News from our Elementary Principal, Ben Voborsky
Hello GAA Community,
Thank you for joining us for a successful Back to School Night. There were a few hiccups but it was still a fantastic event. A huge thank you to our student delegates who smoothly guided parents where they need to be! Update: The book fair has been rescheduled for October. Please take a few minutes to provide us with your feedback so we can make Back to School Night 2017 even better.
2016 Back to School Night Feedback Questionnaire
I appreciate the parent support we have received in waiting patiently outside the hall doors in KG (2:45) and Elementary (2:55) until they are opened. Our students are actively engaged until the end of the day. They also need space to get packed up before we as parents swoop in to ask them about their days!
Seesaw has received so much positive praise from parents, teachers, and student users. Seesaw is an app based system that not only documents learning, assists in communication, and engages all stakeholders but most importantly provides an opportunity for feedback! Research say that good feedback is targeted, specific, and timely. Seesaw helps us all make this possible. If you have an opportunity please read the ASCD article on feedback. In Seesaw you are able to comment posts that are specific to your child so this feedback can be most meaningful! Your posts to everyone will not be approved so please email your child’s teacher directly.
At Back to School Night, you learned about what is happening in your child’s classroom and gained insight into some of the practices that support learning at GAA. On November 9th and 10th, Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held to learn more about your individual child’s learning. I look forward to seeing you all then!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
Thank you for joining us for a successful Back to School Night. There were a few hiccups but it was still a fantastic event. A huge thank you to our student delegates who smoothly guided parents where they need to be! Update: The book fair has been rescheduled for October. Please take a few minutes to provide us with your feedback so we can make Back to School Night 2017 even better.
2016 Back to School Night Feedback Questionnaire
I appreciate the parent support we have received in waiting patiently outside the hall doors in KG (2:45) and Elementary (2:55) until they are opened. Our students are actively engaged until the end of the day. They also need space to get packed up before we as parents swoop in to ask them about their days!
Seesaw has received so much positive praise from parents, teachers, and student users. Seesaw is an app based system that not only documents learning, assists in communication, and engages all stakeholders but most importantly provides an opportunity for feedback! Research say that good feedback is targeted, specific, and timely. Seesaw helps us all make this possible. If you have an opportunity please read the ASCD article on feedback. In Seesaw you are able to comment posts that are specific to your child so this feedback can be most meaningful! Your posts to everyone will not be approved so please email your child’s teacher directly.
At Back to School Night, you learned about what is happening in your child’s classroom and gained insight into some of the practices that support learning at GAA. On November 9th and 10th, Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held to learn more about your individual child’s learning. I look forward to seeing you all then!
Have a great weekend,
Ben Voborsky
Elementary Principal
News from our Elementary Vice Principal, Louise Dunn
Dear Parents,
If you have popped into your student's homeroom over the past couple of weeks, you may have seen piles of books being sorted through by the teachers and students as they decide how each classroom library will be organized. We have been very fortunate to receive at GAA over 7, 000 new books which have been added to our elementary classroom libraries.
These books are designed to provide for our students highly engaging texts that both serve to support our units of study and provide “just right” reading material for all students. At GAA we teach reading through a reader's workshop model which serves to channel students interests and passions as they develop and master reading skills. As part of our initiative to use the beautiful books, all students will be bringing books home to read every night. I am sure you will very much enjoy reading and listening to these books with your child each night.
Louise Dunn
Vice Principal
If you have popped into your student's homeroom over the past couple of weeks, you may have seen piles of books being sorted through by the teachers and students as they decide how each classroom library will be organized. We have been very fortunate to receive at GAA over 7, 000 new books which have been added to our elementary classroom libraries.
These books are designed to provide for our students highly engaging texts that both serve to support our units of study and provide “just right” reading material for all students. At GAA we teach reading through a reader's workshop model which serves to channel students interests and passions as they develop and master reading skills. As part of our initiative to use the beautiful books, all students will be bringing books home to read every night. I am sure you will very much enjoy reading and listening to these books with your child each night.
Louise Dunn
Vice Principal
Elementary Music
Grade 1
Students are working on cooperation in music. They were able to create the sounds of a rain storm using different instruments using a sequence. They are also working on cooperative music games and songs.
Grade 1
Students are working on cooperation in music. They were able to create the sounds of a rain storm using different instruments using a sequence. They are also working on cooperative music games and songs.
Grade 4
Who we are: The effective interactions between systems contribute to health and well-being
Our instrument focus in music class for 4th grade is our voice. They are learning how to properly use their voice along with breathing techniques. We are also practicing musical notation using our rhythm clock. Over the next few weeks the students will be learning how to properly sing and how to read the music they are singing.
Who we are: The effective interactions between systems contribute to health and well-being
Our instrument focus in music class for 4th grade is our voice. They are learning how to properly use their voice along with breathing techniques. We are also practicing musical notation using our rhythm clock. Over the next few weeks the students will be learning how to properly sing and how to read the music they are singing.
Grade 5
Who we are: Mindfulness is an active process that allows us to grow.
Our instrumental focus during this unit for 5th grade is our voice. We are practicing on being mindful in music. We are focusing on what it means to listen to each other we will be working on blend and how to obtain a unified sound. The 5th grade chose a song to work on in class. They are not only focusing on intonation but also music notation and musical terminology.
Who we are: Mindfulness is an active process that allows us to grow.
Our instrumental focus during this unit for 5th grade is our voice. We are practicing on being mindful in music. We are focusing on what it means to listen to each other we will be working on blend and how to obtain a unified sound. The 5th grade chose a song to work on in class. They are not only focusing on intonation but also music notation and musical terminology.
Arabic
This week, Arabic students started their first lesson in the ministry book and through integration with the units of inquiry of the PYP Curriculum. Activities, games and different strategies have been used to help students achieve the learning objectives easily and smoothly.
Diagnostic tests have been done will all Arabic classes native and nonnative students (standard level) to plan from where we should start with each student.
Our vision is to encourage students to learn Arabic and to use it more and more in their daily lives. Together we can achieve this easily.
This week, Arabic students started their first lesson in the ministry book and through integration with the units of inquiry of the PYP Curriculum. Activities, games and different strategies have been used to help students achieve the learning objectives easily and smoothly.
Diagnostic tests have been done will all Arabic classes native and nonnative students (standard level) to plan from where we should start with each student.
Our vision is to encourage students to learn Arabic and to use it more and more in their daily lives. Together we can achieve this easily.
News from our KG Vice Principal, Sally Potts
Dear Parents,
Thank you so much to our KG parents as we continue to work as a team to support our students. We really appreciate families having their children here on time ready to learn. It was wonderful seeing so many of you at our “Back to School” night!
Healthy Lunches and Learning
At GAA we encourage students to eat healthy nutritious foods. In our KG Kitchen-Lab the children learn to be “Risk-Takers” as they try new foods which they prepare. We encourage families to support the children in trying a variety of foods at home and in class as well.
A healthy school lunch should include: a high quality protein, fruits, vegetable and whole grains. Healthy, fresh foods are the best options and processed packaged foods and juices should be avoided as they can be high in preservatives and sugar.
A well-balanced lunch box will prepare your child for a full day learning! Bite-sized foods helps to keep our children safe.
Here are some suggestions to assist you in preparing lunches with your child:
*Please remember we are a nut free school.
Pair these healthy main portions with a daily fruit and vegetable:
Thank you so much to our KG parents as we continue to work as a team to support our students. We really appreciate families having their children here on time ready to learn. It was wonderful seeing so many of you at our “Back to School” night!
Healthy Lunches and Learning
At GAA we encourage students to eat healthy nutritious foods. In our KG Kitchen-Lab the children learn to be “Risk-Takers” as they try new foods which they prepare. We encourage families to support the children in trying a variety of foods at home and in class as well.
A healthy school lunch should include: a high quality protein, fruits, vegetable and whole grains. Healthy, fresh foods are the best options and processed packaged foods and juices should be avoided as they can be high in preservatives and sugar.
A well-balanced lunch box will prepare your child for a full day learning! Bite-sized foods helps to keep our children safe.
Here are some suggestions to assist you in preparing lunches with your child:
- Pre-select healthy options and allow your child to choose from these options.
- Example: “Would you like to take an apple or mango slices tomorrow?”
- Prepare fruits and vegetables ahead of time and store them ready to go.
- Choose filling whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pita, bread and crackers).
- Use an insulated container such as a thermos to keep foods hot as microwaves are not in use in the KG section.
- Try to avoid sending high sugar food and drinks to school.
*Please remember we are a nut free school.
Pair these healthy main portions with a daily fruit and vegetable:
Please refer to the Elementary Community Handbook (page 11) for more information.
Regards,
Sally Potts
Regards,
Sally Potts
KG Corner
KG 1F
“Students explore art through collaborating and creating together!”