News from Head of School - Kathy Miner
Dear Parents
GAA will be hosting the ADEC Inspection Team beginning on Monday, November 2nd through Thursday, November 5th. We are proud to share the progress that we have made as a school in the last year and the progress our students have made and their achievements. All five of the visiting inspectors are educators themselves and are here to support us in validating our accomplishments and confirming our school development plan goals.
Thank you to our parents for your ongoing support and belief in the work that we do on behalf of your children.
Key Information About GAA
There has been a lot of information shared over the last month. Here is an easy to remember summary of the major school improvement work we have all worked so hard to accomplish.
A strong school is one that is always continuously improving and developing to provide the best program and learning environment possible. Here are our Top 5 School Development Priorities:
GAA will be hosting the ADEC Inspection Team beginning on Monday, November 2nd through Thursday, November 5th. We are proud to share the progress that we have made as a school in the last year and the progress our students have made and their achievements. All five of the visiting inspectors are educators themselves and are here to support us in validating our accomplishments and confirming our school development plan goals.
Thank you to our parents for your ongoing support and belief in the work that we do on behalf of your children.
Key Information About GAA
There has been a lot of information shared over the last month. Here is an easy to remember summary of the major school improvement work we have all worked so hard to accomplish.
- GAA’s strong leadership team is leading significant improvements.
- We assess and monitor attainment and progress of each student.
- Differentiated strategies are written into the curriculum to support the varying needs of learners.
- We innovate across the curriculum.
- We have a strong Arabic program.
- Lessons about the Local Culture is embedded throughout the curriculum.
A strong school is one that is always continuously improving and developing to provide the best program and learning environment possible. Here are our Top 5 School Development Priorities:
GAA SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT PLAN PRIORITIES
2015–2016
WE INSPIRE. WE EDUCATE. WE LEAD. WE INNOVATE.
PRIORITY 1:
Improved attainment and progress through the ongoing development and implementation of a comprehensive written and aligned K -12 curriculum documented on Atlas Rubicon.
PRIORITY 2:
Continuous professional learning focused on improved student attainment through:
PRIORITY 3:
Foster a Culture of Kindness in alignment with the GAA and IBO Mission as well as the GEMS Core Values in GAA. We will provide for a safe, mindful, healthy and positive learning environment for each student through character education, modelling expected behaviors and student initiative.
PRIORITY 4:
Improved differentiated student learning through a proactive, collaborative student support team including: students, parents, classroom teachers, administration, ELL, Learning Support and Counseling.
PRIORITY 5:
Enhance instruction and learning with the safe and authentic use of technology.
Kathryn Miner
Head of School
Improved attainment and progress through the ongoing development and implementation of a comprehensive written and aligned K -12 curriculum documented on Atlas Rubicon.
PRIORITY 2:
Continuous professional learning focused on improved student attainment through:
- Student engagement and evidence of inquiry
- Differentiation informed by quality assessment
- Clear learning outcomes: classroom displays reflect learning and student’s understanding of learning outcomes, why and what comes next.
- Planning, teaching and assessing curriculum including elements of individualized education plans
PRIORITY 3:
Foster a Culture of Kindness in alignment with the GAA and IBO Mission as well as the GEMS Core Values in GAA. We will provide for a safe, mindful, healthy and positive learning environment for each student through character education, modelling expected behaviors and student initiative.
PRIORITY 4:
Improved differentiated student learning through a proactive, collaborative student support team including: students, parents, classroom teachers, administration, ELL, Learning Support and Counseling.
PRIORITY 5:
Enhance instruction and learning with the safe and authentic use of technology.
Kathryn Miner
Head of School
GAA Language and Assessment policy
All schools are required to develop and implement policies and procedures that support their educational programmes. At Gems American Academy we have collaboratively developed and implemented a Language Policy and an Assessment Policy that is consistent with IB and GAA expectations.
Please take time to go through our Language and Assessment Policies and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of us for assistance.
Mike Hopaluk – IB PYP Coordinator
Jen Parker – Curriculum Coordinator
Paddy Lyons – IB DP Coordinator
Please take time to go through our Language and Assessment Policies and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of us for assistance.
Mike Hopaluk – IB PYP Coordinator
Jen Parker – Curriculum Coordinator
Paddy Lyons – IB DP Coordinator
gaa_language_policy_updated_30.8.15.pdf | |
File Size: | 309 kb |
File Type: |
23rd_may_assessment_policy_updated_30.08.15.pdf | |
File Size: | 102 kb |
File Type: |
GAA community News
Gems American Academy this week hosted a successful bully prevention campaign. Students and staff discussed different aspects of bullying and shared ideas relating to the promotion of a culture of kindness. Schools across the world have implemented bully prevention weeks in order to help promote kindness, compassion, empathy and courage. Prevention is the key to protecting students. Bullying is defined as the act of being mean to someone on purpose. The person being affected is unable to make it stop. It is unfair and one-sided.
The KG level students learned about being a kind friend. The KG1s designed a friendship quilt and KG2 students wrote a story about being kind, using writers’ workshop. In addition, a thumb print ‘tree of kindness’ was created.
Elementary school students had an assembly on the topic and each student wrote a message link for their kindness chain. Middle schoolers also held an assembly and each child received a bracelet with a special message on it, to remind them of the topic.
All students had an opportunity to participate in the ‘pinkie pledge’ - a symbolic pledge to each other, promising to be kind. The children could paint their pinkies with blue nail polish to show that they have pledged their support for the cause.
The week ended on a festive note with KG students dressing up as their favorite superhero or princess and the remaining learners participated in a ‘sponge toss’ competition in which they were given an opportunity to throw wet sponges at their favorite teacher, while at the same time donating funds towards a worthy cause – the prevention of bullying in their school.
Thank you to our GAAPA moms for all their Hard work!!
The KG level students learned about being a kind friend. The KG1s designed a friendship quilt and KG2 students wrote a story about being kind, using writers’ workshop. In addition, a thumb print ‘tree of kindness’ was created.
Elementary school students had an assembly on the topic and each student wrote a message link for their kindness chain. Middle schoolers also held an assembly and each child received a bracelet with a special message on it, to remind them of the topic.
All students had an opportunity to participate in the ‘pinkie pledge’ - a symbolic pledge to each other, promising to be kind. The children could paint their pinkies with blue nail polish to show that they have pledged their support for the cause.
The week ended on a festive note with KG students dressing up as their favorite superhero or princess and the remaining learners participated in a ‘sponge toss’ competition in which they were given an opportunity to throw wet sponges at their favorite teacher, while at the same time donating funds towards a worthy cause – the prevention of bullying in their school.
Thank you to our GAAPA moms for all their Hard work!!
Great News! We're running a Scholastic Book Club. Leaflets are going home so that you and your child can choose from the latest exciting selection of books. Please place your order online at http://world-schools.scholastic.co.uk/gems-american-acad-abu-dhabi by November 14th, 2015.