Head of Secondary School's Message 

Dear Parents & Guardians,

As another busy week draws to a close, I would like to thank Ms Wafaa and the Arabic team for hosting our Arabic Coffee morning on Wednesday. Topics explored included preparation for the Diploma Programme, learning outcomes and topics,  assessment processes, and classroom practices. Additionally, our GEMS Arabic consultant, Dr. Yousef, who visited this week, is so impressed with our holistic approach to teaching students, he has asked to share with all GEMS schools as a model of best practice in teaching phonics while enhancing other skills.   We are incredibly lucky to have such a close knit team dedicated to ensuring the best for our students. 

I would also like to thank Mr Sean for running an assembly with Grade 6 students on the extremely important topic of ‘Digital Wellness Unplugged’. Students reflected on how to de-escalate a situation online, while also hearing about the positive impact appropriate online behaviour can have on people. Gaining the necessary skills to navigate the online world is so vital for our young people and it is a topic that we will return to time and time again. Valuable resources, should you wish to discuss this topic at home, can be found in the Common Sense Education website where they provide a variety of resources for families.

At the recent Back to School Night, we shared with parents the plans for the upcoming Week Without Walls (WWW). Our WWW offerings have a strong emphasis on Service to others, and are all linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of the plans for WWW, you would have received communication earlier this week regarding an information evening with the providers. In case it was missed, the providers of the local residential trips and the international trips will be presenting to parents on Sept 25 & 26. The meetings are online, and parents only need to join the meeting at the relevant time.  This is the first meeting for such trips and the aim is to provide an overview of each trip. Should you have general questions, we encourage you to complete the form within the poster. This will allow us to ensure all questions are addressed on the FAQ page within the WWW website. 

This week, we were excited to invite our Grade 9 parents to campus for our annual Potluck event. It was a fantastic occasion for families to connect and celebrate together. Our students were thrilled to introduce their parents to classmates and share a diverse spread of cultural delicacies. We extend our gratitude to Miss Alisha, Mr Fred, and the entire Grade 9 Homeroom team for their efforts in making this gathering a great success!

Have a wonderful week ahead.

Kind regards

Ms Amanda

Head of  Secondary School