News from the Elementary Principal
Hello GAA Community,
On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, I would like to wish all GAA community members Eid Mubarak!
Transition reports went home today. I hope you enjoy reviewing the hard copies of the transition report with your child and reflecting on the school year so far. You will receive an email from your child’s classroom teacher surrounding goal setting and discussion points on October 13th. Both reflecting on transition reports and these discussion points will be valuable parent-child engagements for the student-led parent teacher conferences scheduled for November 5th and 6th. Because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback we will be using the same online conference booking system that was utilized last year. As parent feedback is important to us the other change will be that conferences will last 30 minutes. The first 20 minutes of the conference will be student-led and the additional 10 minutes will involve only the parent and teacher for additional discussions. We look forward to seeing all our parents and students on campus for November 5th and 6th. There will be no classes held during the conference days.
Hello GAA Community,
On the occasion of Eid Al Adha, I would like to wish all GAA community members Eid Mubarak!
Transition reports went home today. I hope you enjoy reviewing the hard copies of the transition report with your child and reflecting on the school year so far. You will receive an email from your child’s classroom teacher surrounding goal setting and discussion points on October 13th. Both reflecting on transition reports and these discussion points will be valuable parent-child engagements for the student-led parent teacher conferences scheduled for November 5th and 6th. Because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback we will be using the same online conference booking system that was utilized last year. As parent feedback is important to us the other change will be that conferences will last 30 minutes. The first 20 minutes of the conference will be student-led and the additional 10 minutes will involve only the parent and teacher for additional discussions. We look forward to seeing all our parents and students on campus for November 5th and 6th. There will be no classes held during the conference days.
Thank you for picking your students up at 2:45 (KG) and between the 2:55 and 3:05 window in Elementary. We appreciate parents waiting in the designated areas and outside the corridor doors until they open at 2:45 in KG and 2:55 in Elementary. Learning is in progress up until this time and it avoids disruptions.
KG Islamic will continue after school next Wednesday and Thursday. Please remember there is no bus service and that you must collect your children promptly at 3:45. GAA will also be adding additional KG Islamic instruction during the regular school day starting October 12th. The sessions will run for 35 minutes one day a week for each class. The schedule will be published shortly. MAPS testing for Grades 2-5 in the Elementary School will begin following the Eid break. Please view the calendar for the testing window. I would like to highlight some of our teacher leaders and recognize their significant contributions to the GAA community. Helen Bruce, Grade 2, has taken on the role of Varkey GEMS Foundation Champion. She has led parent engagements and is currently the driving force behind the Box Appeal Campaign and the soon to be announced Sewa Day. Averi Abraham, Grade 1, and Katie Walker, Grade 4, are the GAA Parental Engagement Champions. They are the advocates for parent engagement and collaborate with a number of community members to make sure that we continue engaging our parent community at all levels. These initiatives are ones that make GEMS school special. Please thank them for their efforts and if you are interested in volunteering, get in touch with them! Eid Mubarak, Ben Voborsky Elementary Principal |
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Eid Mubarak! Here are some photographs from our Hajj Assembly
News From Classrooms
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Grade 1 B and F Explore Forces and Motion
1B and F students investigated the force of friction during their exploration of forces and motion for the "How the world works" Unit of Inquiry. They rode scooters along different surfaces at school to experience this force. After testing three different surfaces, they concluded that the tennis courts have little friction, the brick paths have some friction, and the turf field has lots of friction! |
Grade 2 Learn about Noah's Ark in Islamic Studies
Students Mrs. Fareeha's Islamic Studies class learned all about Noah's Ark this week. Here is a picture of the students showing the art work they created during their classes
Students Mrs. Fareeha's Islamic Studies class learned all about Noah's Ark this week. Here is a picture of the students showing the art work they created during their classes
Kindergarten Corner
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This week the children in KG1G have been continuing their learning on patterns using unifix cubes. Some children have been creating their own patterns whilst others have completed a given pattern. Students have been finding the letters T, S and A in and around the classroom and are becoming more and more independent with technology by using iPads.
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Kindergarten Arabic Classes This Week
Our kg1 kids have just started discovering the Arabic letters. We offer a fun hands-on introduction to Arabic letters using different materials such as Play dough, sand, glue and glitter to form the letters. During the first month of school, students become very familiar with the first three letters shapes of the Arabic letters. Coloring worksheets are used to enforce the letters covered in class. They also started counting from 1-10 and singing the alphabet song. KG 2 students started to recognize the Arabic letters in all their forms with “Tashkeel” and “Madd” and simple word formation. In class we play games and activities to emphasize letters and words. We are practicing sounding out letters and words. Students started to count from 1-20. During the first month students learned three letters (dal ra and seen ) with its form and sang songs about the letters |
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News From The Guidance Counselors - Public Safety Campaign
During the current 8-day cycle, counselors are collaborating with grades 1-5 homeroom teachers and educational assistants to discuss student student safety inside and outside of school. It has been a rich learning experience as students have been able to learn and share ways that they can recognize a dangerous situation and take precautions to stay safe. The focus of this learning experience has been to empower students with skills and to engage dialogues about public safety, assess risk in situations, and identify safe and trusted adults who can intervene on their behalf within school and in the larger community. |
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Among items discussed was recognizing a serious problem as a situation that make a child feel scared, uncomfortable or endangered. If a student finds themselves in a serious or "big” problem, they know to go get help from the closest trusted adult. This brings up the question of “Who are my safe adults?” We encourage you to talk with your child to help them identify who are the specific adults that they can trust to take care of them and be in charge in case they cannot reach you in various situations. If they are home and there is an emergency, which neighbor can they trust to help them? If they are at school and a family emergency occurs which prevents you from picking up your child, who can they trust to transport them home? What should they do if a stranger approaches or if an adult makes them feel uncomfortable? What steps should they take if they get separated from their safe adult in public? Do they memorize their safe adults’ phone numbers?
Some great ideas that were shared in class included having a family password. If an emergency came up and you had to send a trusted adult to pick up your child, your child can verify that this was your plan by asking the adult for the password that you provided them. Students were able to act out various scenarios that included what to do if you are home alone and someone rings the doorbell, what to do if a stranger approached them in a public place, and what to do if they were lost. Students were also given tips regarding internet safety; keeping personal information private, and what to do if they are harassed through digital media. The content of this safety campaign was related back to the unit of inquiry of “Who we are” by recognizing how our connections form our identity. There are varying levels of trust that we share in different relationships. Our trusted adults are the adults we can always rely on to listen to us and help us. Within the school, our teachers and school staff are in charge of the safety of our students and can be relied on to protect students and keep them safe. Our aim is that you can partner with us in continuing this dialogue to empower and safeguard our children. Thank you for your continued support.
Some great ideas that were shared in class included having a family password. If an emergency came up and you had to send a trusted adult to pick up your child, your child can verify that this was your plan by asking the adult for the password that you provided them. Students were able to act out various scenarios that included what to do if you are home alone and someone rings the doorbell, what to do if a stranger approached them in a public place, and what to do if they were lost. Students were also given tips regarding internet safety; keeping personal information private, and what to do if they are harassed through digital media. The content of this safety campaign was related back to the unit of inquiry of “Who we are” by recognizing how our connections form our identity. There are varying levels of trust that we share in different relationships. Our trusted adults are the adults we can always rely on to listen to us and help us. Within the school, our teachers and school staff are in charge of the safety of our students and can be relied on to protect students and keep them safe. Our aim is that you can partner with us in continuing this dialogue to empower and safeguard our children. Thank you for your continued support.
Don't forget - Next Week!
Saturday 4th October - 6th October - Eid Al Adha
Tuesday 7th - Thursday 9th October - No after school activity bus, see the updates page for more details
Saturday 4th October - 6th October - Eid Al Adha
Tuesday 7th - Thursday 9th October - No after school activity bus, see the updates page for more details