Dear GEMS American Academy Families,

We are thrilled to share that GEMS American Academy has successfully completed a joint accreditation process with CIS, NEASC, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) earlier this May. This accomplishment is a testament to our commitment to providing outstanding education standards and reflects our school's dedication to continuous improvement. The reaccreditation process was a rigorous deep dive into our educational practices, learning environments, and governance. The comments from the visitors were overwhelmingly positive all around.

Next week, we will have the opportunity to demonstrate our continued commitment to excellence as we undergo an internal review by GEMS Education. This review is a significant occasion for us, as it allows us to reflect on our achievements and areas for growth within the supportive framework of the GEMS community.

At GEMS American Academy, our teachers are at the heart of our success. Day in and day out, they deliver engaging, thought-provoking, and inclusive lessons that cater to the needs of all students. Our educators work tirelessly to foster a nurturing environment where every student feels valued and empowered to achieve their best.

We are immensely proud of the kind and inclusive culture that our school embodies. It is our belief that a supportive educational environment is fundamental to developing not only academic skills but also social and emotional strengths. Our teachers excel in creating classrooms where every student can thrive, highlighting the unique contributions of each individual to our vibrant school community.

As we prepare to showcase our learning and teaching practices to GEMS Education, we are confident that they will be as proud of our efforts as we are. This review is not  an evaluation, but rather a celebration of what we accomplish together every day at GEMS American Academy.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. It is your involvement that enriches our community and enhances the educational experience we provide. We look forward to continuing our journey of excellence together, fostering an environment where every student can succeed.

Justin Kirby

K-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Welcome to KG1C- Class News!

In our most exciting journey through Unit 4 of “How The World Works” we’ve been exploring materials, textures, comparisons of things that are hard and soft, those that melt and those materials that wouldn’t.

Our class had so much fun engaging in activities related to ELA—Role playing, whereby students would carry out performances of being the “The Big Bad wolf in the story of “The Three Little Pigs.” They also used the story to bring in the Unit of Inquiry , where some students were given the choice of building different kinds of homes using a variety of 3D materials. Students were exposed to new vocabulary which they began using in the class with confidence.

One of our super -successful flashlight events was the Art and Music Festival. KG1C had fun dancing, drumming and creating art activities on this day. 

KG1C undoubtedly has an inquiring mind, and I can’t wait to see how they grow in their learning stages in the coming years.

The students in KG2C are tuning into our final unit of inquiry of the year. “Where we are in place and time”. Our central ideas is “Understanding different cultures can lead to respect and appreciation”

This week we are learning all about the UAE. Students have been busy researching facts about the UAE. We have been busy interviewing teachers and our parents about the local culture and traditions. We decided to build our very own Khayma in our classroom.

Last week, our 1st-graders explored the world of sound by visiting the Secondary Band Classes.

As part of their Unit of Inquiry, they explored how sound is created in various instruments and how we perceive those sounds.

It was a fantastic learning experience as they interacted with secondary students, who generously shared their knowledge and even let some 1st-graders take the conductor’s baton!

A big thank you to Ms. Nailah, Ms. Sally, and everyone involved in this enriching collaborative project, showcasing the strong community spirit at GAA.

It was a case of "third time’s a charm" for 3F, as we were finally able to take our trip to the Louvre Museum after two cancellations due to rain. Although this postponement meant that the trip didn’t coincide with our UOI topic “How we express ourselves,” we were still able to draw strong connections between what we remembered from our learning in the classroom and the exhibits we viewed. There were several artifacts and artworks we studied in the classroom that the students were thrilled to see in real life.

For the first half of the trip, 3F students participated in a gallery hunt where they hunted for artworks and artifacts fitting into certain categories. I was delighted to watch their enthusiasm and curiosity, and I was also extremely impressed with the respect they showed towards the venue and the Louvre staff. I was even approached by the Head of Education at the Louvre complementing our students on their level of engagement and their excellent behaviour. I can’t express how proud I felt to be their teacher at that moment.

In the second half of the trip, we visited the Children’s Museum, where students explored the technology of tomorrow. Fun was the word most students used to describe the experience.

We had a blast, and we realized how lucky and privileged we are to have such a world class museum right here in Abu Dhabi.

4th National Achieve3000 Reading Competition

5D was 2nd overall in the Abu Dhabi/Al Ain area and top elementary school.

During the month long competition students were dedicated and completed a total of 1256 comprehension activities, with 1127 of them at 75% accuracy or higher. The students can watch as their lexile level increases and their reading skills and strategies improve. Ms Maureen and GAA are very proud of you!

The PYP Library has been busy since returning from Spring Break!  In addition to the recent book fair with Bookworm, the Library hosted our annual Book Tasting Event for grades 2-5 students. 

Our students had an opportunity to “taste” the library’s brand new books!  On the menu were “Silent Reading Snacks”, “Culinary Comics”, “Illustrated Edibles”, “Nonfiction Nibbles” and “Fantasy Feasts”!  Our PYP Library is full of amazing books for all readers!

Book Tasting events encourage students to be reflective about their interests, to consider the kinds of readers they are, and to dream about the kinds of readers they are aspiring to be.  These events help readers develop an excitement for books and be open-minded to new kinds of books or genres that the would not normally choose.

Mrs. Kirby and Ms. Wayne have loved hosting this event year for the last 8 years!  It is an absolute joy to see readers discovering what sparks their curiosity!

The end of the school year is drawing nearer, and the PYP/KG Library will be closing for PreK to Grade 5 on Friday, May 24th.  From May 27th onward, the Library will be conducting our annual inventory.  Please note the last dates for borrowing/checking out books is May 24th, and all books are due back (by students and parents) on Friday, May 31st.

A note about Library Bags - To support our sustainability efforts, please keep your library bag safe for use next year. 

What a pleasant surprise for Grade 4 students - during a field trip to Qasr Al Hosn Zayed Alzaabi, GAA Class of 2018, happened to be their guide!

• May 24 - Pizza and Popsicle Day by GAAPA and Booster Club

• May 25 - Garage/Entrepreneur Sale and Movie Night @4:30pm onwards, Movie Screening @6pm.

• May 28 - Senior Gratitude and Senior Walk

• June 3-7 - EduTech Book Fair

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

• 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