Welcome from our sUPERINTENDENT, dR. ETHAN HILDRETH

Greetings DAA Leopards!

I hope you’ve enjoyed a great week following spring break. It has been a wonderful return, with powerful learning and energizing activities such as our MESAC conference athletic competition. Our DAA Iftar was a splendid event, with hundreds of school community members enjoying brilliant entertainment, kind fellowship, and an unforgettable feast. Thanks to all who made this possible and a tremendous thanks to DAAPA. Our parent organization and support are truly amazing!

Let me echo thanks shared in the video above. Our KHDA Outstanding rating is due to the remarkable work of our students, teachers and staff, parents, and whole school community. This is a tremendous achievement! It has been three years since the last inspection at DAA, and our school more than rose to the occasion. Out of six possible levels of assessment, Outstanding is the highest rating.     

I am beyond proud of you, our DAA Leopards, as we increased in ten categories and decreased in none for our exemplary achievement, accomplished together. Well done, Outstanding DAA!

Let me share a few helpful reminders:

• Ramadan continues into next week, with the concluding Eid Al Fitr holiday. Eid Al Fitr holidays are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, April 20 and 21. 

• We do not yet have confirmation about Monday April 24. We will anticipate a school day as planned, and we will remain responsive to official announcement.

• As noted below, we will have a routine lockdown drill on Monday April 17. This is part of our planned safety practices as we strive to ensure the safest, most secure environment for our students and school community.

• Also as shared in the video above, please note that we have a few remaining families who must complete re-enrollment, with the deadline set Monday, April 17. As previously shared, any unclaimed seats will be open to our robust waiting lists after Monday.

With the passing of spring break and Eid Al Fitr, the school year draws closer to summer, encouraging all to press on as we sprint towards an exemplary finish to our outstanding school year. THANK YOU for all you do. Our DAA community is amazing, with powerful focus on student achievement, wellbeing for all, and our culture of kindness. As a member of DAA, YOU make a great difference in our accomplishments and success.

Enjoy a great weekend and a wonderful holiday next week.

Best regards and Ramadan Kareem!

Ethan

Lockdown Drill

DAA regularly practices safety drills so that all staff and students will know what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency. For example, we are very skilled, fast and safe at evacuating the school and accounting for everyone during our regular fire drills. 

One of the procedures that DAA practices is a “lockdown drill.” This is standard across all GEMS schools. A lockdown drill is slightly different from a fire drill in that the children and staff are kept inside the school and classrooms when circumstances make it safer to stay in the classroom rather than evacuate. Such events that might cause a lockdown could be the reports of an unknown, unidentified person on school property. 

Just as we prepare our children to properly respond to a fire drill, they also need to be aware of the proper response during a lockdown drill. These drills should be treated with the same level of importance as fire drills.

During a lockdown drill, classroom doors are secured and the children and staff remain inside the room until instructed by the teacher to resume their activities. All exterior doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or leave the building. 

It has been recommended that we hold these drills once or twice per school year. You and the children will ALWAYS be notified in advance of a lockdown drill to avoid any cause for concern. It is critical for children to cooperate and take this drill seriously, as if it were an actual emergency. 

The ‘lockdown drill’ will take place on April 17, 2023 at 8:15am. 

Please take the time to speak with your son/daughter about this procedure and reinforce its importance. Please encourage your child to stay calm and follow the procedures during any lockdown event, much like during a practice fire drill. We practice these drills to ensure our school remains a safe place for teaching and learning.

 **Please note that the school will be closed for a short time during this drill, including the main office, so that staff, children and any visitors can practice these safety procedures. Phones will not be answered during this time; this will take no more than 30 minutes of the school’s time. Thank you for your attention to this matter

Support Staff Room

DAA students have invested significant time and energy in transforming this space by painting an accent wall and a mural, and adding decorative elements to create a cheerful and bright atmosphere. We would like to express our appreciation to the MSO and her team for their efforts in repainting the rooms, installing new lighting fixtures, showcasing pictures, and rearranging lockers. Our exceptional support staff are thrilled with the newly revamped space.

DAA High School Softball Team during MESAC at DLL

      Aladdin Isreiwi - Grade 8

Aladdin Isreiwi in grade 8 who has been juggling so much this year between his academics and school performance while playing full time with al nasr football club and once a week with the UAE FA 2009 dubai clubs union in addition to supporting his Barca academy team and school team when possible has been selected to represent the uae in their 2009 uae football national team. After trialing with the UAE 2009 national team since October his hard work has paid off and the final UAE 2009 national team has been formed. Out of 140 athletes from all over the uae clubs mainly UAE locals and 20 expats Aladdin with 2 other expats have made the final 23 uae national team list and we are very proud of his achievement dedication and hard work.