This is a friendly reminder regarding school timings and drop off procedures. We kindly ask that parents adhere to timings to ensure students are not missing valuable instruction time. 

We would also like to remind parents that we also have a school bus network available to all families. If you would like your child to take the bus, or for more information on this service, please email Mr. Rameez Rasheed at rameez.rasheed@sts-group.com.

Late attendance will be marked after 7:45 for all grades.

• Gate 1 (Front of School main entrance) - Grades 2 - 12. THIS GATE IS OPEN 24 HOURS

• Gate 3 (Front of School KG entrance) - Kindergarten and Grade 1 only. (This entrance is recommended for KG students and is designated specifically for them)  THIS GATE CLOSES AT 8:15 AND REOPENS AT 2:00

• Gate 4 (Back of School - bus parking) - Buses and Grades K-12. 

• Gate 5 (Back of School - near tennis courts) – Open for all grades (KG-Elementary students to be accompanied by a guardian). THIS GATE CLOSES AT 8:00 AND REOPENS AT 2:45

• All parents wishing to enter school must carry Parent ID. If you haven't received one, please send your photo to PRE at pre_gaa@gemsedu.com 

• We request that students enter and exit the school premises independently. Students who require support will be accompanied by staff members if needed. 

• Please use the dedicated KG entrance  (Gate 3 at the front of school) for KG and Grade One students, where our staff will assist them to the classrooms.

• KG and Grade 1 parents and/or guardians can accompany students to the classrooms.

DO'S

• Please be mindful of UAE Traffic Laws (UAE Government Website and LIST OF TRAFFIC OFFENCES AND VIOLATIONS)

• Please exercise Culture of Kindness towards your Community members.

• Be attentive and follow the guidance of our staff members! You will see them directing traffic and ensuring the safety of our students.

• Instruct your drivers to follow the pickup/dropoff guidelines and instructions of our staff members.

• Park in designated parking spaces.

• Please continue forward in the pick-up lane if the car in front of you has picked up his/her child and is exiting. Do not stop midway – continue forward to allow cars lining behind you to enter parking.

• Keep the sidewalks and crosswalks clear.

DON'TS

• Do not double park.

• Do not exit your car if waiting in pick up lane.

• Do not park on the sidewalks (red-bricked areas near back gates) – this is in violation of UAE Traffic Rules.

• Do not drop off or pick up students from the Main Road. For the safety of your children and to avoid traffic congestion, PLEASE DROP OFF AND PICK UP FROM DESIGNATED SCHOOL GATES.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• If you arrive early to park in designated areas within school parking, please be mindful that you may find it difficult to exit immediately after pick up, as transiting cars may be blocking your way. We recommend to arrive during dismissal time. Alternatively, please park in designated parking areas in public roads (for example, after Beverly Cakes pastry shop, on Al Mutaabid Street, or Al Waqaa street).

• Carpool when possible

• Consider using school bus service

• Weather permitting, consider using bikes or walk, if living near school. 

PARKING ENTRY/EXIT PROCEDURE

• We have assigned 2 entry points and 1 exit point in the back parking area (see attached map). NO EXIT IS ALLOWED THROUGH DESIGNATED ENTRY POINTS.

• To enter the back parking area, please use one of the entry points indicated in the map. The 1st entry point is near tennis courts (in front of SmileRite), the 2nd entry point is through Bus parking. If the 1st entry is full, please continue forward on the main street towards the 2nd entry (through the Bus Parking). 

• Please continue forward in the pick-up lane if the car in front of you has picked up his/her child and is exiting. Do not stop midway – continue forward to allow cars lining behind you to enter parking.

• Exit from center (EXIT ONLY POINT) as indicated in the map. Please use common courtesy and Culture of Kindness when exiting from parking and follow our staff members’ directions.

• Students exiting from the back gates will be waiting in the designated waiting areas to be picked up. Please make sure you discuss the pick up timing with your child before school.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• If you arrive early to park in designated areas within school parking, please be mindful that you may find it difficult to exit immediately after pick up, as transiting cars may be blocking your way. We recommend to arrive during dismissal time. Alternatively, please park in designated parking areas in public roads (for example, after Beverly Cakes pastry shop, on Al Mutaabid Street, or Al Waqaa street).

• Carpool when possible

• Consider using school bus service

• Weather permitting, consider using bikes or walk, if living near school. 

LATE ARRIVAL

• All Elementary Student/Students must be signed in at Main or KG Reception, if they arrive after late:

  • Late attendance for Kindergarten and Elementary will be marked after 7:45 at Main and KG Reception.

  • Late attendance for Middle and High School will be marked after 07:45. Secondary Students must sign in with Secondary Secretary  (room 233) for late arrival and early leave.

EARLY PICK UP BY PARENT

• IMPORTANT! There will be no early pick up available for ALL GRADES starting from 2:30.

• For any other times, parent to email Teacher or call school in advance, if they wish an early pick up for their child/children stating child’s full name, pick-up date and time.

• Teacher to notify GAA Reception as soon as possible regarding the early pick up with all relevant details.

• Teacher to ensure the child/children are sent to Main or KG Reception for the pick up as stated in the parent’s email, except KG & Grade 1 students, who may be collected from the classroom by Parent Only.

• On arriving at the school, Parent to sign out child/children at Main or KG Reception and to obtain the “Early Slip” prior to pick up.

• “Early Slip” only shown to Teacher/EA in order to release student/s.

• On leaving the premises the Parent will hand over the “Early Slip” to Gate Security.

EARLY PICK UP BY NANNY/DRIVER

• Parent to email Teacher or call school in advance if they wish an early pick up for their child/children stating child’s full name, pick-up date and time, except in a GENUINE emergency.

• Teacher to notify GAA Reception as soon as possible regarding the early pick up with all relevant details.

• In case of an Emergency only, Reception staff will email Teacher and Elementary Secretary immediately regarding the early pick up or may come and fetch the student/s, depending on the situation.

• Teacher to ensure the child/children are sent to Main or KG Reception for the pick up as stated in the parent email, as nannies and drivers are not issued ID cards, only guest passes, and are not permitted to walk around the school.

• Nanny/Driver to sign out students at Main or KG Reception and obtain the “Early Slip”.

• On leaving the premises the nanny/driver will hand over the “Early Slip” to Gate Security.

SCHOOL GATE ACCESS (PARENT ID):

New Parents, you may obtain your Parent photo identity card by emailing a photo (jpeg format) along with the parent’s first and last name to pre_gaa@gemsedu.com. Please also include your child/children’s full name and grade in the email as well. 

Please Note: Parent identity cards will only be issued to parents (Mother & Father), and will NOT be issued to domestic helpers, drivers and guardians.

Dear Parents,

This is a friendly reminder regarding Bus Attendance Procedures. Please read through the information below thoroughly and let us know if you have any questions, 

MORNING PICK UP

BBT Terms & Conditions  clause 7: 

It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to ensure that their children are at the pick-up point at the designated time.  Buses will not leave from collection points ahead of schedule.  However, buses will not be able to wait at pick-up/drop-off points after the scheduled time. Inclement weather and traffic delays may cause delays to scheduled times.

ABSENT 

• Should your child not be attending school, please notify the following parties:

  • Bus Conductor

  • Classroom Teacher 

  • Divisional Secretaries:

    • • KG & Elementary Secretary: elemsecretary_gaa@gemsedu.com 

      • Secondary Secretary: secsecretary_gaa@gemsedu.com  

NOT TAKING BUS TO SCHOOL

• Should your child not be taking the bus TO school in the morning, please notify the following parties, 

  • Bus Staff

NOT TAKING BUS FROM SCHOOL  

• Should your child not be taking the bus home FROM school in the afternoon, please notify the following parties, 

  • Bus Staff

  • Classroom Teacher 

  • Divisional Secretary 

    • KG & Elementary Secretary: elemsecretary_gaa@gemsedu.com 

    • Secondary Secretary: secsecretary_gaa@gemsedu.com 

    • Transport office: Mr. Rameez Rasheed at rameez.rasheed@sts-group.com.

LATE TO BUS 

Buses leave promptly at 3:15 from Monday to Thursday and 12:15 on Fridays. In respect to all bus users and their families, buses will not wait for late students. In case a student is late to a bus, the parents will be called for pick up or for authorization to take the late bus (4:30 departure).