Dear GAA Families,

Welcome back to school! 

We are pleased to have started the school year with a great sense of positivity and enthusiasm. Our students have returned with energy and from my viewpoint less anxious than in years past. This could be because we have lived through the pandemic and are more accustomed to the school environment. Also, reconnecting with friends and classmates is reassuring, and I hope students also feel assured that at GAA there are adult advocates that will support their academic and wellbeing needs.

Academic, artistic, and athletic activities are already in full swing, and I encourage that you get involved and support your children’s efforts. Student, teacher, and parent participation and support play a vital role in our shared success.

I am excited about the possibilities this year. Together, we can create an educational environment and community that encourages and fosters the potential of every student. Thank you for entrusting us with your children’s education, and let’s make this year a memorable one filled with growth and achievement.

Warm Regards,

Robert Rinaldo

Dear GAA Parents,

I hope this message finds you well and refreshed from the summer break. It brings me immense joy to warmly welcome each of you as we embark on a new school year filled with promise, growth, and learning.

Our school community is where dreams take shape, knowledge is nurtured, and friendships flourish. As partners in your child's educational journey, we are excited to collaborate with you to create an environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning. Together, we will continue to inspire our students to reach for the stars and become compassionate, resilient individuals ready to impact the world positively.

This year, we remain committed to upholding our excellence, inclusivity, and innovation values. Our dedicated team of educators has been preparing engaging lessons and meaningful experiences that will ignite your child's passion for exploration and discovery. We also focus on maintaining a safe, nurturing atmosphere where every student feels valued and empowered to thrive.

Communication between school and home is crucial for your child's success, and we encourage you to participate in school activities, meetings, and events. Our doors are always open, and we welcome your input, feedback, and involvement in our school community.

As we kick off the academic year, a Huge THANKS for attending our  "Back to School" event, where you connected with our talented faculty, learned about classroom expectations, and gained insight into the exciting curriculum ahead. It was a pleasure meeting you all.

If you couldn't attend, please stay tuned for more updates and important information via our school's communication channels, including our website, newsletters, and social media platforms.

Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of educating and nurturing your children. Let us join hands to make this school year an unforgettable chapter in their educational journey.

Here's to a year filled with boundless learning, cherished memories, and meaningful growth. Once again, welcome back, and I look forward to a successful and inspiring year ahead!

Warmest regards,

Samah Awad

Deputy Head of School

أولياء الأمور الكرام،

تحيّة طيبة وبعد،

أسعدتنا عودة طلابنا إلي حرم المدرسة واستقبالهم كل صباح بابتسامة أمل ؤإشراقة حياة، كما يسعدنا التعاون والعمل معًا لخلق بيئة  تشجع الفضول وتغذي الإبداع وتغرس شغفًا حقيقيًا للتعلم. سنستمر في تحفيز طلابنا لتحقيق أهداف عالية، وتعزيز تعاطفهم ومرونتهم، وإعدادهم لإحداث تأثير إيجابي على العالم.

نؤكد لكم بأننا سنحافظ على الالتزام الثابت  بالحفاظ على قيمنا الأساسية المتمثلة في التميز والشمولية والابتكار. ولنضمن ذلك، يقوم فريق المعلمين لدينا بصياغة دروس اثرائية وتجارب تعليمية هادفة ومصممة بعناية لإشعال حماس طلابنا للتعلم واكتشاف آفاق جديدة. بالإضافة إلى استمرار جهودنا لحصول طلابنا على مستوى تعليم متميز هدفه الأساسي هو الحفاظ على بيئة آمنة وصحية، حيث لا يتم الاعتزاز بكل طالب فحسب، بل يتم تمكينه أيضًا من الازدهار.

تشرفنا باستقبال أولياء الأمور ومقابلتهم في فعالية "العودة إلى المدرسة"، ونقدم لكم جزيل الشكر لحضوركم وتواجدكم، ونرجو من الله أن نكون قد حققنا الغاية من هذا الحدث بتواصلكم مع أعضاء هيئة التدريس الموهوبين لدينا، والتعرف على توقعات الفصل الدراسي، واكتساب نظرة ثاقبة حول المناهج الدراسية المثيرة المقبلة.

أما أولياء الأمور الذين لم يتمكنوا من الحضور، فيرجى العلم أننا نتفهم ذلك ونبذل قصارى جهدنا لضمان بقائكم على اطلاع ،وترقبوا المزيد من التحديثات والمعلومات المهمة من خلال قنوات الاتصال الخاصة بمدرستنا، بما في ذلك موقعنا الإلكتروني والنشرات الإخبارية ومنصات التواصل الاجتماعي. إن اتصالكم معنا لا يقدر بثمن، ونحن ملتزمون بإبقائكم على اطلاع دائم والوعي بكل مستجدات مجتمعنا المدرسي.

نحن نؤمن  بأهمية التعاون بين المدرسة والبيت لضمان أفضل تجربة تعليمية ممكنة لأطفالكم، فعندما يشارك الآباء في  عملية تعليم أطفاله مسيكون لذلك الأثر البالغ  العميق على نجاهم، لذلك نشجع أولياء الأمور  وندعوهم دائمًا لى المشاركة في أنشطة مدرستنا واجتماعاتها وفعالياتها، وستظل أبوابنا مفتوحة للترحيب بملاحظاتكم ومشاركاتكم الفعالة.

نتوجه لكم بجزيل الشّكر والتقدير لثقتكم بنا ومنحنا فرصة المساهمة في عملية تعليم طلابنا، كما ندعوكم جميعًا إلى

التكاتف لجعل هذا العام الدراسي فصلاً لا يُنسى في رحلتهم التعليمية!  وليكن عامًا غنيًّا بفرص التّعلم اللامحدودة والذكريات الرائعة والنمو الهادف!

تقبلوا فائق الاحترام والتقدير،

دمتم بألف خير،

نائب مدير المدرسة

سماح عوض

3 ‘A’s of Assessment

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome back to a new academic year! We are always excited at this time of the year. There are so many opportunities ahead of us, and almost unlimited potential.

Today, I would like to take some time to inform you about our approach to standardized assessment here at GEMS American Academy. We value the data that we can garner from such assessments as NWEA MAPs, CAT4, and PASS. We at GEMS American Academy are unique, in that we take a holistic approach to our standardized assessments. As our mission states, we want to focus on the whole child - and here is how we do that.

Achievement - NWEA MAP

NWEA MAP tests are for all students in grades 1-10. Grades 1 and 2 will take Reading and Math. Grades 3-10 will take Reading, Math, Language Usage, and Science.

This year, GAA has taken a slightly different approach to NWEA MAP testing. We will not be running the Winter (middle) MAP sessions. This will allow for more valuable instructional time in the winter months. We will still have MAP testing in the Fall and Spring.

Ability - CAT4

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4) is an assessment that is designed to help students and their teachers understand how they learn and what their academic potential might be. It assesses how students think in areas that are known to make a difference to learning. CAT4 is conducted in grades 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

Attitude - PASS

Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) is an assessment that involves students answering survey style questions that takes 20-30 minutes. It gives teachers and pastoral faculty an indication of how a student is thinking and what their attitude to school and learning is. It is based on a trusted psychometric measure and is widely used.

This holistic approach to standardized testing provides a multifaceted view of students' achievement, attitudes, and abilities, offering valuable information to schools, educators, parents, and the broader community. By using this data responsibly and in conjunction with other assessment methods, GEMS American Academy can continuously improve its educational programs, foster student success, and ensure that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

As always, you will receive more detailed information about these testing events as the dates draw closer. You can expect to receive this information from the relevant departments through their communication methods.

Justin Kirby

K-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Please join us in congratulating these talented GAA students in their epic win during "The Purple Comet! Math Meet" competition. 

The Purple Comet Math Meet is a free, annual, international, online, team, mathematics competition designed for middle and high school students that has been held every year since 2003. Teams of from one to six students compete by submitting solutions to a list of mathematics problems. Last year over 12,000 students competed on over 3998 teams from 62 countries.

GAA Students Rina Tanaka, Mina Song, Manaka Yamakawa, Hanseo Lee and Siwon Lee competed as "GENIUS GIRLS GAA" under High School category and won 1st place!

Moreover, Manaka participated to DECA Japan Business Competition and her proposal won her 3rd place!

Congratulations to all the students in their achievements!

On September 4th GAA students watched the successful return of Astronaut Sultan Alneyadi  to Planet Earth, witnessing this historical moment with immense pride and excitement! Celebrations and discussions continued in all classrooms and inspired many of our little learners to follow the steps of the UAE Astronauts.

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.

Hello GAA Community,

We hope the beginning of the school year is starting off smoothly for you!

GAAPA has hit the ground running for this year's events and would like to introduce something new to the GAA Community.

How does playing in a friendly golf tournament of Staff vs. Parents sound to you? We are looking to plan a tournament on a weekend in the month of January, so that we can enjoy the great Abu Dhabi winter weather.

If you would be interested in such an event, please fill out the attached form so that we can see how many would be wanting to join in. This form is solely to attest to the interest of joining, sign-ups and registrations will be following once we know how many people we have interested.

https://forms.gle/MaT3bcUXyKzhcqzh9 

Very respectfully, 

GEMS American Academy Parents Association (GAAPA)

email: gaa.parentsteam@gmail.com 

• September 11-13: Grades 11 & 12 Official School Photoshoot by Stu Williamson

• September 14: IB Night

• September 14: Info Session on International and Local Trips

• September 15: Dress Down Day for Elementary (PreK-Grade 5): Theme Dot Day

• September 21: Senior Parent Night for Grade 12 parents

• September 22: Pizza and Popsicle Day by GAA Parent Association (GAAPA) and Booster Club

• September 27-28: Parent-Teacher Conferences (no classes in session)

• September 29: Expected Religious Holiday: Prophet Mohamad's (P.B.U.H) Birthday (subject to confirmation by UAE Government)