Dear Parents,
As a school community, our priority is that our students and families feel safe, secure and reassured.
Last week I sent a message to our faculty and staff, forwarding the recent security message from the U.S. Embassy. I also included resources available to teachers in assisting your children should they return to school with any concerns. I encouraged our faculty and staff to reach out to our school counselors and administrators if needed.
This week I send a similar message to you, our parents, that we are a strong and supportive community. With your support and compliance, we can provide a safe and secure school environment for our children. We have made a number of changes to date in our security procedures and with your assistance, will implement additional procedures in the coming weeks.
Recent Changes:
• Every access gate is manned, additional security guards have been hired
• Additional parking traffic control manpower allows security guards to focus solely on security
• Each security guard radios and internet installed. Communication between security staff and administration is in place
• Access during school hours is limited to two main gates, front and back, and entrance is allowed with proper identification
• Colored lanyards easily identify the purpose of guests in our school
• Additional manpower now allows for night and weekend increased security
• Additional cameras assist in monitoring the campus
From the 11th January 2015, we will also be changing the way parents and guests can enter the school:
• From 7:00-8:00am and from 2:00pm – 5:00pm all four access gates will be manned and open for those presenting their Parent ID badge or Emirates ID.
• From 8:00am-2:00pm only two gates will be open for school access - the back tennis gate and main reception gate.
• After 5:00pm and at weekends the main reception and tennis gates are manned, whilst additional security patrol the campus.
A reminder
I would like to remind you of the importance of complying with our request to upload your photos onto the GEMS Learning Gateway so we may create your Parent ID badge.
From Sunday 11th January security gates shall be locked at all times. Adults will only be able to enter the school building if they are wearing their Parent ID card, Staff ID card or leave their Emirates ID at the main security gate to receive a visitors pass. This includes morning drop off and afternoon pick up time.
If you have not already done so, you must upload your photographs onto the GEMS Learning Gateway so we can make your parent ID card. Kathryn Reynolds sent you all the instructions and details you require to do this in an email on 20th November.
For those of you who uploaded their photographs on the GLG before 11th December, either mother or father may now come to the main reception to collect your parent ID card. Please bring with you a photographic ID, if you do not bring an ID we will be unable to give you your parent card.
Parents without their ID cards by 11th January will not be able to enter the building without leaving their Emirates ID and signing in with security. If you do not want this inconvenience, please ensure you upload your photographs on the GEMS Learning Gateway this weekend.
I thank you for your vigilance and support in our efforts to enhance our security measures. I will continue to keep you informed as information is made available.
Kind Regards
Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
As a school community, our priority is that our students and families feel safe, secure and reassured.
Last week I sent a message to our faculty and staff, forwarding the recent security message from the U.S. Embassy. I also included resources available to teachers in assisting your children should they return to school with any concerns. I encouraged our faculty and staff to reach out to our school counselors and administrators if needed.
This week I send a similar message to you, our parents, that we are a strong and supportive community. With your support and compliance, we can provide a safe and secure school environment for our children. We have made a number of changes to date in our security procedures and with your assistance, will implement additional procedures in the coming weeks.
Recent Changes:
• Every access gate is manned, additional security guards have been hired
• Additional parking traffic control manpower allows security guards to focus solely on security
• Each security guard radios and internet installed. Communication between security staff and administration is in place
• Access during school hours is limited to two main gates, front and back, and entrance is allowed with proper identification
• Colored lanyards easily identify the purpose of guests in our school
• Additional manpower now allows for night and weekend increased security
• Additional cameras assist in monitoring the campus
From the 11th January 2015, we will also be changing the way parents and guests can enter the school:
• From 7:00-8:00am and from 2:00pm – 5:00pm all four access gates will be manned and open for those presenting their Parent ID badge or Emirates ID.
• From 8:00am-2:00pm only two gates will be open for school access - the back tennis gate and main reception gate.
• After 5:00pm and at weekends the main reception and tennis gates are manned, whilst additional security patrol the campus.
A reminder
I would like to remind you of the importance of complying with our request to upload your photos onto the GEMS Learning Gateway so we may create your Parent ID badge.
From Sunday 11th January security gates shall be locked at all times. Adults will only be able to enter the school building if they are wearing their Parent ID card, Staff ID card or leave their Emirates ID at the main security gate to receive a visitors pass. This includes morning drop off and afternoon pick up time.
If you have not already done so, you must upload your photographs onto the GEMS Learning Gateway so we can make your parent ID card. Kathryn Reynolds sent you all the instructions and details you require to do this in an email on 20th November.
For those of you who uploaded their photographs on the GLG before 11th December, either mother or father may now come to the main reception to collect your parent ID card. Please bring with you a photographic ID, if you do not bring an ID we will be unable to give you your parent card.
Parents without their ID cards by 11th January will not be able to enter the building without leaving their Emirates ID and signing in with security. If you do not want this inconvenience, please ensure you upload your photographs on the GEMS Learning Gateway this weekend.
I thank you for your vigilance and support in our efforts to enhance our security measures. I will continue to keep you informed as information is made available.
Kind Regards
Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
GEMS American Academy Community News
Parent ID Cards
Thank you to all those parents who have already collected their ID cards. Please ensure you begin to wear these each time you enter the campus. If you uploaded your photographs onto the GLG before the 11th December you may come to collect your ID cards next week. REMEMBER - if you do not have your card by 11th January you will have to sign in at the gate and leave your Emirates ID with security each time you enter the campus.
SECURITY - If you lose your Parent ID card please notify us immediately. We can re-issue lost cards, however you will have to pay 50AED
Nannies, Drivers and Relatives
For many of you, nannies, drivers or other relatives are the ones who regularly conduct morning drop off and afternoon pick up. Currently we are prioritizing the card printing of parents which will take us until January to complete. As you can imagine the coordination of printing and issuing over 3000 parent ID's is quite a task!!
From January your helpers or relatives will have to sign in at security before coming onto campus. We hope to be able to issue all your helpers and relatives with ID cards too. We will start this process in January and you will be required to supply us with a photograph, emirates ID copy and signed form that you authorize this person to drop off and collect your child from school. Expect further details in January - thank you for your patience with this in the mean time.
Thank you to all those parents who have already collected their ID cards. Please ensure you begin to wear these each time you enter the campus. If you uploaded your photographs onto the GLG before the 11th December you may come to collect your ID cards next week. REMEMBER - if you do not have your card by 11th January you will have to sign in at the gate and leave your Emirates ID with security each time you enter the campus.
SECURITY - If you lose your Parent ID card please notify us immediately. We can re-issue lost cards, however you will have to pay 50AED
Nannies, Drivers and Relatives
For many of you, nannies, drivers or other relatives are the ones who regularly conduct morning drop off and afternoon pick up. Currently we are prioritizing the card printing of parents which will take us until January to complete. As you can imagine the coordination of printing and issuing over 3000 parent ID's is quite a task!!
From January your helpers or relatives will have to sign in at security before coming onto campus. We hope to be able to issue all your helpers and relatives with ID cards too. We will start this process in January and you will be required to supply us with a photograph, emirates ID copy and signed form that you authorize this person to drop off and collect your child from school. Expect further details in January - thank you for your patience with this in the mean time.
After school activities and athletics reminders and information
NON-competitive activities finish on Thursday the 11th of December.
Session THREE non competitive
SIGN UPS for session three will be completed on Tuesday the 13th of January, 2015. Please note this change from the 12th of January.
JEAC Soccer and Track and Field
A HUGE congratulations to the grade four, grade five and grade six boys and girls who participated in the JEAC soccer program. It was a wonderful start to the year for the new JEAC program.
From Sunday the 18th of January the JEAC Track and Field program will begin. Look out for more information about this opportunity.
ADISSA Under 9 Soccer programs
This weekend will see the close of the ADISSA Under 9 soccer program. This year GAA Wildcats entered three teams, the Lions, Tigers and Cheetahs. All have been successful and enjoyed their time playing against local schools.
Thank you to all the parents who came along to watch the games each week.
Mother Tongue Programs at GAA
GAA is reaching out to all nationalities who would be interested in setting up a mother tongue program to be run after school. For those families who speak another language at home and would like their children to keep up the language, this is an opportunity for you.
Within our GAA already we have Dutch, Swedish, Italian and Greek programs running. Click here for more details on how to join these already established clubs.
Clubs like these rely on native speaking parent volunteers, so If you are interested in setting up a club please send Chris Mott an email [email protected]
GAA is reaching out to all nationalities who would be interested in setting up a mother tongue program to be run after school. For those families who speak another language at home and would like their children to keep up the language, this is an opportunity for you.
Within our GAA already we have Dutch, Swedish, Italian and Greek programs running. Click here for more details on how to join these already established clubs.
Clubs like these rely on native speaking parent volunteers, so If you are interested in setting up a club please send Chris Mott an email [email protected]