Weekly Communication from our Leadership Team
Embedded Files
Week Twenty Three - February 27th, 2026
Mirna Hafez-Farah Primary School Principal
Aaron Kane Secondary School Principal
Dear GIS community,
Thank you for your commitment to remote learning. It is important that students are ready to begin their learning promptly each morning and participate in a positive and engaged manner throughout the day. We take this opportunity to thank the parents for their support.
Iftar
We are pleased to invite you to join us for a community Iftar at Dukes, The Palm.
As Ramadan is a time of reflection and togetherness, this gathering offers a wonderful opportunity for members of our school community to connect and share this special occasion.
Location: Dukes, The Palm
https://maps.app.goo.gl/U57Kka4GcH784t4SA
Date: Wednesday, 11th March 2026
Time: 6:00PM (at sunset)
Pricing:
- Adults: 180AED
- Children (5 - 12 years): 110AED
- Children under 5: Free
To secure your spot, kindly make the payment in advance by 3rd March through the GEMS Connect App under the “Activities” tab.
Re-enrolment for the new school year 2026-2027
Thank you to all of our families who have already re-enrolled their child for the upcoming school year. We truly appreciate your continued trust in our school community.
For those who have not yet completed re-enrollment, we kindly remind you that the deadline is April 5th. To ensure your child’s place is reserved before we begin offering spaces to new families, we encourage you to complete the process as soon as possible.
We look forward to another wonderful year together.
Home Languages day
We were delighted to celebrate International Home Language Day, a special occasion that honors the rich linguistic and cultural diversity within our school community. Having such a diverse community truly enriches the learning experience of our students, broadening their perspectives and deepening their appreciation for one another. This year, we proudly celebrated these languages spoken across our school such as French, Mandarin, Arabic, Italian, Urdu, Turkish, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, French, Farsi, Polish, Afrikaans, Kiswahili, Kazakh, Filipino.
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who generously gave their time to participate and share their home languages, as well as to our dedicated staff who helped bring the celebration to life. It was a joyful and meaningful reminder that our many languages are a strength that connects and strengthens us as a community.
ChallengeME Maths Championship
Primary School.
On Sunday, 15th February 2026, three of our PYP students participated in the Stage 3 (Semi-Finals) of the ChallengeME Maths Championship.
Congratulations to Omar K., Jiin K., and Shaurya B. for representing our school with confidence, respect, and determination. With over 100 schools across the Middle East taking part, reaching this stage is a fantastic achievement.
We are very proud of their effort and attitude throughout. Well done!
Middle School - ChallengeME Maths Championship (Stage 3 Semi-Finals)
Middle School - ChallengeME Maths Championship (Stage 3 Semi-Finals)
On Saturday, 14th February 2026, twelve of our Middle School students competed in the Stage 3 (Semi-Finals).
They demonstrated excellent behaviour and strong commitment throughout the competition. A special congratulations to Javad A. (Grade 11) for achieving 4th place in the Top 10 of the Stage 2 challenge , an outstanding result.
With more than 100 schools participating, this was a significant accomplishment. We are extremely proud of all our students.
Thank you for your continued support.
We wish you a wonderful week-end,
Mirna & Aaron
To reserve a place for your child(ren) at GIS next academic year, please use The GEMS Parent Portal or GEMS Connect App and follow the below steps;
- Click communication
- Click service request
- Click on re-enrollment
Please seethe Ramadan Squads timetable, which will begin on Monday 23rd February.
Kindly note that only the squads listed on the timetable will be running during Ramadan. If your son/daughter’s squad does not appear on the schedule, it will not be taking place during this period.
Ramadan Squads training schedule.pdfGIS Jaguar Squad Communication
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Official Jaguars WhatsApp Community. This will serve as a broadcast-only channel where coaches can share quick updates about fixtures, cancellations, logistics, and key dates.
Attached, you will find a QR code to join the Jaguars Community. Once you have joined, please also select and join the squad(s) your son or daughter is currently part of. This will allow your child’s coach to share relevant updates directly with you.
Please note that this number is used for broadcast messages only and will not support two-way conversations. Scan the QR code or follow this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/HBITTrjtqv5ITdKtNHvped?mode=wwt
Photo Consent Preferences
Reminder: Please update your child's 'Photo Consent Preferences' via the GEMS Connect app, to ensure your child has permission to be featured in school marketing photos and videos.
To update your preferences, please follow the steps below:
Open GEMS Connect app
Click on Student Information icon
Click on General Consent (the consent tab is the very last option and will require you to scroll across)
Select Photographs and videos
Select your preference for your child
We require all parents to have manually ticked either 'yes' or 'no' for their child's photo consent.
WhatsApp Channels
Primary and Secondary WhatsApp Channels for our GIS community. These Channels will run on WhatsApp, meaning you will be able to manage your own notification settings and access the updates easily.
It is important to note that only our Parent Relations Executive, Helen Gornall, will be able to post messages to
these Channels and this will only be to share announcements/updates applicable. We encourage you to check
the relevant Channels regularly to remain informed about the latest developments.
8 PERCENT_Digital Flyer_GIS.pdfGEMS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (2).pdfWe are introducing new trousers and joggers, which will be available through Threads from next academic year. In the meantime, students may wear plain navy blue trousers as part of the core uniform and plain navy blue joggers for the PE uniform if they wish.
GIS house color t-shirts and swim wear will be available to purchase from threads.
For any queries on Slices, please call or WhatsApp Andrea from Slices on 050 504 5908
Kind reminder to ensure students accounts have enough credit loaded so they do not face issues purchasing food.
CLASSROOM DELIVERY - PREMIUM.pdfGIS Community Calendar 25/6
GIS Community Calendar 25/6
This calendar will be continually updated to reflect key dates and events.
This calendar will be continually updated to reflect key dates and events.
GIS School Calendar - Parent Version - 2025 - 2026.pdfPage updated
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