the buildings do not allow

pets so if you are planning on bringing an animal or adopting one

please make sure your building is pet friendly. Also, contact

Jocelyne so that she can choose the most pet friendly airline for

you.

CATS and Other PETS

This information is for those of you who are ACS Foreign hires after your arrival to Beirut. Upon your arrival at the Beirut Airport,

people with a work visa will get a work visa entry stamp on their passport. The work visa stamp fee is approximately US $35 and must be paid in cash. During orientation you

will be reimbursed the $35.

School personnel are not allowed beyond the greeting area of the airport but a school representative will await your arrival outside of the baggage pick-up area

and will verify that a work visa stamp is complete on your passport.

Please look for a sign that reads ACS and your name on it.

Based on the work visa stamp on your passport, the process of granting your work and residence permit will take approximately 10 weeks after your first entry into

Lebanon. During this time you cannot make travel plans to leave the country.

Medical tests will be completed with the assistance the School Nurse & The Expat/

Ministry Affairs Coordinator.

Photos will be taken at school with the assistance of The Expat/Ministry Affairs

Coordinator.

Other legal documents will be provided by the school.

Your passport and all other original documents will be attached to the residency

application, submitted and retained by the security office. for a period of time.

Pre-Work Visa/Work permit/residency requirements

Visa/residency requirements for accompanying dependents and wives.

In Lebanon, men may sponsor their non-working wives and children but women cannot sponsor non-working husbands

They can sponsor their children.

Visa/residency requirements for dependents and non-

working wives are as follows:

US, Canadian and European citizens are some of the nationalities who are offered a free tourist visa upon

arrival at the Beirut Airport.

An accompanying nonworking wife and/or child(ren) will apply for a yearly residency after residency has

been granted to the husband/father.

To apply for their residency, dependents are required

to go in person to the security office.

The original marriage certificate is required for granting the residency of a non-working wife and the

original birth certificate is required to obtain the residency for accompanying children.

ACS Welcomes You

The process of granting the work and residence permit will take approximately

10 weeks.

During this time your passport will not be in your

possession.

Do not make travel plans to leave the country during this period of time.

Entry to Lebanon is not granted to people with passports showing Israeli

visas or stamps.

Make sure the visa is a work visa and not a tourist visa and have $35 dollars in cash

ready at the Visa desk.

Potter at Souq al Tayeb

ACS Welcomes You

Starting at the beginning of each New Year, the Welcoming Committee starts to meet to plan for your

arrival in Beirut and at ACS. We want to make sure your transition to living and working in Lebanon is a

wonderful experience. We are also anxious to meet all of you too! If you could e-mail a photo and a blurb

about yourself by the 1st of April (for our next newsletter) it would be appreciated. You can e-mail them to

jdiabbitar@acs.edu.lb.

Meet Your ACS Welcoming Committee

I am Karim Abu-Haydar and would like to welcome you to ACS at Beirut. Beirut

and Lebanon have a great deal to offer. I enjoy attending the various locally

developed theater productions, and a variety of music performances such as the El-

Bustan and Beit-El-Dine concert series. The outdoors is another wonderful outlet

when in Lebanon.

My name is Nada Aoun; I’m from Lebanon. I am the Expat/Ministry Affaires/

Personnel Coordinator at ACS. I have worked at ACS since 1984 handling several

jobs including visas, work and residence permits for all foreign hire and their

dependents. Commitment towards my job and colleagues is my priority. I enjoy

sightseeing and have visited several countries but I have never seen a country like

Lebanon. This country combines endless opportunities of fun, beach, nature and

outdoor activities and an unforgettable time awaits you.

My name is Jocelyne Diab Bitar, I am the HR & I have been at ACS for three years

now. I will be facilitating your transition to Beirut & ACS. Looking forward to meeting

you all in August.

Karim

Nada

Jocelyne

Bienvenidos! Welcome to beautiful Beirut future ACS’ers! You are in for a wonderful adventure this coming school year. Beirut is a unique mélange of incredible opportunities that you will undoubtedly get to experience. You can look forward to enjoying delicious Lebanese cuisine, fantastic restaurants, cozy pubs, an energetic nightlife, numerous cultural activities, a vibrant local music scene and much, much more. All of this is set against Beirut’s gorgeous scenic backdrop of stunning mountains, the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the richness of the culture that is only known in this part of the world. My name is Aisia Casanova and I am originally from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. I spent a long stretch of time in Spain where I have a home and where I return when I vacation. This is my first year in Lebanon and at ACS as an Early Years teacher. When I am not working with my wonderful colleagues, I mostly enjoy being at home or out with friends. I also love jogging on the Corniche (seaside promenade), lifting weights, reading, singing and

collaborating with other musicians.

Aisia

ACS Welcomes You

Hi, my name is Charbel Daou. I am Lebanese and the Maintenance Supervisor. I look forward to meeting all of you here in Lebanon and ACS.

Charbel

Hello, my name is Nada – it means the morning dew in Arabic though in Spanish it

means “nothing”. I have been a school nurse for the past 20 years. I am part of the

school’s disaster team and coordinator of the First Aid class for HS students. I am a

member of several international school nurses’ associations and I represent ACS in

several international conferences. I love to travel and I plan lots of trips inside and

outside Lebanon throughout the year for the ACS community. We’ve been to

Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic,

Russia, and our next one is Spain. I love animals and I have a 7 year old Himalayan

cat who thinks he is a natural born tiger. Art is another passion and I have my own

designs of hand-made masks and mosaic pieces. It is very exciting to be part of this

group to welcome you into our ACS family.

Hello! my name is Dania Karame, I have been working at ACS for the past 14 years as

the Middle School Academic Support Specialist. I am Lebanese, originally from the north

of Lebanon, but have been living in Beirut for a while. I love traveling and getting

acquainted with different cultures. I am looking forward to meeting you all and welcome

to ACS.

Nada

Dania

Greetings! I am Midge Livingston and I am the MS Librarian /IT

Integrationist. I am finishing my 2nd year here at ACS and looking forward

to many more! I live here with my husband, Tim and our two daughters (as

well as our two cats!). Tim and I work at ACS and our daughters attend

the school. We are from just north of Seattle and this is our first overseas

adventure. We enjoy being part of our neighborhood community, walking

along the Corniche, traveling around Lebanon, reading, playing games

and experiencing the food of this wonderful place. If you have any

questions I am happy to help! Also, feel free to take a look at our blog:

http://timandmidge.blogspot.com

Midge and Family

ACS Welcomes You

Welcome! My name is Andrea Norman. Most of the time, you will find me in the

Upper School (6-12) Library but I often visit the library in the Lower School. I come

from Vermont and have worked overseas for 23 fun-filled years. I love to travel,

garden and explore Lebanon. I love it here! The people are open, friendly and

they want to share their country. The neighborhoods are just that, neighborhoods,

and you feel as if you belong. I hope you will love it as much as I do. See you in

August.

Andrea

My name is Becky Naughton and this is my first international teaching job,

and the end of my second year at ACS. I teach high school history, grade

11 IB and grade 10 World History. I also coach volleyball and track. My

husband is Ryan, and he is the athletic director here at ACS. We originally

came from Chicago. Beirut has been great for hiking and also for being a

vegetarian, along with running along the corniche. If you have any

questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Becky with Ryan

Marhaba, I'm Haitham Marroush and I'm on the IT Team (Networks and Support

Specialist). I've been at ACS for 14 years now.

I'm Lebanese, from Beirut, and I have lived in the ACS neighborhood for 23

years. I am looking forward to meeting you and sharing with you the interesting

history, culture and happenings in Beirut.

Haitham

Greetings from Beirut, my name is Talar Partiyan, I have been working at ACS for

the past 14 years. I am currently teaching middle school science. I am a mother of 2

boys in grade 9 and grade 5. In my free time I ride my motorcycle and explore

parts of Lebanon with the local H.O.G.® Lebanon Chapter. I hope to meet you all

soon in person!

Talar

Hi :) I’m Iman Saad, I’m Lebanese, and this is my 3rd year at ACS as a teaching

assistant. I worked 2 years in grade 1 and this is my first year in grade 3. I can’t

see myself working in any other school in Lebanon. The ACS community is warm

and friendly. Mix that with a hospitable country and delicious food, and you’ll get

a dynamic and exciting time here. I also enjoy helping out with the high school and

middle school cross country and track and field. I enjoy a good book at home as

well as going out. If there is anything you need or any question you have, don’t

hesitate to e-mail me or stop by my classroom. Welcome to ACS!

ACS Welcomes You

Hello! I’m Jesse, the Atelierista (Artist-in-Residence) here at ACS. Born in Adana,

Turkey, and raised throughout Europe and nearly every region of the United States,

I feel more at home on transportation than anywhere else. Before Beirut I lived in

Hong Kong, where I helped start up an Art and Design University's abroad campus. I

am inspired and driven by art in all its forms, and I have a hilariously similar-looking

ruby Cavalier spaniel named Eli. I love road trips, dancing, mo-town, and playing

cards. Welcome to Beirut. You’re going to love it here!

My name is Tom Pederson and I have been a HS math teacher at ACS since 2005. I

have been teaching in overseas schools for 25 years. My favorite things here are my

Lebanese colleagues, hikes and drives in the mountains, and hummus. Minnesota is my

home in the States.

Iman

Tom

Jesse

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