The Junction

4 November 2021

A Note From Mr Green

It was with great pleasure that we welcomed our Year 6 students and their parents into the Secondary School on Sunday. This heralded another busy week here at Jebel Ali School full of energy, fun and memorable moments.

I make no secret about my love and passion for taking parents around our fabulous school. Any chance of guiding visitors around our corridors, classrooms and sports facilities to see for themselves the special community we have created is both a privilege and a joy. For our Primary School parents, seeing for themselves, the natural transition that exists between the two schools was deeply reassuring. Understanding that their child is valued, empowered and cared for strikes at the very heart of our mission: Belong, Believe, Become and it is always heartwarming and inspiring to witness. I see this every day in our students and they are our greatest ambassadors. Our trailblazing Sixth Form students were also on hand to provide engaging discussion with parents on the day. They, like so many others, were gregarious, authentic and clear in their love and enthusiasm for the school.

What was obvious to all was how our school values connect to everything we do here at Jebel Ali School. Its unique sense of community, learning and happiness is renowned and respected throughout the UAE. Our students are kind, polite, honest and have a real love of learning, knowing that resilience and a growth mindset are essential to success. There is excellence everywhere we look, be it in the classroom, on the sports pitch or in simply our academic results. There is our ambition and drive to not be complacent, underlined by our fundamental belief that ‘better is always possible’. What was so apparent in my conversations with parents was the overwhelming sense of pride we all share in this very special place and the transition into Year 7 is yet another exciting milestone that we can eagerly anticipate in the months to come.

The students looked amazing for their photographs this week. We will send out a notification to let you know when the photographs are ready for you to access and review. Stu Williamson expect the photos to be available within 7-14 days.

Before I end this article, may I remind parents to act responsibly and not to drop off along the Mudon Boulevard as students then have to walk across the sand car park. The drop off facility is available via our main school entrance for older students or alternatively, parents are invited to park in the sand area and accompany younger students into school.

In addition, we have been informed that there are an increasing number of students riding to school on bicycles/scooters and they are using the main roads around the school and community areas without consideration of the movement of vehicles. Please talk to your children and remind them of road safety and to use designated pathways.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support, have a lovely weekend.

Week in Review

Students of the Month

Last month, the winners from each year group went into a draw for a AED 100 voucher for VOX Cinemas and Gabby Evans (Year 8) was our lucky winner!

Gabby Evans won student of the month for Year 8 for her consistent efforts and attitude in English lessons.

Well done Gabby!

Expo Snippet

As people all over the world gather to celebrate the festival of Diwali today, Thursday 4 November 2021, it is the perfect time to take a look at the India Pavilion at Expo.

Located in the Opportunity District, the external facade of the India Pavilion is made up of 723 blocks capable of kinetic movements, which showcase “an India on the move”.

The entrance to the India Pavilion shows how yoga and science come together.

On the ground floor, visitors can walk through ‘space’, and view India’s plans for Mangalyan, India's mission to Mars.

Massive audio-visual displays which explain about the cultures of Indian states introduce visitors to the 'Colours of India Floor' on the first floor.

The theme for the second floor is ‘never-ending opportunities'. It is meant for the world to see the unlimited business opportunities that India has to offer through the sectors showcased", said Gunveena Chadha, Assistant Secretary General, India pavilion.

Perhaps one of the most special aspects about the India Pavilion is that it will be one of the legacy buildings of Expo, remaining as a permanent structure long after Expo 2020 has finished.

You can discover more about the Diwali Celebrations at Expo 2020 by clicking this link.

You can still vote for your favourite Pavilion Building here; we will reveal our JAS favourite Expo Pavilion Building Architecture next week!

PE

This week in PE, our Key Stage 3 students have been making the most of the glorious sunshine in their PE lessons taking part in a variety of activities.

Some of our girls have been making a splash in the pool in their lessons this week. They have been recapping safe entries into the water and their swimming speed in a fun game which also tests their reacting time.

While one group has been swimming in the pool, our other Key Stage 3 girls' groups have been refining their football skills. Students have developed their dribbling and passing through a variety of fun activities and then have successfully applied these skills to competitive small sided matches.

The boys in Key Stage 3 have started their unit of work on rugby this week. They have been working on refining their passing skills in isolation and then this has been developed into making the right pass in pressurised situations.

Secondary ECAs

JAS SPORT

It has been amazing to see so many of the students representing the secondary school in basketball and football fixtures this week. All year groups competed in their first round of league matches and we look forward to seeing more games in action next week! Keep an eye out for our first cross country event taking place on Monday and please remember to check the sports website for all team sheets on a weekly basis!

U16 Boys Football

U16 Girls Football

U14 Boys Football

U14 Girls Football

U13 Girls Football

U16 Boys Basketball

Dubai Fitness Challenge

Four full days down and we have already completed 5,000 km out of the 40,075 needed, as part of our 'around the world' journey. It has been great to see so many students and staff of all year groups out walking and running laps of the field. It has also been lovely to see the encouragement and support from the PE groups on their water breaks.

To reach our 40,075km total by the end of the Fitness Challenge, we need help from our parents and the local community. Please complete the Google form HERE to submit your distance each week.

If your child takes part in physical activity outside of school, this can also be added to the Google form.

We are so excited to see pictures and videos of everyone taking part in the challenge, so please tag us on instagram @jebelalischoolofficial

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Year 7 Open Day

We were delighted to take our Year 6 parents and students on a tour of the Secondary School on Sunday. There was lots of excitement and a fantastic buzz around the building. We look forward to welcoming them to Year 7 next September.

Book Review

Running Girl

By Simon Mason

Running Girl is a murder mystery novel starring the lazy Garvie Smith who has the highest IQ ever recorded in his school but the lowest grades. For Garvie, everything in his current life is boring and not interesting so when the most popular girl, and Garvie's ex-girlfriend, Chloe Dow is pulled out of a pond he is on the case. However, uptight Detective Inspector Singh, who is already working on the case, thinks he does not need any of Garvie's help, or does he? I would completely recommend this funny, action-packed book for young adults and teenagers who enjoy reading mystery books or love action! This is a novel that you can never put down for it is filled with cliff-hangers and twists on every page!

Reviewed by Klara 10LH

Looking Ahead

Virtual Parent Teacher Consultations

Please see the dates for the upcoming virtual Parent Teacher Consultations. Information on how to book appointments will be emailed to parents in due course.

Year 7 Sunday 7 November

Year 8 Tuesday 16 November

Year 10 Wednesday 24 November

Year 12 Monday 29 November

Year 9 Tuesday 7 December

MOVEMBER at JAS

Throughout the month of November, we will be supporting Shanab and we are asking parents and older students to join us. This is a very similar event to Movember. Participants will need to be clean-shaven on the first day of November and then remain unshaven until 25 November when the facial hair can be cut and designed as you wish (the handlebar is always a favourite!). During the Festive Fayre on 25 November, we will announce a student, staff and parent winner of the best designed facial hair. Whilst this is a bit of fun and will bring the community together, the whole purpose of the event is to raise awareness of the major health issues that men face. For further information and how to donate to Shanab, a Friends of Cancer charity please click here. Shanab will provide a box of fake moustaches for those that can not grow facial hair and children can also create facial hair masks that they can wear in school on 25 November.

In order for us to track participants please sign up here.

Ben Horton

Assistant Headteacher

PTA News

We are excited to invite you to our whole school community Festive Fayre on Thursday 25 November 2021 4.00pm - 8.00pm.

This will be an outdoor event led by our PTA held in our school grounds. We are incredibly grateful to have such dedicated members of our JAS family giving up their spare time to put together what I know will be a spectacular event.

There will be an array of activities including: a snow park, grotto, inflatable slides, bouncy castle, zorb balls, carousel, skating, maze, food trucks, activities, market vendors/stalls and much, much more.

COVID-19 safety protocols will of course be in place in order to keep everyone safe during this exciting event. On the day we will be operating a cashless system for activities and you will be able to purchase tokens in advance or from various stands on the day. Money raised during the event will be invested back into our school and your children, so please do spend generously.

This is a very special community event for us; the first time we have been able to come together as a JAS community for some time. Please support our amazing PTA members and school staff who make these sorts of events possible and look out for more information over the coming weeks.

We look forward to welcoming you all soon with some festive cheer!

Helpful Hints

A Beginner's Guide to Reading Body Language

The Year 11 Psychology students have spent some time this week looking at non-verbal communication. In keeping with the theme, here are some tips to help you understand what someone is telling you with their body language when you’re speaking to them.

Verbal communication is usually straightforward. You open your mouth and say what you want to say. But communication doesn’t only happen verbally. As you speak or listen, you also express feelings and reactions with your body language, including your facial expression, gestures, and stance.

First, a few things to keep in mind: It’s important to keep in mind that body language isn’t universal. Several things can impact how someone both uses and interprets body language:

Cultural differences

Someone’s cultural background can have a big influence on how they use and read body language. For example, nodding indicates agreement in many cultures. In others, it might just mean the other person acknowledges your words.

Developmental differences

Neurodiverse people may also use and interpret body language differently than neurotypical people do. For example, you might fidget when you’re bored, but neurodiverse people might fidget in order to increase focus, calm nervousness, or self-soothe in other ways. Autistic people may also have trouble reading body language.

Psychological differences

Certain mental health conditions can also impact someone’s body language. Someone with social anxiety might find it extremely hard to meet and hold someone’s gaze, for example.

Different smiles mean different things

With a true, genuine smile, the corners of the mouth turn up and the eyes narrow and wrinkle at the corners.
Insincere smiles generally don’t involve the eyes. They can happen in response to discomfort.
A smirk or partial smile that follows a microexpression of displeasure or contempt can suggest uncertainty, disdain, or dislike.
A smile accompanied by lasting eye contact, a long glance, or a head tilt can suggest attraction.

Eyes can convey a lot of information about someone’s mood and level of interest.

Someone’s blinking may speed up when they’re working through a difficult problem, feeling uncomfortable, afraid or worried about something.
Your eyes tend to follow what you’re interested in, so tracking the movement of someone’s gaze can give you information about their mood. Someone looking toward the exit may want to leave.

People also tend to move their eyes down or to one side when working through a problem, recalling information or memories or thinking about something difficult.

Arms, legs and feet

People often cross their arms when feeling vulnerable, anxious or uninterested in considering another perspective.
Interestingly, crossed arms can also suggest confidence. If someone crosses their arms while smiling, leaning back, or showing other signs of being at ease, they probably feel somewhat in control of the situation, rather than vulnerable.

The feet and legs can show nervousness and restlessness through tapping feet, leg jiggling or shifting from foot to foot.
Feet can also reveal information. Note the direction a person’s feet face during a conversation. If their feet point away, they may feel more like leaving the conversation than continuing it. If their feet point toward you, the person is likely enjoying the conversation and hoping to continue it.
Many people use hand gestures for emphasis when speaking. The more enthusiastic the gesture, the more excitement someone’s likely feeling.

Posture

Leaning back on a wall or other support can suggest boredom or disinterest.
Leaning into a conversation or toward someone typically suggests interest or excitement.
Standing up straight, sometimes with hands on hips, can suggest excitement, eagerness, and confidence.
Standing straight with hands at the sides is a common resting position that suggests a willingness to engage and listen.
Resting the head in one hand can show interest. When both hands support the head, it might suggest boredom or fatigue.

Distance

The degree of physical distance a person maintains when talking to you can sometimes give you clues about their mood or feelings for you.
Keep in mind that many people simply prefer to keep more distance between themselves and others, especially people they don’t know well.
On the other hand, some people may feel accustomed to less personal space. They may stand or sit very close because that’s just how they interact.
That being said, some specific behaviors can be telling:

a. Someone who regularly stands or sits very close to you likely enjoys your company.

b. Someone who stands apart and takes a step back if you take a step forward likely wants to maintain some distance (physical and emotional) from you.

c. Putting up a hand or arm when taking a step back often suggests a desire for a physical barrier or more distance.

6. Putting it all together

If you have a hard time understanding body language, keep these tips in mind:

Talk to them. It never hurts to ask someone how they feel. If you notice a restless foot or clenched fists, try pulling them aside and asking if everything’s all right.
Consider their previous body language. Body language can vary from person to person. If someone’s unique body language suddenly seems different, it’s a clue that something might be going on beneath the surface.
Aim for some level of eye contact. You don’t have to stare or maintain continuous eye contact, but it does help to meet someone’s gaze and hold it for the better part of a conversation. Plus, you’re more likely to pick up on body language when you’re looking at the person.
Remember to listen. Good communication always involves listening. Don’t get too caught up in trying to decipher someone’s gestures or position that you forget to listen to their words.

Generally speaking, you can’t get a complete picture of what others think and feel based on their body language alone. When you put body language in the context of their words, you may get a lot more information than you would when considering either type of communication alone.

Reference

Staff Profile

Hasan Elewa - Primary and Secondary Islamic Education Teacher

Mr. Elewa joined JAS in September 2019 as a teacher of Arabic and Islamic with a focus on Islamic Education for native and non-native speakers. He achieved a Bachelor in Islamic Education at the University of Al-Azhar- Cairo, Egypt; he then went on to pursue a career in education, completing two years in Egypt and ten years in Dubai. Prior to joining JAS, Mr. Elewa taught Islamic A & B along with Arabic B across three different curriculums: Ministry, IGCSE, and IB (PYP, MYP & DP). Throughout his teaching journey, Mr. Elewa has gained the acknowledgment of Subject Leader and Head of Islamic Department at previous schools, and has experience of working with the KHDA in a capacity to create an excellent teaching environment.

For Mr. Elewa, teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre and future of individuals. A teacher is not someone who gives the answer out to his students, but is understanding of needs and challenges and gives tools to help his students succeed. If the people remember Mr. Elewa as a good teacher who has made an impact, that will be the biggest honour for him.

Mr. Elewa feels motivated and driven by students and teachers alike at JAS. Their creativity and independent approach towards their teaching and learning provides opportunity for Mr. Elewa to evolve and enhance as a teaching practitioner.

Mr. Elewa enjoys many sports and plays football, table tennis and swimming. Having travelled extensively, Mr. Elewa finds that his passion lies with discovering new places and exploring new cultures. When not traveling, Mr. Elewa finds relaxation with his wife and three sons.

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