As we reflect on the 2025–2026 school year, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride in our Elementary community. This year has been one of growth, resilience, and achievement. Together, our students, staff, and families embraced every challenge with determination, proving that when we work together, we can overcome adversity and continue to thrive.

Throughout the year, we remained committed to strengthening academic rigor, inspiring curiosity, and helping every child reach their full potential. From our continued implementation of Teach Like a GEM and Read Like a GEM to the remarkable growth we have seen in student learning, our classrooms have become places where students are challenged to think critically, collaborate, and solve meaningful problems.

Equally important has been our commitment to developing character through our Be a GEM values. Every day, our students demonstrated kindness, respect, responsibility, and perseverance, creating a school culture where everyone feels valued, supported, and inspired to succeed.

This year also marked exciting growth in STEM and STEAM learning. Students explored coding, engineering, robotics, design thinking, and creative problem-solving through authentic, hands-on experiences that prepared them for the future while nurturing their imagination and innovation.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the dedication of our exceptional teachers, Educational Assistants, office staff, the unwavering support of our families, and, most importantly, the enthusiasm and determination of our students. Thank you for making this a truly memorable year. Together, we have built something special, and I look forward with great excitement to all that we will accomplish in the year ahead.

Have a safe, restful, and well-deserved summer. We can't wait to welcome everyone back for another incredible year at GAA!

John Ashenden

Elementary Principal

We had a wonderful time celebrating the end of Kindergarten 1 with a special party! Throughout the week, the students enjoyed reading The Way Back Home and used their creativity to make astronaut masks and build rocket ships to take them on an imaginary journey through space. They enthusiastically shared ideas, retold parts of the story, and worked together during the activities.

As we come to the end of the school year, we are incredibly proud of all that the children have achieved. They have grown in confidence, developed new skills, built friendships, and shown a love of learning. It has been a joy to watch their progress, and we look forward to seeing all the amazing things they will accomplish in the future. We wish everyone a happy and safe summer break!

What a wonderful year of learning, laughter, and adventure we have shared in Grade 1A! 

One of our favourite memories was our exciting field trip to StuDIYo Lab in Abu Dhabi Mall, where we explored our Light and Sound unit by using real tools and wood to build our very own hand drums. It was a fantastic hands-on experience, and everyone was so proud of their finished creations! 

We also celebrated Character Book Day and our talented Young Authors, filling our classroom with imaginative stories and encouraging every child to become a confident writer. Watching each student grow in confidence, kindness, and curiosity has been such a joy. 

I am incredibly proud of everything Grade 1A has achieved this year, and each student should be proud of themselves too. I will miss them very much and wish them every happiness and success in Grade 2 and beyond. Keep believing and  never stop shining!

This has been a truly special year for 3A, full of growth, learning, and many moments we will all remember long after July 3rd, 2026.

From the beginning of the year, our classroom became a place where students felt safe to try, ask questions, and do their best. In all subjects, they learned step by step to work harder, stay focused, and believe in themselves.

In reading, the children became more confident and expressive readers. They learned to understand stories more deeply and use new vocabulary with growing independence. In writing, they made amazing progress, moving from simple ideas to clear, structured, and creative pieces they were proud to share. Their writing stamina and confidence grew so much over the year.

In maths, students worked hard on multiplication, fractions, area, perimeter, measurement and problem-solving. They learned to think more carefully, explain their answers, and try different strategies when solving problems.

This year was also full of memorable experiences. Field trips helped bring learning to life, and class celebrations built a strong sense of community. Even during distance learning, students showed responsibility and resilience and kept going with their learning.

Most importantly, the children grew in ways that go beyond academics. They learned how to work together, be kind, take responsibility, and keep trying even when things were challenging. These are skills that will stay with them long after this school year.

As the year ends, each child should feel proud of how far they have come. 3A has been a class filled with effort and laughter.

It has truly been a privilege to teach them this year.

As we begin our summer break, I encourage you to make this season about more than vacations; make it a time for creating memories, having meaningful conversations, and learning together.

From Pre-K through Grade 5, some of the best learning happens at home through everyday experiences. Spend quality time with your children by reading together each day, asking questions about the world around them, playing board games and puzzles, and turning everyday moments into learning opportunities. Count trees, cars, or steps, practice skip counting and multiplication facts, cook together and measure ingredients, keep a summer journal, and most importantly, enjoy each other's company.

I also highly recommend the Brain Quest Workbook for your child's upcoming grade level. These engaging books cover math, reading, writing, science, social studies, and more. They cost around AED 80 and are available from Amazon, Borders, and Kinokuniya.

If possible, encourage your child to spend about 45 minutes a day working through the workbook. A little practice each day helps children stay confident and ready for the new school year.

Most importantly, remember that the greatest gift you can give your child this summer is your time. The memories you create together will last far longer than the season itself.

STEM Adventures in Grades 2–5!

What a fantastic year it has been in STEM! Our Grade 2–5 students have been busy exploring, experimenting, building, coding, and creating. From using scientific equipment to programming robots, solving engineering challenges, and working together as a team, our students have shown amazing curiosity, creativity, and determination.

Some of our students have even taken their STEM skills beyond the classroom, participating in regional and national coding and robotics competitions. We are incredibly proud that Abdelaziz (3A), Ayham (3D), Rowaa (5B) and Diva (5D) have qualified for the international Enjoy AI competition in China this December!

We also had our wonderful STEM Fair, where parents joined us to share their own STEM careers and inspire our students with real-world connections. Families also had the opportunity to explore and celebrate the incredible projects, creations, and learning our students have completed throughout the year.

It has been wonderful to watch students test ideas, learn from mistakes, celebrate successes, and discover just how exciting STEM can be.

We can’t wait to see our Grade 2–4 students back for more STEM adventures next year. To our Grade 5 students, we wish you all the best as you take your curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills into Grade 6!

Our Grade 3 students recently enjoyed a wonderful learning experience during the "My Family in the Realm of the Arabic Language" activity, where parents joined their children for an engaging celebration of language and learning.

We extend our sincere thanks to our Grade 3 families for their enthusiastic participation and support. Together, students and parents took part in a variety of interactive educational activities and games that combined learning with fun, creating an atmosphere of joy, collaboration, and meaningful family engagement.

It was heartwarming to see our school community come together to celebrate the Arabic language while strengthening the partnership between home and school. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event such a memorable success!

Our Grade 4 students proudly presented a theatrical performance inspired by My Crimson Coat, along with meaningful activities celebrating perseverance, hard work, and the courage to follow one's dreams.

We are proud of our young performers and the inspiring message they shared.

On the occasion of Islamic New Year, our elementary students shared their warm wishes. 

• August 31 - High School Students Start. PreK-KG2 Meet & Greet

• September 1 - Middle School Students Starts

• September 2 - Grade 1-5 Students Start

• September 3-4 - KG Staggered Starts