News from our Elementary Principal, Ben Voborsky
Hello GAA Community,
It has been another whirlwind week of positive activity here at GAA. Thank you to those parents who were able to attend the KG Curriculum session and the “in-touch” session. It is very important for us to share what we are doing in our classrooms and hear your feedback to assist in our focus on continuous improvement.
If you are a parent in the elementary program you received an email today about Transition Reports and Feedback on the First Unit of Inquiry. KG parents will receive feedback on the 29th of October. This is the first part of our comprehensive reporting and feedback to parents on progress and attainment. Please have a look at the Reporting at GAA Overview so you know what you can expect over the course of this school year. Linked to reporting, two important documents are available on the launcher and reviewing them would give you a firm understanding about how learning is assessed and the approach GAA takes to Language instruction. These documents are the GAA Assessment Policy.pdf and the GAA Language Policy.pdf.
Writers Workshop publishing celebrations have been in full swing with student sharing their writing with their peers and colleagues in other grade levels. Next week, we are hosting a Writers Workshop trainer from Saturday until Thursday. Your child’s teachers are rolling out of bed early on their weekend to continue their professional growth on Saturday. Please be sure let them know you appreciate it! Erin Kent, who is an expert in Writers Workshop, will be working with our teachers and in our classrooms to assist in continuing to improve writing instruction. Erin will be holding a Writers Workshop session for parents on Thursday following community share. Please remember that October 29th is an early dismissal day and a professional development afternoon for faculty.
I hope to see you all at the Harvest Festival this evening!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
It has been another whirlwind week of positive activity here at GAA. Thank you to those parents who were able to attend the KG Curriculum session and the “in-touch” session. It is very important for us to share what we are doing in our classrooms and hear your feedback to assist in our focus on continuous improvement.
If you are a parent in the elementary program you received an email today about Transition Reports and Feedback on the First Unit of Inquiry. KG parents will receive feedback on the 29th of October. This is the first part of our comprehensive reporting and feedback to parents on progress and attainment. Please have a look at the Reporting at GAA Overview so you know what you can expect over the course of this school year. Linked to reporting, two important documents are available on the launcher and reviewing them would give you a firm understanding about how learning is assessed and the approach GAA takes to Language instruction. These documents are the GAA Assessment Policy.pdf and the GAA Language Policy.pdf.
Writers Workshop publishing celebrations have been in full swing with student sharing their writing with their peers and colleagues in other grade levels. Next week, we are hosting a Writers Workshop trainer from Saturday until Thursday. Your child’s teachers are rolling out of bed early on their weekend to continue their professional growth on Saturday. Please be sure let them know you appreciate it! Erin Kent, who is an expert in Writers Workshop, will be working with our teachers and in our classrooms to assist in continuing to improve writing instruction. Erin will be holding a Writers Workshop session for parents on Thursday following community share. Please remember that October 29th is an early dismissal day and a professional development afternoon for faculty.
I hope to see you all at the Harvest Festival this evening!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
Reporting at GEMS American Academy
As part of the IB Primary Years Programme at GEMS American Academy we facilitate a number of different conferences and reporting systems across the year in order to share information among teachers, students and parents.
Reporting on assessment is about communicating what students know, understand and can do. It describes the progress of the students’ learning, identifies areas for growth, and contributes to the efficacy of the programme. Reporting may take many forms including conferences and written reports.
End of Unit of Inquiry Reports (every six weeks)
Gems American Academy Elementary School is committed to sharing student learning at the end of each Unit of Inquiry. This will be shared in different forms throughout the year. A Summative Assessment Task will be designed by the grade level team and this provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the unit’s Central Idea, the knowledge they have acquired and the skills they have been practicing. Please use this as an opportunity to extend your child’s learning to home where you and your child can celebrate his/her learning together.
Transition Reports K-Grade 5 (October 2015)
Our students receive a Transition Report. These are designed to give students and parents feedback on the Approaches to Learning Skills. These can include Social, Self-management, Communication and Thinking skills. This assessment data can be discussed at the Three-way Conference which will follow shortly after the Transition Report.
Three-way Conferences K-G5 (November 2015)
Three-way Conferences involve the student, parents and teacher. Where applicable, students discuss their learning and understanding with their parents and teacher who are the team supporting the student through this process. Students are responsible for reflecting upon work samples they have chosen to share. The work has been previously selected with guidance and support from the teacher and could be from the student’s portfolio. The student, parents and teacher collaborate to establish and identify the student’s strengths and areas for improvement. This may lead to the setting of new goals and then determining how they can support the achievement of the goals.
Teacher–parent(s) K-G5 (this occurs at the end of the Three-Way Conference)
These are designed to give the parents information about about the school’s programme and the student’s progress, development and needs. Teachers take this opportunity to gather background information, to answer the parents’ questions and to help define their role in the learning process. The parents can take the opportunity to provide the teacher with the cultural context of the student’s learning.
Student-led Conferences K-G5 (March 2016)
Student-led Conferences involve the student and the parent. Where applicable, the students are responsible for leading the conference, and also take responsibility for their learning by sharing the process with their parents. It may involve students demonstrating their understanding through a variety of different learning situations.
The conference will involve the students discussing and reflecting upon samples of work that they have previously chosen to share with their parents. These samples have been selected with guidance and support from the teacher, and could be from the student’s portfolio. The student identifies strengths and areas for improvement. It enables parents to gain a clear insight into the kind of work their child is doing and offers an opportunity for them to discuss it with their child. The format of this conference will depend on the age of the student and all of the participants must understand the format and their roles prior to the conference.
The Written Report K-G5 (December 2015 and June 2016)
Written reports are seen as a summative record for students, parents and the school itself of a student’s progress.
If you require further information about our assessment and reporting system, please do not hesitate to speak with your classroom teacher or our Elementary PYP Coordinator, Mike Hopaluk or our KG PYP Coordinator, Kristine Zeidel.
As part of the IB Primary Years Programme at GEMS American Academy we facilitate a number of different conferences and reporting systems across the year in order to share information among teachers, students and parents.
Reporting on assessment is about communicating what students know, understand and can do. It describes the progress of the students’ learning, identifies areas for growth, and contributes to the efficacy of the programme. Reporting may take many forms including conferences and written reports.
End of Unit of Inquiry Reports (every six weeks)
Gems American Academy Elementary School is committed to sharing student learning at the end of each Unit of Inquiry. This will be shared in different forms throughout the year. A Summative Assessment Task will be designed by the grade level team and this provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the unit’s Central Idea, the knowledge they have acquired and the skills they have been practicing. Please use this as an opportunity to extend your child’s learning to home where you and your child can celebrate his/her learning together.
Transition Reports K-Grade 5 (October 2015)
Our students receive a Transition Report. These are designed to give students and parents feedback on the Approaches to Learning Skills. These can include Social, Self-management, Communication and Thinking skills. This assessment data can be discussed at the Three-way Conference which will follow shortly after the Transition Report.
Three-way Conferences K-G5 (November 2015)
Three-way Conferences involve the student, parents and teacher. Where applicable, students discuss their learning and understanding with their parents and teacher who are the team supporting the student through this process. Students are responsible for reflecting upon work samples they have chosen to share. The work has been previously selected with guidance and support from the teacher and could be from the student’s portfolio. The student, parents and teacher collaborate to establish and identify the student’s strengths and areas for improvement. This may lead to the setting of new goals and then determining how they can support the achievement of the goals.
Teacher–parent(s) K-G5 (this occurs at the end of the Three-Way Conference)
These are designed to give the parents information about about the school’s programme and the student’s progress, development and needs. Teachers take this opportunity to gather background information, to answer the parents’ questions and to help define their role in the learning process. The parents can take the opportunity to provide the teacher with the cultural context of the student’s learning.
Student-led Conferences K-G5 (March 2016)
Student-led Conferences involve the student and the parent. Where applicable, the students are responsible for leading the conference, and also take responsibility for their learning by sharing the process with their parents. It may involve students demonstrating their understanding through a variety of different learning situations.
The conference will involve the students discussing and reflecting upon samples of work that they have previously chosen to share with their parents. These samples have been selected with guidance and support from the teacher, and could be from the student’s portfolio. The student identifies strengths and areas for improvement. It enables parents to gain a clear insight into the kind of work their child is doing and offers an opportunity for them to discuss it with their child. The format of this conference will depend on the age of the student and all of the participants must understand the format and their roles prior to the conference.
The Written Report K-G5 (December 2015 and June 2016)
Written reports are seen as a summative record for students, parents and the school itself of a student’s progress.
If you require further information about our assessment and reporting system, please do not hesitate to speak with your classroom teacher or our Elementary PYP Coordinator, Mike Hopaluk or our KG PYP Coordinator, Kristine Zeidel.
From Our Elementary Vice Principal, Louise Dunn
Dear Parents,
Writers Workshop
We are very excited to be welcoming literacy specialist Erin Kent to our school next week. Erin is here from October 24 until October 29, 2015, working with staff on writing instruction specifically around "Writers Workshop." Her work will include an all-day training session on Saturday; yes teachers go to school just like everyone else!
Additionally she will be in classrooms working with teachers and students helping everyone in the elementary school deepen their knowledge about teaching and learning in writer’s workshop. Writers Workshop is a highly researched methodology for instruction that allows students to develop their ideas through inquiry within the genre being studied.
Erin will be giving a talk for parents on October 29, after Community Share at approximately 8.30am. If you would like to hear more about how we teach literacy at GAA, please join us.
Louise Dunn
Writers Workshop
We are very excited to be welcoming literacy specialist Erin Kent to our school next week. Erin is here from October 24 until October 29, 2015, working with staff on writing instruction specifically around "Writers Workshop." Her work will include an all-day training session on Saturday; yes teachers go to school just like everyone else!
Additionally she will be in classrooms working with teachers and students helping everyone in the elementary school deepen their knowledge about teaching and learning in writer’s workshop. Writers Workshop is a highly researched methodology for instruction that allows students to develop their ideas through inquiry within the genre being studied.
Erin will be giving a talk for parents on October 29, after Community Share at approximately 8.30am. If you would like to hear more about how we teach literacy at GAA, please join us.
Louise Dunn
Dear Families,
As you may have heard, we are using the Second Step program in the 1st-5th grade classrooms. The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn. We are very excited about being able to utilize this Bully Prevention Unit as our Anti-Bullying Parent Committee generously raised the funds for this from a previous Anti-Bullying Campaign.
In this unit, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:
In addition, your child will bring home simple, fun activities called Home Links. These activities give your child another chance to practice his or her skills for handling bullying. They will also help you understand what your child is learning about bullying and how you can assist your child if he or she needs to respond to bullying. These home links will be emailed to you by your child’s homeroom teacher.
For bullying prevention to work, everyone at school needs to be involved. All of our staff will get special training in how to:
And we need your help, too! Get involved in making our school a safe and respectful place by letting us know if you hear about bullying at our school. Make sure your child knows to tell you or someone at school if he or she is being bullied, or if he or she knows about someone else being bullied. Give your child the clear message that it is never okay to bully others.
If you have any questions about the Bullying Prevention Unit or the Second Step program, please contact our counselors. For more information on our school’s anti-bullying policy and specific procedures, please check our Elementary Community Handbook or contact the school office. Thank you for helping us make our school a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn.
Sincerely,
Your GAA Counseling Team
As you may have heard, we are using the Second Step program in the 1st-5th grade classrooms. The Second Step program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn. We are very excited about being able to utilize this Bully Prevention Unit as our Anti-Bullying Parent Committee generously raised the funds for this from a previous Anti-Bullying Campaign.
In this unit, your child will learn specific skills to help stop bullying. Students will learn how to:
- Recognize when bullying is happening, report bullying to a caring adult, and refuse to let bullying happen • Be a bystander who helps stop bullying
- Support someone being bullied by standing up for that person and being kind and inclusive
- Recognize, report, and refuse cyber bullying when they see or know about it happening
In addition, your child will bring home simple, fun activities called Home Links. These activities give your child another chance to practice his or her skills for handling bullying. They will also help you understand what your child is learning about bullying and how you can assist your child if he or she needs to respond to bullying. These home links will be emailed to you by your child’s homeroom teacher.
For bullying prevention to work, everyone at school needs to be involved. All of our staff will get special training in how to:
- Recognize and respond to bullying
- Support children who have been bullied
- Correct behaviors of children who are bullying
- Use strategies that support a positive school and classroom climate
And we need your help, too! Get involved in making our school a safe and respectful place by letting us know if you hear about bullying at our school. Make sure your child knows to tell you or someone at school if he or she is being bullied, or if he or she knows about someone else being bullied. Give your child the clear message that it is never okay to bully others.
If you have any questions about the Bullying Prevention Unit or the Second Step program, please contact our counselors. For more information on our school’s anti-bullying policy and specific procedures, please check our Elementary Community Handbook or contact the school office. Thank you for helping us make our school a safe, respectful place where everyone can learn.
Sincerely,
Your GAA Counseling Team
News from our KG Vice Principal, Sally Potts
Dear Parents,
It has been another wonderful week of learning for students, teachers and parents in our KG area. Students in KG2 are finishing their unit of inquiry which focused on relationships. Students are being videotaped as part of their summative task so that they are able to share their learning with both the teacher and their parents. KG1 students have been learning about themselves during their first unit of inquiry. They have been measuring, talking, sharing interests, building and learning from each other and the teaching staff.
Our parents were invited in to share our learning three times this week. Thank you to all of the parents who joined our workshop on the importance of play in the Kindergarten PYP program. They had a chance to try a number of centers, learn about the complexities of play and how teachers use play to inform instruction. We also had a number of parents join our weekly Community Share in the auditorium on Wednesday. Children were able to share what they were learning in language and in Arabic. It was a wonderful celebration! Lastly, thank you to the parents who joined us for our “In Touch” session with Kathy Miner. The positive comments in the Kindergarten sessions included:
Sally Potts
Vice Principal KG
Dear Parents,
It has been another wonderful week of learning for students, teachers and parents in our KG area. Students in KG2 are finishing their unit of inquiry which focused on relationships. Students are being videotaped as part of their summative task so that they are able to share their learning with both the teacher and their parents. KG1 students have been learning about themselves during their first unit of inquiry. They have been measuring, talking, sharing interests, building and learning from each other and the teaching staff.
Our parents were invited in to share our learning three times this week. Thank you to all of the parents who joined our workshop on the importance of play in the Kindergarten PYP program. They had a chance to try a number of centers, learn about the complexities of play and how teachers use play to inform instruction. We also had a number of parents join our weekly Community Share in the auditorium on Wednesday. Children were able to share what they were learning in language and in Arabic. It was a wonderful celebration! Lastly, thank you to the parents who joined us for our “In Touch” session with Kathy Miner. The positive comments in the Kindergarten sessions included:
- Kids feel like they belong and they are at home here at GAA;
- Really like the weekly email from teachers;
- The play-based program;
- The school team focuses on the “whole” child;
- The Launcher is great;
- One Dad said he expressly came to say “Thank you”;
- More than a few positive comments about Kiss and Ride and the staff outside helping students get safely out of the cars;
- Kristine Zydel’s presentation on the importance of play yesterday;
- Raz account is excellent for at-home reading;
- Love that IB starts at the beginning of KG1 with PYP;
- The information on healthy food;
- Our focus on safety; and,
- The library.
Sally Potts
Vice Principal KG
The KG2 teachers were extremely involved in their planning meeting this week. They collaborated with Sally Potts and Kristine Zydel in mapping out all of the standards aligned with the PYP Unit of Inquiry that is starting next. Well done KG2!
KG Corner
KG1 G
This week in KG1G we have been exploring our likes and interest. We shared with the rest of our class using our “All about me bags.” It was awesome to learn a little more about each other. KG1G loved having the full class present and really enjoyed construction time after our lunches this week. Take a look!
KG1 G
This week in KG1G we have been exploring our likes and interest. We shared with the rest of our class using our “All about me bags.” It was awesome to learn a little more about each other. KG1G loved having the full class present and really enjoyed construction time after our lunches this week. Take a look!
KG1B
This week KG1B have been discussing the things they like, they have also been creating their masks for the Fall Festival, thank you to all the mums who were able to come and assist the children, they had a wonderful time!
This week KG1B have been discussing the things they like, they have also been creating their masks for the Fall Festival, thank you to all the mums who were able to come and assist the children, they had a wonderful time!
KG1 H
In KG1 H we have been very busy continuing to learn all about ourselves. We have been comparing how we are the same and different in the way that we look and in what we like. We put our faces back together from puzzle pieces, we made a height chart to see if we are taller or smaller than our friends and compared our hands and feet sizes. We graphed the colors we liked and we dressed up as superheros and princesses on Wednesday.
In KG1 H we have been very busy continuing to learn all about ourselves. We have been comparing how we are the same and different in the way that we look and in what we like. We put our faces back together from puzzle pieces, we made a height chart to see if we are taller or smaller than our friends and compared our hands and feet sizes. We graphed the colors we liked and we dressed up as superheros and princesses on Wednesday.
KG1I
Ipads have arrived and the students are super excited to explore with them! We are well and truly into our unit of who we are, measuring our height, face collages and extending our discussions on how we are the same and different!
Ipads have arrived and the students are super excited to explore with them! We are well and truly into our unit of who we are, measuring our height, face collages and extending our discussions on how we are the same and different!
KG2A
In KG2A the children are enjoying reading new words. The kids had lots of fun dressing up for super hero and princess day!
In KG2A the children are enjoying reading new words. The kids had lots of fun dressing up for super hero and princess day!
KG2B
KG2 students are continuing their unit of inquiry “Who we are.” We have been investigating how we are related to others. Students identified their roles in being a great classmate and family member. We have compared the size of our families by graphing the amount of members and creating addition math sentences. During the week of October 11th we united for “Anti-bullying Week.” We painted our pinkies blue and made a promise to be kind to others. We celebrated kindness by wearing superhero and princess costumes to wrap the week up. The KG2 students certainly demonstrate the culture of kindness. Thank you for a great week!
KG2 students are continuing their unit of inquiry “Who we are.” We have been investigating how we are related to others. Students identified their roles in being a great classmate and family member. We have compared the size of our families by graphing the amount of members and creating addition math sentences. During the week of October 11th we united for “Anti-bullying Week.” We painted our pinkies blue and made a promise to be kind to others. We celebrated kindness by wearing superhero and princess costumes to wrap the week up. The KG2 students certainly demonstrate the culture of kindness. Thank you for a great week!
KG Specialists
KG Art
KG1 -
This week in KG1, students continued their exploration of “Every day I learn about myself” and inquired how our feelings can be represented by colors. We read Dr Seuss’ “My Many Colored Days”. Students each chose one color that connected to their feelings and created wonderful works of art.
KG2-
KG2 students learned how to draw their full-body portraits by inquiring about proportions in our bodies. Students inquired on such ideas as “Where is the middle of my body?” “Which is wider? My head or my shoulders?”. We also further explored color mixing by creating a colorful background for our portraits with crepe paper squares and water bottles.
KG Art
KG1 -
This week in KG1, students continued their exploration of “Every day I learn about myself” and inquired how our feelings can be represented by colors. We read Dr Seuss’ “My Many Colored Days”. Students each chose one color that connected to their feelings and created wonderful works of art.
KG2-
KG2 students learned how to draw their full-body portraits by inquiring about proportions in our bodies. Students inquired on such ideas as “Where is the middle of my body?” “Which is wider? My head or my shoulders?”. We also further explored color mixing by creating a colorful background for our portraits with crepe paper squares and water bottles.
"Last week during PE all of the KG1 and KG2 classes went on a tour to see the swimming pool and the facilities that we will be using when we go swimming. We had discussions about the rules and routines that we follow when we come to swimming at school. We also got to read some fun stories about swimming to help and encourage some of our students who might be feeling a bit scared or nervous. This week we started our swimming lessons and the students had a lot of fun showing us all their skills and started to learn some new ones too. We look forward to a lot more great lessons with all the KG classes."