Dear Parents,
This week I would like to share with you our School Development Plan standards. Continuous development of programs and practices in a school is the key to ensuring a high quality and challenging academic program for students; programs and practices that are aligned to current best practices in international education and meet the standards and expectations outlined in the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) regulations.
There are 8 areas or “standards” for school review and improvement as outlined by ADEC for schools to incorporate into their School Development Plans (SDP). In the last months, we have developed a comprehensive SDP addressing each of the 8 standards. Below is an overview of the standards and our School Development goals:
School Development Plan (SDP) Standards
1. Student Standards and Progress
Meet the needs of all learners in the classroom through, (1) review and develop a comprehensive system of student support services, ELL, Learning Support, Student Support Team and a three tiered model approach to intervention; (2) improve assessment and progress monitoring strategies; (3) include differentiated instructional strategies within the comprehensive written curriculum.
2. Student Personal Development
Ensure a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment for all children at GAA by (1) fostering a Culture of Kindness; (2) teaching and modeling the expected behaviors that reflect the core values of GEMS and GAA; (3) developing leadership opportunities for students; (4) infusing global citizenship and internationalism into the written curriculum.
3. Quality of Teaching
Achieve an outstanding level of instructional quality consistent throughout the school as evidenced by observations of students highly engaged in a variety of challenging and relevant activities in which they are thinking critically and creatively to solve novel problems.
4. Meeting Student Needs Through the Curriculum
To meet the needs of all learners in the classroom, review and develop the comprehensive written curriculum and Improve assessment strategies using the Understanding by Design (UbD) model.
5. Protection, Care and Guidance
Provide an effective and comprehensive social-emotional curriculum within homeroom/advisory across K-12 and a comprehensive counseling program with a range of services to support the learning needs of students.
6. Buildings and Premises
Maintain our facilities and make the best use of facilities to benefit students’ learning needs.
7. Resources
Monitor needs of students and teachers in the learning environment relative to available resources.
8. Leadership and Management
Guide and develop leadership bandwidth to effectively address the changing needs of a growing school community; lead and develop procedures and practices that build and foster a healthy organization; increase capacity for organizational improvement.
I am currently away in London recruiting new teachers for the 2015/16 school year and will return on Monday 26th January. Thanks to Craig Randall, Josh Doubleday and Kathryn Head for holding the fort in my absence.
If you have any questions about the School Development Plan, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Have a lovely weekend
Kathryn Miner
Head of School/CEO
This week I would like to share with you our School Development Plan standards. Continuous development of programs and practices in a school is the key to ensuring a high quality and challenging academic program for students; programs and practices that are aligned to current best practices in international education and meet the standards and expectations outlined in the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) regulations.
There are 8 areas or “standards” for school review and improvement as outlined by ADEC for schools to incorporate into their School Development Plans (SDP). In the last months, we have developed a comprehensive SDP addressing each of the 8 standards. Below is an overview of the standards and our School Development goals:
School Development Plan (SDP) Standards
1. Student Standards and Progress
Meet the needs of all learners in the classroom through, (1) review and develop a comprehensive system of student support services, ELL, Learning Support, Student Support Team and a three tiered model approach to intervention; (2) improve assessment and progress monitoring strategies; (3) include differentiated instructional strategies within the comprehensive written curriculum.
2. Student Personal Development
Ensure a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment for all children at GAA by (1) fostering a Culture of Kindness; (2) teaching and modeling the expected behaviors that reflect the core values of GEMS and GAA; (3) developing leadership opportunities for students; (4) infusing global citizenship and internationalism into the written curriculum.
3. Quality of Teaching
Achieve an outstanding level of instructional quality consistent throughout the school as evidenced by observations of students highly engaged in a variety of challenging and relevant activities in which they are thinking critically and creatively to solve novel problems.
4. Meeting Student Needs Through the Curriculum
To meet the needs of all learners in the classroom, review and develop the comprehensive written curriculum and Improve assessment strategies using the Understanding by Design (UbD) model.
5. Protection, Care and Guidance
Provide an effective and comprehensive social-emotional curriculum within homeroom/advisory across K-12 and a comprehensive counseling program with a range of services to support the learning needs of students.
6. Buildings and Premises
Maintain our facilities and make the best use of facilities to benefit students’ learning needs.
7. Resources
Monitor needs of students and teachers in the learning environment relative to available resources.
8. Leadership and Management
Guide and develop leadership bandwidth to effectively address the changing needs of a growing school community; lead and develop procedures and practices that build and foster a healthy organization; increase capacity for organizational improvement.
I am currently away in London recruiting new teachers for the 2015/16 school year and will return on Monday 26th January. Thanks to Craig Randall, Josh Doubleday and Kathryn Head for holding the fort in my absence.
If you have any questions about the School Development Plan, please feel free to get in touch with me.
Have a lovely weekend
Kathryn Miner
Head of School/CEO
What's Happening at GAA Next Week?
GAA Community News
We Are Monsters - Donations Needed
We are starting to work on the set design for the elementary musical “We are Monsters” and are hoping you can help us by cleaning out your closets and seeing if you have any of these items to donate to the theatre department.
Wanted:
• Very large pieces of cardboard-like from a TV box
• Any fabric remnants or old curtains/tablecloths
• Strings of lights-working, please
• Battery operated candles-we can get new batteries
• Old Halloween decorations-spider webs, skeletons, skulls, monster faces, large spiders, black cats, etc.
• Small bistro size tables/light weight chairs(we can return after the play)
Please bring any donations to room 150 or 151.
Thank you so much for your help, The Arts Department-Ms. Jade, Ms. Diana and Mr. Peter
We are starting to work on the set design for the elementary musical “We are Monsters” and are hoping you can help us by cleaning out your closets and seeing if you have any of these items to donate to the theatre department.
Wanted:
• Very large pieces of cardboard-like from a TV box
• Any fabric remnants or old curtains/tablecloths
• Strings of lights-working, please
• Battery operated candles-we can get new batteries
• Old Halloween decorations-spider webs, skeletons, skulls, monster faces, large spiders, black cats, etc.
• Small bistro size tables/light weight chairs(we can return after the play)
Please bring any donations to room 150 or 151.
Thank you so much for your help, The Arts Department-Ms. Jade, Ms. Diana and Mr. Peter
School Bus Reminder
Students taking school transport must remember to bring on board their Student ID Cards. The bus conductors scan these cards on the bus to mark students attendance and plays a vital part in ensuring we keep your children safe. If you have lost your Student ID card, please contact [email protected] who will replace the card at price of 20AED per card.
Students taking school transport must remember to bring on board their Student ID Cards. The bus conductors scan these cards on the bus to mark students attendance and plays a vital part in ensuring we keep your children safe. If you have lost your Student ID card, please contact [email protected] who will replace the card at price of 20AED per card.
News From The Library
The library just received a new order of Korean books and eagerly anticipating a collection of Italian and English books any day. We are aspiring to expand the international collection in the library. If you know of a book title or series (Spanish, Japanese, French, Greek, etc.) that you would like the library to carry please email [email protected]
The library just received a new order of Korean books and eagerly anticipating a collection of Italian and English books any day. We are aspiring to expand the international collection in the library. If you know of a book title or series (Spanish, Japanese, French, Greek, etc.) that you would like the library to carry please email [email protected]
International Food Festival Update
We had a great first meeting to discuss the International Food Festival, which is scheduled for February 13, 2015 from 3-7pm. To date, we have the following countries signed up to participate:
Algeria Brazil Canada Egypt Hungary India Indonesia Italy
Japan Lebanon Norway Pakistan South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka
Sweden Thailand Turkey UAE USA Venezuela
Some country coordinators are listed below, please contact them directly to help if these are your home countries:
Canada: Terri Farnum Fortino [email protected]
Hungary: Eva Follinus [email protected]
India: Shefali Sabherwal [email protected]
Italy: Marina Monari [email protected]
Japan: Naomi Balint [email protected]
Lebanon: Rola Arayssi [email protected]
South Africa: Ruanda Oberholzer [email protected]
South Korea: Seung Hee Kim [email protected]
UAE: Ayla Al Shehhi [email protected]
USA: Valeria Robertson [email protected]
For other countries, please check the GAAPA board in the main lobby to see others that have expressed interest from the countries listed above. We have a nice number of countries represented, but know more would surely like to be included and share your cultures and wonderful cuisine.
Here is how you can get involved.
• Sign-up sheet posted on the GAAPA board in the main lobby, and include your information
• Contact IFF co-chairs Candy Abati ([email protected]) or Surya Cox ([email protected]) to let them know you would like to participate.
• Attend the next IFF planning meeting to be held on Monday, January 26 at 2:00PM in the Cafeteria
Your Next Steps:
• Talk with you friends and fellow country mates, and form a team
• Nominate a person(s) that will act as your country coordinator and let event chairs know who this person will be
• Register your country to participate by signing up on the sheet or contacting event chairs
• Work with your team to decide what you will serve and how you will decorate your booth: remembers honors for best food and best booth!
• If you want to put a team together, but don’t know others from your country that may be interested…let us know, we can help you communicate with other registered at the school from your home country.
We look forward to seeing the list of countries grow! Thank you so much for your effort in helping to support this fabulous event and making sure we give our kids a fantastic experience and exposure to our diverse and rich community.
See you on Monday afternoon for the next planning meeting.
The IFF Planning Committee
We had a great first meeting to discuss the International Food Festival, which is scheduled for February 13, 2015 from 3-7pm. To date, we have the following countries signed up to participate:
Algeria Brazil Canada Egypt Hungary India Indonesia Italy
Japan Lebanon Norway Pakistan South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka
Sweden Thailand Turkey UAE USA Venezuela
Some country coordinators are listed below, please contact them directly to help if these are your home countries:
Canada: Terri Farnum Fortino [email protected]
Hungary: Eva Follinus [email protected]
India: Shefali Sabherwal [email protected]
Italy: Marina Monari [email protected]
Japan: Naomi Balint [email protected]
Lebanon: Rola Arayssi [email protected]
South Africa: Ruanda Oberholzer [email protected]
South Korea: Seung Hee Kim [email protected]
UAE: Ayla Al Shehhi [email protected]
USA: Valeria Robertson [email protected]
For other countries, please check the GAAPA board in the main lobby to see others that have expressed interest from the countries listed above. We have a nice number of countries represented, but know more would surely like to be included and share your cultures and wonderful cuisine.
Here is how you can get involved.
• Sign-up sheet posted on the GAAPA board in the main lobby, and include your information
• Contact IFF co-chairs Candy Abati ([email protected]) or Surya Cox ([email protected]) to let them know you would like to participate.
• Attend the next IFF planning meeting to be held on Monday, January 26 at 2:00PM in the Cafeteria
Your Next Steps:
• Talk with you friends and fellow country mates, and form a team
• Nominate a person(s) that will act as your country coordinator and let event chairs know who this person will be
• Register your country to participate by signing up on the sheet or contacting event chairs
• Work with your team to decide what you will serve and how you will decorate your booth: remembers honors for best food and best booth!
• If you want to put a team together, but don’t know others from your country that may be interested…let us know, we can help you communicate with other registered at the school from your home country.
We look forward to seeing the list of countries grow! Thank you so much for your effort in helping to support this fabulous event and making sure we give our kids a fantastic experience and exposure to our diverse and rich community.
See you on Monday afternoon for the next planning meeting.
The IFF Planning Committee