Week Thirty Four - June 14th, 2024

Secondary Events & Notices

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June 21 Grade 10 Completion CeremonyJune 24-28 Arts WeekJune 24 to July 3 Pre-DP/CP Bridging Programme July 1-3 Grade 5 Step-up DaysJuly 2 Academic Awards CeremonyJuly 3 Secondary Sports AwardsJuly 4 Final reports publishedJuly 5 PTCsJuly 6 DP results released

Secondary Notices

Secondary School Honor Roll Criteria

At GEMS International School - Al Khail (GIS), we believe in fostering a culture of academic excellence and holistic development among our students. In line with this ethos, the GIS Honor Roll is an esteemed recognition program aimed at celebrating and incentivizing sustained academic endeavors and achievements throughout the academic year. The Honor Roll not only acknowledges students' outstanding academic performance but also underscores the importance of ambition and continuous improvement. To attain Honor Roll status, students must meet clear and rigorous criteria, ensuring that this recognition reflects genuine dedication and achievement. Furthermore, recognizing the holistic nature of education, service learning outcomes, and the embodiment of the IB learner profile are integral components of this program, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and the development of well-rounded individuals. Through the Honor Roll, we aim to inspire and motivate our students to strive for excellence in all aspects of their academic journey, embodying the values of our school community and the IB philosophy.

*Students who make the GIS Honor Roll will be recognized at the Academic Awards Ceremony, which will take place on July 2nd.

New School Uniform - Reminder

The introduction of the new GIS uniform has created a distinctive identity for our school, as well as contributing to a positive and energetic atmosphere within our campus. The phasing in of the new uniform began in August 2023 and has continued throughout the academic year 2023-24. When we return to school in August, for the academic year 2024-25, all students, from Pre-KG to grade 12, will wear the new uniform.

To support a smooth transition, kindly take note of the following details:

Shop online at: https://www.threadsme.com/. A size chart is also available online. For a small fee, your uniform will be delivered to your home address.
Store – visit the Threads shop to have uniforms fitted. Threads stores are open from 10:00am to 10:00pm (times may vary in holiday times and peak periods). Times Square Center: Shop No. 09, Ground Floor, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Al Quoz, Dubai UAE Tel. +971.4.3964837 Email: support@threadsme.com

We appreciate your understanding and support in implementing this change, and it has been wonderful to observe our students wearing the new uniform with pride!

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to seeing all students in the new uniforms soon!

Grade 6 Panel of Experts

As part of the Grade 5 transition cycle into Grade 6, our Grade 6 students did an excellent job in presenting to our Grade 5 Community. They were also committed to planning sessions over the last few weeks, giving up their lunch breaks to do so.

We would like to extend a big THANK YOU (and very well done!) to:

Mosafa Khatab – 6B

Yahya Mohamed – 6D

Sanchitha Jaykrishna Balaji – 6D

Nour El Chabti – 6D

Ludovica Terzi – 6E

GX011030.MP4

GIS Sustainability Week

StuELT is proud to have hosted our first-ever Sustainability Week, a collaborative effort led by the Student Life Committee together with the Eco Club, as part of our goal towards making GIS a more sustainable school.

The week kicked off with Lights Out Day! Teachers led the charge by embracing a day without technology to conserve electricity, in celebration of Earth Day. GIS offset 40kgs of CO2 emissions by switching off lights and screens in classrooms.

This was followed by a hands-on masterpiece with our “The Earth is in Our Hands” project in collaboration with the Arts Committee. Students from both PYP and MYP came together to craft a stunning mosaic using recycled and painted bottle caps. The enthusiasm was appreciative as students in MYP competed to collect the most bottle caps with an outstanding collection of 14,268 caps in total!

Despite some rainy weather and remote learning, our students demonstrated their dedication, creativity and eco-consciousness in the spectacular 'Threads of Change' Fashion Show. The entire event was a celebration of ingenuity, with every piece made entirely from reused and recycled materials such as newspaper, bottlecaps, fabric and plastic bags!

These events truly showcase the spirit of innovation and commitment towards sustainability within our school community.

Remember, small actions can make a big difference!

GIS Sustainability Week.mp4

Grade 12 Art Exhibition

Matilda the Musical Jr. at GIS

A Triumph of Wit, Talent, and Tenacity.

The production of ‘Matilda The Musical Jr.’ was a resounding success, captivating audiences with its wit and charm. The remarkable Matilda, alongside a group of strong-minded school kids, celebrated the power of intellect and resilience as they stood up to the intimidating Trunchbull, asserting their rights to speak out against injustice and cruelty. From infectious ensemble numbers to poignant solos, every moment onstage was infused with passion and precision. Congratulations to the cast and crew for bringing this magical tale to life and inspiring us all with their dedication and talent.

Happiness Week

Happiness Week was a resounding success, thoroughly enjoyed by all MYP students. The week was packed with engaging activities, including the Happiness in a Frame Competition, the Happiness Hunt, quizzes, and Music Mornings. The collaboration between the Arts Committee for Music Mornings provided a delightful opportunity for the GIS community to connect over joyful music. The morning quizzes were a hit, engaging and entertaining students. The Happiness Hunt and Happiness in a Frame Competition were particularly successful, with many enthusiastic participants. The entries received from the photography competition were delightful, meaningful and profound as they showcased what Happiness meant to our GIS students. The winners of the competition were Anannya R, Sanchita B, and Nina S. For the Happiness Hunt, the winners were Madelena F, Fayth F and Cailyn D. See the highlight post on the StuELT Instagram page!

First Lego League (FLL) Robotics Competition 2024

In the 2024 First LEGO League, the theme "Masterpiece" challenged participants to unleash their creativity and engineering prowess. Teams embarked on a journey of innovation, designing robots that epitomized precision, ingenuity, and problem-solving. Through collaborative efforts and perseverance, these young minds crafted remarkable Masterpieces to address real-world challenges. Two teams participated from GIS in the FLL competition, with one successfully winning the Dubai regional and now gearing up for the UAE nationals scheduled for February 25th, 2024, at the EXPO Center in Dubai.

The Juniors team chose their theme 'MASTERPIECE' as culinary arts; the problem statement is "Customers are not happy with the visual appearance of their food and would like it to be presented artistically".

Solution: Project Flavorlens – A mixed reality glass that lets people view the 3D authentic culinary experience virtually. Immersive menu presentation, voice-controlled, shows animations and pictures on a plate, replicates a chosen environment, and allows you to filter the menu based on preference. The senior team chose their theme 'MASTERPIECE' as ARTS; the problem statement is "Mental Health is becoming a major concern in this generation as suicide rates increased by 36%, depression and stress levels has increased by a lot and many more problems related to mental health".

Solution: Project Nebula - Visual arts skills such as drawing, painting, and colouring are being replaced by modern technology such as AI, making it an unappealing skill for people to learn. Mental health issues such as stress and anxiety have racked the contemporary world by causing mass disruption to millions of lives, leading to a decrease in not only the current state of life but also the person's future. The project's theme is using Art therapy to help people with mental problems. VR application that combines the benefits of art therapy and virtual reality. You can also use VR Therapy to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health issues, as well as to enhance your well-being, self-esteem, and happiness.

Grade 6 Participants

Sanchitha Balaji

Grade 7 Participants

Ananya Ajayan

Selda Golkhandan

Andy Faddoul

Riccardo Bianchi

Maryam Kauser

Vanessa Almeida

Hamza Hemeda

Riccardo Muraglia

Grade 8 Participants

Aashrit Prathap

Bashir Zantout

Grade 9 Participants

Samridhi Sharma

Moonkang Cho

Fatima Imran

Jasim Khan

Muhammad Musa Ahmad

Tobias Madsen

Congratulations to all the students and to Ms. Sheeba, Mr. Sujay, Ms. Preethy and Mr. Anaswer!

Attendance Matters

Roles and Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians

Ensure that their child(ren) receive(s) a full-time education and those children registered at GIS attend regularly and punctually
Inform the school of any absences/ leave
Discuss with the Homeroom Teacher any planned absences well in advance
Support the school by aiming for their child to have 100% attendance each year
Avoid taking their child out of school for non-urgent medical or dental appointments
Only request a leave of absence if it is for an exceptional circumstance

In case of unforeseen absence, it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to notify the school on the first day of unplanned absence. Notification should be made by 8:30 am or as soon as practically possible, by submitting a Secondary Leave Request.