Embedded Files
Week Four - September 22nd, 2023
Kim Conlin
Head of Primary
Good afternoon parents,
A heartfelt thank-you to our two counselors (Kim and Rose) for putting on an interactive session to support families settling into Dubai. Even families already in Dubai may feel a sense of newness and unfamiliarity with changes at the start of the new year. I have noticed that after the initial start to the year, students seem to be settling well and already making progress in their learning.
Extra curricular activities began this week allowing students to extend their skills beyond the school day. Although the heat has kept some activities inside, most ECA's were in full action this week. Students can be collected from gate 8 after their afternoon ECA's or the classroom for KG2.
Next week, students continue to interview for leadership positions (grades 3-5) and continue with the final beginning of year assessments. Please remember that many students have MAP tests to complete and benefit from a good breakfast and full nights rest.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that next Friday (29th) is a school holiday in honour of the Prophet's birthday, may peace be upon him. The school will celebrate the occasion before class on Thursday Sept 28th as students arrive to school.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Newsletter at a Glance
Newsletter at a Glance
In this edition you will find:
Announcements / Reminders / Upcoming dates
Peek Into Learning: Igniting Curiosity
Primary Pages - link to Grade and Class pages
PYP reminders and resources
Absence Procedure
Whole School Calendar
Upcoming Dates
Upcoming Dates
September 18- 27th - MAP Assessment Window
September 18 - October 4th - PYP Student Leadership Elections
September 28 - Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) birthday celebration at GIS
October 04 at 1.45pm-2.45pm - Connect Ed - Transitioning to Dubai - please RSVP here
October 5-6th - 1:1 Parent Teacher Listening Conferences Students will not attend school on these (1.5) days
Announcements and Reminders:
Announcements and Reminders:
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) Birthday Celebration
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) Birthday Celebration
Muslims around the world celebrate the birth anniversary of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
We will have a celebration in GIS on September 28th. We will begin by enjoying some dates and Arabic coffee by Gate 4 and the Secondary reception.
Please join us on Sept 28th just before the start of school, between 7:30-8:10
-The Islamic Teaching Team
Connect Ed - SAVE THE DATES
Connect Ed - SAVE THE DATES
Please Save the Dates for the upcoming Connect Eds.
The purpose of the Connect Eds is to support our parent community with social, emotional and academics for their children.
We have a plethora of knowledge and expertise in our Primary School Team and they will provide practical information and strategies.
The parent community is an integral part of GIS and we feel it is important to make them part of our learning community.
We hope to see you many of you at the Connect Eds and closer to the time we will send you more information on the ConnectEds in our Newsletter.
Early Childhood Peek into Learning: Learning Through Play
Early Childhood Peek into Learning: Learning Through Play
“Play transcends cultural, socio-economic and political boundaries and is universal in impacting children positively”
The Lego Foundation, 2018
If you would like to find out more about this you can read Inquiry Through Play, a document written by the IB to inform parents about the benefits of learning through play.
The students in Early Childhood have been settling into their new environments; forming relationships, developing essential agreements, learning new ideas and expressing themselves in different ways. Many of these aspects of their learning at school are experienced through play.
Play is one of the most important ways in which young learners gain essential knowledge and skills. They play to make sense of the world around them, and to find meaning in an experience by connecting it to something already known. Through play, they express and expand their understanding of their experiences. They play to practice skills, try out possibilities, revise hypotheses and discover new challenges, leading to deeper learning. Play allows them to communicate ideas, to understand others through social interaction, paving the way to build deeper understanding and more powerful relationships. Their play can be independent, collaborative or guided by teachers. Ultimately, play should involve some degree of agency, enabling children to take on an active role and ownership in their experiences, as well as recognizing and trusting children to be capable, autonomous, and agents of their own playful learning journeys.
Peek into Learning: Future Leaders in Action
Peek into Learning: Future Leaders in Action
"Our school is not just a place for learning, it's a community." (Farah 4F)
Building on last week's spotlight on student leadership, we're excited to share an update on the Student Council speeches that unfolded this week. It's been a fantastic journey, watching our students exemplify the Learner Profile attributes and showcase their remarkable Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills.
As we listened to the speeches, we couldn't help but notice how our students embodied the core values of our PYP philosophy:
Principled: Seeing several students commit to upholding ethics and fairness in their speeches was amazing. They emphasized their dedication to fostering a more just and equitable school community.
Open-Minded: What stood out was the open-mindedness displayed by many candidates. They welcomed diverse ideas and perspectives, promising to be inclusive and receptive to their fellow students' voices.
Communicators: It was evident that our aspiring leaders have been working on their communication skills. Their speeches were articulate, persuasive, and delivered with a level of confidence that truly engaged the audience.
Caring: Compassion was a common thread in many speeches. Students expressed genuine care for their peers and the overall well-being of our school community. Their promises to create an inclusive and supportive environment were heartfelt.
On the ATL front, the speeches were a testament to the students' growth:
Communication: Our candidates showcased effective communication skills. They maintained eye contact, used engaging language and visuals, and delivered their ideas with passion and clarity.
Self-Management: Time management was on point. Students adhered to their allocated speech times, demonstrating efficiency and organization in their presentations.
Social Skills: Emphasizing teamwork and collaboration, candidates highlighted the importance of working together with their fellow students to bring about positive changes.
We can't express enough how impressed we are with our students' dedication and thoughtfulness during the Student Council speeches. Their commitment to enhancing our school community, along with their embodiment of the Learner Profile attributes and ATL skills, is truly commendable.
A heartfelt thank you to all the students who participated in the speeches. We eagerly anticipate the upcoming election announcements and are inspired by your passion for making our school an even better place!
Here are just a few of the many speeches that students delivered.
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. From next week, all information will sent through Toddle, so please inform your cklass teacher if you have any trouble registering.
Please remember that weekly updates will come to you through Toddle.
Please remember that weekly updates will come to you through Toddle.
Information for new/starting families
Information for new/starting families
Drop off and Pick up
Drop off and Pick up
Drop Off (7:50-8:10): Parents PK-G1 drop in classroom
Drop Off: (7:50-8:10) Grade 2-5 through gate 8 or gate 4
Late: any student arriving after the national anthem must get a late slip at front reception/gate 4.
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Pick up (3:05 or 11:30 on Friday): PK-G1 pick up from classroom
Pick up (3:15 or 11:40 on Friday) Pick up through gate 8 or 4
*due to crowding at gate 4, we have allocated a safe space near the pirate ship for PYP students to wait for parents. During adverse weather or lengthy waits, students will be moved to the canteen. Follow up with with a parent or guardian will take place after 30 min. We appreciate parents effort to collect children in time.
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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