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Week Thirty - May 5th, 2023
Kim Conlin
Head of Primary
Dear PYP Parents,
It has been a busy week in the PYP. We had a very successful session on the teaching and learning of maths. Parents had a chance to visit classes to see lessons in action and reflect with our curriculum coordinators. We will plan for more sessions in the future since it's a great way to learn more about our approach.
Next week we will have visitors from the Council of International Schools for our five year accreditation. CIS is an international membership community that serves the purpose of school improvement and development. Please welcome the seven visiting team members to GIS if you have a chance.
At the end of the month we will be celebrating the arts with our annual arts week. It's one of our favorite weeks of the year! Please see below for concert times and dates for each grade.
One of the most popular days of the year for parents, is our student led conferences! Please save the date for May 18th, where you will visit the school with your child to find out more about their learning this year. This will not be a full school day, you will be required to sign up for a specific time slot. More details to follow next week.
Have a great weekend,
Head of Primary, GIS
Newsletter at a Glance
Newsletter at a Glance
In this edition you will find:
Announcements / Reminders / Upcoming dates
Live: Math Peek into learning
Peek Into Learning: Drama in the PYP
Primary Pages - link to Grade and Class pages
PYP reminders and resources
Absence Procedure
Whole School Calendar
Upcoming Dates
Upcoming Dates
May - Healthy Eating Campaign Month
May 8-12th - CIS Evaluation Visit
May 18th - Student Led Conferences (not a school day for students)
May 29-June 2 - GIS Arts Week
Announcements and Reminders:
Announcements and Reminders:
Math: Peek into learning
Math: Peek into learning
This week we hosted a group of parents who signed up to join the live peek into learning in Math, where we visited classrooms to see Math in action. Our curriculum coordinators spoke about math learning in the primary school, and facilitated visits to classrooms in grades three, four and five.
We will be hosting more of these sessions in the future, and hope to see even more parents there!
Peek Into Learning: Drama
Peek Into Learning: Drama
As they prepare for their upcoming performances during arts week, students in grades 4 and 5 have been working diligently to refine their reading, speaking, and listening skills. They have been analyzing the characters and themes in their respective plays, and practicing their lines with the goal of delivering them with expression and clarity.
Collaborating with their classmates has also been a key part of their preparation process. By listening actively to each other's ideas and feedback, and working together, the students have been creating cohesive and engaging performances. In doing so, they have been practicing valuable social skills like communication, teamwork, and cooperation.
To ensure that they are fully prepared for their performances, the students have been using self-management strategies like setting goals, tracking their progress, and employing memorization techniques. These strategies have helped them build confidence and stay motivated as they work towards their goal.
Overall, the students have been demonstrating a range of skills and competencies as they prepare for their performances. They are eager to share their talents and their love for the arts with their families and friends during arts week. Below is a sneak peek into some of the practices this week:
to check your child's class page
to check your child's class page
Primary Class Pages
Primary Class Pages
Check out for weekly class updates
Information for new/starting families
Information for new/starting families
Overview of communication platforms (PYP)
Overview of communication platforms (PYP)
GIS Primary Handbook 2022_23.docx.pdfPrimary Handbook 2022-2023
Primary Handbook 2022-2023
Drop off and Pick up
Drop off and Pick up
Parents PK-G1 drop/pick up in classroom (through gate 4,6,8)
Grade 2-5 drop/pick up either gate 4 or gate 8
Late/Tardy: any student arriving after the national anthem must get a late slip at front reception/gate 4
My child will be absent
My child will be absent
Email your child's homeroom teacher before 8am so that he / she can mark their absence as excused.
Complete an absence form for an absence of more than 2 days and submit to PYP office or homeroom teacher on the child's first day back.
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)
Email the gis_primaryleaverequest@gemsedu.com and your child's homeroom teacher 24 hours in advance to ensure your child and their leave slip are prepared in advance.
At the time of collection, please come to the Primary Reception at Gate 4.
Key Contacts
Key Contacts
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