News from our Secondary Principal, Craig Randall
Dear Parents,
It is hard to believe we have completed two weeks of school already. I guess time really does fly when you are having fun. As we head into our third week we are excited to be having our Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 16th from 5:00-7:40 p.m. The evening will begin with a brief meeting in the auditorium at 5:00 to be followed by the opportunity to visit your child’s advisory and course teachers from 5:30-7:40 p.m. Light snacks will be available both before and after the auditorium presentation in the foyer. Counselors, our curriculum and IB coordinators and administrators will be available in their rooms from 5:30-7:40 p.m.
Please see the schedule of events below. This schedule, except for beginning with the advisory block, follows your child’s Thursday schedule. Next week you will receive an email with your child’s individual schedule and a copy of the schedule below to help guide you from class to class. Additionally, Key Club student ambassadors will be available in the hallways to guide you towards your child’s next class.
It is hard to believe we have completed two weeks of school already. I guess time really does fly when you are having fun. As we head into our third week we are excited to be having our Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 16th from 5:00-7:40 p.m. The evening will begin with a brief meeting in the auditorium at 5:00 to be followed by the opportunity to visit your child’s advisory and course teachers from 5:30-7:40 p.m. Light snacks will be available both before and after the auditorium presentation in the foyer. Counselors, our curriculum and IB coordinators and administrators will be available in their rooms from 5:30-7:40 p.m.
Please see the schedule of events below. This schedule, except for beginning with the advisory block, follows your child’s Thursday schedule. Next week you will receive an email with your child’s individual schedule and a copy of the schedule below to help guide you from class to class. Additionally, Key Club student ambassadors will be available in the hallways to guide you towards your child’s next class.
Ms. Stafford, Ms. Harkins, Mr. O’Hagan (learning support teachers) will be in the learning support wing (room 221).
Mr. Kirby, Ms. Collinson, Mr. Lovett, Mr. Schreuder (PE teachers) will be available in the planetarium.
Mr. Holland and Mr. Robertson (music teachers) will be available in room 282.
Ms. Whitney Meininger (choir teacher) will be available in room 284.
Mr. Hull and Mr. Eddens (art teachers) will be available in the IB Lounge (2nd floor beside room 208).
Ms Sharice Welch, Career and Guidance Counselor, will be available in room 209.
Ms. Katie Leishear, Guidance Counselor, will be available in room 243.
Mr. Craig Randall, Secondary Principal, will be available in room 232.
Mr Derek Lea, the Secondary Vice Principal (Grades 7, 9 and 11), will be available in room 242.
Mr Peter Thorpe, the Secondary Vice Principal (Grades 6, 8, 10 and 12), will be available in room 210.
Have a great weekend,
Craig Randall
Mr. Kirby, Ms. Collinson, Mr. Lovett, Mr. Schreuder (PE teachers) will be available in the planetarium.
Mr. Holland and Mr. Robertson (music teachers) will be available in room 282.
Ms. Whitney Meininger (choir teacher) will be available in room 284.
Mr. Hull and Mr. Eddens (art teachers) will be available in the IB Lounge (2nd floor beside room 208).
Ms Sharice Welch, Career and Guidance Counselor, will be available in room 209.
Ms. Katie Leishear, Guidance Counselor, will be available in room 243.
Mr. Craig Randall, Secondary Principal, will be available in room 232.
Mr Derek Lea, the Secondary Vice Principal (Grades 7, 9 and 11), will be available in room 242.
Mr Peter Thorpe, the Secondary Vice Principal (Grades 6, 8, 10 and 12), will be available in room 210.
Have a great weekend,
Craig Randall
Researching and applying to college(s) can be overwhelming and confusing to the uninitiated. Our goal in College Counseling at GAA is to educate students regarding the process and to support students and families in their efforts.
We will communicate with students in a number of ways:
The GAAzette weekly newsletter will highlight important college-related information, deadlines, and tips for students and parents. It is our goal that this will be a resource for all students and families even before they “officially” begin the process.
COLLEGES VISITING CAMPUS
Next week is the start of our annual college and university visit season. High school visits from college and university admission representatives are common practice at many schools around the globe. Students attending these visits will benefit from the opportunity to:
Campus College visits are open to students in grades 11 and 12. It is appropriate to leave class to meet with a few representatives. However, students are encouraged to choose carefully which representatives to meet, making sure their absence from class does not negatively affect classroom performance.
Interested students should sign up with Ms. Welch.
SEPTEMBER
GRADE LEVEL INFO
SENIOR Info (grade 12): REMINDERS for students:
1) Make an appointment with Ms. Welch for a fall update! The best way to schedule a meeting is to stop by the office.
2) Check your GAA Google e-mail and your Naviance account regularly for important information from College Counseling.
3) Don't miss important ACT/SAT Registration deadlines!
4) Sign up for College & University Visits
JUNIOR Info (grade 11): Sign-Up for College and University Visits
SOPHOMORE Info (grade 10): Get back into “study mode.” Improve reading, writing, and math skills. Develop work habits.
FRESHMAN Info (grade 9): Welcome to high school! Set a regular time for studying each day. Work on developing reading, writing, and math skills. Get involved in at least one extracurricular activity.
PARENT TIPS
We will communicate with students in a number of ways:
- Personal one on one meetings
- Grade level group meetings during advisory
- Naviance college counseling software
- Bulletin boards
- Emails
- The GAAzette
The GAAzette weekly newsletter will highlight important college-related information, deadlines, and tips for students and parents. It is our goal that this will be a resource for all students and families even before they “officially” begin the process.
COLLEGES VISITING CAMPUS
Next week is the start of our annual college and university visit season. High school visits from college and university admission representatives are common practice at many schools around the globe. Students attending these visits will benefit from the opportunity to:
- Meet face-to-face with a rep and ask specific questions, instead of by email, chat, or websites.
- In most cases, the reps are admission officers from the college, so students have a unique opportunity to make contact with a person who may be evaluating their application in the future.
- Have a specific contact at the college to whom they can send questions.
- Let the college or university know they are seriously interested.
- Learn about a new college or university not previously considered.
Campus College visits are open to students in grades 11 and 12. It is appropriate to leave class to meet with a few representatives. However, students are encouraged to choose carefully which representatives to meet, making sure their absence from class does not negatively affect classroom performance.
Interested students should sign up with Ms. Welch.
SEPTEMBER
- Sept. 15 @ 9am-9:45am – Chapman University & Baylor University, USA
- Sept. 15 @ 10:45am – 11:30am- Yale NUS College Singapore
- Sept. 16 @ 10:40am-11:15am – Hult University, Dubai, UK, USA.
- Sept. 21 @ 9am-9:45am- Swisslinx Hospitality & Hotel Management, Switzerland
GRADE LEVEL INFO
SENIOR Info (grade 12): REMINDERS for students:
1) Make an appointment with Ms. Welch for a fall update! The best way to schedule a meeting is to stop by the office.
2) Check your GAA Google e-mail and your Naviance account regularly for important information from College Counseling.
3) Don't miss important ACT/SAT Registration deadlines!
4) Sign up for College & University Visits
JUNIOR Info (grade 11): Sign-Up for College and University Visits
SOPHOMORE Info (grade 10): Get back into “study mode.” Improve reading, writing, and math skills. Develop work habits.
FRESHMAN Info (grade 9): Welcome to high school! Set a regular time for studying each day. Work on developing reading, writing, and math skills. Get involved in at least one extracurricular activity.
PARENT TIPS
- Encourage your students to explore extra-curricular activities, such as After School Activities, Athletics, Student Council.
- Talk to your students about academic strengths and areas for improvement. Consider tutoring or other methods of enrichment to strengthen areas of improvement.
- Talk to your student about progress in school. Know when report cards come out for progress reports and semester grades.
Message from the 6-12 Curriculum Coordinator, Jennifer Parker
Welcome to the start of a great year of learning! And what a great start indeed. Already, students are engaged in creating, questioning, exploring, reading, applying, analyzing, and more.
In Science, Biology students are collaboratively building 3D models of cells, while gr.6 are planning, writing and producing iMovies on laboratory safety using the knowledge they have gained through their science lessons.
Some gr.7 students have me reconsidering which milk I should use in my coffee thanks to the healthy living they have been researching in PE classes.
Middle school Social Studies students have the opportunity to set their own goals for the year as they review the assessment criteria. Their understanding of this criteria is being reflected in exemplar samples they are developing in teams. This exercise helps them focus on four strands - “knowing & understanding”, “researching & investigating”, “thinking critically”, and “communicating” - which are essential lifelong skills.
The English department is in full swing with inquiry and analyzing. Reading is no longer a quiet activity one does on their own in isolation thanks to fun strategies like Rotating Through A Text. Responsibilities are shared in this activity where each student has a role (reading, questioning & summarizing, answering, adding); the roles switch as they continue through their research.
In Science, Biology students are collaboratively building 3D models of cells, while gr.6 are planning, writing and producing iMovies on laboratory safety using the knowledge they have gained through their science lessons.
Some gr.7 students have me reconsidering which milk I should use in my coffee thanks to the healthy living they have been researching in PE classes.
Middle school Social Studies students have the opportunity to set their own goals for the year as they review the assessment criteria. Their understanding of this criteria is being reflected in exemplar samples they are developing in teams. This exercise helps them focus on four strands - “knowing & understanding”, “researching & investigating”, “thinking critically”, and “communicating” - which are essential lifelong skills.
The English department is in full swing with inquiry and analyzing. Reading is no longer a quiet activity one does on their own in isolation thanks to fun strategies like Rotating Through A Text. Responsibilities are shared in this activity where each student has a role (reading, questioning & summarizing, answering, adding); the roles switch as they continue through their research.
We had our first guest speaker visit a math class to address Mathematics in Meteorology. Tom Postans,whose job entails weather forecasts for off-shore drilling, discussed the importance of his work with oil drilling safety, the use of charts and graphs in meteorology, implications of estimating, the role of geometry with weather reporting & predictions, and computer-assisted mathematical modeling.
Please join us to hear more about the great things happening in Secondary School in our Monday morning parent information sessions* (11:30 in the auditorium), and to meet your child’s teachers at the Open House on Wed. Sep. 16 in the evening.
Parent information Sessions
I look forward to the wonderful year of learning ahead.
Jennifer Parker
Curriculum Coordinator (6-12)
Please join us to hear more about the great things happening in Secondary School in our Monday morning parent information sessions* (11:30 in the auditorium), and to meet your child’s teachers at the Open House on Wed. Sep. 16 in the evening.
Parent information Sessions
- Mon. Sep. 14 - Secondary School and Curriculum
- Mon. Sep. 28 - Secondary Mathematics Department
- Mon. Oct 5 - Secondary Science Department
- Mon. Oct 12 - IBDP: International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
I look forward to the wonderful year of learning ahead.
Jennifer Parker
Curriculum Coordinator (6-12)
News from the CAS corner….
Last Thursday 3rd of September saw the IB 1 (Grade 11) students take part in their CAS orientation.
The day began with a presentation on what Creativity, Activity & Service actually means and the experiences that would be available to them within the GAA school community to fulfil this core element of the diploma programme.
They were introduced to Managebac the system used to document their CAS experiences and had expert advice and tips given to them by two very studious students from IB 2 (Grade 12) Pablo Gonzalez and Camila Giulana Di sisto Aguirre who shared with them their CAS journey so far.
Students were then put in to groups and started work on their first challenge of the day ‘A theme for the GIN conference’ which would cover the criteria for their ‘Big CAS Project’.
Students explored current global issues that they would like to act on locally and incorporated all of the IB Learner Profile Traits as well as 21st Century Skills that they as IB students should possess in to their presentations.
They presented their group presentations to a panel of Judges from the Secondary Vice Principals through to the Elementary Vice Principal and PYP coordinator whom all concluded with positive feedback and a way forward for a theme that would educate our whole school community, bring an awareness on current global issues as well as build on school spirit….stay tuned on further information regarding the ‘Big CAS project’.
Before the last challenge was to begin students were given the opportunity to take part in a group session on how to deal with stress from our guest speaker Elissa Ballard who teaches ‘Awakened Practices for Every-Day-Living’. Students found this useful and appreciated the suggestions put forward by Elissa.
Students wrapped up the day with their last challenge to build a boat from cardboard for one of their team members to travel across the swimming pool and back without breaking.
Only one boat made it across and in one piece…well done Jad’s team!
Students thoroughly enjoyed the day collaborating, problem solving, sharing their creativity and critical thinking skills and building on their 21st Century Skills which will be constant throughout their CAS journey at GAA.
A big thank you to everyone that came by to see what students were working on as well as our judges that took time out to listen to the presentations and the IB 2 students that took part in the CAS orientation and GIN Presentation.
Below are some pictures that reflect the day’s events:
Last Thursday 3rd of September saw the IB 1 (Grade 11) students take part in their CAS orientation.
The day began with a presentation on what Creativity, Activity & Service actually means and the experiences that would be available to them within the GAA school community to fulfil this core element of the diploma programme.
They were introduced to Managebac the system used to document their CAS experiences and had expert advice and tips given to them by two very studious students from IB 2 (Grade 12) Pablo Gonzalez and Camila Giulana Di sisto Aguirre who shared with them their CAS journey so far.
Students were then put in to groups and started work on their first challenge of the day ‘A theme for the GIN conference’ which would cover the criteria for their ‘Big CAS Project’.
Students explored current global issues that they would like to act on locally and incorporated all of the IB Learner Profile Traits as well as 21st Century Skills that they as IB students should possess in to their presentations.
They presented their group presentations to a panel of Judges from the Secondary Vice Principals through to the Elementary Vice Principal and PYP coordinator whom all concluded with positive feedback and a way forward for a theme that would educate our whole school community, bring an awareness on current global issues as well as build on school spirit….stay tuned on further information regarding the ‘Big CAS project’.
Before the last challenge was to begin students were given the opportunity to take part in a group session on how to deal with stress from our guest speaker Elissa Ballard who teaches ‘Awakened Practices for Every-Day-Living’. Students found this useful and appreciated the suggestions put forward by Elissa.
Students wrapped up the day with their last challenge to build a boat from cardboard for one of their team members to travel across the swimming pool and back without breaking.
Only one boat made it across and in one piece…well done Jad’s team!
Students thoroughly enjoyed the day collaborating, problem solving, sharing their creativity and critical thinking skills and building on their 21st Century Skills which will be constant throughout their CAS journey at GAA.
A big thank you to everyone that came by to see what students were working on as well as our judges that took time out to listen to the presentations and the IB 2 students that took part in the CAS orientation and GIN Presentation.
Below are some pictures that reflect the day’s events:
Here is our Community and Secondary School Calendar - Scroll through the months to see what's planned for this year at GAA
Please make sure you check this calendar regularly for updates and new events