International Staff Handout - hayatschool.com · International Staff Handout 5 Version: June 2015 - Outside the work setting and work hours, there are no restrictions on dress. The

International Staff Handout

2015-2016

Co nte nts

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

A. Prior to Leaving your Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1. Documents You Need to Send the School Prior to Arrival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2. Documents You Need to Bring to Doha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3. Clothes to Bring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4. Resources to Bring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5. Personal Items to Bring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6. Documents & Materials You Will Receive from the School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7. Address for Sending Materials Ahead of Arrival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

B. Traveling to Doha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1. Ticket Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2. Required Arrival Dates and Early Arrival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3. Emergency Numbers You Need to Keep with You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4. Meeting You at the Airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

C. Living & Working in Qatar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1- Apartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2- Cultural Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 3- Entertainment and Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 4- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Teaching Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 5- Essent ial of Working at HUBS - Class Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 6- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Private Tutoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 7- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 8- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Staff Communication & Collaboration . . . . . 19 9- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Conflict Resolution Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 10- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Teacher Support & Teacher Evaluation . . . 22 11- Essent ials of Working at HUBS - Workload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 12- HR Matters - Attendance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 13- HR Matters - Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 14- HR Matters - Leaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 15- Informat ion & Communication Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 16- Money Matters - Personal Cash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 17- Money Matters - School Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 18- Money Matters - Est imated Cost of Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 19- Professional and Staff Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 20- Teaching at HUBS - C&I Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 21- Teaching at HUBS - Planning for Instruct ion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 22- Teaching at HUBS - Prior to Arriving C&I Prep Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 23- Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 24- Visas, Residencies and Exit Permits - Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 25- Visas and Residencies - Staff Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 26- Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Introduction This handout is prepared to help newly hired international staff become familiar with the joys, challenges and expectations they will face as they join Hayat Universal School in Qatar.

In the document we have tried to be comprehensive and thorough, however, no document can fully capture the complexity of a new job and a new culture. Please do not hesitate to request clarification of any point to ensure full understanding. Be assured that returning teachers and administrators are willing to assist the new staff. Please ask for clarification, nothing is minor. These are the members of the school administration team who will be available to support teachers:

Mr Fred Thorsell - Principal Ms Hanan Abdul-Aziz - Vice Principal

Ms Doris MacLellan - Senior BC Program Head Ms Nad Tabit - Head, Early Childhood Program

Ms Claire Eddy - BC Program Head, Ms Nicole Haire - BC Program Head

We consider this document to be a work in progress. Questions asked by teachers in previous years have been a main source for the selection of topics. The document is updated annually to reflect changes in the information provided and feedback from teachers who used it.

Please share with us how we can improve the information for future use.

International Staff Handout 2 Version: June 2015

A. Prior to Leaving your Country

1. Documents You Need to Send the School Prior to

Arrival

- Copies of your degrees

- Copy of your teacher license (if applicable)

- Passport copies for you and family members moving to Qatar with you

- A shoulder / head picture of you (9 x 14 cm). It should not be a passport type picture but should be semi professional. This will be used to display identification information about the teaching staff on a large school bulletin board. The purpose of the board is to introduce staff and their qualifications. Pictures will be displayed with a description of the qualifications.

2. Documents You Need to Bring to Doha

i. Criminal Record Check from Canada and any other country where you have worked in the past. We recognize the difficulty of getting CRC's from countries that you no longer reside in. Therefore, we ask you to make sure one is issued from Canada and the country where you are currently working, if you are working internationally. Also, if you happen to have copies or originals of old CRC's from countries you worked in previously, please bring them with you. Having CRC's in teachers' files is a new requirement from the BC Ministry of Education that the school must meet to maintain its BC certification.

ii. If married and need to sponsor your spouse and/or children, you need to bring:

o Original marriage certificate that must be attested from the Qatar Embassy in the Canada, or your country of origin, and

o Original birth certifies. Birth certificates do not have to be attested.

iii. Original degrees authenticated by the Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry. This is the link to the Ministry's website.

If you hold an education degree at the bachelor or master's level or both, please get this/these degree(s) authenticated. If you are hired based on a bachelor degree in another field, please get that degree authenticated.

Note: There are numerous companies that provide authentication/notarized services for the purpose of working abroad. This is the link for one of these companies. It should


help you with getting your marriage certificate (if needed) and your degrees authenticated:

http://www.alscanada.ca/en/what-we-do/authentication-apostille.aspx

iv. If you are residing in Doha with sponsorship on another school or family sponsorship, please ask the school HR about the documents you need to provide.

3. Clothes to Bring

As you are packing to come to Doha, please bear in mind Hayat has a conservative Islamic environment. Teachers are not expected to wear the traditional or Islamic dress. However, they are expected to maintain conservative professional dress around the school. By clarifying what needs to be worn for work, we aim to provide you with information about the dress code, which all teachers are expected to adhere to. We hope this information will help you be prepared.

- What is allowed:

o Skirts, dresses and pants that are not tight fitting and cover the knees while standing or sitting

o Half sleeve tops

o Sandals with straps around the ankles and shoes that cover the entire front part of the foot but have no straps around the ankles.

http://www.alscanada.ca/en/what-we-do/authentication-apostille.aspx


- What is not allowed:

o Tight fitting clothing, if teachers do choose to wear tight shirts, a sweater or wrap must be used

o Strapless, cup sleeves, tank tops, low cut and short tops

o Shorts or short skirts

o Excessive make up

o Flip-flops, high heels and sandals without a strap around the ankles are not allowed

Pictures of flip-flops and sandals that are not allowed


- Outside the work setting and work hours, there are no restrictions on dress. The choice belongs to individuals. Expatriates in Qatar are free to wear the western style dress everywhere around the country, in parks, museums, shopping malls, night clubs, live performance venues, etc.

- Qatar is hot or warm most of the year. It gets cool for a month or two. You may need a couple of light sweaters for winter in Qatar. If you plan on traveling to other countries during the school breaks consider bringing the appropriate clothing or plan on buying it here.

- You can view staff pictures on the school website. It has pictures of staff in every day dress and some pictures of staff during cultural events dressed in Qatar traditional dress.

http://www.hayatschool.com/MediaGallery/HayatGallery.asp?categoryid=287

4. Resources to Bring

- The school has a well-resourced supply room. A list of supplies is provided in the section titled "Essentials of Working at HUBS - Resources" of this handout. Resources for programs and instructional frameworks used at the school are presented in "Teaching at HUBS - C&I Overview". However, for decorating your classroom-you need to consider what you want prior to leaving Canada; there is not a large selection of teacher material in Qatar. There are places for purchasing decorations but few carry specifically targeted classroom display items. There are no ‘teacher stores’. Items such as display calendars, wall card alphabet displays, and name tag cards cannot be found in Doha. Please purchase these in Canada, keep the receipt and get reimbursed. Teachers have an allowance of Qatari Riyal 350 (approximately CDN 105) per term with a total of QR 1,050 per year. You can purchase items you need from this allowance and get reimbursed by the school. Please bear in mind that you need to produce receipts to get reimbursed. So, please keep the receipts with you.

- If you are purchasing a laptop, we recommend going for a PC compatible brand not a Macintosh because the school does not use Macintosh.

5. Personal Items to Bring

There is no need to bring any electrical appliances or household items. However, if you feel like bringing items because you like them, you can do so as long as you are conscious of baggage weight. You will need to purchase adapters when you arrive as the plug ins are of a different size than in Canada.

http://www.hayatschool.com/MediaGallery/HayatGallery.asp?categoryid=287


6. Documents & Materials You Will Receive from the

School

By the time you receive this document, you will have received your letter of job offer. With or after the formal job offer you must receive the following:

- School Calendar

- Weekly Timetable for the grade you will be teaching

- Information pertaining to school hours, instructional time, prep time and cost of living in Qatar. This information is normally included in the letter of job offer or in the email sent with the letter of job offer.

- This International Staff Handout

- Your e-ticket (if the school is making your booking). If for any reason you have opted for a roundtrip ticket, you should expect to receive your e-ticket by mid-July 2015.

- If you have opted to stay in Qatar during the September break hence requested a work visa to be issued prior to your arrival to Doha, you should receive an e-work visa. This is a Qatar government document with information printed in Arabic, except your name and passport number. It is an electronic visa that is saved in the Qatar government system. It does not have any stamps.

- School may send some self study materials.

- Year plan exemplars.

- Pictures of apartments rented by the school in the current school year, 2014-2015. These may not be the apartments you will use because the school may change apartment buildings or may rent new apartments in a different building. The reason the pictures are sent to new staff is to provide an idea of the standard of the accommodation provided by the school.


7. Address for Sending Materials Ahead of Arrival

You can ship materials or personal items to the school. These are the address details:

- If you use a shipping company, you will need to use the school's physical address:

Building #55 Area #53, Muaither Street North, Muaither, across from Wethnan Mall These are the telephone numbers: 4468-7171 3345-9657

- If you use mail service, this is the school address:

PO BOX 6124 Doha, Qatar

You can address your parcels to:

"Your name" C/o School Principal


B. Traveling to Doha

1. Ticket Arrangements

- Teachers have two options - either have the school book their tickets or book their own tickets and get paid a ticket allowance.

- In either case, the school will need to know your home city. This is the city with an international airport close to your permanent residence. This will be the base for booking your tickets or calculating cash payments towards tickets if you are purchasing your own tickets. The exception is if you are working internationally and are traveling to the school, at the beginning from the contract, from the country where you are currently working. In this case, the school will purchase or pay allowance for a ticket from the city where you are located if the cost is equal to or less than the cost of a ticket from your home city.

- In case you want the school to book your ticket, you will need to send the designated person copies of your passport and passports of your dependents if their tickets are included in the benefits provided by the school. The school will ask you about your preferred arrival date (bearing in mind the date for the start of new teacher orientation), make tentative booking, and email the ticket details; upon receiving your confirmation, the school will issue and email the ticket(s).

- If you wish to do your own booking, you will be informed of the allowance you will receive. The allowance will be the price of the ticket the school would have paid the local travel agent had the school booked your ticket. It reflects a trip that may include stops but no lay-over days from your departure city to Doha. You will be paid the ticket allowance on the first day of orientation.

- In case you are making your own booking, you must send the school your flight details once confirmed. The school will need this information to arrange for meeting you at the airport in Doha.

2. Required Arrival Dates and Early Arrival

The school informs all new staff that they need to arrive in Doha three-five days prior to the start of Orientation, at the latest, to have some time to rest and recoup from jetlag. Orientation dates are shown on the School Calendar sent to all staff. If you want to arrive earlier than five days prior to the start of orientation, please inform the staff person who is assisting you with the move to Doha. The school will try to accommodate your plans but will have to check availability of apartments and admin support staff who will be needed to assist you. The earlier you plan to come the more challenging it may be.


3. Emergency Numbers You Need to Keep with You

- School Principal - Mr Fred Thorsell: +974-5531-7348 [email protected]

- School Head Office CEO - Ms Bassema Al-Jabi: +965-9904-8095 [email protected]

- School Executive Coordinator - Ms Clarinda Estrella: +974-6606-7228 [email protected]

- School Vice Principal - Ms Hanan Abdul-Aziz: +974-5532-4562 [email protected]

4. Meeting You at the Airport

- The new Doha International Airport has recently been opened. At the time of updating this Handout, travelers continue to be transported from the planes to the Arrivals terminal using Airport buses.

- The school will arrange for the meet and greet service, Al Maha, to assist you upon arrival. The Al Maha representative, a lady dressed in burgundy, holding a sign with your name or calling it out, will be waiting for you as you exit the plane. She will assist you all the way through immigration and baggage claim and will deliver you to the school staff. In case you do not find the Al Maha staff, follow the Arrivals sign at the airport terminal until you reach the main, very big hall, where the immigration points are. As you enter the hall, go all the way to the right, where the Al Maha counter is. You can identify yourself and they will arrange to assist you.

- The school representative will be waiting for you after the baggage claim point. He will also be holding a sign with your name. He will have keys to your apartment and will take you there.

- If for any reason you are delayed please make immediate contact with the emergency numbers provided above.


C. Living & Working in Qatar

1- Apartments

- Most teachers stay in school accommodation. Few teachers choose not to live in provided apartments. They receive a cash allowance towards their own found accommodation.

- So far, teacher apartments have been in the same suburb, Al-Sadd, although in two buildings. One of the buildings, referred to as Building A, has around 30 apartments. The school rents 20 of them. The other building has only 8 apartments, which are all rented for Hayat teachers. During 2015-2016, the school will have to place some teachers in a third building. It may be in another suburb close to Al-Sadd if apartments in Al-Sadd are not available.

This is the address and link for Building A location on Google maps:

It’s Building No. 15.

Name is: Sheikh Abdelaziz Building

Landlord: This building belongs to a company called Three Four Real Estate

https://maps.google.co.in/maps/ms?msid=207987445432009417976.0004d68af4023b5b0efb2&msa=0&ll=25.277608,51.494915&spn=0.004773,0.009238&iwloc=0004d68af70772d82fe15

This is the address and link to Building B location on Google maps

Building number: 10

Street Number: 855 / Street Name : Ibn Wahban

Zone Number: 38

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Millennium+Hotel+Doha/@25.2839387,51.5011324,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x3e45dadd3ab4e023:0xf89a47a1406ac9ef

- It is important to note that not all new teachers will be places in these buildings. New apartments will have to be rented. Al-Sadd, is a busy suburb with many shopping outlets. Read more in the "Entertainment & Shopping" section.

- A one-bedroom apartment consists of a bedroom, a living room that has dining area, a kitchen and a bathroom.

- Apartments in Qatar normally have smaller darkened windows to reduce window heat and reflect sun, this leads to a somewhat darker inside apartment; they do not offer the brightness of the Canadian large glass windows or French doors.







- Building A has a service staff at the entrance. Building B does not have a reception. The main door is locked and only teachers have keys to the door.

- Cleanliness to standard of basic – done by hired help and may not be up to standards staff would think it should be; however every effort is made to ensure it is acceptable.

- New or near new basic furniture and appliances are provided. The following tables show furniture, appliances and other items normally provided in teacher apartments.

- Qatar is developing rapidly. There may be construction work near staff accommodation.

- In case repairs are needed, please contact school staff to assist you. Apartment staff may be not be able to communicate with you because of limited English skills. Email the following address:

[email protected] Telephone: +974-6606-7228

- Repairs may take a day or two; staff working from the school make every effort to get such repairs or any repairs done in a timely fashion. Purchase of items that are damaged because of misuse is responsibility of the teacher. Faulty equipment is the responsibility of apartment company. The school staff work with this company to ensure working order and/or replacement

GROCERIES KEPT IN APARTMENTS UPON ARRIVAL

Items Quantity Items Quantity Yogurt 6 Water 3 Egg 6 Tomatoes 1 KG Sugar 1 KG Cucumbers 1 KG Bread 1 Corn Oil 1 Cheese 1 Instant Coffee 1 Butter 1 Matchbox 1 Jam 1 Shampoo 1 Milk 4 Washing Powder 1 Cornflakes 1 Tissue box 2 Apple, Orange 1KG Soap 1 Tea 1 Hand wash 1 Tuna 3

FURNITURE, APPLIANCES & OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS IN STAFF APARTMENTS

Item Quantity

1. Bed, mattress, pillow, bed sheets, bedcover 1

2. Two door closet 1

3. Hairdresser & chair 1


Item Quantity

4. Bedside cabinet 1

5. TV and receiver for satellite channels 1

6. TV table 1

7. Tea tables 1

8. A set of 3 towels (3 different sizes) 1

9. Fridge 1

10. Washer 1

11. Stove, gas cylinder 1

12. Microwave 1

13. Table spoons (4-piece set) 1

14. Knives (4-piece set) 1

15. Forks (4-piece set) 1

16. Teaspoons (4-piece set) 1

17. Set of frying pans (big, medium and small) 1

18. Set of cooking spoons (3 different spoons) 1

19. Set of cooking pots (big, medium and small) 1

20. Tea Cups (4-piece set) 1

21. Coffee Cups (4-piece set) 1

22. Big table plates (4-piece set) 1

23. Small table plates (4-piece set) 1

24. Teakettle 1

25. Water glasses (4-piece set) 1

26. Cutting board 1

27. Sharp knife 1

28. Salt shaker 1

29. Sugar shaker 1

30. Ironing Board and Iron 1

31. Vacuum Cleaner 1

32. Laundry rack 1

33. Trash bins 3

34. Mop and broom/dustpan 1

35. Dish cloth 2

36. Basic cleaning supplies 1 set

2- Cultural Cautions

“We are not here to change or introduce a new culture we are joining a culture; a culture different from ours, but as wonderful as ours. Experiencing the Qatari Culture is a gift that comes with your position. The opportunity to enjoy it, learn about it and participate in it is part of the adventure you have chosen.”


“But there are differences we need to know about………”

- Music – we do not have choir, there is little emphasis on singing and string instruments

- Dance as the social activity practiced in Western culture is not appropriate for teaching here

- Percussion Instruments can be used

- Visual Arts and Drama are acceptable and are integrated with other subjects as long as content is not inconsistent with Islamic culture.

- Children’s Literature where the main character or a significant character is a pig should not be used.

- Children’s Literature where magic plays a significant part of the plot is not used or is not focused upon (for example “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” is not part of library).

- Children’s Literature with partially dressed characters (bare buttocks) are not acceptable, e.g. beach attire

- Romantic children’s novels - boyfriend, girlfriend attractions not allowed

- Celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, Valentines’ Day, etc. are not celebrated and are not part of our teaching repertoire. There are a few greatly celebrated Qatari occasions you will learn about and hopefully have fun participating in.

- Boys and girls have segregated classes starting from grade 4 and should not mix in recess, lunch break or any other school activities.

- There is a dress code that all teachers are expected to adhere to. Please refer to # a.3 "Clothes to Bring".

3- Entertainment and Shopping

- Apartments for new teachers located in town area within walking distance of shopping

- Sports Events (tennis, squash, football (soccer), golf) for participation or audience

- Music/drama Expat Clubs – Choir, Theatre

- Performances by known artists (Cat Stevens and Leona Lewis performed here live and more recently, Sarah Brightman and Gwen Stephani)

- Numerous Movie Theatres


- All major chain restaurants

- Many local Arabic restaurants

- International restaurants available

4- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Teacher Assistants

- Every KG - grade 2 class is provided with a full time TA.

- Higher grades have shared TA's. The amount of time allocated for each class varies depending on factors of need to be established by the Principal.

5- Essential of Working at HUBS - Class Size

Class size is 25-27 students. The number may exceed 25 to accommodate our students moving up, siblings and/or staff children, prepare for full classes in grade 4, where boys and girls have separate classes. Teachers receive stipends for students registered over 25.

6- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Private Tutoring

This is the school policy regarding private tutoring:

- In order to ensure that there is no potential bias or conflict in their employment with the school, each employee has to do his/her utmost to support student learning while in the capacity of an employee of HUBS, Qatar

- When spouses or other family members (who are not employees of Hayat), act as tutors, special steps must be taken to ensure that the perception of ‘conflict of interest’ is diminished to the greatest extent possible by taking the steps outlined below.

o Parents will be informed that the person is related to a staff member and how that person is related.

o There must exist no circumstances where a tutor accepts as a client a child who is also taught by the associated Hayat staff member in that year

o It is the responsibility of the Hayat staff member to ensure that these guidelines are followed

o If asked for a referral for a tutor, no Hayat employee may suggest the name of a tutor who is known to be a family member of that employee or other employee of the school.


7- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Resources

Resourcing decisions are made through collaborative efforts with the teaching staff. Teachers influence what will be ordered in the following year. Once the year starts there remain opportunities to purchase additional items if approved by the Principal. If an item is perceived to be of general use, it can be placed in the school monthly order. Otherwise, every teacher has an allowance of QR1,050 (QR350 per term) that the teacher can use to purchase items without prior approval. Teachers can make the purchase, submit receipts for approval by the Principal, and get reimbursed within 48 hours.

Information about program and instructional framework resources is provided in "Teaching at HUBS - C&I Overview". To have an idea of the supplies available at the school, we are providing the list for the year 2012-2013.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES LIST 2012-2013

# Items Consumable/Non-Cons. Grade

1 CLEAN WATER SCIENCE NC G2-G6

2 COMPRESSION SCALE NC G2-G6

3 THERMOMETERS NC G2-G6

4 PRISM SETS NC G2-G6

5 ALPHABET SOUP SORTERS NC K1-K2

6 Very First Magnet Kit NC K2-G2

7 Laces For Lacing NC K1J-K2

8 World Starter Map NC G1-G6

9 Floor Puzzle, Solar System, 36" x 24", 24 pieces NC G2-G6

10 Floor Puzzle, PETS, 36" x 24", 24 pieces NC G2-G6

11 ABACUS NC K2-G1

12 ANIMEMO NC G1-G3

13 CHUNKY VEHICLES NC K1J-K2

14 CLACK NC K1J-K2

15 CLOCKS NC G1-G4

16 Community Car Set NC K1J-K2

17 COMMUNITY BLOCK PLAY PEOPLE NC K1J-K2

18 connecting Cubes NC K1J-K2

19 DENTAL MODEL NC G2-G6

20 Dominoes(animals) NC K2-G2

21 FINGERCARDS TOPOLOGY NC G1-G3

22 FINGERCARDS-NUMBERS NC G1-G4

23 FLOOR PUZZLE FRUITS NC G1-G3

24 FLOOR PUZZLE VEGETABLES NC G1-G4

25 GAINT NUMBER PUZZLES NC K1J-K2

26 GAINT WOODEN BEADS NC K1J-K2

27 LACING ANIMALS NC K1J-K2

28 LACING LETTERS NC K1J-K2




29 LACING NUMBERS NC K1J-K2

30 LET'S LEARN TRANSPORTATION NC K1J-K2

31 Let's Talk Community Helpers NC K1J-K2

32 life cycle puzzles NC K2-G2

33 LINKY CHAINS NC K1J-K2

34 POCKET CHART NC ALL

35 RIDDLE MAZE NC G1-G6

36 ROUNDED BLOCKS NC K1J-K2

37 SUPER SET NC K1J-K2

38 WHERE DOES FOOD COME FROM? NC G1-G3

39 Tactile Construction tower NC K1J-K2

40 Teaching Board NC ALL

41 WOODEN BLOCKS 100 PCS NC K1-K2

42 HOCKEY INITIATION NC PE

43 PE MATS-GYMNASTUIC MATS NC PE

44 BALANCE STEPPING CLOUDS NC PE

45 BEANIE BAGS (13308) NC PE

46 BALANCE BOARD NC PE

47 SUPER BOARD NC PE

48 Life Style Gourmet Café Kitchen NC K1J-K2

49 Pretend & Play Table and Chair Set NC K1J-K2

50 SPORT STYLE BIBS NC ALL

51 Small Globes for lower grades NC K2-G2

52 Globe NC G2-G5

53 Rulers - small CONS ALL

54 staples CONS ALL

55 Rulers - big CONS ALL

56 stapler remover CONS ALL

57 tape - small CONS ALL

58 white tac CONS ALL

59 small paper pads CONS ALL

60 medium paper pads CONS ALL

61 sticky tac CONS ALL

62 Borders CONS ALL

63 WHISLES CONS ALL

64 Pencils with erasers (12pencils/box) CONS ALL

65 dividers CONS ALL

66 highlighters (assorted colors) CONS ALL

67 lined paper CONS ALL

68 CONSTRUCTION PAPER Packets CONS ALL

69 Foamboard 50x70x0.5cm WE CONS ALL

70 duct tape CONS ALL

71 Paint brush CONS ALL




72 paper clips - small CONS ALL

73 Pens - blue CONS ALL

74 Pens - black CONS ALL

75 Pens - red CONS ALL

76 White board cleaner CONS ALL

77 tape dispenser CONS ALL

78 white board markers assorted colors (pack) CONS ALL

79 2 hole punchers CONS ALL

80 staplers small CONS ALL

81 green A4 paper CONS ALL

82 yellow A4 paper CONS ALL

83 red A4 paper CONS ALL

84 blue A4 paper CONS ALL

85 pink A4 paper CONS ALL

86 L shaped plastic files CONS ALL

87 attendance folder CONS ALL

88 plastic pockets CONS ALL

89 dry clay-white CONS ALL

90 dry clay-brown CONS ALL

91 Yarn CONS ALL

92 Stick Notes 3x4" Yellow CONS ALL

93 Easel Pads -unruled CONS ALL

94 Easel Pads- ruled CONS ALL

95 NUMBERS-MAGNETS CONS ALL

96 ALBHABETS-MAGNETS CONS ALL

97 tape - large CONS ALL

98 GLITTER JARS 500 gm CONS ALL

99 Laminating Film - A4 CONS ALL

100 envelopes - small air mail CONS ALL

101 crepe paper CONS ALL

102 Laminating Film - A3 CONS ALL

103 envelopes - medium CONS ALL

104 envelopes - large CONS ALL

105 Erasers CONS ALL

106 glue stick - big CONS ALL

107 glue stick - small CONS ALL

108 white board markers single colors)(12col/box) CONS ALL




112 white board erasers CONS ALL

113 binder clips - BLACK-big CONS ALL

114 binder clips - BLACK-small CONS ALL




115 rubberbands BIG CONS ALL

116 permanent markers CONS ALL

117 white out CONS ALL

118 pegs CONS ALL

119 scissors-CLASS SET CONS ALL

120 index cards CONS ALL

121 labels CONS ALL

122 labels CONS ALL

123 chalk CONS ALL

124 BRISTOL BOARD CONS ALL

125 STRING CONS ALL

126 play dough CONS ALL

127 ZIP LOCK BAGS-BIG CONS ALL

128 ZIP LOCK BAGS-SMALL CONS ALL

129 COLORED PENCILS CONS ALL

130 HUBS Notebooks CONS ALL

131 Family Communication Folder CONS KG

132 Agendas (Planners) CONS Elementary

133 Sentence Strips CONS ALL

134 RBO KRFT 36X1000' ORNG CONS ALL

135 RBO KRAFT 36X1000 CANRY CONS ALL

136 RBO KRAFT 36X1000 WHITE CONS ALL

137 RBO KRFT 36X1000 BLACK CONS ALL

138 RBO KRFT 36X1000' SCARLET CONS ALL

139 CRAYONS CONS ALL

140 CHALK BOARD-(PACK OF 12) CONS ALL

141 Basic Color-RED-03 CONS ALL

142 Basic Color-RED MAGENTA-04 CONS ALL

143 Basic Color-SEA BLUE-06 CONS ALL

144 Basic Color-PINK-08 CONS ALL

145 Basic Color-VIOLET-09 CONS ALL

146 Basic Color-LIT GREEN-10 CONS ALL

147 Basic Color-BROWN-12 CONS ALL

148 Basic Color-BLACK--13 CONS ALL

149 Lollipop Sticks CONS ALL

150 COLOURED FEATHERS CONS ALL

151 Black Wiggly Eyes CONS ALL

152 Pom-poms CONS ALL

153 Colored Sand-7COURS EX WHITE CONS ALL

154 Craft Felt CONS ALL


8- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Staff Communication &

Collaboration

There are ample formal and informal opportunities for staff and administration teams to communicate. These include:

- Staff welcome get together in the apartments

- Daily Q&A sessions during the year beginning two week orientation

- Announcements on the whiteboard next to the Nurse's room

- Weekly Sunday Morning Staff Memos

- Monthly staff meetings

- Grade level/Team meetings

- Ongoing meetings and social events around the school

- Meeting minutes and action plans shared with staff

- Forms such as Conduct Form, Critical Incident Form and Referral Form to Student Support Program

- Qatar National School Accreditation, which the school participates in. The process results in the school Growth Plans and provides opportunities for teachers and other groups in the school community to collaborate on analysis and action planning for school improvement

- The school administrators implement an open door policy. The Principal and other members of the school administration are available at short notice whenever teachers need to meet.


9- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Conflict Resolution

Policy

As professional educators, teachers are generally able to resolve issues effectively by communicating with the persons concerned.

Sometimes, however, things do not go as smoothly as all would like and a teacher may find that they continue to have concerns about an issue at school, or a learning condition, or housing or contract issue that they wish to have addressed and resolved.

When that occurs, teachers can use a step-by-step approach to solve the issue.

Issue regarding a parent:

1. The first step is to resolve the issue directly with the parent. For BC staff, you may call upon the support of your TA or a bilingual staff member to help in this matter.

2. If the issue cannot be resolved directly with the parent, the issue should be resolved with the help of the school administration. Staff who work in the Early Childhood Program would meet with the Early Childhood Program Head (Ms. Nad). For teachers of Grade KG2 and up, the Vice-Principal (Ms. Hanan) would be the first administrative contact.

3. If you feel that you have thoroughly discussed the issue at the first level of school administration, and you still have concerns, you should discuss the issue with the school Principal (Mr. Fred).

Issue regarding another staff member:

1. The first step is to resolve the issue directly with the other staff member. For BC staff, you may call upon the support of your TA or a bilingual staff member to help in this matter if the other staff member does not speak fluent English.

2. If the issue cannot be resolved directly with the staff member, the issue should be resolved with the help of the school administration. Staff who work in the Early Childhood Program would meet with the Early Childhood Program Head (Ms. Nad). For teachers of Grade KG2 and up, the Vice-Principal (Ms. Hanan) would be the first administrative contact.

3. If you feel that you have thoroughly discussed the issue at the first level of school administration, and you still have concerns, you should discuss the issue with the school Principal (Mr. Fred).


Issues regarding a Learning Condition:

Note: any issue which is a safety item must be reported to the School Administration immediately.

1. As a first step to resolve a non-emergency item, the teacher should work with the concerned BC Program Head to resolve the issue.

2. If the issue cannot be resolved at this level, and you still have concerns, you should discuss the issue with the school Principal (Mr. Fred).

Issues regarding Learning Resources:

If the issue is related to resources, the first step is to speak with the Resources Coordinator, followed by the Administrator responsible for resources (Ms. Nad), the Vice-Principal and, if necessary, the Principal. At each level, the teacher should be consulting with the immediate supervisor about the issue, BC Head for BC Teachers, Ms Nad for Early Childhood Program, Ms. Farhana for Arabic (PreK - G2) and Ms Hanan, or the designated coordinator for Arabic (G3 - G9).

Teacher Housing Issue:

1. The first step is to report the concern or issue to the Executive Coordinator in the Main Education Office to attempt to resolve the housing issue.

2. If this is not successful, the next step would be to meet with the School Principal to attempt to resolve the issue.

3. If the issue is still not resolved to your satisfaction, you may communicate with Head Office in Kuwait by emailing the CEO at: [email protected]

Contract Issue:

1. The first step is to raise the issue with the School Administration in order to seek clarity and determine how the issue might be resolved. The HR Officer/Executive Coordinator is the first person to meet with to resolve the issue.

2. If this does not resolve the issue, you should meet with the Vice-Principal (Ms. Hanan) to try to resolve the issue.

3. If the issue is still not resolved, you should meet with the Principal to try to resolve the matter.

4. If the issue is still not resolved to your satisfaction, you may communicate with Head Office in Kuwait by emailing the CEO, Ms. Bassema, at: [email protected]

Note: in all cases, where the teacher has an issue with a supervisor which cannot be resolved directly with that party, the issue should be referred to the next highest supervisory person in the organization.


Note: it is understood that no one who raises an issue of legitimate concern and who acts without malice to try and resolve a dispute will be the subject of punitive response by the responding party; having a process to resolve issues helps to ensure that everyone is treated in a fair and equitable manner.

10- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Teacher Support &

Teacher Evaluation

- Hayat School implements a growth perspective to teacher supervision and evaluation. Teacher support is available and is a major responsibility of the principal and other administrators. Heads of the BC Program are a significant part of teacher support.

- Teacher support is formalized and informal. Please ask…. we all believe working together will provide the best for our students. Helping our teachers is a major priority.

- Teachers may be evaluated during their first year at HUBS and are definitely evaluated during their second year.

- Thoughtful planning, the implementation of mandated programs, effective use of resources, and differentiated instructional practices are expected and remarked upon during evaluation.

11- Essentials of Working at HUBS - Workload

- School calendars and weekly timetables are emailed to teachers prior to or with the letters of job offer. These documents show the number of instructional days, public holidays, school breaks and weekly instructional hours.

- The official working hours are from 6:30 am to 2:00 pm. All classes start at 7:00 am. Teachers are encouraged to be in their classes 5 - 10 minutes before 7 to meet their students. This practice supports bonding between teachers and students and creates a welcoming classroom environment. One of the school challenges is to enforce student punctuality. Lateness has been a problem that the school will be addressing next year through an absenteeism and lateness policy. It is essential that all teachers are in their classrooms not later than 7 am, if not before, to set an example for their students.

- BC Program classes end at 2:00 pm. Early Childhood Program classes end at 12:15 pm. For Early Childhood Program (PreK and K1) Classroom Teachers, some of the time after the end of classes is dedicated for sessions in support programs the school offers for the elementary grades such as ESL English Language Clinic and


Guided Reading. These sessions are typically pre-planned; the role of the PreK and K1 teachers is to provide instruction.

- Classroom teachers are expected to stay with their children until 2:15 pm at which time they take students to one location to wait to be picked up. Dedicated staff supervise the students in this area.

- KG1 and KG2 students who have siblings in Elementary grades may be grouped and placed in one - three KG1 or KG2 classrooms until parents pick up all the children. A Teacher Assistant will be kept with the students to supervise them.

- The first bus ride to school accommodation is at 2:30 pm. Therefore, teachers who are residing in the school accommodation are at the school from 6:30 am until 2:30 pm.

- BC teachers can prep during the Arabic sessions, which average approximately 1.5 hours per day. Teachers will need to prep in the library/IT lab, C&I Room or staff room because classrooms will be used by the Arabic Program teachers. Some of the prep time may also be used to do entry assessment for new students applying to the school or meetings. Entry assessment normally takes place between January - June of and September - October of the following year. During peak months, a teacher may have to do 3-4 entry assessments a week. Each entry assessment lasts for 30-40 minutes on average. Even though the school employs a full time substitute teacher there may be occasions when the Administration requires teachers to cover for a colleague.

- In planning the number of instructional days and weekly instructional hours, the school observes the requirements of the British Columbia Ministry of Education for minimum instructional time and the Qatar Supreme Education Council.

12- HR Matters - Attendance

- Staff must be present in the school during school hours. Staff sign in and sign out through thumb print identification machine.

- Any staff wishing to leave campus during the workday must seek prior approval from the Principal and must sign out before leaving campus and sign in upon return at the Administration Office. The leave from work should not exceed 3 working hours, except when staff are in government offices for school approved residency-related issues.

- No leave from work will be granted on days for which the purpose may be to extend weekends and/or holidays. Any staff not reporting for work on these days (connected to weekends and/holidays) will lose payment for the number of days related to that unauthorized absence, (unless a doctor's note is provided).


- Staff should not be absent on the first or last day of the school year. Absence on any of these days will be counted as a two-day absence and will be deducted as such from the monthly salary

13- HR Matters - Contracts

Contract Signing: You will receive your contract on the first/second day of joining the school. Contracts incorporate the terms of the letter of job offer you have signed and are based on the Qatar Labor Law. You will be given a few days to review the contract and seek clarifications. Signed contracts are needed to issue your residency. Hence the school administrators will do their best to answer your questions and have contracts signed as early as possible. Four original contracts need to be signed. You will have a signed original, the school will have one and the remaining two are needed for Qatari authorities.

- Contract Renewal: as early as the first/second week of December the school sends out internal memos informing teachers of salary increases and inviting them to renew their contracts. The offer can be for one or more years. If a teacher signs this memo agreeing to continue employment with the school, the contract will be renewed for the duration chosen by the teacher. Leaving the school after agreeing to renew the contract for additional year(s) would amount to breaking the contract.

14- HR Matters - Leaves

- Sick leave: Each staff must call in sick as soon as it is evident that coming to work will result in a health hazard to oneself or others. Staff are granted sick leave in accordance with Qatar labor laws as follows:

o 14 days, fully paid (including weekends).

o 28 days, half paid (including weekends).

o The extension of the sick leave thereafter shall be without pay until the staff resumes his/her work, resigns, or his/her service is terminated for health reasons.

o According to the Qatar Labor Law, staff are not entitled to sick leave during the probation period, which is six months as stated in the school contracts. The school DOES approve sick leave for staff during this period with the good faith that they will complete their contracts. However, ONLY in the cases where staff leave the school before the end of the school year, i.e. do not complete their contracts, the school has the right to treat the sick leave days they may have taken during the probation period as unpaid leave. In which case, the school will deduct the salary of these days from any dues to the staff at the time of leaving the school.


o For sick leave to be granted, a letter from the doctor will be needed stating the condition that requires the leave and specifying the number of days. In instances where staff are unable to submit the doctor’s letter before the absence, it may be submitted after their return to work.

- Maternity leave: Female staff who completed a minimum of one calendar year of employment shall be entitled to maternity leave with full pay for a period of 50 days including weekends. The duration of the maternity leave does not increase with the number of years of employment. A one-year and a five-year teacher would receive 50 days.

Such maternity leave shall include the period before and after the delivery provided that the period following the delivery shall not be less than thirty five days.

Female staff without one completed calendar year of employment shall be entitled to maternity leave with full pay for a period of 15 days only.

- Emergency Leave: Staff may be entitled to a maximum of 4 days emergency leave. This requires approval from the Principal and cannot be used for more than 2 consecutive days.

- Compassionate Leave: In matters of a compassionate nature such as serious illness or bereavement in the immediate family (spouse, children, parents and parents of spouse), up to 7days paid leave may be granted, if authorized by the Principal. The 7 days include weekends.

- Unpaid Leave: All other absences except public and official holidays and those approved by the Management, will be registered as leave without pay and deducted from salary at the rate of salary divided by working days multiplied by the number of days absent.

- Unpaid Leave Effect on Summer Payment: Unpaid leave days reduce the total number of working days which will be reflected proportionately in the summer payment deductions and indemnity.

- Combining Leaves: Annual leaves and public holidays cannot be combined with sick leaves, compassionate, emergency or unpaid leaves.

- Weekend Leave Calculations: The school implements the accounting and HR system that divides the monthly salary by a standard of 30 days. As a result, if a weekend falls between paid leave days, such as sick, maternity or compassionate leave, the weekend will be deducted from the paid leave balance. On the other hand, the rate for salary deduction for unpaid leave is lower than it is with a system that divides the monthly salary by working days.


- Reward for Unused Leave Days: For every six sick and emergency leave days not used, the teacher receives one discretionary day. If a teacher does not use any of the sick or emergency leave days, thus earning three discretionary days, they will qualify for one more discretionary day. They will have four discretionary leave days to use the year after. Teachers who take unpaid leave will lose the ability to earn any discretionary leave days. Teachers can choose not to use their discretionary leave days and cash them at the end of the contract based on the gross salary rate. This applies to teachers who stay with the school for one year of the implementation of the policy.

15- Information & Communication Technology

- A personal cell phone is imperative. They can be easily purchased upon arrival for every range of price. If you are bringing your cell phone from Canada SIM cards are also easy to get.

- There is a PC with 24 inch monitor in each classroom. If you are purchasing a laptop, PC is recommended for ease of compatibility.

- AV Projectors and overhead projectors are available for lesson presentation.

- There is no color printer available for production of classroom materials.

- There are smart boards in every classroom starting at Grade 4.

- There are two sets of 30 unit tablets used by the higher grades.

- There is a PC lab with 27 stations.

16- Money Matters - Personal Cash

- We suggest you arrive with some cash on hand. We would not suggest travelers cheques; although they can be cashed this may be slightly problematic.

- ATM cards work well in Qatar. Western Union is within walking distance.

- As soon as you can (at airport arrivals) exchange money and get some Qatari Riyal. Suggested amount is 500 riyal (at time of writing 150 Canadian dollars).

- US dollars are easier to manage than Canadian dollars.

- Ensure that your ATM card and Credit Card, if you choose to use one, will be accepted in Qatar. Talk to your bank. ATM machines only accept debit cards with four digit pin numbers.


- According to Qatari law, opening bank current accounts require residency in Qatar. However, during the first week of reporting to work (orientation week) the school will send the names and passport numbers of all new staff to the bank to open accounts for them. The school will inform the bank that work will be underway to issue residencies. So, you can expect to have a local bank account opened in the month of September so that your first salary will be transferred to your account. The school will inform the bank once residencies are issued.

- You can have a Qatari credit card issued on your bank account. Internet access for banking is the same as in Canada. So, you can use online banking to transfer funds to your account in Canada.

17- Money Matters - School Payments

- On the first day of your beginning orientation, you will be paid a salary for the days you will work in August. These will be 7 work days during August 23rd - 31st, 2015. Friday and Saturday are weekend. .

- During the first week of orientation, you will be paid / reimbursed the following expenses:

o Ticket allowance: this is applicable for staff who choose to make their own booking. The amount will have been communicated to you while discussing ticket arrangements. No receipt is required for this payment.

o Domestic flights**: this is applicable for teachers who will book short domestic flights to get from their home city to the nearest international airport. They will have to inform the school of the amount while discussing ticket arrangements. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

o Excess baggage **: refer to your letter of job offer for the maximum amount that can be reimbursed. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

o Resources allowance **: there is an allocation per term of 350 riyal (around CDN 120, at current exchange rate) for each teacher to purchase items for classroom use. You can use this allowance to purchase items from Canada before you leave. Receipts are required for reimbursement.

o Teacher License Fees: annual renewal fees for teachers who were BC certified at the time of hiring and the fees associated with obtaining BC teacher certification for teachers who had to apply for teacher certification. Proof of certification is not required for payment. The school will check the Teacher Regulation Branch online registry for proof of certification.


** Items with two asterisks require receipts for payments to be made. Please make sure to keep all receipts. If they are required, reimbursement will not be made without them. Please create a storage place and keep them in order.

Receipts should be submitted to the school HR. Once approved, payment will normally be made within 48 hours.

- Monthly salaries are deposited within the last 3 days of the month. Most banks send an SMS message alerting staff members. The school accountant welcomes any questions by email.

- Any other payment due to teachers is complete and arrives as promised on time. (e.g. Pay for extracurricular activities)

18- Money Matters - Estimated Cost of Living

Average monthly expenses can be QR2,500. This includes items such as personal transportation, food, shopping for necessities and entertainment. A major trip during one of the long school breaks may cost QR7,000. Assuming a teacher makes two major trips in the school year, the total would be QR14,000 for trips, and QR25,000 (2,500 x 10 months) for living expenses. Total expenses QR39,000. Please bear in mind these estimates are for a single teacher.

19- Professional and Staff Development

- Objectives:

1. Help teachers understand, appreciate and implement the British Columbia Program using the BC methods of teaching, school mandated programs, instructional frameworks, instructional strategies and assessment.

2. Acquaint teachers with the school systems, policies and procedures and/or how to access information about these elements of the school.

3. Assist teachers to develop an understanding and appreciation of the local culture and how to work with and seek advice about issues of cultural sensitivity.

4. Develop a teamwork and a spirit of collaboration

5. Address professional development areas relevant to the student needs that have been identified in the school growth plans


- Opportunities for Pro-D

1. Year-beginning two orientation weeks: Prior to the start of the school every year, two weeks are dedicated for professional and staff development. New teachers start in the first week, returning teachers join in the second week. Sessions, meetings and other activities take place during regular school hours, 7 - 2, Sunday - Thursday. This is the main opportunity for formal pro-d. Much of the pro-d related to curriculum and instruction takes place during these two weeks to support teachers in their roles as the school year kicks off.

2. Non Instructional Days (NIDs) and Saturday Schools: NIDs are school days with no teaching. Pro-d stretches over the regular school day. Saturday schools may last from 4 - 7 hours. There is a combined total of 8 NIDs and Saturday schools over the year.

3. There are ongoing less formal pro-d opportunities including staff meetings and grade level meetings.

20- Teaching at HUBS - C&I Overview

- The BC Ministry of Education Program: "Curriculum Grade Packages" are the guide for teaching. BC Performance Standards are used for assessment. These guides can be found in the following link:

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/

HUBS Early Childhood Program teachers have developed EC Curriculum Guides specifying the learning outcome of the Early Childhood grades, using the structure of the BC curriculum grade packages.

- Instructional Frameworks that dictate the school Balanced Literacy Program, Hands on Math or Character Development Program include:

o Teaching Student Centered Math by Jon de Walle

o Reading Powers by Adrienne Gear

o 6 + 1 by Ruth Culham

o Words Their Way

o 1,2, 3 Magic

- Programs used include:

o Literacy Place Scholastic

o PM Leveled Readers

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/


o Math Makes Sense (all manipulatives, and texts are available)

o Jolly Phonics

o Handwriting Without Tears

o Words Their Way

o Digi Block

o Pan Canadian Science Place

o Focus on Science. Caution: language use is above our ESL learners so the text must be supplemented.

- Character Education Programs include:

o Hayat High Five - Schoolwide

o Stop and Think - Schoolwide

Check "Character Education" tab in the following link on the school website:

http://www.hayatschool.com/qatar/qatarmain.htm

o Focus on Bullying

- Social Studies and Science

o Limited due to high reading and comprehension level

o A more significant point is there is a need for relevancy of material. The knowledge content of BC Curriculum can prove quite irrelevant to our Qatari population. Every effort must be made to make the content relevant. Teachers often use parallel development of Qatari and BC points as knowledge content is covered.

o Our Grade 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 teachers plan together to develop their Social Studies and Science Units. The units are usually planned as integrated units.

o Home Study Guides: a one page article providing a listing of web resources for students needs to be prepared as part of unit planning (G 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)


School Programs/Instructional Strategies/Resources Chart

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KG1 x x x x x

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G1 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

G2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x

G3 x x x x x x x x x x x x

G4 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

G5 x x x x x x x x x x x

G6 x x x x x x x x x x x

G7

x x x x x x x x x x x


21- Teaching at HUBS - Planning for Instruction

i. Year Plans: having these plans is a core requirement of the BC Ministry of Education Certification. These plans map Prescribed Learning Outcomes of the BC curriculum (available in the curriculum guides) to Instructional Strategies and Assessment Strategies.

Teachers have to submit yearly plans to the administration. However, recognizing the work that would be needed if new teachers would be expected to develop their plans from scratch, the school will provide teachers with one or two quality plans to use as ‘exemplars’. You can use these plans as is with the necessary changes according to calendar changes and new learning resources. You can also make changes with input/approval of the BC Program Head supervising your grade. This is to ensure consistent use of school-mandated programs and instructional frameworks. The plans will be sent to you prior to your arrival in Doha.

ii. Weekly Instructional Highlights: Teachers are expected to develop brief weekly plans highlighting what will be taught in the next week. These plans are sent home with students on Thursday (the last day of the week in Qatar) and are published on the school website. These plans are referred to as "Week at a Glance" and they serve as a means of communication with the family. Please see the link:

http://www.hayatschool.com/qatar/newsletters/newsletters.htm

iii. Unit and Daily Plans: Teachers also develop unit plans and daily plans. The Week at a Glance, unit plans and daily plans do not have to be submitted for approval from the administration. The school administrators will review these unit and daily plans during class visits and such plans will be reviewed by BC Ministry of Education personnel when they visit the school for the annual inspection and review. The Ministry is expecting to see thorough daily plans using a template that would ensure uniformity of planning and would spell out objectives, instructional strategies, assessment and how the different levels and needs of students will be met.

iv. Textbooks, Reference, and Homework materials: Homework and review are strongly supported by Hayat School expectations. Assigned homework is not for introducing new concepts, but to reinforce classroom learning. Ten (10) minutes per grade is advisable (grade one has 10 minutes of homework, grade two has 20 minutes of homework and so on). BC teachers are expected to send homework every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Assigned homework must be collected, marked, reviewed with the students and the results shared with parents so they are knowledgeable of their children’s education. Homework packages will periodically be turned in to Administration for review.

http://www.hayatschool.com/qatar/newsletters/newsletters.htm


The school is providing the following textbooks and reference materials. These are for classroom use and to encourage regular home practice and to provide parents and students with materials to review prior to writing quizzes, tests, and exams. Any materials which are not assigned to classrooms will be stored in the Resource Room near the main office. As a professional courtesy and to promote high interest for students, please remember to only use the materials for your grade or a lower grade – not for the grade higher than yours. This will ensure that students are not exposed to the same materials each year. Textbooks include:

Math Makes Sense G4-7 one textbook between every two students for use in the classroom. One etext for each student to use at home.

Math Makes Sense G8-9 one textbook and one etext for each student. BC Science Probe G4-7 one textbook for each student. Books may be sent

him if parent submits a signed the required form. BC Science G8- 9 one textbook and one workbook for each student.

Note: where an etext is not provided the text book may be sent home if parents sign the required form acknowledging their responsibility for any damage or loss of the book. Primary Success Publications These materials have been ordered, copied and bound for KG2 – Grade 3 classes. They are excellent for class use, supplemental support and as homework materials to review information previously introduced.

KG2 Math Success,

KG2 Successful Science Lessons, KG2

Grade One Math Masters,

G1 Math Success,

G1 Successful Science Lessons,

G2 Math Masters,

G2 Math Success,

G2 Successful Science Lessons,

G3 Math Success,

Open School BC (OSBC) Materials: This material cannot be the prime source of teacher planning or instruction.

Math Materials from OSBC


KinderMath Module: this material, carefully reviewed by the teacher, could be used for extension work at the Kindergarten/Grade One level

Math 5 Survival Course: this is designed for parents to support their child at home and can provide material for teachers to share with parents as homework preview and review and home support, or/and for teachers to use in class as supplementary materials

Math 7 Course: this is an older version of the on-line course and can be used as supplemental material, for homework materials and/or for sharing with parents

Math 8 Course: this is an older version of the on-line course and can be used as supplemental material, for homework materials and/or for sharing with parents on paper or via Google Doc’s

Science Program Material Purchased from OSBC

Science 4 Home Facilitator’s Guide, One Module and One Science 4 ‘Notebook’

Science 6 Home Facilitator’s Guide, One Module and One Science 6 ‘Notebook’

Science 7 Four Modules and Four Topic ‘Notebooks’

Science 8 SOS - Science Orientation Skills booklet, Four Modules and Science 8 Blackline Master

Science 9 SOS – Science Orientation Skills booklet, Four Modules and Science 9 Blackline Master

Note: there is no Science 5 OSBC material available.

Social Studies Material Purchases from OSBC

SStudies 5 Four Modules and Four ‘Notebooks’ and a ‘toolbox’

SStudies 6 Three Modules and Three ‘Notebooks’ and a ‘toolbox’

SStudies 7 Six Modules and Six ‘Notebooks’

SStudies 8 Three Modules

SStudies 9 Four Modules

Art Material Purchased from OSBC

Art 5: Three Blocks

Art 6: Three Blocks

Art 7: Three Blocks

Art 8: Art Foundations document, ‘Read Me First’ and Modules One and Six

Art 9: Art Foundations document, ‘Read Me First’ and Modules One, Six, Two and Three

Art 10: Art Foundations document, ‘Read Me First’, and Modules One, Six, Four and Five


Modules One and Six cover material for all three grades. Modules Two and Three are suited for Grade 9 and Modules Four and Five are suited for Grade 10.

Please note: Many of the OSBC course materials for all subjects and grades will refer to resources that may not be available in Qatar, or that may be inappropriate in our community. Continue to use your Professional Judgment and the advice and direction of colleagues and leadership staff when planning for instruction.

v. Assessment: Assessment is an intrinsic part of the learning process. It is always connected to the curriculum and to instruction. As progress is made towards achieving the prescribed learning outcomes assessment must constantly inform instruction and determine progress and achievement. All assessments; tests, quizzes, projects, assignments, must be marked, reviewed with the students, and the results shared with parents.

vi. Grade Level Collaboration: One period per week is provided for each grade level team to plan together. These meetings are one way to ensure that instruction and assessment are consistent across the grade.

vii. Communicating and Working with Parents: Communication with parents should be regular and informative. It can be in the form of email, telephone calls, communication folders, and meetings. This should happen for every student but sooner and more regularly for students who are experiencing difficulties whether academic, social, or behavioural. Parents should have a very clear picture of how their child is doing at all times throughout the year. Parents are supportive of the school and want to be involved in their children’s education. For them to be able to do so they need to be aware of what their children are, and will be, studying so that they can support this learning at home. The Week at a Glance is a way of communicating general information about what will be covered during the upcoming week. It is expected that teachers make the best use of the WAAG providing specific information that will guide parents such as pages in the text books/reference materials that cover what will be taught. More specific details need to be communicated with the meaningful homework and reference materials sent home.

22- Teaching at HUBS - Prior to Arriving C&I Prep Ideas

- Visit an ESL classroom or classrooms with ESL learners; speak to teachers of second language to get tips, references and advice.

- Classroom Management is an important element of your classroom start up - probably more important than you think. Talk to mentors or respected professionals to gain insight.


- Reading the teacher book “1,2,3 Magic” is a good idea.

- Find and review resource books called “Reading 44, Primary or Intermediate. Early Literacy Teaching and Learning and math 44 Kindergarten, Elementary. These are available through the Ministry of Education Website. Although not mandatory, they are very a useful resource.

- You will receive other ideas for preparation prior to arriving in Doha. Reviewing the material will ease your start up.

23- Transportation

- Transportation to and from the school: the school provides two or three variable times for departing from apartment to school and departing from school (for example, this year there are trips for leaving from school to the apartments at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30)

- Shopping trips provided by the school: there are two shopping trips per week for groups of staff. The group can choose where to go.

- Taxi service: Karwa Taxi (blue) with meter are best. Be sure to check meter is on.

- Cars: cars can be leased, rented or purchased. All three arrangements are in operation among our staff. These arrangements are completed by individual staff members.

24- Visas, Residencies and Exit Permits - Staff

The school normally issues work visas for teachers to enter Qatar. After teachers arrive in Qatar the school starts the arrangements to for work residency. This year, the time between teachers' arrival, in the last week of August, and the first long school break (one week), in the third week of September, may be too short for completing the work residency.

Therefore, teachers are given two options:

1. To enter Qatar with a work visa

If you choose this option, you need to be aware that your residency will not be completed by the first school break, which means that if you want to travel during the break, all arrangements for your work residency will be cancelled and you will have to start over.

If you choose this option, the school will use the passport copy you have sent to issue your work visa. Please make sure it is the same passport you will use to travel to Doha. Changing the passport after the visa is issued could be problematic.


2. To enter Qatar with a visit visa.

You can get a visit visa at the airport. You can stay in the country as a visitor until after the one-week school break in September. The school will start the arrangements to issue your work residency after your return.

The first option suits teachers who do not plan to travel during the first long break. The second option must be taken by teachers who plan to travel.

- Work visas and residencies: Getting a resident card is needed to continue to have current bank account, to get a public health card and a driver’s license. These are the steps for issuing the residency:

I. School informs the teacher of the required documents to obtain visas for the teacher (copies of degrees and passport valid for one year starting from September you are joining the school).

II. Teacher emails the documents.

III. The school will issue a work visa for the teacher and send it to him/her. This applies for teachers who chose not travel during the first long break and hence will enter the country with a work visa.

IV. Upon arrival to the school, teachers must give the school HR their passports. The passports will be needed to fix appointments for the medical checkup, which is a requirement to issue residencies. It is a must to start with this step on the first day of joining, for teachers who opted to enter the country with a work visa, or the first day after the first school break, for teachers who opted to enter the country with a visit visa. The checkup includes an X-ray and a blood test.

V. Passport-size photos are needed for the process of issuing residency. It is much cheaper to get them done in Qatar. The school will arrange to take you to a local photographer to get the required photos.

VI. Also, upon arrival to the school, teachers are handed their employment contracts. The sooner the contracts are discussed and signed the better because they need to be endorsed by more than one government body.

VII. Teachers submit the authenticated original diplomas of their degrees upon arrival to the school. The school arranges to have these documents attested by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


VIII. Signed contracts will be sent to the concerned government bodies for endorsement. The authenticated degrees must be attached to the contracts for endorsement to take place.

IX. Doing the finger prints – all resident applicants are fingerprinted.

X. The Application is completed online by the school and the passport is taken to the concerned government office to affix the residency sticker.

- Exit permits are needed at the immigration point for expatriates who have work residencies in Qatar. Single exit permits can be obtained on the spot at the school HR office using the Qatar e-government online facilities. There is a multiple exit permit which can be obtained, but it costs more. Staff need to be careful not to renew multiple permits prior to their expiry date. Renewing even by one day prior to the expiry date of multiple exit permits amounts to cancelling the permit and results in cancellation fees equivalent to the issuance fee. Fees for exit permits are born by the teachers. The cost of a Single permit fee is nominal. The cost for a Multiple exit permit fee is relatively high.

25- Visas and Residencies - Staff Families

Qatari laws do not allow females to sponsor their husbands and children. ‘Sponsoring’ here means providing dependent residencies. Males can sponsor their wives and children. However, they need to be employed in Qatar for four to six months to be able to make the sponsorship. This is because one of the sponsorship requirements is to submit a six month bank statement showing salary transfer during these six months.

Spouses and children of teachers who do not have dependent residencies can only stay in Qatar as visitors. This means they need to travel every two months to renew their visit visas. While staying in Qatar as visitors, they can access public health service through public clinics for a nominal fee. However, major surgeries can be costly. Visitors can have a driving license but must renew it every time they leave the country to renew their visit visas. Visitors can rent a car but cannot own a car. Visitors can open saving bank accounts with credit card and online banking service, but they need to inform the bank every time they renew their visit visas.

By the time you receive this handout, the issue of family members' residency in Qatar will have been discussed with you in detail. This aspect of your employment and move to Qatar is discussed at the outset during processing your application to join the school. The information that was communicated to you during the hiring process is more specific to your situation and you need to refer to the letter of job offer and your emails in case of need.


26- Weather

The heat is tiring and exhaustive. Canadians take a long time to acclimatize, but it is sunshine almost every day, and warm all the time. Shawls and light sweaters/jackets are most one would need during cool days. Rain is rare and is over quick when it happens.