SPOTS 

NEWSLETTER


WEEKLY UPDATES AND EVENTS FOR OUR DAA COMMUNITY

v. 33 May 24, 2018                                                    

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superintendent's perspective 

Dear Middle School Parents of 2018-2019,

For the 2018-2019 school year, DAA’s middle school education will have a new face.   Please join us on Tuesday May 29th at 8am in our auditorium for an information session for parents which will focus on the redesign of Middle School at DAA.  We hope to provide you with a view of what’s in store next year as we adapt our program, put our students at the center of our dynamic curriculum and offer them authentic learning experiences.  We are excited to share this information with you and hope that you will be able to join us.

My Best,

Tammy Murphy

Superintendent

KHDA Approved calendar 2018-2019

DAA Academic Calendar 2018-19.pdf

AWARD WINNING AC SYSTEM AT DAA

DAA built using award-winning AC system TermoDeck, resulting in superior air quality for students, staff

GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA) is the only educational institution building in the UAE constructed with the LEED and BREAAM certified innovative TermoDeck system for air-conditioning and ventilation. On May 9, 2018 the TermoDeck system, supplied by UAE-based Eco-Structures International, received the award for Green Building Material/ Product: Indoor Air Quality at the 2018 MENA Green Building Awards, organized by the Emirates Green Building Council, in recognition of the superior indoor air quality enjoyed by DAA students and teachers.

Dr. Ghassan Al Nimry, Director of Eco-Structures International explains, "Studies have shown that students perform better, and are healthier, when the air inside the school building is clean. Because of the TermoDeck system, The DAA design achieves a minimum 54% fresh air during occupied hours and in cooler months to reach almost 100% fresh air during occupied times.

The air flows in the TermoDeck areas have extremely low levels of bacteriological growth. Further, the temperatures are uniform, without drafts or sounds from AC vents in the areas where TermoDeck was installed, which comprises nearly 2/3 of the school building. But my personal favourite testimony on the system’s qualities was early on from a KG teacher at the school who told me that in the 3 months since the school opened, not a single one of her students missed a day of school due to colds or fevers or the flu.”   

We are proud to emulate a GEMS core value of “Leading Through Innovation” by providing a safer, cleaner, and greener environment for our children to grow and excel in.

RAMADAN KAREEM!

Ramadan Kareem!

Dear Families,

Ramadan is the time of giving. In Primary we have been talking about how lucky we all are that we have shelter, we have food, we can go to school, we are loved by family and friends. 

We have been thinking about a way of how we can help a big number of people with a small gesture:  

We are asking DAA families to donate scarves for construction workers, who are working so hard in the heat while many of them are abiding by the Islamic traditions of fasting. Scarves protect the workers from the sun, keep them just a little bit cooler and can keep the dust away.

Scarves can be small or large, but they should be made of a light material (cotton and not pashmina). 

From May 20 until June 8, there will be boxes in the PS foyer as well as the atrium, where you can drop off your scarf donations. Student helpers will deliver the scarves to the Red Crescent just before Eid so they can be distributed to the construction workers.

Thank you so much, and Ramadan Kareem

Ramadan Fridge

As part of our Culture of Kindness, and in the spirit of giving during Ramadan as well as the Year of Zayed, GEMS DAA will be joining the Ramadan Sharing Fridge Initiative this year. Sharing food and drinks during the Holy month is a common practice. The Ramadan fridge initiative has found a way to organize and optimize this practice. GEMS DAA will be hosting a fridge at Gate 1. No hot food is allowed. Fridges can be filled with the following: water, juice, laban, soft drinks, bananas, apples, oranges, cucumbers, biscuits, and instant noodles. If you have any questions, please contact Marta Perez at m.perez_daa@gemsedu.com, Marwa Yassin at m.yassin_daa@gemsedu.com, Maggie Moffat at m.moffat@gemsedu.com, or Donna Reeves at d.reeves_daa@gemsedu.com.

Parents, we need you!  

We are thrilled to welcome many new families who will be joining us this September. Parents, we need you! Do you enjoy meeting new people?  Would you like to volunteer your time to help our new joiners feel welcome?  Do you want to meet families from your home country and make lasting friendships?  We are compiling a database of those parents who are interested to take part in our Parent Connect program.    There is no mandatory time commitment.  If you are open to meeting new DAA families, please fill out this form or send an email directly to pre_daa@gemsedu.com.

mindfulness may

Mindfulness May is winding down, but the students  level of anxiety is going up due to exams, summer vacation and other tasks that need to be done.  Mindfulness brings a sense of awareness to stressful moments throughout the day. Check out DAA’s very own Diego practice Mindfulness :    Diego Mindfulness  

For parents who were not able to attend our Mindfulness Parent morning last week, we've included the video of the session with Dr. Saliha Afridi.

summer camps are open for registration!

Copy of Summer Camp at DAA.pdf
Copy of Summer Camp Booklet 2018.pdf

A month at a Glance

islamic department

As we celebrate the Year of Zayed, and our Culture of Kindness at DAA, our Islamic Department has coordinated a series of activities during the Holy month of Ramadan including a Ramadan Competition.  

Ramadan Competition: (open to all students)

Share knowledge and have fun with DAA’s Ramadan Competition!

Each week, five questions about Ramadan will be published in SPOTS and the daily questions will be available on the school screens and heard over morning announcements.  You can find the entry forms to submit your answers next the boxes located in each division. The daily winners will be announced in the screens and the winner of the week will receive the gift.

The Answers for the first week questions are:

Question 1: Why does Ramadan begin on a different day each day?

Question 2: What  do Muslims believe they gain from fasting? 

Question 3: Which of the following are exempted from fasting?

Question 4: How can Non-Muslims help someone who is fasting?

Question 5: What should Muslims abstain from during the fasting of Ramadan?

Congratulations to the winners for each day are:

Day 1 Week 1

PS : Jeffrey Chen 2NT

ES : Yanni Grade 4

MS : Moussa 6 MW

HS : Gina Bagnulo Grade 10

Day 2 Week 1

PS: Jamil Mansour Kg2

ES : Anya Grade 5 HM

MS Soukaina 8RM

HS: Irsa Gr11

Day 3 Week 1

PS: Mia 2JM

ES : Dleen Grade 4EL

MS: Mousa Adnan 6 DH

HS: Shahin B. Gr10

Day 4 Week 1

PS : Lingzhu KG1

ES: Aly Baraka . 4CH

MS : Kareem Abu Elela 6DT

HS: Sana Hamdan Grade 10

Day 5 Week 1

PS: Mark Salamah 2NT

ES: Malika 3MLK

MS: Mohammad 7AS

HS: Abdullah Almarzouqi G11

And the winners of the first week are: (You will receive the gifts next week) Congratulations !

Week 1 winners:

PS : Jeffrey Chen 2NT

ES: Malika 3MLK

MS : Kareem Abu Elela 6DT

HS: Sana Hamdan Grade 10

Many Thanks for the great contribution in Ramadan competition, and looking forward to next week’s competition.


Qura'n Recitation sessions: (open to Islamic students and parents)

Based on the request from parents and students our Islamic team will conduct Quran sessions during Ramadan.  Timing are as follows:

·       Morning (7:30-7:50) for parents in the conference room.

·       Morning (7:30-7:50) for ES Students in the Prayer space.

·       During Lunch for (MS/HS) students in Islamic classes.

Want to learn more about Islamic and Arabic Culture?

Any member of our school community is welcome to ask questions related to the Arabic and Islamic culture through our inquiry box located next to reception. Our Islamic team will collect the questions at the end of the week and our Islamic education students will participate in answering your questions under the direction of our Islamic teachers.

Answers will be posted via a link mentioned on the inquiry box.

Many thanks

Islamic Department / DAA

DAAPA (dubai american academy parents association)

DAAPA GENERAL ELECTIONS

The DAAPA Family includes all of the parents of DAA students! However, there is a group of parents who plan activities and events for the school community outside of the academic curriculum. These parent volunteers are elected for specific Executive Committee positions, so that planning and implementation of events such as the International Food Festival, the Teacher Appreciation lunch, the Winter Wonderland, the Pumpkin Patch, Movie Nights, Grade 5 and Grade 8 Completions plus many other grade-level events, can provide added fun for the DAA community. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents and work alongside each other to provide extra-curricular fun for DAA students, teachers, and parents. The following positions are open and ready to be filled by YOU! 

Executive Committee Positions 

If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for any of these positions, please email the nominees names, student name and position to daaparentconnect@gmail.com. Elections will be held at the General Assembly meeting on Tuesday, June 5 at 10:00 am in the First Floor Conference Room.

GEMS Rewards is an exclusive rewards program, designed for our community of students, parents and staff.  This is a way of saying "Thank You".   Through the partner network of over 800 establishments, you can avail of offers and discounts that contribute to everyday savings.  Click here for further information. 

On the app, you can also find the GEMS Ambassador program which will offer GEMS Points to parents who refer children into participating schools upon successful enrollment.  Click here to learn more!

Every summer during June, July and August, Ecole des Roches organises its esteemed “French as a Foreign Language” program for students from all around the world.  Ideally situated in historic Normandy about an hour from Paris, the program provides a total immersion in French culture, including visits in ancient Paris, Versailles and the “châteaux de la Loire”, team sports and a great array of social activities to help students achieve exceptional linguistic progress.

GEMS Education is proud to introduce the largest scholarship opportunity in the UAE. It is a new merit-based scholarship programme designed to reward students excelling in Academics, Creative & Performing Arts, Sports, Innovation & Digital Technology or Arabic Studies.  Learn more about the GEMS Scholarships programme.

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