Greetings from the GAA Counseling Team,

In an effort to stay connected during our distance learning time, we are offering virtual counseling sessions/parent meetings from 8:00-3:00 PM Sunday to Thursday. Please email your counselor to book an appointment. The meeting platform we use is Google Hangouts. Students will need to login using their GAA email address. For parents and students who request meetings - counselors will send a Hangouts invitation to join the meeting.

• Ms. Bradford, HS Counselor (Last names A-D) - k.bradford_gaa@gemsedu.com

• Ms. Brown, HS Counselor (Last names E-Z) - l.brown2_gaa@gemsedu.com

• Ms. Cuenco, MS Counselor - y.cuenco_gaa@gemsedu.com

We look forward to working with you!

Class of 2021

Please note that due to our desire to keep you safe and give as many of you an opportunity to test in person, the Welcome Back Exams will be held 4 - 8 October (see below schedule). Arrival for morning exams is normal arrival time with being tardy at 7:45 and afternoon exams you must be in the auditorium by 11:45 AM. For the week of the 27 – 1 October, your teachers have planned for your arrival and classes will be held accordingly.

I encourage as many of you as are possible should try to come and take them in person. We will maintain our macrobubble and enter the Auditorium from the lower level and exit out of the door behind the stage (no reentry). Bathrooms are on the stage - if you have a full day you should bring snacks as you cannot enter and exit out of the auditorium for any reason. I do not accept tardiness. You will receive instruction from me about how to enter and exit and where to sit during the exams under a separate email.

During the first two weeks, students that have elected to study virtually may come (with proof of a negative Covid test) and take their assessments on the designated days. Moving in and out of the Auditorium is not an option for anyone. Once you arrive you will stay until your exam(s) are finished for the day.

For those of you that are assessing virtually - you will take the exams at the same time as the live sessions and will need to show proof to the invigilator for the session that you have cleared your calculator on the appropriate day (Group(s) 3, 4, and 5 as is appropriate). Over the next few days, your teachers will assist you with downloading the Secure Exam Browser on your laptops. You will need to troubleshoot technology concerns in advance as there is absolutely no room to accommodate snafus.

Mask are mandatory - I will not negotiate with anyone. You will be asked to leave if you choose unwisely. Please incorporate your IB Learner Profiles accordingly.

Monica Martin

email: m.martin1_gaa@gemsedu.com

Congratulations to the 2020 IB Cohort of GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi. Of the 78 candidates that submitted for IB assessment, 31 were full diploma and 47 were Certificate. These candidates showed great resilience and fortitude in the manner in which they completed an exemplary academic journey despite moving into a virtual learning environment. 100% of the GAA IB Diploma scholars were awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma with 81% of these students scoring over the IB World Average and 68% scoring at or above the GEMS Consortium Scoring Average. Commendations to Jiwon Jun who scored 44 points joined by 5 more of her peers who scored 40 or more points.

Our highest achieving students and the universities to which they have applied or have been accepted are as follows:

• Jiwon Jun (44) – Princeton

• Ali Al Shehhi (42) – New York University in New York

• Jaesung Park (40)– NYU Abu Dhabi

• Ritvik Swaminathan (40) – University of South Hampton or University of Bath

• Joelle Younes (40) – University of Virginia

• Diya Zghari (40) - Koç University , Khalifa University, National University of Singapore , Nanyang Technological University

GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi continues to serve with excellence all scholars and help them to achieve success during their academic journey, we look forward to celebrating our upcoming cohorts and their academic success.

Monica Martin

IBDP Coordinator

email: m.martin1_gaa@gemsedu.com

Please help us celebrate acceptances to the following institutions: