Mrs. Amal Shahine
Principal
Mrs. Amal Shahine joined Horizon Private School -Branch (HPS – Br.) in 2008 as the founding principal. Before that, Mrs. Shahine spent 15 years in an International School in Abu Dhabi where she joined as a fresh graduate holding a Bachelor Degree in Biology and a Teaching Diploma in Science Education from the American University of Beirut.
Mrs. Shahine takes great pride in the progress HPS -Br. has undergone from a small school of 100 students in its first year to a grown school with over 1500 students in its 14th year. Due to Mrs. Shahine’s dedication and vision, quality was never compromised at HPS -Br.; therefore, quality education has always been delivered by professional educators to Horizon Private School-Branch students who are distinguished by their exemplary attitude and respectful disposition.
Mrs. Shahine believes that every student is a gift from God, born to add value to this world, and that it is the duty of the educators to help the child discover his/her talents. Consequently, students have a big respect to Mrs. Shahine and endeavor to meet the high expectations she sets for them.
Mr. Nicolas Jreije
Vice Principal of Academics
Mr. Nicolas Jreije joined Horizon Private School – Branch in 2014 as a Grade 4 Homeroom teacher and was promoted to Administrative Director in 2016 and recently got promoted to Vice Principal Of Academics. He believes that a school is as strong as its leadership and that the best form of leadership is by example.
Mr. Jreije views a collaborative school environment as the key to creating successful teachers and consequently leads to higher levels of attainment and progress. This shared system of belief and values ensures that students are pushed to achieve the highest levels in personal and academic growth.
Ms. Noha Sbaiti
Assistant Principal
Ms. Noha Sbaiti is the Assistant Principal at Horizon Private School – Branch and has been with the school since its inauguration in August 2008. Prior to joining HPS-Br., and being a holder of a BA and a Teaching Diploma in English Language, she was an Upper Elementary and Middle School English language instructor. In fact, she has taught English for almost 20 years both in her home country, Lebanon, and in the UAE.
Along with her duties as an Assistant Principal, she has laid down the foundations of the English Department and acted as the English language coordinator.
“I have watched HPS-Br. grow and prosper, and I am extremely proud of the progress, achievements, and reputation it has accumulated along the years. We, at HPS-Br., believe that a solid education is achieved through the partnership established between the parents and the faculty as well as the meticulous selection of well-qualified and caring teachers, collaborating to raise lifelong, happy, and suitably challenged learners.”
Moreover, Ms. Noha strongly believes in teamwork and strives to ensure that an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual respect is evident among the students, parents, faculty members, and employees. It is with pleasure and pride that she watches HPS-Br.’s students excited to come to school and looking forward for a new day of learning, growth, and achievements.
Mrs. Bushra Barsik
Head of Kindergarten Department
Mrs. Bushra Barsik joined Horizon Private School – Branch in 2009 as the Head of Kindergarten Department. Her role is to develop a positive and creative learning community across the department. “Everything we do is focused on helping the children develop into happy, healthy, and confident learners equipped with the skills needed to succeed in the future.”
Mrs. Bushra puts her extensive experience as a teacher into use especially when planning activities and events with her team for the children in her department. She ensures that the team provides the children with various opportunities to develop their abilities, learn from and about the world they live in, and develop organizational and problem solving skills in a fun and playful manner.
Although she believes that kindergarten is the first stage in our children’s educational journey and in building their future learning, she strongly believes that childhood is not just a preparation for adulthood but an essential experience by itself. “Childhood should be valued as an important time in each person’s life; it should be full of joy and happy adventures.”
Mrs. Mary Khoury
Head of the Lower Elementary Department
Mrs. Mary Khoury has been in the field of education for 25 years. She joined HPS-Br. in 2010 as a Homeroom teacher and in 2012 she became the Head of the Lower Elementary Department.
Mrs. Mary strongly believes in education. “If you do what you love with passion, you’ll never work a day in your life.” She also believes that every student has the right to learn, to be taken care of, to be loved, and to be accepted. Her students are enthusiastic, enjoy coming to school, and strive to become lifelong learners.
She leads a strong team with tolerance and honesty. As a result, the team members support each other, collaborate, and thrive to excel in their mission. In Mrs. Mary’s opinion, “Whenever there is great love, miracles can happen.”
Ms. Clara Nader
Head of Upper Elementary School Department
Ms. Clara Nader joined Horizon Private School – Branch in 2017 as a teacher and was promoted to the Head of Upper Elementary School in 2018 since she has an extensive background working in UAE schools.
Ms. Clara sincerely believes that caring for and supporting students and staff is a key part of creating a happy and secure learning environment. Her passion is to help each and every student succeed. With a group of professional coordinators, highly qualified teachers, and well-trained staff, she ensures that the academic, social, and emotional needs of the students are met.
“Our students are the heart of all we do. They are enthusiastic participants in everyday school life, made possible through the provision of an exciting, broad, and balanced curriculum that inspires and motivates them to develop into independent and lifelong learners. They are also engaged in a range of in- and after-school activities that make school a fun place for them. Parents, too, are involved in their children’s school life. We believe that parents complement and reinforce what we start at school in the same way that we complement and reinforce what the students learn at home.”
Ms. Clara adds: “Within this caring and nurturing environment, we equip our students with the skills needed to be good citizens who are tolerant and respectful of others, ready to face middle school challenges, and adjust to the changes in the world and the community they live in.”
Mrs. Dalia Mouawad
Head of Middle School Department
Mrs. Dalia Mouawad joined Horizon Private School – Branch in 2008 as a French teacher as well as the Head of the French Department, and in 2015 she was promoted to Head of Middle School.
Mrs. Dalia is passionate about education and genuinely believes that it has the power to transform lives. “Job satisfaction comes from knowing that I have made a positive difference in my young people’s lives, urged them to have aspirations, and encouraged them to work hard to fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams.”
Given the fact that Middle School is a challenging period in the journey of every student, where the range of academic ability and physical and emotional development is huge, the major aim of our Middle School Head is to meet the needs of our 21st century students, families, and educators in order to set high standards, raise expectations, take risks, and face challenges in a safe and positive learning environment. “When families, community groups, and educators band together to support learning, students achieve more in school and enjoy the experience more as well.”
Mr. Mazen Nassar
Head of High School Department
Mr. Mazen Nassar is the Head of High School. He joined Horizon Private School – Branch in 2019. Embracing lifelong learning, he obtained a Masters of Education in Leadership in 2011 in addition to his BSc degree in Physics.
Mr. Mazen has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education and strongly believes that opportunities presented to us in life should be turned into learning experiences, explaining that it is not always about what we know, but what we do that makes a difference in people’s lives. Moreover, he believes that High School is a phase where we not only prepare students for university, but also for life. It is about guiding, motivating, and encouraging students to achieve their optimum goals.
In order to appreciate students, Mr. Mazen says that we must recognize them for their unique individuality. When students are recognized for their individuality, they gain self-confidence and acknowledge and embrace their strengths. Only then do they discover how to work as a team without being intimidated by the strengths of others.
As in everything in Mr. Mazen’s life, he considers that his role at HPS-Br. is a learning journey, and he will continue to learn something new from his students every day.
