Secondary

Message from Secondary School Principal,

Mr. Kain Klinkhammer

Dear GAA Parents and Students,

Congratulations on making it to winter break! I know this has been a difficult year. The New Year is always a time to reflect on the past year. For many, we would love to forget 2020. It brought about great changes and hardships. What I ask you to do is to reflect on your own personal growth. Yes, we were challenged. Yes, we had many hardships. However, we made it through every challenge and hardship.

How can you take that growth and make the most of it for 2021? We should not hope for lives of leisure and comfort. They are nice for vacation, but a life of ease never brings rewards. I’m proud to be part of this community, and when I think our students, their families, and our teachers and staff, I’m grateful for having lived through the experiences and for having this community to support me during this past year. Thank you.

As we look to 2021, we need to be prepared for more change. Grades 6-9 can return to school. Students and families will have the opportunity to re-examine their choice of whether to attend school in person or through distance learning. Each family will have to assess risks and needs. As an educator, I prefer in-person education. While our staff has done a wonderful job of integrating distance learners into the classroom, there are some experiences that cannot be replicated online. The in-person option is a richer educational experience.

Once you commit to in-person or online attendance, we ask that you recognize that you will not be able to change for the remainder of the year. When we are certain of final numbers, we will solidify systems that are not easily changed, and when students move back and forth from in-person and online attendance, students create inconsistencies that may inhibit learning. Please consider you choice carefully.

We will be communicating throughout the winter break so that you are prepared for our return to school in January. Please look in your email for details. Season’s greetings!

Kain Klinkhammer

Secondary Principal

Message from Middle School Vice Principal,

Mr. Scott Macdonald

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the GAA Community for their support during my health concerns. I am now fine, and eager to arrange for all our Middle School students to return after the winter break. We are finally here and our teachers cannot wait to get back the students back on campus.

We will have an “A” group and a “B” group that will come to school on alternating days, while students will be learning from home online on days they are not on campus. You will be notified of which group your child is in over the winter break. We collected data from the GAA Middle School Return to School In Person Survey (please fill out if you have not already) and students have been divided strategically and thoughtfully according to siblings in Elementary and KG, total number of students, bus routes and class sizes. If you have not completed the survey we assume your child will come to school and will be placed in a group. On the first 2 days of returning, we will have a safety orientation so we can walk your child through safety expectations, logistics, break time locations, and classroom expectations in regards to Covid Safety. Group A will come on Sunday January 3rd, Group B on Monday January 4th and Distance Learners will not start classes on Tuesday January 5th to allow time for teachers to go through all Safety Protocols and expectations with students. We will be sending an assignment to our students for their off day(s) on January 3rd so they will stay busy until they all return on January 5th. Please watch out for our next communication over the break with further updates about return to school. As always, please do not hesitate to email with any questions you may have or support you may need.

Have a safe and joyous winter break and we will see you in January.

Scott Macdonald

Middle School Vice Principal

NEWS FROM SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Science Newsletter - December 2020.pdf

YEARBOOK 2020-2021

ORDER FORM 2020-21.pdf

We can all agree that this year is very unique and our lives are very different than before.

The 2020/2021 yearbook will have a very personal feel to it and will capture the craziness of this school year.

Due to safety restrictions and considering that number of our students are still on full distance learning, we will not have Stu Williamson take student formal photos at school this year. In case things change, we may schedule the photoshoot for March 2021.

This is where we need our Parents and Students' help:

For KG/Elementary, we ask that parents send a recent picture of their child doing anything they like, eating, playing, exercising... clear face and good lighting.
For MS/HS, we ask that students send us a selfie, that can be funny but appropriate.

Homeroom and advisory teachers will reach out to their students/parents shortly with details. We hope to get the photos before the Winter Break.

Let's make a delicious lemonade out of the lemons, so generously given by 2020!

If you didn't get your copy of Yearbook 2019-2020, it is still available. Contact Ms. Fatma, Parent Relations Executive, at pre_gaa@gemsedu.com for payment details.

SECONDARY LIBRARY

Welcome to GAA Secondary Library website! Your access to the library collection, research databases, learning resources and more!

SECONDARY LIBRARY WEBSITE

Library Newsletter November 2020

Winter Reading Challenge

Steps on how to join:

Read any 5 books from the list below
Scan the QR code to submit the title of the books you have read, due by the 17th of January 2021
Zoom Q&A between 18th to 24th of January 2021

Prize: 50AED Magrudys or Borders gift card

Let me know if you have any questions! - Ms. Anna – a.parente_gaa@gaa-ad.com

Middle School Reading Suggestions

High School Reading Suggestions

December 13 - January 2: Winter Break
January 3: School Resumes
January 12: IB Info Night
January 28: Half-Day, school dismisses at 12:00

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GAA EVENTS CALENDAR

(please note, updated regularly)

2019-2020 Athletics Awards

Triple Athlete Cetificates.mp4

On December 6 and 7, we were finally able to present the medals and certificates from last year Athletic Awards to our High School students. Here are some pictures from this little ceremony: