A Thank You to the DAA Community, 

From incoming 2025-26 Superintendent Helen Pereira-Raso

Dear DAA Community, 

I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm and gracious welcome I have received over the past ten days. I am truly appreciative of the time spent connecting with parents, staff, and most importantly, our students. My heart is full of joy and excitement for the future we will create together.

To our DAA families, your kindness in the mornings, your warm greetings, and the sense of community I experienced at the beautiful Iftar coordinated by DAAPA was truly heartwarming. I am also grateful for the many conversations shared as we crossed paths at the school entrance in the morning or in the halls. Exemplary learning communities thrive on strong partnerships between school and home, and I look forward to working alongside all of you in the coming years. A special thank you to Mr. Amr Albialy, LAB Board Chair, Safa Nached, our DAAPA lead, and the families who attended the Parent Town Hall both in person and virtually for your insights and support.

To Dr. Ethan Hildreth, Mr. Mike Gilmour, Deputy Superintendent, and the entire staff and leadership team, thank you for the warm welcome and for sharing your incredible work with me. A sincere thank you to all the staff who welcomed me into their classrooms and offices. I deeply appreciate learning about the projects you are leading, your aspirations, and the challenges you navigate as you shape the future of DAA. 

DAA Students, thank you for greeting me with warmth each morning, introducing yourselves, and sharing your learning with me. To our elementary students, your hugs, curiosity, and enthusiasm brought such joy. Middle school students, I was inspired by the energy as I walked by your classrooms. And to the many high school students who shared their projects, eco team initiatives, showcased their IB Art exhibit, and through conversations their post-secondary aspirations, your creativity, confidence, and dedication to your studies and the community are truly remarkable. Lastly, thank you to the Zayed Crew for sharing your culture and history with me as well as all the special events you are leading in the community.

I am deeply honored to join the DAA community and contribute to the outstanding legacy of academic excellence that has been nurtured here for over 25 years.

Wishing you all a successful end to the school year.


My sincerest best wishes,

Helen Pereira-Raso

DIVISIONAL NEWS

SAVE THE DAA PARENT CALENDAR

LAST TWO WEEKS

RAMADAN KAREEM

🌙✨This Ramadan, our incredible DAA community came together to show appreciation for our hardworking support staff with care packages.

Thank you you to everyone who contributed - your generosity and kindness truly embodies the spirit of giving and our culture of kindness at DAA🙏

Wishing our DAA community a blessed and fulfilling Ramadan!

RAMADAN ASSEMBLY

Our incredible Elementary team held a Ramadan Assembly for our DAA Families and school. 

Well done to our Students and Islamic Team - An incredible performance! 

THE HIVE @ DAA

Growing a greener future!🐌🌿

Our Eco Committee, The Hive, led elementary students in creating seed snails and sparking conversations about sustainability ♻️💚


WISEtalks: Understanding Dyslexia

Thank you to everyone who joined our insightful session on dyslexia! From expert guidance to heartfelt student and parent experiences, this event highlighted the power of understanding and support 🤝

We are proud to empower our students and foster an inclusive learning environment. With the partnership of parents, we make a difference!


UPCOMING EVENTS

SPRING BREAK

DAA Leopards, we wish you a wonderful spring and Eid break.

We will welcome you back to campus with normal school hours on April 7th. 

re-enrolment

DAA Leopards, we are delighted to confirm that re-enrollment is open for our families for the 25/26 Academic Year! 

We ask that you confirm your re-enrollment intent to secure your child's place and course selection for Middle and High school.

Re-enrollment intent is due March 15th, for the next academic year 2025-2026. The re-enrollment fee is due prior to April 7th, you may use GEMSconnect on your mobile or parent portal to confirm your intention and the deposit.

GEMSconnect APP: Communications > Service Request > Re-enrollment.

Parentportal: Service Request > Re-enrollment.

Get in touch with Admissions Director, Gabrielle Keane if you require further details or assistance (g.keane_daa@gemsedu.com).

We look forward to continuing to be partners in your child's education! 

esm spRING CAMPS

⭐️EXCITING CAMPS LED BY ESM!⭐️

➡️Swipe through to take a look at the camps on offer this Spring Break!

ESM’s qualified and professional third-party providers are back on campus for Spring Break!

From multi-activity and STEM, baking to arts, there’s something for everyone! 🏃🤖🍰🎨

Register Today - Enjoy exclusive discounts when you sign up now✅

SIBLING PRIORITY REGISTRATION 

Sibling registration still open for the 2025-2026 academic year. We prioritize siblings of current DAA students and encourage you to apply ASAP!

To ensure your child's eligibility, please note the age requirements for each grade level, based on KHDA guidelines:

·       KG1: Born between September 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021 (4 years old)

·       KG2: Born between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020 (5 years old)

·       Grade 1: Born between September 1, 2018, and August 31, 2019 (6 years old)

To register your child(ren), please: Apply Here

·       Complete the online application form.

·       Upload all required documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

·       K1-K2 assessment are scheduled by appointment, Monday and Wednesdays.

·       Grade 1- Grade 12 assessments are scheduled by appointment, Monday - Thursday at 9am or 11am. Ramadan hours will vary.

The deadline to register as priorities is March 31, 2025.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Admissions team.

islamic festival competition

We are thrilled to announce the Islamic Festival Competitions, organized by the K-12 Islamic Department at DAA in collaboration with other departments. This festival aims to showcase our students' talents and skills while fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Islamic culture and values.


We encourage all students to participate in at least one competition and take this opportunity to explore their interests and showcase their talents. The competitions will take place between April 28th and May 8th.


To register for the competition, please review the attached PDF for detailed information, including rules and regulations, and complete the registration form by April 22, 2025.


We look forward to seeing the amazing talents and creativity of our students at this festival. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Islamic Department.

_Islamic Festival (2025) .pdf

IMPORTANT INFO

2025-26 aCADEMIC cALENDAR 

Dear DAA Community, we are pleased to share the 2025-26 Academic Calendar, revised March 2025. 

DAA School Calendar 2025_2026.pdf

a new chapter

After three years of exceptional leadership and achievement as Superintendent, Dr Ethan Hildreth is embarking on a new career phase. We thank him for his dedication and impact on our community.

We are delighted to announce that from August, the highly renowned North American educator, Ms Helen Pereira-Raso, will take over as Superintendent. With her wealth of experience and passion for excellence, she is set to lead DAA into an exciting new chapter.

Join us in celebrating Dr Hildreth’s contributions and welcoming Ms Pereira-Raso to the DAA family!

SECURITY AWARENESS FOR DAA COmmunity

🌐 In today's digital world, online safety is more critical than ever. At GEMS Education, we believe in empowering our parents with the knowledge to protect themselves and their families from online threats. From recognizing phishing attempts to practicing safe browsing habits, here are essential tips for staying secure in the digital landscape. Let's work together to create safer online experiences for our community.

#OnlineSafety #CyberSecurity #GEMSEducation #ParentTips


GEMS_Security_Awareness-Parents.mp4

GEMS FAB CREDIT CARD


Contact our representative Mr. Raju Selvaraj

Mobile: +971523196669 Email: raju.selvaraj@bankfab.com

gems hOME lEARNING POLICY

Please take the time to read the “GEMS Home Learning Policy“. 

GEMS Home Learning Policy 2024.pptx

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.

STS BUS Transport

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.

2024/25 Academic Calendar

We are excited to share the academic calendar for the school year! 📅 


_DAA School Calendar 2024_2025.pdf

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.

DAA Safeguarding team

Safeguarding at DAA means that everyone is responsible for helping students keep safe. 

See our poster around campus and digitally to know who to talk to if you need help or to share concerns with a member of DAA safeguarding team.

You can find the GEMS Safeguarding policy here.

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

Parents & Students Cybersecurity Guide.pdf

OTHER INFORMATION

KEY CONTACTS

Dubai American Academy Main Landline: 04 704 9777 Main Email: communication_daa@gemsedu.com
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