SPOTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DR. ETHAN HILDRETH
DIVISIONAL NEWS
SAVE THE DAA PARENT CALENDAR
LAST TWO WEEKS
🇦🇪 UAE FLAG DAY 🇦🇪
Today, our school proudly celebrated UAE Flag Day! Students, teachers, and staff came together to honor the spirit of unity and pride that our national flag represents. We raised the flag high to highlight our love and respect for this beautiful country.
Let’s continue to celebrate the unity and diversity that make our school and our country so special. Happy UAE Flag Day!
DIWALI
This week at DAA, we celebrated Diwali with a special gathering filled with lights, joy, and the spirit of togetherness! Students, teachers, and families came together to honor this beautiful festival, learning about its cultural significance and traditions.
A huge thank you to our families who joined us for this celebration, adding to the warmth of our school community.
We are also grateful to our wonderful staff for organizing such an enriching experience and to the families who provided traditional treats for everyone to enjoy!
HALLOWEEN 🎃
This Halloween, our school came alive with creativity and excitement! From spooky decorations to imaginative costumes, our students and staff embraced the festive spirit, turning the school into a fun and frightful celebration zone. The day was filled with laughter, games, and treats, creating memories to last.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SHREK Jr - Tickets go on sale Monday!
Tickets for this year’s MS/HS musical production of Shrek Jr. at GEMS Dubai American Academy go on sale Monday, November 4! Join us for a hilarious, heartwarming adventure with a cast of 30 talented students and a crew of 68 helping bring the swamp to life.
Don't miss your chance to see everyone’s favorite green ogre and his fairytale friends in this “ogre-whelming” production! Tickets are only 20 AED each (cash only). There are four fantastic performances featuring two different casts over three magical days:
Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, November 13, 3:00 pm
Wednesday, November 13, 7:00 pm
Thursday, November 14, 3:30 pm
Pre-purchase tickets during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up in the atriums of the main and middle school buildings. Tickets will also be available at the door before each show on the level one apron outside the auditorium. We recommend securing your tickets early to save time, as doors open 15 minutes before each performance.
ESM's ESPORTS: Online Program
IMPORTANT INFO
MESSAGE FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICE
From the Dubai Health Authority, please take the time to read the “Parents' Guide to vaccinate their children“.
2024/25 Academic Calendar
We are excited to share the academic calendar for the upcoming school year! 📅
This calendar will help you plan ahead and stay informed about key dates, holidays, and important events.
LANYARD POLICY
Everyone is required to present and wear their ID and lanyard on campus.
Dark blue Student Lanyards are to be worn at all times on campus (GR 3 - 12).
Please ensure you have your family and student lanyards.
Lost ID Cards: If you have lost your ID card you must purchase a replacement via the GEMS Connect App or Accounts office.
Go to the GEMS Connect App
Select Activities
Select School Activities
You will see the option to pay for the Lost/Damaged ID Card *Please screenshot proof of purchase/receipt confirmation
Once the purchase is complete, visit the main reception to confirm which ID card you need printed.
STS BUS Transport
It's not too late to sign up for the STS School Bus Program 24/25!
Traffic surrounding the school in Al Barsha 1 during drop-off and pick up times can be intense and time-consuming. Utilizing the school bus can significantly reduce the congestion in the area and make your child's daily commute safe and convenient.
The School Bus Program is suitable for all ages, with classroom drop off and collection included for lower elementary.
REGISTER FOR THE BUS:
To submit a Request for Bus Service for your child, please click on the link below:
Request for Bus Service AY 2024 - 2025
Please log in to GEMS Connect and click on the Bus Transport icon, then select Transport Info and click the Register button to submit your request for bus transportation.
Alternatively, you can contact our STS Representative sde-daa@sts-group.com / 04 704 9755 to express your interest in registering your child for the school bus.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP LOOP
Morning drop off time:
During morning drop-off, to access our drop-off loop please continue to use Gate 2 entry and take the entry road nearest to Al Zahra hospital to access.
Afternoon Pick-Up time:
Gate 5 entry is now open at pick-up time. We have adjusted our traffic flow, now allowing entry to our loop via Gate 5 at pick-up time (only). This change has come to provide more convenient access to the loop for our community, with entry through both Gate 2 and Gate 5 at pick-up.
Gate 2 entry and waiting bays. We understand that pick-up time can be particularly busy due to the requirement to park. We strongly discourage our community to be double parking outside our gates, blocking the main road and entry to Gate 2. Gate 2 will remain as an entry point for our drop-off and pick-up loop. In addition, at dismissal time we will allow for single bay waiting zones that drivers can use to wait in their cars for student pick up. Those using our waiting zones should not leave their car.
Advised Route For Elementary. We encourage Elementary parents that require RTA parking take the entry road nearest to Al Zahra hospital.
Advised Route For Middle and High. We encourage Middle and High School parents to use the loop at pick-up times and we encourage you to use the entry road nearest to ASD at this time to access Gate 5.
The health and safety of our learning community is always our number one priority. Many of our students and families use the unpaved sand areas across the street to walk to their pick-up location or residence. These areas are not designated parking spaces or roadways, and therefore should remain clear. Driving through these areas creates a hazard for our community members and is subject to RTA regulations.
We encourage all of our community members to report any dangerous activity they see through the Dubai Police App. This reporting will help keep our entire learning community safe.
slices
From Grab&Go sandwiches and salads to hot meals and live stations, Slices offers healthy and tasty meals to our students.
We are operating a completely cashless system in our multiple dining spaces for Grades 3 to 12. For lower elementary classroom delivery is available, pre-ordered by parents.
For instructions on how to top-up the Student Card and sample menus, see HERE.
GEMS Family first
For the past 65 years, GEMS Education has put ‘Family First’ at the heart of its teaching and will now incorporate this core principle into its holistic classroom learning for students across the network in a ground-breaking new program.
Family First will play a pivotal role in students’ wellbeing and success as they reap the benefits of deeper connections and an engaged and supportive community.
DAA Listens
At DAA we are committed to communicating effectively with our families. We believe that open communication between home and school is a vital component of our student’s success.
We are excited to continue our communication channel within our school community, DAA Listens. By scanning this QR code you will be able to share your compliments, comments or concerns directly with our Superintendent Dr Hildreth. There are 6 mailboxes located around the school, where students and parents can drop a postcard. Either method will ensure that Dr. Hildreth will receive the communication and that a member of staff will be back in touch with you quickly.
Your voice is highly valued and we look forward to listening to your feedback as we collectively seek to enhance every student’s experience at our school.
Parents & Students Cybersecurity Guide
OTHER INFORMATION
KEY CONTACTS
ADMINISTRATIONADMISSIONS - Registrar_daa@gemsedu.com 04 704 9707
DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONSGabrielle Keane g.keane_daa@gemsedu.com / 04 704 9706
FINANCEfinance_daa@gemsedu.com 04 704 9740 / 04 704 9744
HEALTHhealthoffice_daa@Gemsedu.com / 04 704 9761
GOVERNMENT RELATIONSSoheir Mohamed S.MOHAMED_DAA@gemsedu.com
SLICES CATERINGdaa@slices.ae / 054 792 7509https://pay.slices.ae/support/ticket/submit
STS BUS SERVICEsde-daa@sts-group.com / 04 704 9755
ITdaait@gemsedu.com047049793