GPS Newsletter

Dear Parents

What a week!  From pumpkins to flags we all enjoyed marking the international celebration of Halloween and learning about the UAE flag.  Thank you all for your support.  The children enjoyed dressing up on both occasions, decorating the school and we had our very own police officer join us to raise our flag on Friday.  

I would also like to thank you for taking the time to complete the survey.  Your feedback is important for us to improve the school and I am pleased to see how positive you are about the school and the direction it is going so far this year.  But please, if you do have any feedback, don't wait until the next survey just drop me an email - principal@ghafschool.com

The teachers and the children also completed surveys and again the results showed we have a 'happy school' but I won't sit back, we can still do a lot to make GPS number 1 and the school of choice in Jebel Ali.  Together we can do this!

Another way to get your suggestions to me is by visiting our 'Ghaf Happiness Centre.'  Our Wellness Ambassador, Griffin in Year 5, has made suggestion slips for everyone to write down ideas for the school to consider.  So please do encourage your children to write their suggestions for us or write them yourselves!

GPS is signed up to the Dubai Fitness Challenge so every morning we have an exercise challenge for all the children.  So much fun - and so healthy!

To encourage reading and sharing we have set up shelves in the reception as a mini library.  The books here are for taking home, swopping, and sharing so if you would like to donate books for the shelves, please send them in to school.  We will not be keeping track of these books, so please donate books that you do not plan to get back.  Thank you!

Save the date: Friday 10th November - Spread the Light, Dress up Bright (to mark Dawali)

Monday 13th November - Odd Socks Day - Anti-bullying week kicks off

Monday 13th November - End of term Assessments will start

Wed/Thur 22nd/23rd - Field trips to Heritage Express (more information coming soon)

Wednesday 29th November - National Day Celebrations for all (hoping you can join us and even participate! Looking for volunteers 😁)

Friday 8th December - Winter Festival and Report Card Day (and again, hoping you can join us)

As Always, have a great weekend!

Ms Jan

Dear Parents,

After the midterm break we had a super busy week. We had the Spooks and Sparkles day and Flag day celebrated with colours and joy. Since we all have started the 30 days Dubai’s Fitness Challenge Month it’s the best time for me to remind Myself and all of you how important ‘Physical Well Being is ‘

It’s been said that, if you practise something for a period of 21 days without break it becomes your habit. The “21 days to form a habit idea” have come from a 1960 self-help book by cosmetic surgeon Dr. Maxwell Maltz, called Psycho Cybernetics, A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life,” says Wendy Wood, a University of Southern California psychologist who studies the way habits guide our behaviour. “He recommended that people practice self-affirmations and positive behaviours for 21 days to make them habitual,” Wood says. “He thought that it would take about 21 days of practice for an old mental image of ourselves to dissolve and a new one to ‘gel’ (in his words).”

In the decades since the book was published, the “21 days” idea has been repeated so often that it’s become accepted as fact.

Though there’s no scientific evidence for this theory ‘’No harm in trying’’. So lets get started. Below are the four most important activities for Physical Health you would try to practise for the next 21 days.

 1. SLEEP                                                                   

Most people need 8 hours of sleep a night to stay healthy and alert. However, many people, especially young people, don’t understand the importance of maintaining a regular sleep cycle. While staying up till 3am and sleeping in till noon might contain enough hours of sleep, it will leave your body unprepared to go to bed at 10 pm the next night and wake up for work or school at 6am. Your body craves a regular routine especially when it comes to sleep. If your sleep cycle is constantly being disrupted, many negative symptoms can erupt such as extreme fatigue, sluggishness, memory issues, emotional instability and even an increase in sicknesses.

 2. EATING WELL

Contrary to what most people think, eating healthy doesn’t mean feeling hungry all the time or eating nothing but lettuce  for the rest of your life. Much like sleep, your body likes consistency when it comes to what and when you eat. Regularly eating healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole grains will give you the nutrients that not only support your body’s vital functions but can balance your mental well-being as well. Eating too much when you aren’t hungry or making yourself skip meals can have metabolic consequences that can upset your physical and mental health. Don’t forget that drinking plenty of water goes hand in hand with eating .

3. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Like eating healthy, exercise is vital. The word Exercise will immediately take you to Treadmills and GYM. Exercise should not be a painful endeavour that is endured only for the sake of health. The long-term benefits of exercise are indisputable, however many struggles to make it a part of their daily life. The key to sticking to an exercise routine is to find an activity that you like, and you can grow in. If you find exercise boring engage in an activity which inspires and motivates you to improve. Some examples are Dance, Yoga, Zumba etc.

4. HYGIENE

Hygiene is defined as any action taken to maintain health and prevent disease. This can pertain to the daily practices of showering, washing hands, brushing teeth and flossing. Personal hygiene won’t just keep you healthy, but it can even boost your mood which can be especially helpful for those living with a mental health disorder like depression.

Hygiene also includes seeking out preventative medical care such as getting physical exams regularly. Preventing disease or intervening with early treatment is much more convenient in the long run than ignoring your health concerns altogether. 

5. RELAXATION

Relaxation is commonly thought of as only a mental exercise with only mental benefits. This is not true. Tension can build up in muscles causing headaches or back pain and stress hormones can cause a variety of nasty symptoms including adrenal fatigue. In this word everybody is ambitious and to achieve that they are on a race. While ambition is admirable, scheduling time to simply relax and enjoy yourself is important to your overall health. Whether it is getting a massage, staying home with a good book or playing your favourite sport, some “me time” does everyone good.

Let me conclude for this week by challenging you “who would take up the challenge of 21 days. Kindly let me know your success after 21 days. I will try to encourage you with a GIFT.

Have a lovely weekend

Ms Jikku

What we've done

This week has been a busy and exciting week for year 2. The children enjoyed performing their assembly and dressing up for halloween. In maths we have been learning addition and subtraction this week. In english year 2 have been planning their story write up for The gingerbread man. In science we have started our new topic animals including humans and this week the children have been learning about animal offspring and lifecycles.  We have started our topic from A to B in IPC with the children discussing the different ways on how they travel to school. 

Spooks and Sparkles celebrations for Halloween. 

Researching for their IPC project (to create a presentation on a country they would love to travel to and why).

What we've done

We have had a good first week back at GPS after the half term break. The students rewrote their favourite scenes from James and the Giant Peach in the form of a play script in English. They also worked on their comprehension skills. In maths, the class finished their unit on addition and subtraction and completed an end of unit assessment. In science, they learned about the particles that make up different states of matter, and demonstrated this using cheerios! In IPC, the class finished their Gateways to the World unit by completing their independent projects on countries from around the world. 

It has been an amazing week filled with educational growth, cultural discovery, and enjoyment. Let's pause for a moment to ponder the thrilling adventure we've experienced. Remarkable steps were made by our students in writing and articulating Arabic letters. They showed confidence as they exchanged Arabic greetings and engaged in uncomplicated conversations. The students displayed great enthusiasm while learning Arabic numbers and identifying colors. As we wrap up our Arabic Language Week, we urge you to maintain Arabic practice at home and explore  more of  the Arabian rich culture. Keep in mind that language learning is a lifelong journey, and the passion and curiosity of  your child exhibited this week serve as the foundation for their success.