Dear GAA Families,

UAE National Day Celebrations on November 29th

In the week ahead we will recognize the UAE National Day, by honoring the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the country with various activities, student presentations, performances, and cultural exhibits.

The day provides us with a unique opportunity to come together as a community and express our admiration on the economic, social, and environmental accomplishments of the country and the vision for the sustainable goals of the future. I look forward to the festivities and encourage students, staff, and parents to participate with enthusiasm, as we recognize the successes and progress of the nation.

Holiday Announcement

Furthermore, please be informed that in observance of the UAE Union Day holiday, our school will be closed from Saturday, December 2, through Monday, December 4. Classes will resume on Tuesday, December 5. On Friday, December 1, we will conduct on-line learning with teachers providing asynchronous assignments. Please stay on the lookout for detailed information about asynchronous learning day structure from your child's homeroom teacher/divisional vice-principal.

We all look forward to a day filled with cultural discovery, fun and a sense of unity as we commemorate the UAE National Day. 

Tarahum

In other announcements, the Tarahum collection continues at school until November 30th. Your contributions make a significant impact to those in need. 

High School Musical

Additionally, we are ready to showcase the talent of our high school students in the Musical production of “Cinderella”. The performances will take place on December 6th, 7th, and 9th, with tickets on sale after school in the GAA main lobby.

As always, thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events.

Warm Regards,

Robert Rinaldo

2 weeks ago our school hosted the 2023-2024 NESAC International Swimming Championship. 

Heartfelt congratulations are in order to all our participating students for their outstanding achievements, including setting new school records and clinching the 1st place AGAIN overall in the swim championship!

The dedication, skill, and sheer determination exhibited by our swimmers were nothing short of remarkable. Their outstanding performances not only secured the championship but also set a new standard for excellence within our school.

Altogether, our Swimmers won 41 gold, 19 silver and 21 bronze medals. 

We broke 13 school swim records, which is our top result from any previous swim meets for the past 6 years at GAA and they belong to:

Please join me in congratulating each member of our swim team GAA Swimmers @NESAC 2023 for this incredible achievement. Their hard work, discipline, and perseverance have truly paid off, and we are incredibly proud to have such talented and dedicated individuals representing our school.

Deepest gratitude and appreciation goes to all parent, staff, admin volunteers for their outstanding contributions to the successful completion of the NESAC Swim Meet Championship.

Their enthusiasm and hard work did not go unnoticed, and we are truly grateful for the pivotal roles each of the volunteers played in ensuring the smooth execution of the event. 

From the volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to the team parents who provided unwavering support, and the swimmers who gave their all in the pool – every contribution played a crucial role in creating an event that exceeded expectations.

THANK YOU everyone, we heard nothing but positive comments, feedback from teams is fantastic. 

Special Thank you to our Head of School Mr.Robert Rinaldo, Ms.Claire Davies Athletics & Activities Director, our MSO Ms.Cuckoo Varghese, Swim Coaches Nadia & Jackie, Swim Team Parents the Booster club and Mrs. Maha Younes, the Aquatics team & Lifeguards, Teachers, outside of school volunteers, the Maintenance team, security, IT and cleaning staff, the BBT transportation service Mr.Rameez and the GAA Nurses. 

Thank you once again, without your help, this would not have been possible.  

National Day Celebration at GAA

29th November 2023

We salute our beloved country as we celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of the union that marked the beginning of a blessed march toward progress and development. 

On this day, we remember the founders of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, his companion, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and their brothers, the rulers, who all met on 2nd December 1971, armed with their deep belief in their country and with a deep interest in the people, eventually led the birth of the United Arab Emirates and the onset of the country’s renaissance.

On the 29th of November 2023, GAA will celebrate an extraordinary UAE National Day Assembly. 

Please note that this event is limited only to GAA students and parents and not extended to family members or friends who are not GAA students. Both parents and students are strongly requested to wear their school lanyards to enter the premises.

To commemorate this special occasion, students will attend the UAE National Day Assembly and have a scheduled time to enjoy a heritage fair on the School field from 8:00 am until 3:00 pm as per the schedule below. 

Each grade level will have a specific time to enjoy the following activities that we are offering: 

• Seven Emirates exhibition

• Popcorn & cotton candy

• Traditional food (Live cooking) 

• Camel, Pony, Falcon

• Henna ladies

• Face painting 

• Cartoon Characters/Mascot 

• Al Ayala team (12:00 - 3:00)

• Balloon Twisting (6 hours)

• Photo wall 

• GAA Band performances

• Traditional Dokkan

Secondary Students: 

Secondary students should dress modestly and are encouraged to celebrate UAE heritage by wearing the following:

• UAE Flag color (for example, GAA House Shirts) - If students choose to wear the UAE Flag colors (red, green, black, and white), the item of clothing that they wear must entirely be the colors of the UAE flag. This means a blue shirt with red, green, white, or black design elements is unacceptable. Therefore, an acceptable item of clothing is solely the colors of the UAE flag (ex., Green t-shirt), rather than items of clothing that contain colors of the UAE flag (ex., Yellow t-shirt with green print).  

• UAE National Dress (abaya or kandura) - We ask students to continue respecting our host country in how they choose to dress. Abaya and Kandura must be worn CLOSED and in the traditional manner in recognition of respect to the UAE Cultural/Traditional Values. Students may not use this as an opportunity to wear their chosen casual clothing with traditional clothing draped over the back. 

• School uniform with UAE Flag scarf or UAE Pins

Elementary students:

KG and Elementary students can be dressed up in the UAE Flag colors or UAE Traditional dress to celebrate this special occasion.

Distributing food, gifts, and goodies between classmates is allowed. 

Homeroom and advisory teachers are planning potluck lunches for the students in coordination with parents. Food needs to be nut-free. Food will be delivered through gate 1 and should have this information: 

• Student name, 

• Student grade, and 

• Advisor/ Homeroom teacher’s name.

You can contact your homeroom/ Advisory teachers to let them know if you will send any food or gifts.

Important Note: Food trucks will be available for all GAA students and visitors if they are willing to buy food or drinks.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or inquiries at s.awad_gaa@gemsedu.com. 

Samah Awad

Deputy Head of School

أولياء الأمور الكرام،

تحيّة طيبة وبعد،

بمناسبةِ الاحتفال باليوم الوطني لدولة الإمارات العربيّة المتّحدة، يوم اتّحادها العظيم، يطيبُ لنَا أنْ نرْفَعَ أسمى آياتِ التّهاني والتّبريكات لسمو رئيس الدولة الشّيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيَّان ونائِبِه وإخوانِه حُكّام الإمارات.

وبصدد هذه المناسبة يسعدنا إخباركم بأنَّ المدرسة ستحتفل باليوم الوطني الثاني والخمسين يوم الأربعاء الموافق 29 من نوفمبر 2023، عملنا جاهدين على تنسيق مهرجان مميزٍ لطلابنا ولكم، ونتشرف بوجودكم معنا أثناء الأنشطة والفعاليات في ملعب المدرسة حسب الجدول التالي:

نود التنويه على أن هذا الاحتفال مخصص حصرًا لطلاب مدرسة جيمس الأمريكيّة وأولياء الأمور فقط، ولا يشمل بقية أفراد العائلة أو الأصدقاء . كما يرجى من أولياء الأمور والطلاب الحرص على ارتداء بطاقة المدرسة الخاصة بهم في فترة التواجد في المبنى المدرسي.

تتضمن الفعالية الكثير من العروض والأنشطة وورش العمل للأطفال والشباب، بالإضافة إلى عروض المسرح من قبل طلابنا و الأنشطة المنهجية في الصفوف لتسليط الضّوء على هذا اليوم التّاريخي ربطًا وتعزيزًا للهويّة الوطنية.

١-الأنشطة والفعاليات:

معرض الإمارات السبع

فشار و حلوى شعر البنات

أكلات شعبية

التصوير مع الصقر وركوب الجمل والمهر

نقش الحناء

الرسم على الوجه

الشخصيات الكرتونية

عرض العيالة (من الساعة 12:00 إلى 3:00)

لف البالون

دكان زمان 

مكان تراثي للتصوير

عرض فرقة طلاب المدرسة

٢- مواصفات الزّي الرّسمي:

توجيهات اللباس لطلاب المرحلة الثانوية:

·  ألوان علم الإمارات العربية المتحدة:

يجب على الطلاب الذين يختارون ارتداء ألوان علم دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة (الأحمر والأخضر والأسود والأبيض) و التأكد من أن قطعة الملابس بأكملها تتكون من هذه الألوان فقط. على سبيل المثال، يُقبل ارتداء قميص أخضر، ولكن لا يُسمح بارتداء قميص أزرق مع عناصر تصميم حمراء، أو خضراء، أو بيضاء، أو سوداء، فمن الضروري أن تعكس قطعة الملابس المختارة الألوان الكاملة لعلم دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.

·  اللباس الوطني الإماراتي (عباية أو كندوره):

عند ارتداء الزي الوطني لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، مثل العباءة أو الكندورة، يتوقع من الطالبات ارتدائه بالطريقة التقليدية، وهو مغلق بالكامل، لا يجوز استخدام اللباس الوطني كإكسسوار على الملابس غير الرسمية، بل يجب ارتداؤه بالكامل، وذلك احترامًا للقيم الثقافية والتقليدية لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.

·  الزي المدرسي مع وشاح علم الإمارات العربية المتحدة أو دبابيس الإمارات العربية المتحدة.

* توجيهات اللباس لطلاب المرحلة الابتدائية:

يمكن لطلاب مرحلة الروضة والمرحلة الابتدائية ارتداء ملابس بألوان علم دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة أو الزي التقليدي لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة للاحتفال بهذه المناسبة الخاصة.

٣-توزيع الطّعام والهدايا في الصّف الواحد:

يرجى التواصل مع معلم الصف ابنكم/ ابنتكم مباشرة في حال أردتم إرسال الطعام أو الهدايا للطلاب من أجل التنسيق معه .كما يرجى التأكد من تسليم الطعام لمسؤول الأمن  من خلال البوابة رقم واحد ، بعد وضع اسم الطالب و الشّعبة واسم مدرس/ة الصف، كما يرجى التأكد من أن جميع الأطعمة خالية من المكسرات حفاظًا على سلامة جميع الطلاب.

ملاحظة مهمة: ستتوفر عربات بيع الطعام لجميع طلاب المدرسة  والزوار الراغبين بشراء الطعام أو المشروبات.

يرجى عدم التّردد في التّواصل معنا في حال وجود أي سؤال أو استفسار على البريد الإلكتروني التّالي:

s.awad_gaa@gemsedu.com 

نرجو من اللّه في يوم الاتحاد هذا العام الكثير من الفرص النمو والازدهار، و نتمنى للجميع يومًا وطنيًّا سعيدًا.

أدام الله الأفراح والخير لهذا الوطن، ولكم منّا كل الشّكر والتّقدير.

دام عزّك يا الإمارات.

وتفضلوا بقبول فائق التّقدير الاحترام 

 نائب مدير المدرسة 

 سماح عوض

A Global Exchange of Leadership: GEMS American Academy Welcomes Principals from Azerbaijan

Dear GEMS American Academy Parents,

I am thrilled to share an exciting and enriching experience that recently unfolded at our school, showcasing the global recognition of excellence in education at GEMS American Academy. This past week, we had the privilege of hosting a delegation of school principals from Azerbaijan, who arrived with the primary goal of learning from the exemplary leadership, innovative curriculum, and unique instructional methods that define our school.

Our school has always taken pride in setting high standards for leadership and education, and it is truly an honor when other educational leaders from around the world seek to learn from our experiences. The principals from Azerbaijan were particularly interested in understanding our approach to leadership, curriculum development, and instructional methods. They were keen observers, taking note of the way our educators engage with students, fostering meaningful connections, and meeting students on their individual levels.

One aspect that garnered significant attention was the genuine and impactful relationships our teachers cultivate with students. The visiting principals expressed amazement at how our educators go beyond traditional teaching methods, taking the time to understand each student's unique learning style and needs. This personalized approach to education has always been a cornerstone of our philosophy, and it was heartening to see it resonate with our esteemed guests.

As the group took a school tour, there was palpable awe at the state-of-the-art facilities that define GEMS American Academy. Our commitment to providing a conducive learning environment was evident, and the visiting principals were particularly impressed by our well-equipped classrooms, cutting-edge laboratories, and recreational spaces designed to inspire creativity and collaboration.

The fact that GEMS American Academy attracts attention from educational leaders worldwide is a testament to the leadership, teaching faculty, and unique culture that set us apart. Our commitment to fostering a dynamic and innovative learning environment has drawn the interest of educators seeking inspiration and insights to elevate their own schools.

As we reflect on this enriching exchange, we extend our gratitude to the visiting principals from Azerbaijan for choosing GEMS American Academy as their destination for learning and inspiration. We are proud to be ambassadors of educational excellence, not just within our local community but on a global stage.

Justin Kirby

K-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction

GEMS CO-BRANDED CREDIT CARD

GEMS American Academy has partnered with First Abu Dhabi Bank to offer our parents discounted school fees*. 

• Apply for your GEMS card with FAB and avail amazing discount and instalment plan on your child's school fee

• Avail up to 4.25% discount on advanced payment on GEMS school fee

• Convert school fees into Easy Payment Plan for up to 12 months 

Fee discount structure below.

Apply through our School Assigned Staff:

• Amjad Nazir

• Mobile: +971564010406

• Email: Amjad.nazir@bankfab.com

*Terms and conditions apply

PHOTOGRAPHY CONSENT

Dear GAA Families, 

Occasionally, we take photographs and videos of the students at school. We use these images as part of our school displays, school website, social media, yearbook.

Note: Official school photoshoot by Stu Williamson is mandatory and to be used in school records for identification purposes. Parents can choose to purchase the printed or digital photograph from the photoshoot. Stu Williamson photos are used for school yearbook.

• In Social Media or Website, if we use photographs of individual students, we will not use the name of that child in the accompanying text or caption.

• In Social Media or Website, If we name a student in the text, we will not use a photograph of that child to accompany the article.

• In Social Media or Website, If a student has won an award or achieved an accomplishment and parent would like the name of their child to accompany the picture, we will obtain permission from the parent before using the image.

• From time to time, our school may be visited by the media who will take photographs or film footage of a school event. Students may appear in these images, which will sometimes be published in local or national newspapers (digital or paper). 

To comply with the Data Protection Policy and Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 on Combatting Cybercrimes and its amendment by the Federal Law No. 12 of 2016 of UAE, we need your permissions before we can photograph or make any recording of your child.

Our records show that not all parents completed the consent form.

To complete the consent form, please access your parent Portal, and check the relevant boxes:

1. If using GEMS Connect app: please go to Student Info, scroll right to General Consent and tick relevant boxes. 

2. If using website version on http://connect.gemseducation.com, please go to Requests, scroll down to Update Student Details, scroll right to General Consent and tick the relevant boxes.

3. If you do not remember your login credentials, please contact pre_gaa@gemsedu.com.  

HEALTH FORMS FOR GAA CLINIC

A kind reminder on the importance of submitting the forms and documents.

Consent form needed:

• BMI-Vision Screening Consent Form : KG1 till Grade 12

• Student health form  : Pre KG till Grade 12

• Comprehensive health screening consent form : Grade 1, Grade 5 and Grade 9 (see detailed information below)

• Vaccination consent forms : Grade 1, Grade 8 and Grade 11 

Please look out for an email from Nurse GAA nurse_gaa@gemsedu.com with the necessary consent forms.

LOST AND FOUND

Please visit our Lost and Found sections from Monday through Thursday between 7:30AM to 4:30PM and Fridays 7:30 - 12:00 (except on public holidays) to retrieve your child's lost items:

• On the way to Clinic: all clothing items, lunch bags, books, folders, water bottles, etc

• Main reception: all valuables, such as, phones, headphones, airpods, ipads, jewellry, wallets, etc.

Any unclaimed items will be donated to charity.

Please label all clothing items of your child.

Last Saturday Agustin Parra (Grade 9) and Mateo Samuela (Grade 5) attended "Harlequins Junior Rugby Tournament" with their rugby team "Small Black Abu Dhabi":

• Agustin winning U14 trophy

• Samuel winning U10 trophy

Congratulations WILDCATS!

• November 29: UAE National Day Celebration at school

• November 30: Last day to donate for Tarahum for Ghaza campaign

• December 1: ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING - no in-person school.

• December 4: National Day Public Holiday (NO SCHOOL)

• December 5: Parent Info Session about Standards Based Learning and MAP test results @8am

• December 6, 7, 9: Musical "Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella: Youth Edition"

• December 13: Middle School Sports Day

• December 14: High School Sports Day

• December 18-January 1: WINTER BREAK (NO SCHOOL)