News from Head of School - Kathy Miner
Dear Parents,
Ben Voborsky and I had a very successful recruitment trip to Boston and Cambridge over the last 8 days. It feels great to be back at GAA and in Abu Dhabi. We were able to sign 8 teachers with one additional pending, making 9 new teachers headed to GAA.
We found significant interest in our school among candidates at both fairs who reported that they had heard about our school and about GEMS as an organization. Ben and I were both very proud to be representing all of you at the fairs, explaining about our warm and welcoming community, great students, supportive parents and our Culture of Kindness.
As some of you may already know, only 15 teachers have chosen to move on from GAA in the 2015/16 academic year. Of those teachers, a third will be returning home for family reasons, with the rest off on new international adventures.
I would like to thank you all for your flexibility and understanding due to the partial school closure yesterday. We received the news from ADEC on Tuesday afternoon and quickly worked to inform the community. While many schools took the same action as us, others opted to cancel buses or remain open as usual. Given the tight turn around we used data from the last academic year which told us that the majority of schools closed early for this event. We realize that providing supervision for students with working parents will be helpful should another late notice closer occur.
What a busy weekend we have ahead of us! I am very much looking forward to tonight's drama performance "True Colors". I understand that teachers and students have spent many weeks preparing for the performance and I am sure their efforts will not disappoint!
Tomorrow, from 3pm we will hold our annual International Food Festival organized by GAAPA our Parents Association. I would like to thank GAAPA and all those volunteering to cook food and help out with the event. Please be encouraged to come along and enjoy the festivities - don't forget to wear your Parent ID cards.
Have a lovely weekend
Kathy Miner
Head of School/CEO
Ben Voborsky and I had a very successful recruitment trip to Boston and Cambridge over the last 8 days. It feels great to be back at GAA and in Abu Dhabi. We were able to sign 8 teachers with one additional pending, making 9 new teachers headed to GAA.
We found significant interest in our school among candidates at both fairs who reported that they had heard about our school and about GEMS as an organization. Ben and I were both very proud to be representing all of you at the fairs, explaining about our warm and welcoming community, great students, supportive parents and our Culture of Kindness.
As some of you may already know, only 15 teachers have chosen to move on from GAA in the 2015/16 academic year. Of those teachers, a third will be returning home for family reasons, with the rest off on new international adventures.
I would like to thank you all for your flexibility and understanding due to the partial school closure yesterday. We received the news from ADEC on Tuesday afternoon and quickly worked to inform the community. While many schools took the same action as us, others opted to cancel buses or remain open as usual. Given the tight turn around we used data from the last academic year which told us that the majority of schools closed early for this event. We realize that providing supervision for students with working parents will be helpful should another late notice closer occur.
What a busy weekend we have ahead of us! I am very much looking forward to tonight's drama performance "True Colors". I understand that teachers and students have spent many weeks preparing for the performance and I am sure their efforts will not disappoint!
Tomorrow, from 3pm we will hold our annual International Food Festival organized by GAAPA our Parents Association. I would like to thank GAAPA and all those volunteering to cook food and help out with the event. Please be encouraged to come along and enjoy the festivities - don't forget to wear your Parent ID cards.
Have a lovely weekend
Kathy Miner
Head of School/CEO
What's Happening at GAA Next Week?
GAA Community News
School Photographs
As you may be aware Stu Williamson will be attending GEMS American Academy next week (Sunday 15th to Thursday 19th February 2015) in order to take photographs of Homerooms, Sports Teams, Grade 12 students and new students who started after 23rd November.
A schedule has been prepared and students should consult their homeroom teachers to find out exactly which day and time they will have their photos taken. Unfortunately this is a one-off opportunity so if a student is absent on the day his/her homeroom photo is taken then he/she will not appear in the photograph.
We have also arranged with Stu Williamson for re-takes of individual students whose photos taken in November were, for whatever reason, not ideal. These re-takes will take place on Sunday 15th February from 3.00 until 4.00 pm. If you wish to have your child’s individual photo re-taken please schedule an appointment direct with Stu Williamson on telephone number 04 275 6235.
We also have an additional sitting for sibling photographs which will take place on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th February 2015 at 3.00 until 4.00 pm and again all appointment should be made direct with Stu Williamson on telephone number 04 275 6235. Please remember to provide the full names of students and their classes.
As you may be aware Stu Williamson will be attending GEMS American Academy next week (Sunday 15th to Thursday 19th February 2015) in order to take photographs of Homerooms, Sports Teams, Grade 12 students and new students who started after 23rd November.
A schedule has been prepared and students should consult their homeroom teachers to find out exactly which day and time they will have their photos taken. Unfortunately this is a one-off opportunity so if a student is absent on the day his/her homeroom photo is taken then he/she will not appear in the photograph.
We have also arranged with Stu Williamson for re-takes of individual students whose photos taken in November were, for whatever reason, not ideal. These re-takes will take place on Sunday 15th February from 3.00 until 4.00 pm. If you wish to have your child’s individual photo re-taken please schedule an appointment direct with Stu Williamson on telephone number 04 275 6235.
We also have an additional sitting for sibling photographs which will take place on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th February 2015 at 3.00 until 4.00 pm and again all appointment should be made direct with Stu Williamson on telephone number 04 275 6235. Please remember to provide the full names of students and their classes.
International Food Festival Update!
We hope you are all looking forward to attending the GEMS American Academy International Food Festival tomorrow from 3pm. Please remember to wear your Parent ID's to this event. Those without their Parent ID's will have to sign in at security and leave their Emirates ID at the gate to get a visitors badge.
We would like to give a huge thank you in advance to all the mums and dads who will be spending their weekend cooking and organizing this special event - we couldn't do it without you!
Please come with an empty tummy as there will be lots of lovely food for families to enjoy. If you are not part of organizing a country table, adults will need to pay 30AED to join in. Children and students are free.
We hope you are all looking forward to attending the GEMS American Academy International Food Festival tomorrow from 3pm. Please remember to wear your Parent ID's to this event. Those without their Parent ID's will have to sign in at security and leave their Emirates ID at the gate to get a visitors badge.
We would like to give a huge thank you in advance to all the mums and dads who will be spending their weekend cooking and organizing this special event - we couldn't do it without you!
Please come with an empty tummy as there will be lots of lovely food for families to enjoy. If you are not part of organizing a country table, adults will need to pay 30AED to join in. Children and students are free.