A Warm Welcome to our New Families!

Few new families have joined us this week and are settling into the routine at GAA. We ask that our new parents not hesitate to contact our Parent Relations Executive, Fatma Chabanova (email: pre_gaa@gemsedu.com), to help make your family’s arrival to GAA a smooth one. Please make sure you check out our Welcome Pack 2019-2020 too.

International Food Festival February 21, 2020

The International Food Festival (IFF) is fast approaching on February 21st, have you found your country team yet? IFF Planning Committee held their first IFF planning meeting on January 8, 2019. The Planning Committee will be holding a second meeting on January 28th at 08:30am in GAAPA room with lots of great information and school staff on hand to answer any questions you might have. Please watch for an email from GAA Communications with more details. We hope to see all of our countries represented in the Festival, so please make a note to join us for this meeting. If you would like to connect with the families from your countries, please feel free to contact our Parent Relations Executive Ms. Fatma Chabanova at pre_gaa@gemsedu.com

Upcoming Long Weekend, February 12-13, 2020

Please note the long weekend scheduled on the GAA 2019-2020 calendar with no school on February 12 and 13, giving GAA families a 4-day weekend.

Upcoming Spring Break

If you can believe it, Spring Break is just around the corner, from Sunday, March 29 through Thursday, April 9. Thursday, March 26, is a half-day schedule with classes ending at noon (12pm). School resumes on Sunday, April 12.

Security Update

GAA has an ongoing relationship with US Embassy officials here in Abu Dhabi and we’re periodically in touch for check-in meetings and communication updates.

In a regularly scheduled check-I meeting earlier this week, the Regional Security Officer said that there is currently no heightening of security in Abu Dhabi at this time. On a scale of concern from Level 1-4, Abu Dhabi remains at Level 1 for security concerns. There is no concern with field trips or athletic trips.

The Community Liaison Officer commented that a false news report appeared in a recent US newspaper article reporting heightened of security in the UAE. The false report has caused some concern among US citizens in Abu Dhabi and the Embassy has received a number of calls as a result. This issue prompted them to pass on several resources to us that are available to American citizens for accurate information and updates.

Check with the US Embassy’s online resources directly when seeking travel advisories by using these links:

Two travel advisory pages (the first is a more specific take on the events occurring in the region and is updated daily; the second is a list of other countries in the area and what level of caution their country is currently):

• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/iraq-crisis-2020.html
• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

The US Consular Chief encourages American families to fill out the STEP (Safe Travelers Enrollment Program) which can be found here: http://www.step.state.gov to receive SMS messages regarding travel advisories and updates.

Over the last three years, GAA had been fortunate to receive two significant grants totally $250,000 from the US State Department to purchase a variety of security updates, such as magnetic external gate locks, a new front door, additional external cameras, an external PA system and a radio system that connects directly to US Embassy officials.

This ongoing relationship with the Embassy has helped us to review protocols, improve facilities and keep communication lines open. This relationship benefits the whole community, not just for the American citizens working or attending GAA.

Thank you,

Kathryn Miner

Head of School and CEO

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GAA EVENTS CALENDAR

(please note, updated regularly)

• January 12: ESM paid ASAs sign up @2:30-3:30pm
• January 12-16: Secondary School Spirit Week
• January 16: Powderpuff 2020 @4:30pm GAA Field
• January 19: GAA Parent Community Lunch @12:00-15:00 at Circles Cafe (Gardens Plaza)
• January 21: Meet the Elementary Counsellors for Triple P @8:30am in MPR room (2nd floor)
• January 25: TED-X @ Auditorium
• January 26: Grades 1 & 3 Sports Day
• January 27: Grades 2, 4 & 5 Sports Day
• January 28: IFF Planning Meeting @8:30am in GAAPA Room
• January 29: Coffee with Secondary Counsellors @8:30-9:30am in the Planetarium
• January 29: KG1 Sports Day
• January 30: KG2 Sports Day
• January 29-30: Elementary Musical "Madagascar Jr" @6:30pm in the Auditorium
• January 30: Half-Day, school dismisses @12:00. Also a Dress Down Day/Pizza Day

Dear GAA Parents,

Abu Dhabi Sailing Academy is proud to announce that our sailing school for children ages 8 to 17 is open. This is a longtime dream and now materializing into reality. The Academy has now a fleet of 8 Optimist(ages 8-15) and 6 Beneteau first 7.5(ages 15-17) on our base at Yas Marina.

The mission is: Sailing For All, In a Fun, Safe and Efficient Way to Learn this Amazing Sport!

NEXT STEPS:

If interested without the sea trial, contact the ADSA at adsailingacademy@gmail.com.

FOR CHILDREN

A - School programs: 10 hours (4 weeks/ 1 time per week) - PRICE: 900 Dhs

B - Weekends: 10 hours (3 weeks / 1 time per weekend) - PRICE: 1,200 Dhs

D - ADSA RACING TEAM: For kids that would like to race, price to be announced.

Check out below brochure for more information!

Our preferred Apple provider, JTRS (Just The Right Solutions), has created an e-store from which you can purchase a number of Apple products below retail costs. JTRS Education is offering discounts on MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and iPads, as well as add-ons, cases and extended warranties.

Below, you will find a document on how to locate and sign-up for the e-store to see the discounted products and make a purchase. Once purchased, JTRS Education will be in communication with you about when they will be delivered to the school. Once they have been delivered to GAA, you may pick your devices up from the ICT office here at the school.

If you have any further questions, please contact JTRS directly at +971 4 338 0990 or info@jtrs.ae