Dear GAA Families,

The Holy Month of Ramadan is expected to begin on Friday, April 24, 2020, as per astronomical calculations of the moon cycle. We have received a circular from ADEK announcing that Ramadan school hours will begin on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Our school hours and routines during the Holy Month of Ramadan will be as follows as per our limitations of COVID-19:

Hours for Students:

• Grades KG – GR12: 9:30am – 2:30pm

Hours for Office Admin Staff (click here for key Admin contacts):

• 8:00-2:00 pm

Please refer to the KG, Elementary and Secondary pages for specifics for distance learning during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Our educational program, instruction and high school examinations will remain unchanged during Ramadan. Teachers have engaging learning planned for their students. We encourage our families and students to continue attending Distance Learning Program during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

We encourage all GAA students and parents to be aware of the significance of this month and be appreciative and respectful of our host culture.

Food & Drink

We invite our students to follow below guidelines at home during live classes:

- No food or drinks visible in background

- No eating or drinking during the live sessions

- Clothing to be respectful and mindful of our host country’s dress code expectations.

Live Sessions Scheduling

Students/parents in each department will receive the new schedule from their respective Vice-Principals.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For our new families to the UAE, here is some information

that may help you learn about this Holy Month:

• What is the Holy Month of Ramadan?

For over one billion people throughout the world, Ramadan is a very special time of the year. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and during this month, people of the Muslim faith fast from dawn to dusk every day.

• When does the Holy Month of Ramadan begin?

Muslims follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. The beginning of the Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon. Thus Ramadan begins on a different day each year and moves forward.

• Are Non-Muslims required to follow practices of the Holy Month of Ramadan?

Islam is a tolerant religion and respects people of all cultures, races and religions. Non-Muslims are not expected to follow Islamic traditions during the month of Ramadan. Non-Muslims are asked to refrain from consuming food, drinks, chewing gum and smoking in public during the fasting hours of the day (dawn to dusk).

• May non-Muslims experience the Holy Month of Ramadan traditions?

Ramadan is a time when friends and families come together and community ties are strengthened. When not in a COVID-19 lockdown, there are generally a myriad of options available to residents and visitors. Muslims welcome guests of all religions and cultures and encourage them to learn more about Islam. For this reason, hotels have special Iftar (break of fast) gatherings and dinners at various restaurants available for guests and the general public. They feature special Ramadan tents, which open after the break of fast at sundown. Carpets, large pillows and cushions are placed on the floor for guests to experience true Arabian hospitality. Traditional Arabic food and drink are enjoyed as well as music and hospitality.

• Can I eat and drink during the day and where can I get food and drink?

It is illegal for anyone to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours during the Ramadan time, even travelling in a bus or car. Supermarkets and service stations are open with food and drink available for purchase but no one is to consume in the place of purchase, in public, or in your car during the day.

Most international hotels, and restaurants within hotels, are open during the day for non-Muslims. Restaurants will have separate sections open or keep curtains or blinds closed as a sign of respect to Muslim passers-by. Normally in a non-COVID-19 situation, it is quite acceptable for small children to eat/drink in public during daylight, as their needs must be met.

• What about dress code during the Holy Month of Ramadan?

Non-Muslims are advised to wear conservative clothing during the month of Ramadan as a sign of respect.

• Are there any changes in working/business hours?

According to the Labor laws, all companies are obliged to shorten the working day by two hours in Ramadan time in UAE. Many businesses, schools and shops change their hours slightly. The city tends to be very quiet during the day and night - time activity increases during Ramadan in Abu Dhabi.

• Is everything closed during the day?

No, not everything is closed during Ramadan. Opening and closing hours do change during the month as opposed to the other days of the year for offices and shops but they are usually open as normal with a short break of approximately half an hour to an hour after breaking fast and remain open until as late as midnight. Parks and other public places (although not during a COVID-19 lockdown) open after the breaking of fast and remain open until late at night.

We can confirm that GEMS Education will continue to provide all our students access to remote learning. The discontinuation of e-learning remains an option available to schools as per ADEK guidelines in the event that school fees are not paid, however we will continue to work with our families to help them with their fee payments through this period. We have made this decision in the interests of our students, whose uninterrupted, seamless education during these challenging times is our number one priority.

Ramadan Kareem!

Kathryn Miner

Head of School and CEO

email: k.miner_gaa@gemsedu.com

Dear Valuable Parents,

We are pleased to inform you that ADEK has collaborated with the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an, on the “Together We Are Good” program, to help parents that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and support them with school fees.

The program is offered by ADEK and Ma’an, and is separate from GEMS Tuition relief package. This support is offered to parents whom employment or self-employment has been directly affected by the COVID-19 economic situation, and has been extended beyond low fees schools to cover all of Abu Dhabi Schools.

To apply for this support, please find below the eligibility criteria and required supporting documentation:

Eligibility Criteria:

Any parent who has been adversely affected by an employment change that was directly driven by the impact of COVID-19 which resulted in the following:

• Loss of job
• Unpaid leave
• Salary reduction (temporary or permanent)
• Defaulted receivables
• Any parent whose self-employment income has been directly affected by COVID-19 to the extent where he/she has no other means to settle outstanding school fees

Supporting Documentation Required:

Employed Parents must provide:

• Proof of change in compensation as a direct result of COVID-19 that includes:
• Letter from the Employer stating the termination, unpaid leave status or temporary cut
• Revised contract provided to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE)
• Latest Bank Statements for the Period of January 2020 – March 2020 (referring to the bank account where the salary was deposited)
• Copy of Parent EID

Self-Employed Parents, the business owner, must provide:

• VAT Registration Documentation for the business
• 2019 Financial Statements related to the business
• Corporate Bank Statements for the period of January 2020- March 2020
• Copy of Parent EID

Eligible parents can apply by emailing full name of child(ren) who are GAA students, along with supporting documents to r.alhemsi_gaa@gemsedu.com to enable us to upload the same onto ADEK’s Students System (eSIS), latest by Friday 24-Apr-2020.

Please ensure the accuracy and clarity of supporting documentation to avoid disqualification, noting that any and all personal financial information will be handled confidentially and will not be distributed or shared with anyone else.

In addition, please note that the extent and amount of support is not defined yet nor is guaranteed by ADEK.

Dear GAA Parents,

Re-enrollment fee for next 2020-2021 school year is due by May 1st.

If you have missed the deadline, please contact the Registrar at registrar_gaa@gemsedu.com to check for seat availability.

Key Features

Active Kids allows your child to…

• View Videos: Weekly instructional content on physical activities for children by a team of experts
• Earn Points: Gain points when students record completed activities and upload related evidence
• Conduct Activities: Explore yoga, Zumba and other interesting activities that can be easily completed
• Compete with peers: Compare activities and points earned against peers through an intuitive leaderboard

How to access Active Kids?

Students in Grade 2 and above can access Active Kids <www.activekids.phoenixclassroom.com> using their existing credentials that they use to access Microsoft Teams / MyLearning / Phoenix Classroom etc.

Support

The application is intuitive with minimal external support required. If you face any difficulties logging in, please reach out to school ICT @ support@gaa-ad.freshdesk.com

To share feedback on the application, please write to activekids@gemseducation.com

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy!

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GAA EVENTS CALENDAR

(please note, updated regularly)

• April 24: Deadline to apply for ADEK relief package "Together We Are Good"
• April 28: Virtual Coffee with the Elementary Counsellors - sign up link: https://bit.ly/2VujPTY
• May 1: Re-enrollment fees deadline
• May 31: Deadline to apply for GEMS Covid-19 Relief Package - click here for more information