Awards

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Academic Award winners at each grade level. Over the past week and through next week we will be celebrating student achievement in the classroom. Students are recognized by the Secondary Faculty who have demonstrated an inquiry and growth mindset, determination and have sought help to ensure understanding. Well done and congratulations!

French Immersion Trip

14 students are on their way to Paris to immerse themselves in the language and culture of France. Mr. Rashleigh has big plans for more trips to occur next school year. Please be on the lookout for information sessions regarding upcoming trips. Thank you Mr. Rashleigh for all of your efforts for Extra-curricular learning at GAA!

GAA Calendar

June 26 is our final school day of SY22-23. Final assessments for courses will be completed by the end of this week. This is due to ADEK requiring GAA to input final grades into ESIS beginning on Monday, June 12. The Secondary faculty and I want to reassure you that we have plans for the learning to continue, for class building activities to occur as well as some healthy competitions. Thank you for supporting our school calendar through June 26.

No comments on final reports

At the end of each semester, your child’s GAA report card will reflect final attainment in each course. For semester I, the grade represents the learning up until that point. For semester II, June 16 this year, the grade represents the final attainment for the course. 

Comments are written by teachers at the end of Quarter I, and next year, at the end of Quarter III. This information, along with Student Parent Teacher Conferencing, provides the student, parent and teacher time to make adjustments and time to remedy learning struggles before the final grades are input. Due to this change, no comments will be written for the final grade report for SY22-23.

As the IB DP is a two year programme of study, DP I students will see comments on their end of year report. This teacher feedback is provided to students so action can be taken over the month of July and August to then enter into Senior year on the right path.

Year end reports will be shared via PowerSchool on June 16.

Enjoy the weekend, 

Garth

Good afternoon GAA families,

This month’s newsletter includes testimonials from some of our students who have participated in various events and leadership opportunities this year. We hope these stories inspire other students to take opportunities to lead and positively impact the wider community.

Zeyoun and Aisha: DIDI Challenge (Grade 11)

“Participating in the DIDI challenge alongside my friend Aisha was an impactful and academically enriching experience. The challenge, a collaboration between the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the DIDI project design space, sought to transform societal perspectives on climate change and its implications for the UAE.

Out of a pool of 3,000 students, Aisha and I were honored to be selected as finalists, an achievement that instilled us with a deep sense of pride. Our excitement reached new heights as we prepared to present our 3-minute film in Dubai, where our teachers attended to extend their support.

While our film did not secure the top spot, the journey itself proved to be a significant milestone. It afforded us an opportunity to cultivate our skills in filmmaking, research, and collaborative teamwork. Our creative process involved filming interviews within our school community, wherein we had participants undergo ecological footprint tests. This data formed the basis of our short video, which aimed to raise awareness about the ecological impact of individuals.

Participating in the DIDI challenge served as a catalyst for our environmental activism journey. It ignited a deep-seated passion within us, compelling us to continue advocating for sustainable living and empowering others to take action”.

- Zeyoun Alameri and Ayesha Alzaabi (Grade 11 Sustainability Committee Leaders)

Lilou, Vidushi and Dalal: Student Government

“As the tenth grade Vice President for the 2022 - 2023 academic year, I have learned a great deal! For one thing, the importance of our community has become increasingly apparent to me. My position has pushed me to get to know students and teachers alike, through which I understood that everyone in our school has a role, everyone of which is crucial to Gems as a whole. The value of voicing my opinions and thoughts has, too, been made clear to me during my experience in student government. I have learned that ideas, small or big, can make a difference and deserve to be heard. Finally, I have gained the skills necessary to collaborate effectively with others, which I will carry throughout my life. All in all, my time in student government has been incredibly rewarding and an unmatched learning experience. “

Dalal Al Mukhtar- Grade 10 Vice President

“Being a class representative in Student Government this year allowed me to gain a great variety of skills, specifically in terms of communication, organization, and leadership. As a representative, I was required to regularly be in contact with admin, teachers, and students, and this really helped me become more confident in sharing my ideas and communicating with others. I also learned a lot about the different processes involved in decision making and organizing school events. Being on the side of making these events possible made me appreciate my teachers and staff members as I got to experience first-hand exactly how much work and responsibility it takes. Finally, I think organizing school events allowed me to truly understand how much of an impact whole-school events have and how important they are to building a community.”

Vidushi Verma- Grade 9 Class Representative

“Student government has taught me many valuable skills that will be detrimental to me as I head into grade eleven. Communication is one of the most essential skills in student government, as I've had to communicate with many different people to organise events or get things done. It's not just having the ability to communicate, but to be an effective collaborator with the other members of the SGA. As Grade 10's secretary, organisation and responsibility was the key to keeping our government on track when we needed to achieve our goals. I would like to thank all of the members of our student government for always helping each other out and Mrs Bueno for being the glue we desperately needed!”

Lilou Claudel- Grade Ten Secretary

Ayan: Establishing a New Buddy System at GAA

“The Buddy Networking System is a new system made by Ayan Bhutani. It is a system to make it easier to find buddies and help new students. Also, The BNS seeks to provide a welcoming and accepting community where new students may easily fit into GAA. The system aims to lessen the adjustment process for newcomers, empowering them to navigate school life with confidence and achieve a sense of belonging.

In this system new students will scan a QR code leading to a google form new students will be sent to a simple Google Form. In the form we will know more about their preferences, hobbies, improvement/best areas. New students will be matched with the right pals or given the help they need using the data gathered through these forms. There is also a tremendous opportunity for old students to get to know the new students and make more friends, also you will get this opportunity by responding to the questions/applying. The applicants will be picked by how good they are as a student. In addition, student behaviors (kindness) will be one of several criteria used in the selection process for participation as we work to pair up students who are not only compatible socially but also have a strong dedication to their academics.

Overall, the BNS revolutionizes the way students form friendships and receive support. One of the key benefits of the BNS is that it gives current students a unique opportunity to interact with their new classmates, encouraging the development of deep connections. Current students can broaden their social networks and grow their friendships. It offers a complete structure to create friendships, using student preferences and performance in school as major determinants of effective buddy matches.”

Ayan Bhutani- Grade 9, Buddy Networking System Founder

Senior Jacket Information

It is time for our rising seniors to place their orders for their Senior Jackets and Hoodies.  This is a privilege that is awarded when students meet certain criteria to be set forth by administration.  These criteria are meant to help students be better positioned to survive university and college application cycle, be positive contributors to the learning community and strong scholars of GAA.  Information around the expectations will be shared in future advisories and assemblies. 

To place your order for your desired number of jackets and hoodies, please review and respond to the information below.  

• Use this form to place your order

  • • Jackets - 250 dh

    • Sweaters - 200 dh

• Orders must be placed & paid for by Monday June 19th 

• Orders not paid for, will not be placed

• This is a bulk order, so prices will be higher in the fall!

• All payments must be in cash, using exact change

• When/Where to pay:

  • • During advisory, table in front of the spiral staircase

    • Monday June 12th - Thursday June 15th

For further information around the ordering process, please contact Ms Lauren Massman at l.massman_gaa@gemsedu.com or Ms Monica Martin m.martin1_gaa@gemsedu.com. Guidelines and information around supporting your student with planning for this shift in uniform options will be sent in a separate email from Ms Martin. 

Learning Continues 

The deadline for final student submissions for this academic year was today. Congratulations to all our students for the hard work they have put in this year. Today, we celebrated with our annual GAA’s Got Talent!  Now, students will be engaged in activities that prepare them for the next academic year. DP1 students will also continue with learning, alongside work towards their final exams. In addition, we have a number of fun activities planned for students to end the year with. These include:

• June 15: Grade 10 Field Trip to IMG

• June 21: Grade 9 Field Trip to IMG

• June 23: Varsity Cup

Ms. Kathryn's Grade 6 students are completing a project to illustrate the 7 elements of art: Line, Color, Value, Shape, Form, Texture, and Space. 

These pictures showcase a group of students who won an Islamic exhibition. With expressions of joy and pride, they were given well deserved certificates and gift bags. These images capture the students’ dedication to their faith and their pursuit of knowledge in a powerful and unified manner.

تُظهر هذه الصور مجموعة من الطلاب الذين حصلوا على المراتب الأولى في معرض التربية الاسلامية.

وتم منحهم شهادات استحقوها عن جدارة.

• June 16: Grade 8 Promotion Ceremony @8am

• June 15: Grade 10 Field Trip to IMG

• June 21: Grade 9 Field Trip to IMG

• June 23: Varsity Cup

• June 26: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL