Dear GEMS American Academy High School Students,

I hope you will enjoy a restful and fun break filled with time to recharge, connect with friends and family and reset your mind for the exciting weeks ahead. As we prepare to return to school this is the perfect moment to find a healthy balance between enjoyment and strong preparation for your upcoming mid term assessments. With organization, reflection, and a little creativity - you can step confidently into 2026 prepared for success. 

This is also a wonderful time to pause and think about how far you have come. You have already grown in ways you may not even realize. Take a moment to celebrate your strengths and also identify opportunities for greatness where you can push yourself even further. Reflection not only builds confidence but also helps you focus on what matters most - your success and meeting your goals to help you achieve your next great place (university - internship - summer jobs or study abroad).

To support you in your preparation, here are some suggestions  to help you prepare for your mid terms. Maybe these tools can help make studying enjoyable. 

How to use AI to create a personalized study plan

• List each course and the topics that will be assessed.

• Ask an AI platform to turn your list into a study calendar based on how many days you have before mid terms.

• Request daily tasks that fit your schedule such as review questions, reading sections or problem sets.

• Ask the AI to adjust the plan to match your learning style and the time you have available each day.

• Save the plan where you can see it daily and check items off as you complete them.

How to create your own AI study bots

• Choose a platform that lets you build custom AI helpers.

• Create a bot for each course such as AP Calculus Tutor or IB Biology Review Buddy.

• Upload or paste your notes, key terms, study guides and summaries into the bot.

• Tell the bot how to support you for example: “Quiz me on this vocabulary”. “Explain this concept in simpler words” or “Create a sample practice question”.

• Use the bot daily for warm up questions, explanations, and review games.

• Continue updating the bot as you learn new content so it reflects exactly what you need.

How to study effectively for mid terms

• Begin with short review sessions and increase the time as you get closer to the exams.

• Break study time into focused blocks and include breaks to stay energized.

• Use active strategies such as flashcards, diagrams, teach the concept out loud or to your parents  or try writing quick summaries of your notes

• Practice with real questions from previous assessments. 

• Review mistakes and feedback from your teachers  and get help from AI bots or classmates when you need clarification.

• Form small  virtual study groups to compare understanding and share strategies. Or meet up in Mamsha and enjoy out cooler days and have small study groups outside.  You can easily move to fun after some investment in your meeting your goals. 

Additional guidance for AP students

• Use AP Classroom videos, topic questions and progress checks to guide your studying.

• Create concept maps for units that build on each other 

• Practice free response questions often and review scoring guidelines to understand what exam readers look for.

• Use time limits when practicing multiple choice and free response to build confidence and pace.

• Use AI bots as mini tutors who can check your explanations and help refine your reasoning.

Additional guidance for IB students

• Review your subject reports  and feedback from past papers to have a better understanding of how to maximize your efforts along the scoring rubrics

• Revise past papers to increase your ability to write clear and concise responses that show your thinking process. 

• Helpful resources for all students

• Khan Academy for math science economics and general practice

• Quizlet for flashcards and review games

• AP Classroom for unit videos quizzes and progress checks

• IB Questionbank and official subject guides

• Online textbooks and teacher provided review materials

• Reading apps and audio books that help strengthen focus and comprehension

As you prepare, do not forget to take care of yourself. Spend time with family, stay active, rest your mind and enjoy a good book that inspires you. School -life balance is what will help you give your best effort while staying healthy and enjoying your academic journey.

Your GAA teachers and administration believe in your abilities and cannot wait to see the excellent work you will accomplish. We will see you in 2026. 

Monica Martin

Assistant Principal grades 11 and 12

Dear Parents and Students,

A short week before a long vacation, everyones favorite. On Fridays we have started our DROP EVERYTHING AND READ during advisory. Please remind your kids to have a book in their back pack for the rest of the year. 

Updates:

• The week we return is a White week, MONDAY blocks are ABCDE. 

• Friday is Drop Everything and Read.

• Mid Term Exams from January 12th-14th.

• NGRT Testing January 14th. 

• Final student submissions for grading January 23rd.

• Semester 1 Report Cards go out January 30th.

Have a great weekend!

Ms. Williams

email: m.williams3_gaa@gemsedu.com 

Please note that from Monday, January 12, to Wednesday, January 14, school for students in grades 6–12 will operate on half-day schedules. All bus students will be collected at 11:40 a.m. 

Students will have a short break between the first and second exams, and Slices will be available to serve food during this time.

Below is the full mid-term exam schedule for your reference:

Athletics and ASAs:

All Athletics practices will continue as per the regular training schedule, and there are games also scheduled for some teams on these dates - coaches will share this information directly with their players. 

School-provided ASAs will not take place for this week for secondary students; teachers will contact students directly if there are any exceptions. Any of the paid ASAs will continue as per their regular schedule (e.g., tennis on Tuesdays or Fitness on Thursdays).

We will share more details the week we return from break.

Please ensure your child is prepared and arrives on time for their assessments. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students have a smooth and successful mid-term exam period.

• December 8 -  January 4: WINTER BREAK

• January 5 - 1st day of Term 2

• January 5 - Welcome Back Coffee and Used Uniform Sale by GAA Parent Association @8:00am

• January 5 - New Secondary Student Orientation @8:45am

• January 10, 17, 24, 31 - Grade 12 Cap and Gown and Family Photoshoot

• January 14 - Parent Information Session: Understanding Learning Challenges and Dyslexia @8:30am

• January 26-30 - Book Fair

• January 29 - Coffee with GAA Leaders

• January 31 - International Food Festival by GAAPA