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Week Twenty - February 21st, 2025
Sarah McLean
Head of Primary
Dear Primary Families,
What a lovely week it has been at GEMS International School! Our Week Without Walls adventures for Grades 3, 4, and 5 were a resounding success, with students (and teachers!) returning happy, tired, and full of stories about their exciting experiences. A big thank you to our staff for making these memorable learning opportunities possible!
We also celebrated the talents of our students in 2 different Qur’an Recitation Competitions, where participants showcased their dedication and skill congratulations to Omar Kandil (3E) and Mashal Khan (4C), Kinda Ashour (5D), Farida Mohamed (4D), and Habiba Mohammed (3C)! Additionally, World Languages Day was a fantastic celebration of our diverse community, with some students enjoying read-alouds in 13 different home languages—a wonderful reminder of the rich linguistic heritage within our community. This was an excellent connection following on from World Cultures Day (formally International Day), hosted by GISPA last weekend. It was wonderful to see so much of our community out and celebrating the diversity of GIS! Thank you to all those families and students who contributed to a beautiful day, and thank you to GISPA for all the behind-the-scenes organization!
Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead
Next week, we will conduct our annual Civil Defence Fire Drill to ensure all students and staff are prepared for emergencies. This is a routine practice that reinforces safety procedures in a calm and organized manner. We will also practice our Annual Lockdown Drill in the event that we must shelter inside the building. Homeroom teachers will support students in understanding and preparing for both to ensure they are not nervous.
With Ramadan expected to begin on March 1st (subject to moon sighting), we would like to remind families of the adjustments to our school schedule:
School Hours: 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM (doors open at 8:10 AM for drop-off).
Break Times: Students will have one break per day instead of two.
ECAs: There will be no ECAs during Ramadan.
Fasting Students: We will provide quiet, low-movement spaces for students who are fasting during break times.
if your child will be fasting please ensure you have completed the fasting students form so that HRTs and the Islamic team can support
Non-Fasting Students: Regular break arrangements will remain in place.
GIS will host our Annual Community Iftar on March 12 and hope you can join us for a beautiful evening. Details and a sign up link are below.
Finally, our Islamic Teams will host a Welcome Ramadan event on Feb 28th at Gate 4 from 7:45 - 8:10. We look forward to welcoming the Holy Month of Ramadan together.
We look forward to another meaningful and enriching week ahead. Thank you for your continued support!
Warm regards,
Sarah McLean
Class information and schedules
Class information and schedules
Keep up to date with what is happening in your child's class!
Keep up to date with what is happening in your child's class!
Parents have all received a notification to sign up for the Toddle platform. This is an exciting enhancement to our parent communication, and this year you will receive weekly updates through the Toddle platform.
This IB affiliated platform will offer opportunities for parents to remain up to date with their child's academic progress.
The below class pages will host resources for parents and will no longer have weekly messages. All information will be sent through Toddle, so please inform your class teacher if you have any trouble registering.
My child will be absent
My child will be absent
Any absence (whether it is planned or unplanned ) must be communicated via email to the homeroom teacher and gis_primaryleaverequest@gemsedu.com by 8:00 AM. STS/bus users must also copy the STS manger on the email. vijesh.kumar@sts-group.com
A planned or extended absence beyond 2 days requires the completion of an absence request form.
Absence for more than 3 days requires prior approval if planned or a doctors clearance for illness related leave (in some cases a medical certificate is requested )
My child will leave during the school day (exceptional/unavoidable cases only)
My child will leave during the school day (exceptional/unavoidable cases only)
Parents are urged to schedule medical, dental and other appointments after school hours or during vacations.
A request must be submitted before a child can be released once in school for health and safety and reasons.
Filling in the form 24hrs in advance is expected where possible.
At the time of collection, please come to the Primary Reception at Gate 4.
Key Contacts
Key Contacts
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