News from our Elementary Principal, Ben Voborsky
Hello GAA Community,
What a high we have been coming off of after the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition. The feedback we received was outstanding. Our opening night was well attended and visitors came from throughout the middle east. The parent survey really demonstrates the experience that our community had:
What a high we have been coming off of after the Grade 5 PYP Exhibition. The feedback we received was outstanding. Our opening night was well attended and visitors came from throughout the middle east. The parent survey really demonstrates the experience that our community had:
This week we launched into Risk-takers on stage to showcase our elementary talent. Those self-motivated risk-takers were eager to grab the mic in this student driven sharing. Our students demonstrated their communication skills and confidence in a non-academic forum.
I really appreciate all the positive feedback our team has been receiving. If you have not already, please complete the GEMS parent survey. This survey really helps us focus on continuing areas of strength and where we need to develop. I hope your student came home with a form for you to sign when you completed the survey. If you did not receive the survey link or are having issues accessing it, contact Ms. Nas <[email protected]>, Ms. Felicity Harding <[email protected]>, or myself. We value your feedback.
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
I really appreciate all the positive feedback our team has been receiving. If you have not already, please complete the GEMS parent survey. This survey really helps us focus on continuing areas of strength and where we need to develop. I hope your student came home with a form for you to sign when you completed the survey. If you did not receive the survey link or are having issues accessing it, contact Ms. Nas <[email protected]>, Ms. Felicity Harding <[email protected]>, or myself. We value your feedback.
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Message from GAA Secondary School
We are offering presentations designed to keep you informed about the academic program and social-emotional support in the Secondary School. As parents of Grade 5 students, please join us as we share important transition information about this wonderful milestone leap your child is about to make from Grade 5 to Grade 6 at GAA.
Monday May 23, 12:30 to 1:30 pm - Grade 6 Orientation for Parents (In GAA auditorium) Grade 6 teachers will be present along with Ms. Katie Leishear, one of our guidance counsellors.
Sunday May 29, 6:30 to 7:30 pm - Grade 6 Orientation for Parents (In GAA auditorium) Presented by Ms. Jennifer Parker, the curriculum coordinator for grades 6-12.
We are offering presentations designed to keep you informed about the academic program and social-emotional support in the Secondary School. As parents of Grade 5 students, please join us as we share important transition information about this wonderful milestone leap your child is about to make from Grade 5 to Grade 6 at GAA.
Monday May 23, 12:30 to 1:30 pm - Grade 6 Orientation for Parents (In GAA auditorium) Grade 6 teachers will be present along with Ms. Katie Leishear, one of our guidance counsellors.
Sunday May 29, 6:30 to 7:30 pm - Grade 6 Orientation for Parents (In GAA auditorium) Presented by Ms. Jennifer Parker, the curriculum coordinator for grades 6-12.
Grade 2G
We have had a LOT of fun in the grade 2 classes. Our central theme: Where we are in place and time meant that we researched different types of SETTLEMENTS and had class discussions on why people chose to settle in specific areas. The real FUN began when the students designed their own MAPS of settlements of their choice and created these maps making use of TEAMWORK, CREATIVITY and COMMUNICATION. We also started learning about MULTIPLICATION during Math lessons by practicing ARRAYS. This was done first by using some real life examples of arrays and then using different types of candy to create their own arrays, which of course, made Math the favorite block of the day!
Grade 3
Third Grade
Our enthusiastic third graders have been working diligently on our 5th Unit of Inquiry, Where We Are In Place and Time. Our central idea, investigating history helps us understand the present, has students discovering simple machines through time. Students are organizing their findings about the history of simple machines into timelines, as well as creating artifacts that illustrate their exploration. Our kiddos are truly amazing!
Our enthusiastic third graders have been working diligently on our 5th Unit of Inquiry, Where We Are In Place and Time. Our central idea, investigating history helps us understand the present, has students discovering simple machines through time. Students are organizing their findings about the history of simple machines into timelines, as well as creating artifacts that illustrate their exploration. Our kiddos are truly amazing!
In math, students have become terrific timekeepers by investigating time to the minute, quarter hour and elapsed time. They tuned in by creating a timeline of the progression of clocks and demonstrated a multitude of strategies to solve elapsed time problems. Furthermore, our masterful mathematicians are inquiring about fractions. They are finding out about equal shares and using fraction models to compare equivalent fractions. Our students continue to be problem solvers and thinkers by exploring challenging word problems involving fractional parts. Can you tell how to share 3 brownies equally between 2 people? Our third graders can do that and more!
And finally, our students have become FAIRY TALE FANATICS!!! Students have immersed themselves in everything Fairy tales. They have had the opportunity to read original fairy tales and adapted fairy tales. They have even learned how to make big, important changes to make their own fairy tale adaptations. Students are continuing to revise and edit their work to include more details, dialogue and imagery. Some students even had the opportunity to change a fairy tale into a Reader’s Theatre play and perform in front of their peers. Way to go, third grade!!! Our students at GAA are doing a REMARKABLE job!!! Keep up the good work, 3rd graders!
News from our KG Vice Principal, Sally Potts
Planning for Ramadan in KG
Our KG teaching committee met to plan for the three weeks of Ramadan. Our goal was to provide a schedule that met the needs of our students during the shortened days. This schedule is the similar to what is provided during the monthly half-days so our students are used to it.
Furthermore, we are delighted to let you know that swimming will continue until the end of the year. I would like to thank our swimming PE team for their support on this.
Week 1: We will follow the morning schedule for each class. (For example, if your child has swimming on Tuesday morning, they would swim on Tuesday of Week 1).
Week 2: We will follow the afternoon schedule for each class. (For example, if your child has swimming on Tuesday afternoon, they would swim on Tuesday of Week 2).
Week 3: In the fall, K1 – Grade 5 will be moving to a 40 minute schedule. Swimming will be 40 minutes. The regular schedule will be followed; however, with shorter lessons.
Our cafeteria will not be delivering meals during Ramadan. We would ask that you pack snacks for your child while they are at school.
Thank you for your support as always! Please let us know if you have any questions.
Regards,
Sally Potts
Our KG teaching committee met to plan for the three weeks of Ramadan. Our goal was to provide a schedule that met the needs of our students during the shortened days. This schedule is the similar to what is provided during the monthly half-days so our students are used to it.
Furthermore, we are delighted to let you know that swimming will continue until the end of the year. I would like to thank our swimming PE team for their support on this.
Week 1: We will follow the morning schedule for each class. (For example, if your child has swimming on Tuesday morning, they would swim on Tuesday of Week 1).
Week 2: We will follow the afternoon schedule for each class. (For example, if your child has swimming on Tuesday afternoon, they would swim on Tuesday of Week 2).
Week 3: In the fall, K1 – Grade 5 will be moving to a 40 minute schedule. Swimming will be 40 minutes. The regular schedule will be followed; however, with shorter lessons.
Our cafeteria will not be delivering meals during Ramadan. We would ask that you pack snacks for your child while they are at school.
Thank you for your support as always! Please let us know if you have any questions.
Regards,
Sally Potts
KG Corner
KG1B have been busy this week working on our sound and light unit. The children visited the planetarium and watched Amp, a firefly who took us up into space and showed us all the planets and the constellations – we learnt there are 88! We have also been looking at shapes and are learning the names and number of sides of all the different polygons. One of our favourite activities is Arts and Crafts and we spent an afternoon with lots of different cut outs and glitter making cards!