SPOTS
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO/SUPERINTENDENT, DR. ETHAN HILDRETH
copy_E989B82A-1A10-4054-BE5B-258AF62C9701.MOVDIVISIONAL NEWS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Middle and High School Musical 2024: SHREK Jr
The Middle and High School Performing Arts Departments are proud to announce this year's MS/HS musical production is SHREK Jr.
Both middle and high school students have the opportunity to be part of the cast and crew.
If you are interested in auditioning to be part of the CAST; audition applications are now open. All information is outlined in the GOOGLE SLIDES LINK
Cast auditions close Thursday 5th September at 4pm.
For those interested in joining the crew, additional information and application forms will be available in early September.
Shrek Jr. will rehearse during season 1 sports, and therefore you can not take part in both the musical and a season 1 sports team. Final performance dates are scheduled for 13-15 November, 2024.
Email any questions to Miss Eversteyn @ m.eversteyn_daa@gemsedu.com
HSC WEEK INFORMATION SESSION
Join the Online Travel Fair! This is a fantastic opportunity for our High School families to explore the exciting travel programs we have planned for the upcoming academic year.
Event Details:
High School Families: Tuesday, 3rd September
Time: 18:00 - 20:00
Virtual link will be emailed on Monday, 2nd September
Agenda:
18:00 - 18:15 | Welcome and Introduction; Overview of Travel Programs and Timeline; Break and Preparation for Provider Presentations
18:15 - 18:30 | Trip Presentation 1
18:30 - 18:45 | Trip Presentation 2
18:45 - 19:00 | Trip Presentation 3
19:00 - 19:15 | Trip Presentation 4 (if required)
19:15 - 19:30 | Trip Presentation 5 (if required)
19:30 - 19:45 | Trip Presentation 6 (if required)
19:45 - 20:00 | General Q&A and Additional Information
To ensure you make the most of the Online Travel Fair, please take some time to review the travel program details on the HSC website. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the trip options and visit the relevant providers during the fair.
WWW INFORMATION SESSION
Join the Online Travel Fair! This is a fantastic opportunity for our High School families to explore the exciting travel programs we have planned for the upcoming academic year.
Event Details:
Middle School Families: Wednesday, 4th September
Time: 18:00 - 20:00
Virtual link will be emailed on Monday, 2nd September
Agenda:
18:00 - 18:15 | Welcome and Introduction; Overview of Travel Programs and Timeline; Break and Preparation for Provider Presentations
18:15 - 18:30 | Trip Presentation 1
18:30 - 18:45 | Trip Presentation 2
18:45 - 19:00 | Trip Presentation 3
19:00 - 19:15 | Trip Presentation 4 (if required)
19:15 - 19:30 | Trip Presentation 5 (if required)
19:30 - 19:45 | Trip Presentation 6 (if required)
19:45 - 20:00 | General Q&A and Additional Information
To ensure you make the most of the Online Travel Fair, please take some time to review the travel program details on the WWW website. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the trip options and visit the relevant providers during the fair.
SAVE THE DATE: Introduction to Assessments at DAA - Parent Coffee Morning 📝
Discover How We Support Your Child’s Success
📅 Date: September 17th
🕒 Time: 7:50-8:30am (Elementary) and 8:30 - 9:10am (Grade 6-10)
📍 Location: WISE Amphitheater
What Will We Cover?
Understand the Key Assessments We Use🧠
MAP: Measures of Academic Progress 📊
NGRT: New Group Reading Test📈
Why Should You Attend?
Empower Your Child's Learning: Learn about the tools we use to tailor education to your child's unique needs.
Stay Informed: Get a clear picture of how we track and support your child's academic and personal growth.
Be Prepared: Find out how these assessments contribute to your child's success and well-being.
We’re Here to Answer Your Questions
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and be an active partner in your child’s education.
Please complete the RSVP google form if you will be attending: https://forms.gle/jP5fWuA6NiJsEJDr8
Mark Your Calendar! There will be a follow-up session in November to help you understand and interpret your child’s assessment results.
AP and IB pathways are discussed at during back-to-school evenings and will not be touched on in this session.
IMPORTANT INFO
A MESSAGE FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICE
Please take the time to read these documents, shared by our Health Office.
Back to school _AR.pdfBack to school _EN.pdfLANYARD 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!
Our STS school bus drivers and guardians welcomed back over 1000 students this week! Our impressive STS team exit campus and are on their way in under 10 minutes 🚌😮⏰
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.
VIDEO-2024-08-29-15-14-52 2.mp4DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP LOOP
After the first week of testing our new drop-off and pick-up loop, we've made some adjustments to further help the flow of traffic surrounding our campus. Thank you to all the parents and drivers who tried our loop this week and shared valuable feedback!
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
We are delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new initiative, 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.
FF_EVENT_0209_LONG_SUBS.mp4DAA 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.pdfOTHER 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