Dear GAA Community,

Please view the video below to get information on:

• Welcome back to campus!

• Parent Conferences

• Jewels of Kindness

• International Dress Down Days

• Dr Seuss Days

Mike Hopaluk

Elementary Principal

email: esprincipal_gaa@gemsedu.com

We remind parents of our safety protocols with regards to COVID-19:

• What if my child or a household member tests positive?

1. Notify school immediately by calling GAA's COVID-19 Hotline at 052 1048099 to enable us to activate appropriate response. Or email: pre_gaa@gemsedu.com

2. Keep your child and other GAA siblings isolated at home for at least 10 days and follow the instructions of Health Authorities.

3. Distance Learning will be enabled for your child.

4. Child will be cleared to return to school once they have 2 consecutive negative test results, submitting doctor's note and results to the school nurse.

• What's the Return to School protocol?

Positive case: They must show a Clearance Report from SEHA or their Health Care Provider confirming they are clear to return to school. This report shows the high-level history of the case including date confirmed positive, the 2 negative results and that the patient has completed the isolation period.

Contacts of the positive case: contacts must continue their 10 day home quarantine, even if they test negative, and are only allowed back in school after receiving 2 consecutive negative test results (approximately day 1 and day 8 testing).

We thank you for your continuous support.

Dear GAA Families,

Ministry of Education of UAE has issued a Ministerial Resolution No. 5 2021, regarding updated age cut-off for all students entering KG1, KG2 and Grade 1 starting from next school year.

We at GAA are exploring opening a Pre-K here for 3-4 year olds. This Pre-K model would have the same length of day as KG (7:30-2:15pm) with a modified, developmentally appropriate schedule (e.g. built-in nap time, etc). There would be flexibility to pick up students at an earlier time, if a parent chooses. Our curriculum would encompass our KG play-based philosophy with the American Common Core Standards.

A fee structure is currently being developed, and we expect it to be lower than KG fees.

We would like to collect parent feedback to understand the interest and we kindly request you to fill out this Survey https://forms.gle/aCYJcHifBggqkcPSA by February 28.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at registrar_gaa@gemsedu.com

Dear GAA Families,

What an amazing week of challenges and highs! I can not describe what it was like to see so much of our school community together in the building again. The fog created a special challenge that we did not force but overcame. It was particularly moving to see our middle school students again, many of whom I have known for 4 years. My heart ached a little as I saw how much they had grown up in their time away in Distance Learning.

Moving forward, GAA will continue its tireless efforts to bring our students high quality education while maintaining our strict health and safety protocols. Throughout the months of January and February, we have worked and reworked plans in school to have the best model for bringing our students back to school safely. We want parents and students to feel assured of this so that we can all focus on learning and growth.

Over the coming weeks, as we settle into life at school, we will continue to monitor our lessons and transitions into, between and out of classrooms. In this ongoing process, we will improve any areas where we see needs. Our goal will be to warmly welcome your children back to school and to keep them safe as they begin 2021 in their classrooms.

This time last year, we were only just learning about a new virus. It was only given its official name of ‘COVID 19’ on February 11th, 2020. We were still running school as normal on campus and had no idea of what was to come. Since that time, our community has endured tremendous upheaval and uncertainty. One thing that has remained constant is our shared care and commitment to the students of our community. That is something that I know will never change. This commitment inspires and motivates me as we navigate this global challenge. I hope it provides comfort for you as we move forward together.

We inspire. We challenge. We Innovate. We care.

Sincerely,

John O’Neill

Grade 3, 4 & 5 Vice Principal

Dear Grade 1-5 Parents,

Please see below the class links which can be used for collecting your child at school at the end of each day. You can save this email and use the links as an alternative to scanning the class QR codes with your phone.

Submitting your child’s name on these links instantly informs your child’s teacher that the parent/guardian is at the school and waiting outside for them to be dismissed.

Please be careful not to submit your child’s name before you are in the school grounds and ready to receive them as this can lead to children exiting the building and becoming confused if no one is there to collect them.

Hello Parents!

I need your help. I am putting together a bulletin board of examples of students showing the Learner Profile Attributes. If you have stories, quotes or pictures of your child showing the Attributes, please send them to me at t.pulci_gaa@gemsedu.com Please include your child’s name, grade and teacher.

1A is working hard and having fun online! I am very proud of this group and they have made a smooth transition to having classes daily. Students have been exploring non-fiction in our reading and writing units. They are learning strategies to help them read unknown words and ways to help them understand the text. In writing, they have written books about topics they are an expert on and now they are working on How-To pieces. Last week they taught me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich over zoom. It was pretty yummy! Finally, this week everyone represented their house teams and we had a colorful zoom morning meeting!

The IB-PYP program implemented and provided by GAA describes a board range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success.

The IB- PYP students in GAA are open-minded since they understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories as well as the values and traditions of others.

In UAESS, Students in grade 1 participated virtually in a class activity and showed their different cultures in front of each other.

Please click below link for presentation by our SST about Dyslexia.

• February 22 - STEPZSC with Wildcats @5:30pm, Zayed Sports City

• February 23 - Yoga and Mindfulness with Elissa Ballard for Elementary Parents, @12:00pm

• February 24-25 - Whole School Dress Down Day. Theme: International Day

• February 25 - Half-day. School dismisses @12:00pm

• March 3-4 - Virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences

• March 11 - PYP Exhibition Parent Information Session

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GAA EVENTS CALENDAR

(please note, updated regularly)

Here is the full video of the Virtual Production, in case you missed it.

In celebration of Innovation Month, the ADNOC CSR team is hosting a series of free workshops, events and competitions for youth, teachers, families and schools:

Event: ADNOC Energy for Life Competition for Schools

Date: February 24, 4-5pm

Description:

Join the launch of the ADNOC Energy for Life Competition for Schools. Book ADNOC Virtual Energy Center Tours for your students and learn how to participate in the ADNOC Energy for Life Competition. Five winning schools will receive a fully equipped VR studio for their school.

Event: Launch of ADNOC STEM Learning Portal

Date: February 28, 4-5pm

Description:

Join us for a launch of the ADNOC STEM Learning Portal. This portal will allow students to register, access learning content, challenges and competitions. Additionally, they will be able to track their progress, earn points and get certificates. Join us for an exclusive tour of this new portal!

All of the programs are free, online and accessible for teachers, parents and youth ages 7 to 18 years old.

RSVP here.