News from Head of School - Kathy Miner
Keep an eye out for more information after the Spring Break about our guest speaker arriving in May, Eowyn Crisfield, who will lead a professional development session for teachers and offer workshop sessions for parents about the importance of Mother Tongue Language development.
College Acceptances
The Secondary School halls are buzzing with excitement as our senior students receive acceptance messages from colleges and universities. Our GAA students are being accepted to some prestigious schools and are feeling excitement, anticipation and relief - all at the same time. Be sure to read the article from our college counselor, Ms. Sharice Welch for information on the college process aimed at each grade level in the high school.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Be sure to read the article below for specific information about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled for April. Parents of Elementary School students will want to pay close attention to instructions for making teacher conference appointments online.
2015-2016 School Calendar
You may want to plan ahead for the coming year while on your holiday break. Please find the 2015-2016 calendar specifics.
Although we are developing our calendar for the coming year and adding all of the important dates, events and activities, our calendar has not yet been approved by ADEC.
Next year, ADEC have hinted that we’ll have a three-week winter break and a two-week spring break. Please purchase flexible flight tickets as ADEC have made mid-year changes to the calendar in the past.
See dates below:
Dr. Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
The Secondary School halls are buzzing with excitement as our senior students receive acceptance messages from colleges and universities. Our GAA students are being accepted to some prestigious schools and are feeling excitement, anticipation and relief - all at the same time. Be sure to read the article from our college counselor, Ms. Sharice Welch for information on the college process aimed at each grade level in the high school.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Be sure to read the article below for specific information about the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences scheduled for April. Parents of Elementary School students will want to pay close attention to instructions for making teacher conference appointments online.
2015-2016 School Calendar
You may want to plan ahead for the coming year while on your holiday break. Please find the 2015-2016 calendar specifics.
Although we are developing our calendar for the coming year and adding all of the important dates, events and activities, our calendar has not yet been approved by ADEC.
Next year, ADEC have hinted that we’ll have a three-week winter break and a two-week spring break. Please purchase flexible flight tickets as ADEC have made mid-year changes to the calendar in the past.
See dates below:
- August 23- Teacher start date
- August 27- New student orientation
- August 30- Start of school
- September 1 &2- Start for KG
- Back to School Night-September 14-KG/Elementary September 16- Secondary
- September 22-Mount Arafat Day
- September 23 & 24- Eid Al Adha
- Classes resume on September 27
- October 15-Islamic New Year
- December 18 – January 9-Winter break
- School resumes on January 10
- March 25-April 9- Spring Break
- School resumes on April 10
Dr. Kathy Miner
Head of School and CEO
Save The Date
Student Led Conferences
11:00am-7:00pm on Wednesday 22nd
and from
7:30am-3:30pm on Thursday 23rd April.
Secondary school teachers:
Secondary have a walk-in conference arrangement where all Secondary teachers will be in the Gym and you may approach each teacher when they are free. Students should attend with their parents.
We recommend around 10 minutes per teacher. There will be seating for parents in the Gym while you are waiting and refreshments will be provided.
*There is no need to book ahead for a conference time.
KG and ES Homeroom teachers:
All homeroom teachers in KG and Elementary will have 30 minute student led conferences.
Parents are able to book conference times by selecting from the available spaces on the conference schedule. The conference booking system will be active from April 12.
Go to the KG and ES Conferences page of The Launcher, click on a teacher name, select an available time, complete your booking details and submit the request.
A confirmation email will be sent to you and to the teacher. If necessary, you may cancel the booking by using the link included in the email.
*The KG and ES conference booking system is active from The Launcher (tiny.cc/thelauncher) on April 12.
KG and ES Specialist teachers:
Parents can find specialist teachers in the elementary school library. Please feel free to spend 10 minutes with a specialist teacher to learn more about our programmes that support Arts, PE, Arabic, Library, Music, Dance, Drama and Cooking.
*There is no need to book ahead for a conference time.
11:00am-7:00pm on Wednesday 22nd
and from
7:30am-3:30pm on Thursday 23rd April.
Secondary school teachers:
Secondary have a walk-in conference arrangement where all Secondary teachers will be in the Gym and you may approach each teacher when they are free. Students should attend with their parents.
We recommend around 10 minutes per teacher. There will be seating for parents in the Gym while you are waiting and refreshments will be provided.
*There is no need to book ahead for a conference time.
KG and ES Homeroom teachers:
All homeroom teachers in KG and Elementary will have 30 minute student led conferences.
Parents are able to book conference times by selecting from the available spaces on the conference schedule. The conference booking system will be active from April 12.
Go to the KG and ES Conferences page of The Launcher, click on a teacher name, select an available time, complete your booking details and submit the request.
A confirmation email will be sent to you and to the teacher. If necessary, you may cancel the booking by using the link included in the email.
*The KG and ES conference booking system is active from The Launcher (tiny.cc/thelauncher) on April 12.
KG and ES Specialist teachers:
Parents can find specialist teachers in the elementary school library. Please feel free to spend 10 minutes with a specialist teacher to learn more about our programmes that support Arts, PE, Arabic, Library, Music, Dance, Drama and Cooking.
*There is no need to book ahead for a conference time.
The Launcher:
Over the past few days we have had several opportunities to talk with parents about the online services and information portals that we use at GAA.
The Launcher is a central area for links and information.
It contains information about:
It contains links to:
The Launcher helps by combining the links and information in one site.
You will still need to manage your usernames and passwords and one way to do this is to keep a word document with links and login information. Here’s a start:
PlusPortals
Link: https://plusportals.com/gemsaa
Username:
Password:
GEMS Learning Gateway
Link: https://www.gemslearninggateway.com/
Username:
Password:
Haiku Login
Link: https://gaa-ad.haikulearning.com/do/account/login
Username:
Password:
Over the past few days we have had several opportunities to talk with parents about the online services and information portals that we use at GAA.
The Launcher is a central area for links and information.
It contains information about:
- School programs – an overview of Kindergarten, Elementary and Secondary departments
- School Directory – an organised directory of contacts for each school division with a live link for direct emailing teachers
- Curriculum and IBO – including the Secondary School Program of Studies and the Elementary School Units of Inquiry
- Community Handbook for Elementary and Secondary – downloadable pdf documents about the guidelines and expectations of students in our school community
- Technology BYOD Specifications including an overview of system specifications and recommendations, some support documents for learning apps and the philosophy which guides our integrated use of technology tools
- An overview of Google Apps, Haiku, PlusPortals and the Microsoft Agreement
It contains links to:
- GEMS Learning Gateway – login to update your student information, pay bills and re-enrol your child
- Haiku Login – Secondary School parents can register to view the class resources shared with your child
- PlusPortals – Secondary School parents can view the grade-in-progress for their child as well as other valuable academic information such as the course overview, graded assignments and schedule details.
- School Calendar – Google calendars are updated with events related to each division. Parents may subscribe to calendars and have the information update on their phone.
- The GAAzette – our school newsletter is linked to/from The Launcher. Keep updated by checking out current events.
- The GAA Boosterclub – show your school spirit! We will link directly to the booster club as soon as it is activated!
The Launcher helps by combining the links and information in one site.
You will still need to manage your usernames and passwords and one way to do this is to keep a word document with links and login information. Here’s a start:
PlusPortals
Link: https://plusportals.com/gemsaa
Username:
Password:
GEMS Learning Gateway
Link: https://www.gemslearninggateway.com/
Username:
Password:
Haiku Login
Link: https://gaa-ad.haikulearning.com/do/account/login
Username:
Password:
GAA Community News
What is Ramadan?
For over one billion people throughout the world, Ramadan is a very special time of the year. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and during this month, people of the Muslim faith fast from dawn to dusk every day.
When does Ramadan begin?
Muslims follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. The beginning of the Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon. Thus Ramadan begins on a different day each year and moves forward.
Are Non-Muslims required to follow Ramadan practices?
Islam is a tolerant religion and respects people of all cultures, races and religions. Non-Muslims are in no way forced to follow Islamic traditions during the month of Ramadan. Non-Muslims are asked to refrain from consuming food, drinks, chewing gum and smoking in public during the fasting hours of the day (dawn to dusk).
May non-Muslims to experience Ramadan traditions?
Ramadan is a time when friends and families come together and community ties are strengthened. There are a myriad of options available to residents and visitors. Muslims welcome guests of all religions and cultures and encourage them to learn more about Islam. For this reason, hotels have special Iftar (break of fast) gatherings and dinners at various restaurants available for guests and the general public. They feature special Ramadan tents, which open after the break of fast at sundown. Persian carpets, large pillows and cushions are placed on the floor for guests to experience true Arabian hospitality. Traditional Arabic food and drink are enjoyed as well as music and hospitality.
Can I eat and drink during the day in Ramadan and where can I get food and drink?
It is illegal for everyone to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours during the Ramadan time, even travelling in a bus or car. Supermarkets and service stations are open with food and drink available for purchase but no one is to consume in the place of purchase, in public, or in your car during the day.
Most international hotels, and restaurants within hotels, are open during the day for non-Muslims. Restaurants will have separate sections open or keep curtains or blinds closed as a sign of respect to Muslim passers-by. It is quite acceptable for small children to eat/drink in public during daylight, as their needs must be met.
What about dress code?
Non-Muslims are advised to wear conservative clothing during the month of Ramadan as a sign of respect.
Are there any changes in working/business hours?
According to the Labor laws, all companies are obliged to shorten the working day by two hours in Ramadan time in UAE. Many businesses, schools and shops change their hours slightly. The city tends to be very quiet during the day and night-time activity increases during Ramadan in Abu Dhabi.
Schools will have a shortened day. The GAA Ramadan daily schedule will be sent to all parents after the spring break.
Is everything closed during the day?
No, not everything is closed during Ramadan. Opening and closing hours do change during the month as opposed to the other days of the year for offices and shops but they are usually open as normal with a short break of approximately half an hour to an hour after breaking fast and remain open until as late as midnight. Parks and other public places open after the breaking of fast and remain open until late at night.
Ramadan will start on Thursday June 18th and will continue for 30 days until Friday July 17th.
For over one billion people throughout the world, Ramadan is a very special time of the year. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and during this month, people of the Muslim faith fast from dawn to dusk every day.
When does Ramadan begin?
Muslims follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. The beginning of the Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the new moon. Thus Ramadan begins on a different day each year and moves forward.
Are Non-Muslims required to follow Ramadan practices?
Islam is a tolerant religion and respects people of all cultures, races and religions. Non-Muslims are in no way forced to follow Islamic traditions during the month of Ramadan. Non-Muslims are asked to refrain from consuming food, drinks, chewing gum and smoking in public during the fasting hours of the day (dawn to dusk).
May non-Muslims to experience Ramadan traditions?
Ramadan is a time when friends and families come together and community ties are strengthened. There are a myriad of options available to residents and visitors. Muslims welcome guests of all religions and cultures and encourage them to learn more about Islam. For this reason, hotels have special Iftar (break of fast) gatherings and dinners at various restaurants available for guests and the general public. They feature special Ramadan tents, which open after the break of fast at sundown. Persian carpets, large pillows and cushions are placed on the floor for guests to experience true Arabian hospitality. Traditional Arabic food and drink are enjoyed as well as music and hospitality.
Can I eat and drink during the day in Ramadan and where can I get food and drink?
It is illegal for everyone to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours during the Ramadan time, even travelling in a bus or car. Supermarkets and service stations are open with food and drink available for purchase but no one is to consume in the place of purchase, in public, or in your car during the day.
Most international hotels, and restaurants within hotels, are open during the day for non-Muslims. Restaurants will have separate sections open or keep curtains or blinds closed as a sign of respect to Muslim passers-by. It is quite acceptable for small children to eat/drink in public during daylight, as their needs must be met.
What about dress code?
Non-Muslims are advised to wear conservative clothing during the month of Ramadan as a sign of respect.
Are there any changes in working/business hours?
According to the Labor laws, all companies are obliged to shorten the working day by two hours in Ramadan time in UAE. Many businesses, schools and shops change their hours slightly. The city tends to be very quiet during the day and night-time activity increases during Ramadan in Abu Dhabi.
Schools will have a shortened day. The GAA Ramadan daily schedule will be sent to all parents after the spring break.
Is everything closed during the day?
No, not everything is closed during Ramadan. Opening and closing hours do change during the month as opposed to the other days of the year for offices and shops but they are usually open as normal with a short break of approximately half an hour to an hour after breaking fast and remain open until as late as midnight. Parks and other public places open after the breaking of fast and remain open until late at night.
Ramadan will start on Thursday June 18th and will continue for 30 days until Friday July 17th.
GAA Booster Club
Basket Bonanza Winners
- KG1 (1) Arts and Crafts- ticket # 338746
- KG1 (2) Arts and Crafts- ticket # 304736
- KG1 (3) Arts and Crafts- ticket # 173679
- KG2 - Fun in the Sun- ticket # 173457
- Grade 1- Family Game Night - ticket # 173355
- Grade 2- Chocolate Lovers- ticket # 173548
- Grade 3- Movie Night- ticket # 304991
- Grade 4- Readers and Writers- ticket # 043093
- Grade 5- Pamper Me Spa- ticket # 338290
- Secondary- Adventure Sports- ticket # 305207
- Booster Club- ticket # 305362
- GAAPA Money Tree- ticket # 17359