News from Head of School - Kathy Miner
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Be sure to read the article below for specific information about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled for April 22 and 23.
Thank you for your participation in these important conferences. We believe strongly that our students are most successful when parent and teachers are engaged and partnering in support of each and every child at GAA.
Be sure to read the article below for specific information about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled for April 22 and 23.
Thank you for your participation in these important conferences. We believe strongly that our students are most successful when parent and teachers are engaged and partnering in support of each and every child at GAA.
- Parents of Elementary School students, please make your conference appointment online by following the directions listed below.
- Secondary School families will again participate in the arena style conference sessions where parents and students can meet with teachers stationed at desks in the gym and circulate to meet teachers as needed.
College Acceptances
The Secondary School halls continue to buzz with excitement as our senior students receive acceptance messages from colleges and universities. Our GAA students are being accepted to some prestigious schools and are feeling excitement, anticipation and relief - all at the same time. Be sure to read the article from our college counselor, Ms. Sharice Welch for information on the college process aimed at each grade level in the high school, in our last newsletter.
2015-2016 School Calendar
Although we are developing our calendar for the coming year and adding all of the important dates, events and activities, our calendar has not yet been approved by ADEC.
Next year, ADEC have hinted that we’ll have a three-week winter break and a two-week spring break.
Please purchase flexible flight tickets as ADEC have made mid-year changes to the calendar in the past. See dates below:
August 23
Teacher start date
August 27
New student orientation
August 30
Start of school
September 1 &2
Start for KG
Back to School Night
September 14-KG/Elementary
September 16- Secondary
September 22
Mount Arafat Day
September 23 & 24
Eid Al Adha
Classes resume on September 27
October 15
Islamic New Year
December 18 – January 9
Winter break
School resumes on January 10
March 25-April 9
Spring Break
School resumes on April 10
Mother Tongue Language Workshop for Parents
Save the date on your calendar!
More information will follow about our upcoming guest speaker scheduled for Tuesday, May 19th in the afternoon. Eowyn Crisfield, who will lead a professional development session for teachers in the morning and offer afternoon workshop sessions for parents about the importance of Mother Tongue Language development.
At GAA, we encourage and support student’s mother tongue literacy development
Did you know that….
Students who develop their mother tongue literacy develop more flexibility in thinking, perform better in school, gain deeper understanding of language, make positive connections with their mother tongue culture and do better in school when returning to their mother tongue country.
In addition, English language acquisition improves at a faster rate and at a deeper level when students are simultaneously learning their mother tongue language.
With 86 nationalities and 40 languages at our school, we know that many of our students are English language learners as well as learners in their mother tongue language.
The easiest way to promote mother tongue or first language literacy is by direct encouragement connected with pleasure reading. At school and at home, we need to encourage students to increase and improve the quality of their independent reading time. Discussing the importance of reading, its benefits, mother tongue literacy and its effects on language acquisition with your child will help them to understand this important connection in language learning.
Come learn more on Tuesday, May 19…!
Arabic In Touch Parent Coffee : The last two “In Touch” sessions with the Senior Leadership Team members in November and March, parents shared their ideas, concerns and suggestions on a number of topics.
To collect important feedback for our Arabic Studies program specifically, we are announcing an Arabic In Touch Parent Coffee on Tuesday, April 28, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm., led by the Director of Arabic Studies, Samah Awad.
We are interested in hearing your ideas and feedback for our native and non-native Arabic language program, UAE Social Studies and Islamic Studies.
Table discussions will be held in Arabic except for the non-native Arabic language discussion table.
An “In Touch” session is a Parent Coffee event in which parents can choose among a number of table discussion groups. Every 20 minutes, everyone rotates in order to move to through the table discussions of most interest. School leaders facilitate engaging discussions and take notes on chart paper to document the feedback and suggestions.
For those parents who are working or otherwise busy, and not able to attend, we are happy to make personal appointments to meet or schedule phone calls according to your busy schedules.
*Information about the school schedule during the Holy Month of Ramadan will appear in next week’s newsletter issue.
Dr. Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
The Secondary School halls continue to buzz with excitement as our senior students receive acceptance messages from colleges and universities. Our GAA students are being accepted to some prestigious schools and are feeling excitement, anticipation and relief - all at the same time. Be sure to read the article from our college counselor, Ms. Sharice Welch for information on the college process aimed at each grade level in the high school, in our last newsletter.
2015-2016 School Calendar
Although we are developing our calendar for the coming year and adding all of the important dates, events and activities, our calendar has not yet been approved by ADEC.
Next year, ADEC have hinted that we’ll have a three-week winter break and a two-week spring break.
Please purchase flexible flight tickets as ADEC have made mid-year changes to the calendar in the past. See dates below:
August 23
Teacher start date
August 27
New student orientation
August 30
Start of school
September 1 &2
Start for KG
Back to School Night
September 14-KG/Elementary
September 16- Secondary
September 22
Mount Arafat Day
September 23 & 24
Eid Al Adha
Classes resume on September 27
October 15
Islamic New Year
December 18 – January 9
Winter break
School resumes on January 10
March 25-April 9
Spring Break
School resumes on April 10
Mother Tongue Language Workshop for Parents
Save the date on your calendar!
More information will follow about our upcoming guest speaker scheduled for Tuesday, May 19th in the afternoon. Eowyn Crisfield, who will lead a professional development session for teachers in the morning and offer afternoon workshop sessions for parents about the importance of Mother Tongue Language development.
At GAA, we encourage and support student’s mother tongue literacy development
Did you know that….
Students who develop their mother tongue literacy develop more flexibility in thinking, perform better in school, gain deeper understanding of language, make positive connections with their mother tongue culture and do better in school when returning to their mother tongue country.
In addition, English language acquisition improves at a faster rate and at a deeper level when students are simultaneously learning their mother tongue language.
With 86 nationalities and 40 languages at our school, we know that many of our students are English language learners as well as learners in their mother tongue language.
The easiest way to promote mother tongue or first language literacy is by direct encouragement connected with pleasure reading. At school and at home, we need to encourage students to increase and improve the quality of their independent reading time. Discussing the importance of reading, its benefits, mother tongue literacy and its effects on language acquisition with your child will help them to understand this important connection in language learning.
Come learn more on Tuesday, May 19…!
Arabic In Touch Parent Coffee : The last two “In Touch” sessions with the Senior Leadership Team members in November and March, parents shared their ideas, concerns and suggestions on a number of topics.
To collect important feedback for our Arabic Studies program specifically, we are announcing an Arabic In Touch Parent Coffee on Tuesday, April 28, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm., led by the Director of Arabic Studies, Samah Awad.
We are interested in hearing your ideas and feedback for our native and non-native Arabic language program, UAE Social Studies and Islamic Studies.
Table discussions will be held in Arabic except for the non-native Arabic language discussion table.
An “In Touch” session is a Parent Coffee event in which parents can choose among a number of table discussion groups. Every 20 minutes, everyone rotates in order to move to through the table discussions of most interest. School leaders facilitate engaging discussions and take notes on chart paper to document the feedback and suggestions.
For those parents who are working or otherwise busy, and not able to attend, we are happy to make personal appointments to meet or schedule phone calls according to your busy schedules.
*Information about the school schedule during the Holy Month of Ramadan will appear in next week’s newsletter issue.
Dr. Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
Message from the Registrar
Dear Parents,
We trust that your child is flourishing in his/her classroom and that your family is enjoying your GAA experience. It is my belief that as a school and a community we have had a successful year and this is reflected in our reenrollment numbers which is over 85%.
We have now received a record number of applications for the next academic year 2015-2016, thanks to your strong support and our growing reputation as a quality school. We have accepted new applicants, and are very pleased with our numbers.
Please note that KG1, KG 2 Grade 1 and Grade 2 are now fully enrolled and waitlisted for next year.
If you did not re-enroll your child for grades 3 and above and would like to return next year we will be happy to assist you in the enrollment process.
Please feel free to contact me with any queries or if I can be of any assistance to you.
Have a good weekend.
Dina Morad
Registrar
We trust that your child is flourishing in his/her classroom and that your family is enjoying your GAA experience. It is my belief that as a school and a community we have had a successful year and this is reflected in our reenrollment numbers which is over 85%.
We have now received a record number of applications for the next academic year 2015-2016, thanks to your strong support and our growing reputation as a quality school. We have accepted new applicants, and are very pleased with our numbers.
Please note that KG1, KG 2 Grade 1 and Grade 2 are now fully enrolled and waitlisted for next year.
If you did not re-enroll your child for grades 3 and above and would like to return next year we will be happy to assist you in the enrollment process.
Please feel free to contact me with any queries or if I can be of any assistance to you.
Have a good weekend.
Dina Morad
Registrar