News from our Elementary Principal, Ben Voborsky
Hello GAA Community,
We wrapped up promotion ceremony season with Grade 5. Coming off an Exhibition High, the Grade 5 promotion ceremony was full of energy. Our students have continually demonstrated that they are leaving our GAA elementary program as confident and independent learners who are well prepared for middle school. This preparation starts early. I received opinion/persuasive writing pieces from our KG2 class. Their final Writer’s Workshop Unit focused on students identifying a problem they face in their school community and convincing someone to help them fix it. From fixing silly coo-coo clocks to having more time on the playground, our KG2 student lobbied Ms. Sally and I!
Grade 3 held their Living Museum this week which engaged fellow students, parents, and teachers. Some Grade 3 students also hosted a debate where Ms. Louise and I got to watch them run the show. The debate focused on whether or not uniforms should be worn at school. It was truly a back and forth dialog which highlighted school spirit and pride. One of my favourite quotes was "even in uniforms you can express yourself; clothes do not have to represent how you feel”.
Over the course of this school year, our teachers have been grouped into sixteen different Professional Learning Community (PLC) groups. These PLC’s met regularly to share research and best educational practices with colleagues. The sharing continued with the PLC’s showcasing their learning with the entire elementary school. The presentations and “resident experts” were energising with the buzz of professional learning permeating the elementary division. Topics included Visible Thinking Routines, Authentic Use of Technology, Data Driven Instruction, Math Inquiry, and many more rich inquiry's. This demonstrates how our teachers are engaged in learning with the goal being to continue to enhance our GAA students experience.
Learning and engaging activities will continue until the last day of school. Our students and teachers are ready to continue to learn and grow together as we finish off the school year!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
We wrapped up promotion ceremony season with Grade 5. Coming off an Exhibition High, the Grade 5 promotion ceremony was full of energy. Our students have continually demonstrated that they are leaving our GAA elementary program as confident and independent learners who are well prepared for middle school. This preparation starts early. I received opinion/persuasive writing pieces from our KG2 class. Their final Writer’s Workshop Unit focused on students identifying a problem they face in their school community and convincing someone to help them fix it. From fixing silly coo-coo clocks to having more time on the playground, our KG2 student lobbied Ms. Sally and I!
Grade 3 held their Living Museum this week which engaged fellow students, parents, and teachers. Some Grade 3 students also hosted a debate where Ms. Louise and I got to watch them run the show. The debate focused on whether or not uniforms should be worn at school. It was truly a back and forth dialog which highlighted school spirit and pride. One of my favourite quotes was "even in uniforms you can express yourself; clothes do not have to represent how you feel”.
Over the course of this school year, our teachers have been grouped into sixteen different Professional Learning Community (PLC) groups. These PLC’s met regularly to share research and best educational practices with colleagues. The sharing continued with the PLC’s showcasing their learning with the entire elementary school. The presentations and “resident experts” were energising with the buzz of professional learning permeating the elementary division. Topics included Visible Thinking Routines, Authentic Use of Technology, Data Driven Instruction, Math Inquiry, and many more rich inquiry's. This demonstrates how our teachers are engaged in learning with the goal being to continue to enhance our GAA students experience.
Learning and engaging activities will continue until the last day of school. Our students and teachers are ready to continue to learn and grow together as we finish off the school year!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Congratulations to our Grade 4 and 5 Drama and Dance performers: Al Maha, Giselle, Jasir, Matthew, Nezihe, Sarah M., Anay, Javen, Leah, Lina, Naomi, Riya, and Xavier.
On Monday, May 16, 2016, for the first time in GAA history, elementary students visited another school to perform plays. We were honored to perform for Al Rudwan Kindergarten school and the principal was excited to receive us. In fact, she gave all of the performers certificates! The actors had so much fun storytelling and the kindergarteners were highly entertained. Thank you parents for supporting me and reviewing lines with the performers. I am also grateful for the support provided by Fatima, a Grade 4 Educational Assistant. Special thanks to Qais, from 3C. He was so resourceful as a stagehand and played all of the roles of absent actors. Well done everyone!
Ms. K
Grade 3, 4 and 5 Drama and Dance Teacher
On Monday, May 16, 2016, for the first time in GAA history, elementary students visited another school to perform plays. We were honored to perform for Al Rudwan Kindergarten school and the principal was excited to receive us. In fact, she gave all of the performers certificates! The actors had so much fun storytelling and the kindergarteners were highly entertained. Thank you parents for supporting me and reviewing lines with the performers. I am also grateful for the support provided by Fatima, a Grade 4 Educational Assistant. Special thanks to Qais, from 3C. He was so resourceful as a stagehand and played all of the roles of absent actors. Well done everyone!
Ms. K
Grade 3, 4 and 5 Drama and Dance Teacher
KG Corner
KG1I exploring light! We made our own shadow boxes and shadow puppets!
Arabic
الـسّلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
أَولياء الأمور الكِرام،
تحيّة طيبة وبعد،
نتوجّه إليكم بأحر التّهاني والتّبريكات بمناسبة حلول شهر رمضان المبارك، أَعاده اللّه علينا وعلى الأمة الإسلاميّة باليُمن والبركات.
عملنا مع طلابنا على شرح أهميّة الشّهر الفضيل وتوضيح أُسس الصيّام ومدته من طلوع الشّمسِ حتى غروبها وأهميّة رؤية الهلال في بداية الشّهر.
وقد طبّق طلابنا ما تعلموه عن الشّهر الفضيل وربطها مع الوحدة الأخيرة من وحدات منهج السّنوات الابتدائيّة ( أين نحن من الزّمان والمكان) من خلال مشاريعٍ وأنشطة صفيّة توضح أهميّة هذا الشّهر الفضيل وشروطه بالنّسبة للمسلمين .
مُبارك عليكم الشّهر
أعاده اللّه علينا وعليكم باليُمن والخير والبركات
أَولياء الأمور الكِرام،
تحيّة طيبة وبعد،
نتوجّه إليكم بأحر التّهاني والتّبريكات بمناسبة حلول شهر رمضان المبارك، أَعاده اللّه علينا وعلى الأمة الإسلاميّة باليُمن والبركات.
عملنا مع طلابنا على شرح أهميّة الشّهر الفضيل وتوضيح أُسس الصيّام ومدته من طلوع الشّمسِ حتى غروبها وأهميّة رؤية الهلال في بداية الشّهر.
وقد طبّق طلابنا ما تعلموه عن الشّهر الفضيل وربطها مع الوحدة الأخيرة من وحدات منهج السّنوات الابتدائيّة ( أين نحن من الزّمان والمكان) من خلال مشاريعٍ وأنشطة صفيّة توضح أهميّة هذا الشّهر الفضيل وشروطه بالنّسبة للمسلمين .
مُبارك عليكم الشّهر
أعاده اللّه علينا وعليكم باليُمن والخير والبركات
Peace and God's mercy and blessings upon you
Mubarak for the holy month of Ramadan.
We all ask Allah of His bounty grace to emancipate our necks from the inferno, and to forgive us, you and all Muslims, living and dead, to make this coming Ramadan a month of goodness and blessing for Islam and Muslims, and to bring us together with you in paradise with the prophets and saints. God blessings on Muhammad and his family and companions.
We have explained and presented some projects about the month of Ramadan for Muslims and its importance to them and explain what is meant to see the day one crescent of Ramadan, and how to fast, and duration of fasting from sunrise to sunset.
Mubarak for the holy month of Ramadan.
We all ask Allah of His bounty grace to emancipate our necks from the inferno, and to forgive us, you and all Muslims, living and dead, to make this coming Ramadan a month of goodness and blessing for Islam and Muslims, and to bring us together with you in paradise with the prophets and saints. God blessings on Muhammad and his family and companions.
We have explained and presented some projects about the month of Ramadan for Muslims and its importance to them and explain what is meant to see the day one crescent of Ramadan, and how to fast, and duration of fasting from sunrise to sunset.
Islamic
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته ، تحية طيبة للجميع
لقد قضينا وقتاً ممتعاً مع أحبابنا الصغار حيث أننَّا نتجهز لإستقبال الشهر الفضيل شهر رمضان المبارك والذي أظهر الأطفال فرحهم بقدومه من خلال بعض الأناشيد والعرض المسرحي الذي قَّدمهُ أطفال الروضة الثانية في مسرح المدرسة، كما قام أطفال الروضة الأولى بتعلم سّورة النصر والتّعرف على آداب دخول الخلاء وآداب ركوب السيارة في الإسلام وأهمية ترديد الأدعية تطبيقاً لسنة سيدنا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ، في الروضة الثانية أصبح أطفالنا قادرين على تلاوة سورة العصر، كما أنَّهم تعرفوا على آداب النوم وعلى أهمية ترديد الُدعاء تطبيقاً لسُنة النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم .
لقد قضينا وقتاً ممتعاً مع أحبابنا الصغار حيث أننَّا نتجهز لإستقبال الشهر الفضيل شهر رمضان المبارك والذي أظهر الأطفال فرحهم بقدومه من خلال بعض الأناشيد والعرض المسرحي الذي قَّدمهُ أطفال الروضة الثانية في مسرح المدرسة، كما قام أطفال الروضة الأولى بتعلم سّورة النصر والتّعرف على آداب دخول الخلاء وآداب ركوب السيارة في الإسلام وأهمية ترديد الأدعية تطبيقاً لسنة سيدنا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ، في الروضة الثانية أصبح أطفالنا قادرين على تلاوة سورة العصر، كما أنَّهم تعرفوا على آداب النوم وعلى أهمية ترديد الُدعاء تطبيقاً لسُنة النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Peace been upon you and a mercy of Allah and his blessing.
We have spent a good time with our lovely kids. We are getting ready for Ramadan as it is becoming really close. The kids showed their happiness for its arrival through some songs about Ramadan and through a show which was performed by KG2.
In KG1 the kids have learnt Surat Al Nasr, and understood its meaning. They have also learnt the Islamic manners of entering and exiting the bathroom and manners of riding the car. They also learnt the importance of saying the dua as applying the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
In KG2 our kids are now able to read Surat Al Asr, and they recognize its overall meaning. They have learnt the Islamic manners of sleeping. They understand the importance to say this grace when they enter or exit as followers of our prophet's Sunnah. They also learnt the importance of saying the dua as applying the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
We have spent a good time with our lovely kids. We are getting ready for Ramadan as it is becoming really close. The kids showed their happiness for its arrival through some songs about Ramadan and through a show which was performed by KG2.
In KG1 the kids have learnt Surat Al Nasr, and understood its meaning. They have also learnt the Islamic manners of entering and exiting the bathroom and manners of riding the car. They also learnt the importance of saying the dua as applying the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
In KG2 our kids are now able to read Surat Al Asr, and they recognize its overall meaning. They have learnt the Islamic manners of sleeping. They understand the importance to say this grace when they enter or exit as followers of our prophet's Sunnah. They also learnt the importance of saying the dua as applying the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.