Dear GAA Families,

I hope that this message finds you all safe and well. Today, I am happy to announce that we completed our third full week of on campus learning. Having close to 900 students a day on campus has brought a renewed energy to school. The return has confirmed for me the significance of human connection and relationships as an essential aspect of the educational experience. As educators, the importance of balancing our academic priorities with our responsibility as role models and mentors for each of our students cannot be understated.

I am convinced that a belief in a student’s potential or a simple word of motivation or encouragement can make a positive difference in a student’s confidence and self-care. The personal elements of face-to-face learning, like the ability to convey emotion or passion about a topic, communicating with body language, mannerisms, gestures, and using tones to express meaning, enrich the learning experience.

The American professor, lecturer, author, Brené Brown defines connection as, “the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement.”

We will continue our focus on the health and safety regulations established by the government authorities at ADEK along with GEMS corporate guidelines, with the expectation to continue offering students and faculty the opportunity to interact and bond through face-to-face collaborative work, while increasing camaraderie and developing friendships.

As we move toward Spring Break, I want to take the opportunity to announce several upcoming events. The first, scheduled for March 20, is the TEDx Youth at GAA. Utilizing the TEDx format, students and teachers will demonstrate their creativity and share their stories and ideas. The second is our annual Career Day for High School Students. The March 25th event is a chance for community members to share with our students’ aspects of their profession and the path they took to get there. The last announcement is for our Elementary Performing Arts students (4th and 5th grade) March 25th, presentation of “The Big One-Oh” A Zoom. Further information on all three events can be found in this edition of the GAAzette.

Thank you for being valued members of our GAA community,

Best Regards,

Mr. Rinaldo

We remind parents of our safety protocols with regards to COVID-19:

• What if my child or a household member tests positive?

1. Notify school immediately by calling GAA's COVID-19 Hotline at 052 1048099 to enable us to activate appropriate response. Or email: pre_gaa@gemsedu.com

2. Keep your child and other GAA siblings isolated at home for at least 10 days and follow the instructions of Health Authorities.

3. Distance Learning will be enabled for your child.

4. Child will be cleared to return to school once they have 2 consecutive negative test results, submitting doctor's note and results to the school nurse.

• What's the Return to School protocol?

Positive case: They must show a Clearance Report from SEHA or their Health Care Provider confirming they are clear to return to school. This report shows the high-level history of the case including date confirmed positive, the 2 negative results and that the patient has completed the isolation period.

Contacts of the positive case: contacts must continue their 10 day home quarantine, even if they test negative, and are only allowed back in school after receiving 2 consecutive negative test results (approximately day 1 and day 8 testing).

We thank you for your continuous support.

We are excited to continue our annual tradition of hosting TEDx Youth at GAA. Although Virtual, due to safety restrictions, we are looking to hear from many speakers, who will share their views and stories about our ability to make a difference in this world.

This year’s theme is “The Ball is in our court” which is designed to stimulates individuals to take matters into their own hands, to make decisions, to take action, to take the initiative to begin the flame that passes down. The word “our” is to emphasize the importance of community and how change is achieved through the power of numbers. We believe this community takes enormous steps in the direction of interdependence and adaptability to maintain a harmonious relationship.

Stay tuned for more information!

This is another all call for Virtual High School Career Day presenters. Career Day will be on Thursday March 25th from 8:00-11:00 AM.

We are welcoming both Zoom meetings and pre-recorded video presentations. So if you know someone who would be a good speaker for our students, but is unable to make it to Career Day due to a time difference or other commitment -please still ask them! We would need the video by March 19th.

Here are some guiding questions and a slides template that can be used for making a video. Both documents are open to anyone on the web. The videos do not need to be formal and any length is fine.

Please ask your friend or family member to fill out this Google Form so that I can keep track.

If you have any questions or suggestions for career day, do not hesitate to contact me at l.massman_gaa@gemsedu.com

Dear GAA Community,

Thank you for all the videos in mother tongue! Here are the compilations:

Dear Parents,

Term 2 tuition fee invoice is now available. Payment can be made online through Parent Portal or in-school. Please note cash counters will be open Sunday through Thursday between 8 AM – 4 PM.

• March 6 - Next round of student testing (for students aged 12 and above, attending face-to-face)

• March 11 - PYP Exhibition Parent Information Session, @09:00 am. https://gemseducation.zoom.us/j/85221813908

• March 13 and 20 - Senior Cap and Gown Photoshoot 09:30 am - 03:00 pm

• March 21 - 25 - Secondary Spirit Week

• March 20 - TEDxYouth

• March 25 - Elementary Zoomsical "The Big One-Oh"

• March 25 - Career Day for High School Students.

As the GEMS community, we understand that it is not just mere nostalgia that we associate our alma mater with, it is much beyond that. Our GEMS alumni across 80 countries are doing amazing things and we want to celebrate their successes every step of the way! Download and join the #GEMSAlumni App today by clicking on the links below:

Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details…

App Store : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gems-alumni/id1496962338