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Volume 3, Issue 19 February 4, 2010
From the Principal’s Desk !!
ell... actually, it’s another quick note from the Counselor’s Desk while Mr. Deakin is
away recruiting. He tells us he’s had to dig out some warmer clothes while in chilly Boston, and
is looking forward to returning on February 10th. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact me in his
absence.
ith Quarter 2 report cards being sent home last week, we welcome requests for conferences to
discuss your child’s progress with their teacher. We kindly ask that you make an appointment to
see them; either by arranging through email or leaving a message with Ms. Heather at reception.
uarter 3 is well underway - this is normally an opportunity to see a big progress jump in our
students! It’s a consistent period in their learning, with very little disruption in their normal routine.
And, speaking of routines, without a major holiday, there’s a tendency for some of our students to get a
bit tired as the expectations of their grade level increase. I encourage you to ensure your children are
getting enough rest for optimal learning. Even a small disruption in their usual sleep pattern can affect
their learning the next day, and make for some less-than-chipper kids coming through the gate in the
morning!
nd on that note - following the overwhelming response to our Parent Engagement Workshop -
Parenting Made Easy, Dania Shammah and Isabelle Amatoury will conduct Part 2 of their
session on Saturday, February 20th from 9:30 - 11:30 in the library. Please come along!
Have a great weekend,
Ms. Jill
__________________________________________________________________________________
Family Portrait Sittings at GAA
In response to parent enquiries, we have arranged for our school photographers, Pret-a-Portrait, to
offer family portrait sittings at the weekend on Saturday 20th March.
This is a half hour studio sitting with a photographer for the whole family (mum, dad, kids, Grandma
etc.) The cost of the sitting is AED275 which includes a free 7 x 10 print. Go to www.pret-a-portrait.net
to look at the portrait products and prices (which are different to school prices).
To reserve a slot please contact Heather in the School Reception.
2010/2011 Re-registration Reminder
Current families who will be returning next year, but have not returned their Re-registration form to the
Admissions Office by Monday, February 11th may not be added to the registration list for the
2010/2011 academic year. Please note that at the end of February we will be offering available seats to
families on our waiting lists.
Next week at a glance
Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed,
Feb 7 Feb 8 Feb 9 Feb 10
Thu, Feb 11 Weekend
Day 4
2:00pm Soccer Friendly
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Teacher V’s Students
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 GEMS Staff Professional Enjoy !!
Development Day
2:45 pm Movie Afternoon
Each week we spotlight a GAA staff members by asking 12 quick questions
12 things you didn’t know about...
Name: Mr Andy Tyson Position: Music Teacher
1. Where did you grow up? Walpole, New Hampshire. It’s a small
town in the northeast of the United States. We had about 3,000
people and there is not a single traffic signal in the town (but we
have stop signs and cows).
2. What was your first paid job? I was a paperboy. In the winter,
the Saturday paper had to be delivered by 7am. There was a
blizzard one time and my eyelashes froze together and I couldn’t
open my eyes.
3. What do you enjoy doing outside of school? Playing music and travelling.
4. What’s your favorite food? My mom’s enchiladas. Runner up is pizza from a place called
“Everything but Anchovies” in northern New Hampshire.
5. If you could invite 2 people to dinner, who would they be and why? I would invite my friend
Joey who lives in Madrid and my friend Rich who lives in Cairo. Joey is very pragmatic and
thoughtful. Rich is clever and crass. When the three of us sit down together, we have some
thoroughly enjoyable conversations.
6. Who has had the biggest influence on your life? My parents.
7. What is your favorite childhood memory? Playing outside all day during the summers. It was a
small town and everyone knew everyone else, so my brothers and I would be out the door after
breakfast, all over town during the day, and then back by dark and in time for dinner.
8. Best birthday present you have ever received? The most unique present I ever received was a
money tree. I was given a small tree with quarters taped to all the branches by a friend of mine.
With that being said, iTunes gift certificates are pretty awesome too…
9. You have just won a million dirhams, how do you spend it? I would start my own performance
company.
10. Down to your last 10 dhs, how do you spend it? At the craps table in a casino trying to make
it back to the million dirhams from the previous question.
11. Favorite holiday destination? My favorite trip in the past seven years was to Prague. On the
top of my list of where I want to go next are Venice and Istanbul.
12. What advice do have for students? Listen to your parents and teachers, always do your best,
and have fun.
_____________________________________________________________
Another swim success of Anouque Berghuis 7th grade
Like last summer, Anouque competed in the Dutch National Swim competitions. She took time
off from school in January to compete agains the best swimmers in the Netherlands in the cold
North of Holland.
After having qualified for 7 swim events, she managed to achieve 7 top 10 placings amidst a
fierce competition. Out of those 7, she managed to win a bronze medal for the 400 freestyle and a
bronze medal for the 200 butterfly. All her training is paying off, congratulations Anouque.
Look out for Anouque’s interview for the GAAzette’s ‘Rip it Up section’, next week !!
___________________________________________________________________
Character Coupon Recipients for January
Congratulation to the following students, recognized for showing
great character during the month:
Nicolas (Gr 5), Masha (Gr1B), Sky (Gr4A), Birgitta (4A), Habeebah (4A)
Reminder: Thursday, February 11 GEMS Professional Development Day
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Important
Third Quarter Upcoming Dates Assemblies & Monthly
Wednesday, Feb 10 Soccer friendly (Students V’s Teachers)
Our school-wide monthly themes
Thursday, Feb 11 GEMS Professional Development Day give direction to our assemblies and special
(No school for students) events and have the whole community
focused on GEMS Core Values.
Sunday, Feb 14 Olympic Torch tour
Friday, Feb 19 Terry Fox Run (Corniche) • February - Heart Healthy Month
Mon, Feb 22 Sports Day • March - Literacy Month
• April - Earth Month
Tue, Feb 23 Sports Day
• May - All About the Arts Month
Thursday, 25 Feb Assembly - Healthy Heart Month • June Looking Forward & Thinking Back
Sunday, Feb 28 School Holiday
A the beginning of each month we hold a
Wednesday, Mar 17 Last day of Quarter ‘kick off'assembly to update students.
Forth Quarter
At the end of the month we hold an
Sunday, March 21 First day of fourth quarter assembly for the entire community!!
Wednesday, Mar 24 Parent Teacher Conference
Parents are encouraged to attend !!
(No school for students)
School Classroom Hours
7:15 am: building doors open
7:30 am: students can proceed to the classroom
7:40 am: students are expected to arrive at school at and be in their classrooms by 7:45 am
2:45 pm: students dismissed from classrooms
ASA Update - We have another new additions !!
Photography Club is here !!
Do you like taking pictures? Then join the photography club and learn the many differ-
ent ways you can snap the perfect picture! You are encouraged to have your own
camera digital camera to join this club.
Day: Monday (from March 8th to May 17th) Teacher: Ms. Insiya Fee: Free Grades: 3 and up
____________________________________________________________________________________
Activities planned for HEALTHY HEART MONTH (February)
Sunday 7th…………………Heart Healthy Challenges in PE classes
Wednesday 10th ………… 1:55 pm Staff-student soccer game - teachers invited to play, students
selected from teams
th
Sunday 14 ………….……… Olympic torch tour - time TBA
Sun 14th to Thu 18th ……...Olympic activities in classes
Friday 19th …………………Terry Fox Run Central Corniche Run starts10am
Mon 22nd-23rd ……… Sports Days - times TBA
Thursday 25th …………….. 8:00 am Closing Ceremonies Assembly Gr2 to wrap up
GAA SPORTS PAGES…
Upcoming Girls Soccer Team game
Monday, February 8th
Good luck to our Under 9 girls soccer team who will travel to Al Yasmina School to play a round
robin tournament. This will be their first real test of the season where they will take on the Brit-
ish School Al Khubairat and Al Yasmina School.
Let’s GO GAA U-9 GIRLS!!
_________________________________________________________________________
U11 Girls Soccer Team Undefeated
GAA’s U11 girls soccer team finished the season with a 2-0 win over the American
International School. The girls finished the season with 4 wins, 2 ties and 0 losses.
Only two goals were scored against the team this season!!
Hard work and enthusiasm from the girls produced a very successful season.
Congratulations girls !!
__________________________________________________________________________
GAA Soccer team (students) V’s Staff - Soccer Friendly
2:00 pm - Wednesday, 10 February, 2010
GAA is hosting a friendly match between staff and our student soccer stars to promote “Healthy
Heart” month !! We’ll be inviting the whole school to watch the game (and of course our parents
are welcome too!!)
Our teacher team will be...
Mr Bryan (Gr 4), Mr Dave (Gr 6), Mr Deakin (Principal), Mr Jeff (Librarian), Ms Kat (KG1), Ms
Katie (Gr 1), Ms Miranda (Music & Movement), Mr Reel (PE), Mrs Reel (Gr 4), Ms Stephanne
(Gr 2), Mr Tyson (Music).
_________________________________________________________________________
2009-2010 Gazelle Boys Football Teams
A BIG congratulations goes to our Boys soccer teams. All teams finished the season on a high
with a win for the Under 11A’s in their last game and a draw for the Under 11B’s in their game.
Under 11A team Under 11B Team Under 9 Team
Hamdan Al Zaabi Vasco Contreras Stijn Boerstra
Rayan Antonios Jalal Thomas Guglielmo Izzo
Pedro De Silva Kyle Dawelbait Ahmed Sweifi
Pepe Dlamini Koen Boerstra Eugene Cha
Afonso Contreras Liam Fjelstedt Joachim Sjodin
Nicolas Bardh Ian Keli Sebastian Bardh
Shakboot Al Nayan Jan Meijer Yousif Hamed
Adam Dawelbait Sky Lee Malak Atwani
Hamdan Al Fahim Allen Arriola Devon Morais
Zubair Darr Chan U Park Ivan Keli
Brandon Serre Jhong Min
AROUND THE GROUNDS…
KG2 field trip to PartiPerfect
This week, KG2A and KG2B visited Parti-
Perfect in Khalidiya as part of STeM
month.
The kindergarten classes used this activity
as a way to understand that math, technol-
ogy and science occur in our everyday
lives! The students participated in measur-
ing ingredients, mixing batter, rolling
dough, breading and frying chicken nug-
gets, decorating cupcakes and… eating
the fruits of their labour!
The classes went in small groups of nine
children per day to maximize the hands-on
time of each student. The team of chefs at
PartiPerfect were fantastic hosts and not
only did the students learn a lot, but really
enjoyed their mornings of cooking!
__________________________________________________________________________
Grade 4 Field trip to Special Care Centre
The Fourth Grade was given the special opportunity on
January 20th to attend an Annual Sports Day for the Spe-
cial Care Center (SCC). Our students were able to add
support and celebrate the accomplishments of all of the
participants. There was some disappointment that GAA
students could not participate, however, they did recognize
how proud and happy the SCC students were when they
finished an event.
At the end of the events all schools who were in
attendance were recognized with a special certifi-
cate of gratitude. Our Fourth Graders, in turn, gave
the Principal a large card they had made with eve-
ryone’s signature.
What a wonderful experience our students were
able to have that day. Hopefully it is just a begin-
ning of strong partnership between our two
schools.
COMMUNITY NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS (cont...)
_________________________________________________________________________
Looking for an Arabic Tutor After School?
My name is Ahmad Abdelwahid and I am an Arabic tutor. I am fluent in both
English and Arabic and I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture. I have re-
cently moved to Abu Dhabi with my wife, Courtney (the ELL teacher for
grades 1-3) and I am very interested in teaching. Arabic is a difficult lan-
guage to master so I am willing to offer any help that I can.
Please feel free to call me at 056 107 3167
or drop by grade 2B to meet me in person.
I look forward to working with you.
________________________________________________________________________
PURELY PEARLS
The perfect gift for any occasion (including Valentines Day!!!!!!)
For your purchases and for info regarding hosting a party
(great benefits for the hostess!!)
Please contact Cindy (050 908 1597)
TERRY FOX RUN
Date: Friday, February 19th, 2010
Location: Corniche, Abu Dhabi
Registration: 8am
Fun Run: 10am
Calling GAA families !!
What Is the Terry Fox Run?
•
! " # $ $!
• % & #
All money raised is given to the Faculty of Medicine at the U.A.E University to fund world-
class, innovative cancer research. The research is done by UAE-based researchers and
scientists and focuses on the needs of UAE citizens and residents.
What can you do?
• Take a step to help finding a cure for cancer, join us on February 19th, 2010 on the Corniche!
• Registration is from 8am.
• Our run starts at 10am.
• Let’s get as many GAA community members out as possible (even Kg1s!). You can walk, run
or rollerblade. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are welcome! Thousands of people of all ages, all
nationalities and all levels of fitness will be keeping Terry’s Marathon of Hope going in Abu
Dhabi. We hope you will join us.
• There is no fee to participate, but all donations are gratefully accepted. Every dirham raised
goes directly to help fund international-standard cancer research.
• You can buy a t-shirt and wear it with pride! 30 dhs per t-shirt. Proceeds will go towards
cancer research.
Please contact Ms Miranda if you have any questions: mrose@gaa.sch.ae
'''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
ORDER YOUR T-SHIRT TODAY!!!
Please complete and return it to the school reception, with the exact amount by
Monday, 8th February
())))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) ( )))))
T-Shirts Size Quantity Cost Sub Total
Child small 30 dhs
Child medium 30 dhs
Child large 30 dhs
Child x-large 30 dhs
Adult small 30 dhs
Adult medium 30 dhs
Adult large 30 dhs
Adult XL 30 dhs
Total cost
• Recital
• 2nd and 4th Grade Updates
• International Music Institute
Mark your calendars! The first recital of the new year will be
on Thursday, March 4th at 3pm in the music room!
As always, the recital is open to all students who are currently
enrolled in private music lessons. If you would like to perform,
email Mr. Tyson at atyson@gaa.sch.ae
#
It’s never too late to start taking music
Fourth graders are lessons!! If your child is interested in
in the middle of playing an instrument, take a look at the
composing their
International Music Institute.
own pieces of music. Each student
is composing an eight measure Several GAA students take lessons at
piece of music. The first drafts are this location and are very happy with
done and students are now learning their classes. The institute offers instruc-
to play their compositions. Next, stu- tion in the following areas; piano, strings,
dents will change any notes they wind instruments, brass instruments, per-
don’t like the sound of. The compo- cussion instruments, music theory, and
sition project will culminate with an in voice training.
-class performance by the end of the The institute is located in the Khalidiya
month. neighborhood on Zayed 1st Street in the
Bin Haiyai Building (opposite Grand
! Stores).
" Telephone: 6211949 / 6211299
Second graders are Registration Fee: 100 dirhams
working with macro 30 minute, 45 minute, and 60 minute les-
and micro beats (we sons are available.
are calling them big
beats and small
beats) and are on their way to cor- $ %
rectly identifying the difference be- What is the name of this
tween duple and triple meter. Stu-
dents will choreograph their own instrument?
dance moves to demonstrate the dif-
ference between the macro and mi- Bonus Question:
cro beats in a song. A grade level
What family of instru-
music video with student choreogra-
phy will be completed before the hu- ments does it belong to?
midity comes back to town!
woodwind family.
saxophone and it belongs to the
Answers: The instrument is a
s
Hey GAA kids, what' up? The other day I went outside my villa, took two steps, and was sur-
rounded by smelly pollution! The man that cleans our street must be on vacation! We really have to
stop polluting and clean the planet, or there won’t be any planet left! Here are a few things that you
can do to help; you don’t have to be superman to save the world!
Turn things off! TV’s, computers and video game units all draw power, even when turned off. By
attaching your electronic devices to power bars & turning them off when not in use, you’ll help
reduce your impact on the environment.
Be an energy detective! Is valuable air conditioning escaping from your home? Saving energy
saves money! Maybe your parents will buy you a new toy with the money that you saved!
Is bigger really better? Generally, larger cars use more gas and create more pollution than
smaller ones. Learn which types of cars and trucks use less gas and share what you’ve learned
STUDENT NEWS, VIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
with your parents before they buy a car. (Get rid of the Hummer, and your two car parking spot
will now fit two cars in it).
How do you get around? Use kid power! Walk, bike, skateboard, scooter or carpool to get around.
You’ll have fun and get some exercise too!
Express yourself! Write, paint, draw or make a video – use your imagination to express how you
feel about nature, convince your friends and family to try these things too!
____________________________________________________________________________
What shade of green are you? Here is a quiz to find out!
START
HERE !
Lime Crime Shady Jadey Keen-o Green-o
Start in the middle, and move right, left or stay depending on your answers.
1. How long are you in the shower for? 2. How often do you recycle? 3. On a really hot summer day, you:
A. 5 minutes, no more! (Right) A. All the time! (Right) A. Go to the beach and have a swim (Right)
B. Half an hour! I need my shower time (Left) B. Whenever I can remember to! (Stay) B. I lie down in the A.C. (Left)
C. About 10 minutes (stay) C. Never. It’s too hard! (Left) C. I swim in my pool! (Stay)
4. What do you think about Green Peace? 5. Would you ever wear fur? 6. The idea of camping sounds like:
A. Tree-Hugging hippies! Whatever! (Left) A. No way, never! (Right) A. A Nightmare! You’ll never take me alive!
B. Great guys, they are! (Stay) B. Only if it was fake fur! (Stay) (Left)
C. I LOVE them! (Right) C. YES!!! I LOVE IT!!!! (Left) B. Fun! I LOVE the outdoors! (Right)
C. Okay, as long as I don’t have to set up
If you’re in ‘Lime Crime’ If you’re in Shady Jadey If you’re in Keen-o Green-o
You need to start being more environmentally You’re halfway there! Why don’t you try Hello Captain Planet! It looks like someone
friendly! You don’t have to change your life and pick up some trash around your has been bitten by the enviro-bug, big time!
style, just do little things like turning off the T.V local area? Try to encourage others to be as good as
and radio when you’re not using them! you!
Hummer Jokes!
You Know You’re Driving a Hummer if… ..
...other cars quickly scatter out of the way when they see you in their rear-view.
...police and highway patrol pull you over just to ask you questions about your car.
...an entire class period can be disrupted by simply driving it into the school parking lot.
...the drive-thru lane at McDonalds is wider now than when you had entered.
...complete strangers appear from nowhere and invite you on hunting trips.
...Jeep owners avoid looking at you.
...you now find khaki and camouflage clothing fashionable.
...it' larger than your friend' apartment.
s s
Buy for now, but not for ever;
by Lia Karabatsos
