We enjoyed our first interview with Dave McMaster so much that we spoke with him a second time! If you missed the first interview on what it is like to start an international school, definitely check it out – it’s Episode 74. Dave also recorded two Going Global Stories for us. Head to our information hub to enjoy those.

Dave has 35 years of K-12 education experience, primarily in leadership roles in Canada, Hong Kong, and Bahrain. He joined the Esol organization in Bahrain in September 2018, and led the founding team in establishing the American School of Bahrain, which opened its doors to just over 100 students amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and has grown to nearly 800 students in its first five years of operation.

Prior to this role, Dave served as Principal and Head of School at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong. During his tenure, he spearheaded the authorization process for the full slate of International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Within six years, CDNIS DP students ranked in the top 10% of IB schools worldwide, and CDNIS was recognized as the top international school in Hong Kong for seven consecutive years. Dave has founded three schools, including the American School of Bahrain.

Dave’s authenticity as an educational leader motivates the entire school community to continually improve, ensuring excellence in educational provision. He strongly believes that cultivating a school culture based on mutual respect, happiness, and high yet realistic expectations will lead to a fruitful educational experience for students. He emphasizes the "smile index" as a key barometer for assessing a school's success. Dave also has extensive experience in recruiting, hiring, and retaining top educators, which he considers crucial to the success of founding ASB.

Dave holds a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University.

Our Guiding Question was, “What is it like teaching and living in the Middle East?”

Here are a few of the topics covered in this episode:

• What teachers can experience teaching in a fairly typical Middle Eastern international school
• Some advantages of and expectations for living in the Middle East as expats, particularly in Bahrain

Resources mentioned in the episode:

American School of Bahrain

Dave's Contact Information:

LinkedIn

Instagram

The show was recorded on February 16, 2025.

Categories: School Life | Travel | Recruiting | Bahrain

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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.