MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dear DAA Middle School Families,

It was an amazing Week Without Walls experience last week!  Whether students were in the desert, across town, or on campus, they had a wonderful time- and we’ve got video to prove it!  

As we fall back into our routines of classroom learning and activities, we are reminded of the importance of student voice!  Student voice can look differently in various parts of the school.  Sometimes it is when teachers begin a class by checking in to see how the weekend was.  It can also look like taking part in collaborative activities and sharing ideas on a project.  Asking students their feedback is another way that student voice is used to see how effective a lesson or activity was.  No matter what, the importance of giving students the opportunity to showcase who they are and what talents at school cannot be understated!

Finally, I am so proud of the work that our MS and HS students put into the Legally Blonde musical!  I was lucky enough to see both casts/crew in action and it did not disappoint!  We are so fortunate to have co-curricular activities such as these to round out our academic education.  I highly encourage your child to get involved at DAA, whether it is in the arts, sports, hobbies, or academic games, co-curriculars help students foster teamwork, problem solving, and interest in new things!

Upcoming Dates

• March 14 -  March 16 - NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences (MS & HS)

• March 17 - EXPO Field Trip (Grade 7 - Mobility (Universe in Motion))

• March 21 - EXPO Field Trip (Grade 8 - Mobility (Universe in Motion))

• March 22 - Middle School Meet & Greet: Face to Face Finally! 

• March 23 - EXPO Field Trip (Grade 6 - Mobility (Universe in Motion))

• March 25 - Last day of school before Spring Break

• March 28 - April 10 - Spring Break

• April 11- Classes resume

For all events, click here for the K-12 Academic Calendar.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week are student conferences! We look forward to speaking with you again and discussing the progress your child is making in middle school. Please keep in mind that these conferences are the most beneficial when your child is present in the meeting and can be privy to the feedback the teacher is giving, as well as input into the discussion about their own progress. Use the information below to sign up for a time for a conference.  

The link will be closed on Sunday at 4pm.  The office will then send out the Zoom links to be used throughout the week.

Link –    https://www.schoolbookings.net/code/c647n

Code (if needed) – c647n

As mentioned in the previous edition, from March 7th, students will need to use their Student ID to pay for food in the cafeteria, otherwise they will not be permitted to purchase food.  This will help with the efficiency of the lunch line and help maintain safety with COVID. Please see the pertinent details below:

All families who have access to the GEMS Parent Portal have automatically been provided with a Slices account. To recharge your Slices account through the web browser of the GEMS Parent Portal, please follow the below instructions:

1.  Login to your parent portal account using your web browser:https://connect.gemseducation.com/

2.  Using your debit or credit card, please top up your catering balance by clicking the ‘Catering’ button on the left hand side of the screen.

3.  Gr.6-12, students can access the Grab and Go System using their student ID card. 

Ms. Shevine is the DAA Slices Contact Representative. For any queries, please reach out to her as follows:

WHATSAPP: 971 54 792 7509

EMAIL: daa@slices.ae

We will begin the process of class placement and course selection for the academic year 22/23 in the near future. Your children will watch a video explaining the process in their CREW classes on March 21st and you will receive a letter that evening containing the same information and a link to the course selection form. Thank you in advance for sitting with your child and filling out the form in a timely manner. The deadline for submission is April 11, 2022.

Please reach out to your grade-level counselor if you have any questions or concerns.

Grade 6 - Christina DeMers - c.demers_daa@gemsedu.com

Grade 7 - Mira Nasr - m.nasr_daa@gemsedu.com

Grade 8 - Pushpa Dasari - p.dasari_daa@gemsedu.com

Would you like to contact a middle school teacher or staff member?  Please see the list of email addresses here.

If you are still having technical troubles, please make sure to raise a ticket if the teacher is unable to help your child with a fix.  Send an email to studenthelpdesk@gemsdaa.net and they will help resolve the issue.