Dear Primary Parents, 

We hope this message finds you well. It has been an exciting and meaningful week in the PYP. 

This week, we had the pleasure of hosting the GEMS Deep Dive visiting team, who conducted a comprehensive review of the school. They provided rich feedback that highlighted the strengths of our primary program and offered valuable insights for our continued growth. We are proud of the dedication our students and teachers have shown, which contributed to the positive feedback received.

Our Inter-House Competitions have been thriving, and we are thrilled to see the incredible spirit and teamwork displayed by our students. Each house has brought its best, building a positive community through friendly rivalry. We hope you and your family are also finding ways to participate in the 30x30 challenge too! 

To mark World Kindness Day this week, we encouraged students to celebrate by “filling each other’s buckets”—sharing kind words and gestures that lift one another’s spirits. It was heartwarming to see the primary halls buzzing with acts of kindness, helping us build a compassionate and supportive school environment. Students in lower primary read a book called "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" if you would like to read the book at home, we have a copy in the primary library, and here is a digital version. 

Reminders & Upcoming Events

• Reports will be released next week, providing insights into how your child has settled into the new academic year. These reports are a snapshot of knowledge in relation to grade level expectations. If you have questions about the report please contact your child's homeroom teacher. 

• Join our coordinators next week on Wednesday at 14.30 for a Connect-Ed session on understanding assessment in the PYP where they will look at the different types of data we use to inform teaching and learning across the school. 

• Our Grade 5 families are invited to a Grade Level Potluck on Friday, November 22. This event is a wonderful opportunity to come together, share a meal, and strengthen our school community. We look forward to seeing you there; details have been shared in the G5 Weekly Homeroom teacher post on Toddle. 

• On November 25th, GIS will celebrate UAE National Day! Students are encouraged to wear UAE National Dress or UAE Flag Colors.

We would also like to congratulate Leena Sallam from Grade 4F and her sister Lama, who both won first place for their age group in The Dynasty Cup rhythmic gymnastics competition! This international event was held on November 8th and 9th at the Hamdan Complex, with rhythmic gymnastics clubs from across the UAE and countries like Uzbekistan, Thailand, Cyprus, and Poland participating. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement. Together, we are creating a vibrant and successful learning environment for all our primary students.

Warm regards,

Sarah McLean