HIGH SCHOOL

Dear Parents,

We simply could not have finished so strong without your unwavering support.  Our students engaged in an educational model that had not been done before- blended learning. Education researchers are starting to publish articles outlining how our students, your children will come out stronger than any other generation due to the barriers put in front of them and were given no other option but to overcome them.  Each, an opportunity to learn new skills and be adaptive to unknown situations. They have shown flexibility, resourcefulness, perseverance, resilience and determination.

All of the above has been apparent to us since March of 2020, we saw your children rise to the challenge and keep their academics at the forefront of priorities.  We do however very much understand that all of this came at a cost, mostly in terms of their wellbeing.

We will all take a much needed rest but our High School Administration team will come together in early August and enhance our  program which ensures all students know that they have a significant role to play in the DAA high school family. DAA is committed to starting the year with full dedication to build community within and across the grade levels in high school.  We will ensure that all students have access to multiple avenues to connect to students with activities outside of the classroom such as the Arts, Sports, Clubs and Charities.

We look forward to hearing from our governing bodies but have an extremely positive outlook that next year we will be together again.  We are planning for a full return- we miss seeing your children each and every day. 

Thank you for all your support this year, all the kind words have given us the energy to keep going.  We all have learned that the pandemic has stretched us more than we thought we could handle, but here we are on the other side, stronger for it.

We wish you a restful summer and look forward to seeing you all next year!

With gratitude,

Tammy Jochinke

High School Principal

We want students to learn about what is in store for them next academic year. Summer Learning allows students to prepare for their upcoming classes and as a result, it can help with making them feel more comfortable with the transition to Grade 9, AP, IB, or any other course or Grade they are entering.

While Summer Learning is important, students must strike a balance with their learning and holidays. Everyone deserves a break and a chance to connect with their family and friends. 

Why not help your high school student set up a personal calendar where they schedule a small amount of time each day for 5 days at a time? This can lead to students not only getting the rest they need, but can also result in increased levels of confidence from day one but starting off prepared.

Students must use their DAA.net 

SUMMER LEARNING WEBSITE

DAA HS HUB WEBSITE

IB/AP Course Introduction Sessions: Monday, June 28th and Tuesday, June 29th

Dear 2021/22 IB Year 1 and AP Students,

Next year you will begin your exciting IB journey or rigorous AP courses. We are proud that you have taken the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of your selected areas of study and challenge yourself as a learner. To help you prepare for next year’s courses, teachers have created course introduction videos and summer learning plans. The course introduction videos provide an overview of course content, assessment, and teacher expectations. The summer learning plans outline activities intended to prepare you for next year. Whether summer learning is recommended or required depends on the course and is indicated in the summer learning plan.

Please take the time to review the course introduction videos and summer learning plans for the courses that you have selected. IB and AP teachers will host Q&A sessions next Monday and Tuesday, June 28th and 29th, to answer any questions that you may have. Sessions for each course will be held on both days to accommodate students with scheduling conflicts.

The IB/AP Course Introduction document includes links to videos, summer learning plans, and timings for the Q&A sessions.

Have a wonderful summer break and we look forward to seeing you next year.

Now that the year is done, it’s time to return the books that have helped you to learn. If you are in grades 9, 10, or non-IB 11, please return your books for this 20-21 school year to the library by Tuesday, June 29. Any books not returned by this date will be considered lost and will be submitted to Accounts as fines to be paid. If you find the book, or if you bring it back next year, the fines will be removed. 

For grade 11 IB students, or any other students in a two-year course, your IB books will only be due at the end of next school year. However, if you have any books that you are no longer using or that are left over from grade 10, please bring those back by Tuesday, June 29.

For any questions, please contact Ms. Brewer directly: a.brewer_daa@gemsdaa.net