Celebrating Milestones and Future Contributions

As the school year draws to a close, our halls are filled with a unique blend of nostalgia and anticipation. This week, we celebrate a significant milestone: high school graduation. The senior walk, a cherished tradition, sees our soon-to-be graduates parade the school one final time, reflecting on their journey from KG  to Grade 12. This moment is not just a culmination of their academic endeavors but a celebration of their growth, resilience, and potential to impact the world.

The journey from preschool to twelfth grade is profound, marked by countless lessons, both inside and outside the classroom. It’s a path where curiosity is nurtured, challenges are met head-on, and personal growth is fostered. Each stage of this journey plays a crucial role in shaping well-rounded individuals ready to contribute to society.

Early Foundations in PK and Elementary School

The earliest years, from PK through elementary school, are where the seeds of learning are planted. These formative years are crucial as children develop foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and social interaction. More than academics, these years are about igniting a passion for learning and curiosity about the world. The joy of discovery and the thrill of learning new things create a solid bedrock for future academic and personal growth.

Teachers in these early years play a pivotal role in fostering a love for learning. They create safe and engaging environments where children feel valued and inspired to explore their interests. This nurturing approach helps students develop confidence and a positive attitude toward education that will carry them through their academic journey.

Middle school is also a time when students learn to navigate increased academic responsibilities and extracurricular activities. They begin to discover their strengths and interests, setting the stage for future academic and career choices. The support from teachers and peers during this period is crucial, helping students build resilience and independence.

The high school experience is a blend of rigorous academics and opportunities for personal growth. Whether through sports, arts, clubs, or community service, students learn to balance their interests and responsibilities, preparing them for the demands of adulthood. Teachers and counselors provide guidance, helping students navigate college applications, career planning, and life beyond school.

As seniors walk through the halls for the last time, they carry with them the knowledge and experiences gained over thirteen years of education. Graduation is a significant milestone, symbolizing not just the end of their school journey but the beginning of a new chapter. It is a moment of pride for students, families, and educators alike, celebrating the hard work, perseverance, and achievements of our graduates.

As we celebrate this year’s graduates, we are reminded that our role as educators extends beyond the classroom. We have the privilege of influencing young minds, fostering a love for learning, and preparing students to make meaningful contributions to society. Graduation is not the end but a milestone in a continuous journey of growth, discovery, and impact.

Leia Kraeuter

Elementary Principal

Celebrating Differences

At the end of last month GAA celebrated our neurodiverse friends with a week dedicated to Autism Awareness and Acceptance. All classes at all grade levels engaged in a variety of activities designed to increase students’ understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Autism) Students learned through Ted Talks, books and videos, experienced learning preferences through sensory exploration stations, expressed empathy through the lens of kindness and finally the whole school joined together in solidarity by wearing blue on Friday. 

My favorite part of the week was reading the secondary school messages posted on a ‘kindness matters’ wall ’. I’ll share a few of my favorites:

• “We are all the same. Some of us just have different wiring, it doesn’t mean that they are less of a person. Treat people how you want to be treated. With kindness.“

• “Don't make them feel left out or give a weird stare. Treat them equally and always be kind.”

• “Please be kind to everyone or just smile , you never know, maybe you’ve changed their day by doing something nice without you knowing. Many people deal with problems but are too afraid to open up so doing something nice in general changes everything.”

• “Be patient and thoughtful with your words. They have a big effect.”

• “You're just as special as everyone else.”

• “The "quiet kid" might not want to be alone, he just might not know how to reach out and make friends. So maybe talk to them sometime, you just might make their day that bit better.”

• “Always know there is someone by your side :) if you’re reading this, have a great day!”

And, some students shared some beautiful poetry:

We are building a culture of kindness and acceptance at GAA and are hugely proud of all of our amazing Wildcats and their evolving inclusive mindsets . 

Thank you for guiding your children to become kind, empathetic and compassionate humans.

Jackie Wyncoll

GAA Director of Inclusion

KG1D students have steered their inquiry into measurement, exploring the concepts of length and height. They had fun using cubes, rulers and measuring tapes to compare the lengths and heights of various objects in the classroom and on the playground. 

As part of our UOI, our young scientists conducted exciting experiments to learn about floating and sinking. They made predictions, tested various objects in water, and recorded their observations, sparking curiosity and foundational scientific understanding. 

It is hard to believe we are entering into the last month of the 23/24 academic year! We have been busy in KG2D preparing for our upcoming Promotion Ceremony – the students have been practicing so hard on the stage in and in our classroom. We are so excited 🎓 

Last week, we went on a field trip to the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation to watch the ‘Gruffalo’s Child’ performed on stage! It was so cool to see one of our favourite stories come to life. We worked together to help the Gruffalo to find the Big Bad Mouse – we had so much fun! 🐭

Check out some of the fun experiements we did to finish up our forces and motions unit! We used blocks and lego to make marble mazes and used different forces to make the marbles move 🥎

For our unit of inquiry students in 1A have been learning about Light and Sound. 

Our Central idea is “Light and Sound help people experience the world”.

Some questions we have asked are: 

• What causes light? Where does it come from?

• Why do we need light? What happens if we don’t have it? How does this affect our lives? 

• How can we change/manipulate light?

• Can we have too much light? Is light safe?

• How do we use light and sound to communicate?

• How do we use light and sound for safety?

• How does light help people? 

We have conducted many experiments and investigations to learn more about our topic. We discovered how to “bend” light rays. We studied about the sun and went to the Louvre Children’s Museum to learn about the cosmos. We even learned some pretty difficult vocabulary words like translucent, opaque, and transparent. A fifth grade student, Mila Frumkin, came to show us her PYPx light experiment. We enjoyed going to listen to Mr. Jefferson’s and Ms. Sally’s upper school band play. They showed us the importance of a conductor and high and low sounds. We got to be conductors for the band too! Students decided to take it even further by making their own instruments out of recycled materials and then forming our own class band with a conductor. This is by far one of our favorite units and we can’t wait to share more of our learning with our families!

Grade 5A has been studying ecosystems, and Mateo, showing student agency, brought this amazing contribution to our lessons: "Jeffrey Basil is my tiny ecosystem. This basil plant has been thriving inside a jar for 2 years. The water cycle is sustained by air evaporation, and bacteria act as decomposers, breaking down dead leaves. Jeffrey generates its own food and energy through photosynthesis."

Last week Grade 5A students creatively designed fantasy games—from board games to video games and quizzes—to make math review an adventure!

Dear GAA Elementary Families,

Please take note of the information below shared by our Library Department.  

ALL LIBRARY BOOKS ARE DUE MAY 31

The library is now CLOSED for inventory.  Last week your child received a printed copy of all books they have checked out and any fines that are due.  This information will also be shared in an automated email to you early this week.

Kindly note that ALL Library books are due on Friday, May 31st.  If you have any books checked out in your “parent” account, those are also due. Returns can be made to classroom library boxes or the Red Drop Box at the entrance of the Library.

LIBRARY BAGS (House Team)

Returning students should keep their library bags (red, black, white, green) to use them in the upcoming school year.  Please keep your child’s name tag on the folder, and keep it in a safe place until the start of the next school year.  Bring the bag back to school in August, and your child’s new teacher will give them a new name tag.  

Grade 5’s and any students who will not be returning to GAA may either keep their bags for personal use or donate their bags to the library so they can be reused in the new school year. 

If you need to purchase a new library bag, please look for information at the start of the school year.

 SUMMER READING BOOK FAIR - June 3-7

Our final Book Fair of the year will be in the lobby from June 3-7 and will be hosted by Gala Books.   

It is not mandatory for students to purchase books at the book fair, but all classes will have an opportunity to visit the fair with their teachers during a scheduled time.  The book fair will provide a great opportunity for children to view and buy books for summer reading.   

If you are sending money for your child to purchase at the book fair:

• Please clearly label your child’s envelope with their name, class and amount enclosed. 

• Write a note on the envelope if there is anything you do not want your child to purchase.

Please contact your child’s librarian if you have any questions.

For PreK to Grade 1: Ms. Jennifer j.thompson_gaa@gemsedu.com 

For Grades 2-5: Mrs. Kirby k.kirby_gaa@gemsedu.com 

• June 3-7 - EduTech Book Fair

• June 3-7 - Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week by GAAPA

• June 4 - GAAPA Board Voting Closes

• June 6 - Band 1 Concert

• June 10 - KG2A & KG2E Promotion Ceremony @9am

• June 11 - KG2B, KG2C & KG2D Promotion Ceremony @9am

• June 12 - Grade 5 Promotion Ceremony @9am

• June 28 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL