The Junction

Friday 2 June 2023

A Note From Mr Brown

Loki the Reading Resilience Dog

When taking prospective parents on trips around the Jebel Ali Campus, I always make a point of stopping and spending time at the Values Wall, just inside the main reception by the staircase. For a school finishing its 46th year of existence, the JAS Values are a relatively new feature. Discussed and designed extensively in the hazy void of the pandemic affected 2020 and launched in 2021, the JAS Values were not a revolution, but a process involving stakeholders from the students, parents and staff. The aim? To ensure that as Jebel Ali grew into its new campus, the JAS magic and values formed over nearly half a century were entrenched into a constitution for future generations.

It is an important reminder for all of us as to what Jebel Ali School is; at its core. The JAS Values are extremely important to the school because they serve as guiding principles that shape the overall culture, behaviour, and decision-making within the institution. They contribute to creating a positive school culture where everyone feels safe, respected, and supported. When shared values are upheld and practised consistently, they foster a sense of belonging, inclusivity, and community, which in turn enhances the overall learning environment.

Recently, I have learned the importance of one value in particular - Resilience.

Loki is a 5-year-old English Cocker Spaniel. He has been working at JAS for nearly a year now, as a reading and anxiety dog, in partnership with Reading Dogs UAE. He is my dog. I was very fortunate to adopt him three years ago, from a family who could no longer look after him. Loki is known for his boundless energy, wagging tail, and ever-present smile. He brings immense happiness to the JAS students in the corridors and in his reading sessions. He makes the students and teachers laugh by barking at the top of his voice whenever he sees a cleaner with a mop. He loves visits to the Headteacher’s Garden after break time for some exercise and to snuffle out the discarded crusts from Year 11’s sandwiches.

In April, Loki was playing in the garden one weekend, running in and out of a friend’s swimming pool on a hot day. He was limping slightly as he walked back inside, dragging his back right leg. Loki ate some food and fell asleep. When he woke a few hours later, he had fully lost the use of both of his legs. Loki was rushed to his usual vets at DKC where Dr. Miles diagnosed Loki with a condition called invertebrate disc disease. It was a severe case and without immediate surgery, Loki would have almost no chance of recovery.

The operation was a success, but we were warned that due to the severity of the issue, it was still 50:50 that Loki would ever recover the use of his legs. If he did, it could be a year before he was able to walk. Loki would have a long recovery journey ahead of him.

Loki woke up from the surgery feeling groggy and weak, but his spirit remained unbroken. He was confined to a cubicle at the vet where he would need to stay for up to 6 weeks to protect him as he recovered. Knowing that Loki is a very affectionate dog and loves having company, we visited him every day for cuddles, to listen to podcasts, and read books.

The first few weeks were filled with challenging rehabilitation sessions, where Loki underwent physical therapy and exercises to strengthen his muscles. His progress was slow, and there were moments of frustration. We started to get some positive signs after a few days with his legs beginning to twitch and some muscle tension.

One of the first sensations to return, as Loki’s nerves began to recover, was pain. It was melancholic to feel the happiness that he was recovering, but also that it would cause him pain. The vets were amazing and adjusted his meds accordingly. After a week; Dr. Miles gave us the good news that Loki had fallen on the right side of 50:50 and that, given time and rehabilitation, he could expect some type of walking to return.

Over the second week, Loki recovered more sensations and some leg strength. He learned to crawl using his front legs. The more he practised the faster he got, managing to escape from the boarding area of the vets several times.

His pain medicine was reduced, and Loki was always so happy at visiting time, giving cuddles to whoever came to see him. By the end of the second week, I got the phone call from Dr. Miles that I had been dreaming of, if I could come in and practise his physio, Loki was ready to come home.

On week three, Loki returned home and was ecstatic to be back in his own space. His recovery accelerated and now he had his new toy. Loki’s wheelchair had arrived.

With the help of Mr. Ritucci, it was hastily assembled, and Loki was on his way. After some initial reservations, he very quickly got the hang of the contraption (he still struggles with cornering!). This is where Loki’s resilience really shone through. I thought of how I would be in the same situation, confined to a chair and having lost the use of my legs, considering what I used to be able to do and no longer could. Loki does not think like this. He has a blissful naivety of his situation. The chair has brought him freedom and, with that, comes happiness. I don’t think I have ever seen Loki as consistently happy as when using the chair to explore the park or to run around the gardens. His tail (now wagging!) is like a windscreen wiper in a storm as he sniffs out new spots.

As his strength has returned, he has been able to use the chair without stirrups and now uses his back legs to generate an even greater top speed. He has started to stand unassisted and, eventually, a few wobbly steps have built up into small walks around the garden. Each small victory is celebrated with cheers, treats, and joyful laughter.

It has not been simple or plain sailing. He has to do his exercises and physio every single day. He still falls most days…but he gets back up stronger. He still gets teased by the birds in the JAS car park, causing him to try and jump, tipping his chair. He still barks vociferously at any cleaner that dares to mop the floors in the secondary school. Whatever he does, he maintains a level of joy that everyone around him finds humbling.

Despite the pain and frustration, he pushes himself to his limits, determined to overcome the obstacles that stand in his path. He knows he has a loving JAS family rooting for him, and their unwavering support give him the strength to keep going.

So my message to you this week, in whatever adversity or challenges you may face, is to embody that JAS Value of resilience and most importantly, to be more Loki. Cherish every moment, using his journey to serve as a reminder to embrace resilience and always keep wagging your tail, no matter what life throws your way.

IMG_0625.MOV

Mr S Brown

Deputy Headteacher

Week in Review

As part of our ‘Natural Objects’ project, Year 9 students first photographed a range of natural objects. They then created a collage background before completing a detailed pen sketch using mark-making such as crosshatching and stippling, to illustrate the shape and form of the object they had photographed. Here are some creative outcomes from Year 9JPE.

Spelling Bee

Bourgeoisie. Manoeuvre, Ecclesiastic. Could you spell them? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. But these are just a few of the words our secondary students were asked to recall in last weeks Spelling Bee final.

Every single student in years 7-10 competed in the initial round over the course of a few weeks, all looking to reach the final, but only the top 5 from each year group were selected. The final consisted of two rounds in an attempt to find JAS’s best spellers. In round 1, the students were asked to spell 10 words to achieve a score out of 10. The highest scorers then progressed to round 2, which was the word-for-word elimination round.

There is absolutly no question that these words were challenging, with the added pressure of being up on stage and it truly is impressive how these students held their nerve. Some year groups were so competitive that despite using words from lists far beyond their age expectations, we could not find a clear winner and so had to go back on countback for the entire competition, where we found that a winner had only misspelled a single word over the past few weeks!

We hope that all the students enjoyed the experience and will be back to defend their titles next year. Congratulations to all our finalists and once again we owe a huge thank you to the incredible PTA here at JAS who provided prizes to celebrate the talent on show last week.

P.s. Did you spot the spelling mistake in Spelling Bee recap above? If so, you may have a chance of winning next year!

YEAR 7

1st - Anni

2nd - Zayan

3rd - Isla

Finalist - Liam

Finalist - Lucy

YEAR 8

1st Zara

2nd Rayyan

3rd Simone

YEAR 9

1st - Aman

2nd - Omar

3rd - Hadi

Finalist - Aarav

YEAR 10

1st - Janel

2nd - Malika

3rd - Thibaut

Finalist - Retaj

JAS does The Addams Family

This week, the secondary production team have been taking to the stage themselves in Dubai’s first full-length musical production performed by an all adult community theatre company, MTDXB!

The shows are taking place all weekend, starting on Thursday with a sell-out audience and a standing-O! Many of our JAS students, staff, and parents already have their tickets, but they are selling fast!

So if you want to see a top quality, comedy musical production this weekend, head on over to MTDXB’s Instagram and social media for more information!

Mr. A Laird - Musical Director

Ms. R Channon - Dancestor (Ballerina)

Miss. K Hansford - Ancestor (Maid)

Mr. S Sonsin - Dancestor (Sailor)

JAS Sport

JAS Secondary Sport

Please see a reminder below of any key documents you need for any information regarding JAS Sport.

Water Polo

The U13 boys put in another strong performance this week with fantastic defending and a new dynamic approach to their offence. The highlight of the game being the emotion shared by the team when Marcus (Y8) scored his first goal of the season. With spirits high the team go back to the drawing board searching for the formula to defeat what will be their toughest competition yet…DC!

Basketball

Its been a mixture of results for the secondary teams this week with the U13 boys and U12 girls coming away victorious! A special mention to Grace in Year 9 for her stand-out performance this week.

Ultimate Frisbee

Our numbers are slowly growing on a Tuesday evening which is great to see. Please note that Tuesday 6 June will be cancelled due to EOY exams. We will resume on Tuesday 13 June at 19:00 pm.

What’s On - WC 5 June

Living in the Online World

Helpful Hints

Helpful Hints - Arabic

Arabic is a rich and diverse language with a vast vocabulary. It is difficult to provide an exact number for the total vocabulary in Arabic due to the various dialects and regional variations. However, estimates suggest that Arabic has around 12 million words in its lexicon. It's important to note that this number includes words across different domains, historical texts, and specialized terminology. Additionally, the vocabulary continues to evolve and expand as new words are introduced over time.
It is written in cursive style and is written from right to left.
Arabic contains 28 different letters.
There is no distinction between upper and lower case in Arabic.
Arabic is often referred to as a guttural language because it includes several sounds that are produced from the back of the throat. These sounds are known as "pharyngeal" or "uvular" sounds, and they can be challenging for non-native speakers to pronounce. Some examples of guttural sounds in Arabic include the letters ح (ḥā), ع ('ayn), and غ (ghayn). These sounds give Arabic its distinct and unique phonetic quality. Mastering these guttural sounds is an important aspect of learning to speak Arabic fluently.
In Arabic, there are three short vowel sounds known as "short vowels" or "diacritics." These vowel sounds are represented by diacritical marks placed above or below the letters. The three short vowel sounds are:

(Fatḥah) - pronounced as "a" as in "cat."

(Kasrah) - pronounced as "i" as in "sit."

(Ḍammah) - pronounced as "u" as in "put."

Additionally, Arabic has long vowels, which are not represented by diacritical marks. They are indicated by specific letters or letter combinations. Long vowels include:

(Alif) - pronounced as "ā" as in "father."

(Yā') - pronounced as "ī" as in "see."

(Wāw) - pronounced as "ū" as in "moon."

The Arabic numbering system was written by Indian mathematicians but they also adopted the Western system of numbering.

Mrs E Hasan

Head and Teacher of Arabic

Article of Interest

Sixth Form Tips: Writing a Personal Statement.

On Monday 19th June, the Year 12 students will have the opportunity to undertake a range of workshops at Jebel Ali School, which will support them with university applications. Experts on the application process will be at school to discuss top tips and the students will have time to tailor their personal statements in order to make an impact. Below is some advice from UCAS (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

HOW to START A PERSONAL STATEMENT

The personal statement is your opportunity to talk about YOU and why you want to enrol on a particular course. But how do you start it strongly? Read our advice below on what to include, what not to do, and how to approach it.

The best statements tend to be genuine and specific from the very start. You'll be on the right track if you show your enthusiasm for the subject or course, your understanding of it, and what you want to achieve.

Admissions tutors – the people who read and score your personal statement – say don’t get stressed about trying to think of a ‘killer opening’. Discover the advice below and take your time to think about how best to introduce yourself.

Liz Bryan: HE Coordinator And Careers Advisor, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College

‘The best opening sentences refer to experiences – students need to think about what stands out to them regarding their relationship with their chosen subject… their interest in the subject may have been generated from work experience, voluntary work, hobbies/interests, or even from studying it at A Level.’

Preparing to write your personal statement

Start by making some notes. The personal statement allows admissions tutors to form a picture of who you are. So, for the opener, think about writing down things, such as:

● why you’re a good candidate

● your motivations

● what brings you to this course

If you’re applying for multiple courses, think about how your skills, academic interests, and the way you think are relevant to all the courses you've chosen.

Top tips on how to write your statement opener

We spoke to admissions tutors at unis and colleges – read on for their tips.

1. Don't begin with the overkill opening

Try not to overthink the opening sentence. You need to engage the reader with your relevant thoughts and ideas, but not go overboard.

Tutors said: ‘The opening is your chance to introduce yourself, to explain your motivation for studying the course and to demonstrate your understanding of it. The best personal statements get to the point quickly. Go straight in. What excites you about the course and why do you want to learn about it more?’

“Be succinct and draw the reader in, but not with a gimmick. This isn't the X Factor.” Admissions tutor

2. Write about why you want to study that course

Think about why you want to study the course and how you can demonstrate this in your written statement:

’Your interest in the course is the biggest thing. Start with a short sentence that captures the reason why you’re interested in studying the area you’re applying for and that communicates your enthusiasm for it. Don't waffle or say you want to study something just because it's interesting. Explain what you find interesting about it.’

“It's much better to engage us with something interesting, relevant, specific, and current in your opening line… Start with what's inspiring you now, not what inspired you when you were six.” Admissions tutor

3. Avoid cliches

Try to avoid cliches and the most obvious opening sentences so you stand out from the very first line. UCAS publishes a list of common opening lines each year. Here are just some overused phrases to avoid using in your personal statement:

● From a young age…

● For as long as I can remember…

● I am applying for this course because…

● I have always been interested in…

● Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…

And try not to use quotes. Quotations are top of the list of admissions tutors' pet hates.

4. Maybe don't begin at the start?

’Concentrate on the main content of your statement and write the introduction last. I think the opening line is the hardest one to write, so I often say leave it until the end and just try and get something down on paper.’

It may be easier to get on with writing the main content of your statement and coming back to the introduction afterwards –that way you will also know what you’re introducing.

I often advise applicants to start with paragraph two, where you get into why you want to study the course. That's what we're really interested in.’ Admissions tutor

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/writing-your-personal-statement/how-start-personal-statement-attention-grabber

Ms S Davies

Head of Sixth Form and Teacher of English

Student of the Month

Staff Profile

Rhonwen Scott - Inclusion Teacher

Rhonwen is an Inclusion Teacher in the Secondary School. She believes that there is a place for all students in our school and that true diversity cultivates acceptance, creativity, understanding and it makes our environment far richer. Rhonwen says that one of the best parts of working in inclusion is that it allows her to get to know her students and their families well - helping students thrive in class is a journey that is taken together. Rhonwen is passionate about all things Maths and Science and these are the subjects she has chosen to specialise in.

Originally from South Africa, Rhonwen studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town before moving to London where she ended up working in the financial industry for 11 years. After a lengthy career break, Rhonwen started supporting in schools whilst retraining as a teacher.

When not in school, Rhonwen enjoys spending time with her family, travelling or studying (she has recently completed her MA in SEND Education and is currently working towards a Certificate of Competance in Educational Testing). She loves animals and has two dogs and three tortoises at home.

Page updated

Report abuse