Middle School Counseling

Greetings from the Middle School (MS) Counseling Team,

We are thrilled that you will be joining our community, and are looking forward to welcoming you. Transitions and times of change are full of emotions, and we want you to know that we are here to support you and your family at any time and about anything.

Mrs. Jen Hammonds - Introduction

I am originally from Houston, Texas. I went to Vanderbilt University and graduated with a BS in English and Secondary Education. I have lived and worked overseas since 1995, where I began my international teaching career as a high school English teacher at Hong Kong International School (HKIS). I have also lived in Cairo, Egypt, where I was an 8th-grade teacher at Cairo American College (CAC). I had the privilege to work full time at home for 7 years, when our daughters were little. At that time, I got my Masters in Counseling. I returned to work at HKIS as a learning specialist for two years, and then we moved to Doha in 2009. I have been in Doha, Qatar ever since, and I love being a middle school counselor.

My husband, James Hammonds, is from New Zealand and teaches 5th grade. My daughter, Ashley, graduated from ASD in 2018. She is studying architecture at the University of Sydney. My other daughter, Sydney, graduated virtually in 2020. She is studying history at the University of Sydney. Our family loves ASD and living in Doha. We have seen tremendous change in this city, which just keeps getting better and better. We hope you love it too!

In my free time, I love to spend time with family and friends. I also enjoy yoga, tennis, working out, taking walks at Lussail Boardwalk or Al Bidda Park or along the Corniche, sharing a coffee at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) or the Torba Farmers’ Market, enjoying a meal in Souq Waqif or a picnic at Fuwairit Beach, taking photos anywhere, and going to movies at Doha Festival City. These are a few of my favorite things!

Dr. Annalice Hayes - Introduction

My name is Dr. Annalice Hayes and I am proud to be one of ASD’s Middle School Counselors! I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada which is where I pursued my Undergraduate degree (Trent University) and my Education Degree (Queen’s University), before moving abroad to teach and live. During my time at Queen’s University, my (now) husband Nathaniel and I had an opportunity to teach at a Canadian school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During this time abroad, our desire to teach overseas was cemented and we have not looked back since!

Following our practicum at Taylor’s College, we accepted a job at the American School Foundation of Monterrey (ASFM), Mexico where we worked and lived for four years. During my first two years at ASFM, I taught 7th and 8th Grade Language Arts, Middle School Leadership, and Character Education. I was also completing both my Counseling Specialist and my Master’s Degree part-time. After completing my Specialist in Career and Guidance Education, I was excited to move into the role of Middle School Counselor for grades 6-9. This is where I found my true calling and passion. I worked in this position for two years before making the transition to Doha in the 2016-17 school year to work at ASD.

It was at this time that I was also working to complete my Educational Doctorate Degree (Western University) in 2018. We have really enjoyed our time at ASD thus far and have since added our newest addition, Eleanor Louise Hayes to the family. She, too, is proud to be a Dragon! Outside of school, I enjoy crafting and DIY projects, reading, spending time outdoors, and most importantly, time with my family.

Ms. Pin Xuan Luo - Introduction

I am originally from Singapore and I started my first international experience as a middle school student at Taipei American School in Taiwan where I completed middle school and most of high school. I completed my senior year in Mont Kiara International School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and did my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Queen’s University, Canada.

I moved back to Singapore and started to work as a banker while studying part-time for my master’s in Education, School Counselling. Upon graduation, I started working as a full-time school counselor in a school in Singapore, which I loved and also helped me realize that counseling is a career that I wanted to pursue. Perhaps it is my early years away from home, being back was not quite the same. This is when I decided to move to YK Pao Experimental School in Shanghai, China as a school counselor and where I met my husband, Kieran Gray who teaches Middle School Science. We decided to move to ASD in 2019 and have loved the warm and welcoming community since.

In my free time, I like to cook, try out different food, watch movies, and simply spend time with the people I love.

Mrs. Julie Howell - Introduction

I am originally from Canada which is where I completed my Undergraduate Degree at The University of Western Ontario and my Education Degree at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). During my time at OISE, I had the opportunity to teach in Mexico for 6 weeks. Throughout that same time, my (now) husband Trent taught in The Dominican Republic. After this short time teaching overseas, we both decided that this was something we definitely wanted to pursue. However, before we ventured out, we wanted to gain some teaching experience in Canada. To that end, I began teaching grade 7 in Toronto, Ontario and while doing that, I completed my English as an Additional Language (EAL) Specialist.

After we got our feet wet as new teachers we moved to Bangkok, Thailand to teach at The Thai-Chinese International School. There, I taught EAL ranging from grades 2-8. After 3 years in Bangkok, we decided that we wanted to start a family back in Canada. We also wanted to try a new experience; teaching at a boarding school. We loved living in rural Northern Ontario and we loved the joys and challenges that living and teaching in a boarding school bring.

However, after 9 years, the travel bug hit us again and it was time for us to open our children (Gabriel and Aria) up to this wonderful overseas, expat life! We accepted a job at ASD for the 2016-17 school year and have worked in the middle school ever since. We love the community feels that ASD brings! I am the MS EAL Specialist and also teach Health and Wellness in 7th grade. In 2020-21 I completed my Guidance and Career Specialist qualifications online through the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. I feel thrilled and grateful to be given the opportunity to take on a part-time counseling role in order to further my connections and support of students and families at ASD.

I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading, hiking, and working out. If you are looking for me after school, I am usually up in the fitness center running fitness classes for students and teachers! Our family has truly enjoyed our time at ASD thus far and we look forward to many more years as an ASD Dragon!