Dear GIS Primary Families,

It has been a wonderful week in PYP, full of exciting events, including the grand opening of our new Early Years Library! This special space is designed to foster a love for reading in our youngest learners. The children have already enjoyed meeting a visiting author, Ms. Ebtisam Elbeiti and exploring the library. We are eager to see how this will enrich their learning experience. We encourage you to ask your children about their visit and the books they explored while using the new space.  A big thank you to Ms. Louise and her team for all the care they've put into making this new space special. 

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for our Virtual Back-to-School Night. If you were unable to attend, recordings will be shared soon, so you don’t miss out on any important information. We are looking forward to welcoming parents on campus next week on September 18th, 19th or 20th for our Peek-Into-School, where we will host grade-level sessions for parents and invite them into classrooms so your students can show you how they learn. Please see the details of these events below. 

Next week marks the beginning of our beginning of the year assessment window. As we continue to support our students' learning progress, please be aware that the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) and NGRT (New Group Reading Test) assessments will take place over the coming weeks. These assessments provide valuable insights into your child's academic development. All students must be prepared for these assessments with a good night of sleep, a nice breakfast, and their headphones. For more information about our external assessments, please click here. 

Next week we will be celebrating the Prophet Muhammad's Birthday in the morning on September 16th  at gate 4 from 7:45 - 8:15, students are invited to dress in green. On Wednesday September 18th the Primary Leadership Team is hosting a coffee afternoon for new families to come and meet the team and learn more about us and each other. On September 20th we will be celebrating International Dot Day to empower students to believe in themselves, and to begin to build deeper understanding of growth mindset. Students in PreK, KG1 and KG2 students are invited to dress in bright colors or polka dots. Grade 1 - Grade 5 will celebrate Dot Day through a variety of learning engagements in the classroom.

Finally, an important reminder about our pick up and drop off procedures to maintain a smooth and organized traffic flow: we kindly remind parents to use the designated traffic lanes and parking zones. Following these guidelines will help us ensure safety and efficiency for everyone. We greatly appreciate your cooperation! 

When collecting students at the end of the day, we would like to remind all parents that for security and safety reasons, students can only be handed over directly to a parent or guardian at the gate. Please do not ask your child to walk to a vehicle parked elsewhere. This procedure helps us ensure that all students are safe. 

Our security team works hard to maintain a safe environment, and your support is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping us create a safe and productive environment for all.

Warm regards, 

Sarah McLean