GEMS - DUBAI AMERICAN ACADEMY Telephone 04 347-9222 Fax 04 347-6070 e-mail: communication_daa @ gemsedu.com DAA Website: www.gemsaa-dubai.com GEMS Website: www.gemseducation.com

SPOTS

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MONTH AT A GLANCE (K-12 All School Event; PS = Primary School; ES = Elementary School; MS = Middle School; HS = High School; DAAPA; MESAC/EAC) We encourage parents to check weekly as occasionally dates or times may change.

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY WEEKEND

May 2017 14 PS/ES Day 9

MS/HS Day 5 15 PS/ES Day 10 MS/HS Day 6 16

PS/ES Day 1 MS/HS Day 7 17 PS/ES Day 2

MS/HS Day 8 18 PS/ES Day 3 MS/HS Day 1 19 20

IB Exams / ES Spring MAP Testing DAA Volunteer Appreciation

Breakfast ----------------

DAAPA Mother’s Day Brunch

RSVP required ----------------

JEAC Basketball G6 Boys v GWA

@ DAA 4:00 pm

MSHS Gym

Grade 4/5 Girls: DAA @ GWA

3:30p.m

Grade 5 Boys: GWA @ DAA

Elementary Gym 3:30p.m.

PS Parent Coffee Morning

Managing Tough Transitions with

Dr. Saliha 8am / ES Conf Rm

JEAC Basketball Grade 4 Boys:

DAA @ GWA 3:30p.m.

Grade 4/5 Girls: ASD @ DAA

3:30p.m. MS/HS Gym

Grade 5 Boys:

ASD @ DAA Elementary Gym

3:30p.m.

21 PS/ES Day 4 MS/HS Day 2 22 PS/ES Day 5

MS/HS Day 3 23 PS/ES Day 6 MS/HS Day 4 24 PS/ES Day 7

MS/HS Day 5 25 PS/ES Day 8 MS/HS Day 6 26 27

Middle School Art & Technology Students Showcase MS Commons IB Exams

MESAC Sports Awards

DAA Auditorium 4:30-6:30pm ----------------

HS Spring Concert

DAAPA Teacher Appreciation

Day

MS Spring Concert

Grade 5 Dance Celebration

Grade 8 Theatre

Production, Choir and Art classes performing

13 the Musical. 3:30 pm

Admission Free

28 PS/ES Day 9 MS/HS Day 7 29 PS/ES Day 10

MS/HS Day 8 30 PS/ES Day 1 MS/HS Day 1 31 PS/ES Day 2

MS/HS Day 2 1 PS/ES Day 3 MS/HS Day 3 2 3

Ramadan timings expected to be in effect

8:30 am – 1:30 pm

Meeting for parents of 2nd graders

moving to 3rd grade

Graduation Senior Class of 2017

DAAPA News

Click here

Ph7 / Menus

Click here

PS Points

Click here

ES Essentials Click here

HS Highlights Click here

MS Messages

Click here

CommunityNotes

Click here

MESAC/ ECC

Click here

Page 13 Page 15Page 4 Page 3 Page 8Page 5 Page 14 Page 10

newsletterVol. 19 Issue 16 / May 13, 2017

All School News

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ALL SCHOOL NEWS

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENTS’ OFFICE Dear DAA Community, The holiest month of the year for Muslims is approaching. This year, it is expected that the holy month of Ramadan will start towards the end of May. Ramadan is an extremely important and significant time of the year for Muslims. It is the month of devout observance, where Islamic values, cultural traditions and giving and sharing, play an important part for all Muslim. We are also aware that during Ramadan, it is understandably challenging for young Muslim students to continue their normal daily routines while fasting. It is the collective responsibility of all schools to have shortened hours beginning with the Holy Month of Ramadan. As circulated by KHDA, school hours for all students will be from 8:30am to 1:30pm. Please note that teachers and DAA staff will be required to be at DAA from 8:00am to 2:00pm on the days indicated above, as per UAE labor law. No school-provided ASAs will occur after the beginning of Ramadan. Out of respect for the holy month and for fasting students, staff and parents, eating and drinking will be prohibited in the public areas of DAA. We ask that eating and drinking is confined to the cafeteria and home room areas as to avoid offence. Muslim students who are fasting have access to our prayer rooms and quiet areas in the libraries during lunch time. In the PS and ES, students continue to eat lunch at regular timings, although teachers do their best to reduce the visibility of water bottles and to encourage students to be discreet and respectful. For students who may be fasting, a suitable, quiet space will be provided. In the MS and HS, food and drink are restricted to the cafeteria only. Students who are fasting have the option of going to a prayer room or to the library. Ramadan provides an important opportunity for DAA’s school community to show its appreciation and respect for Muslim culture and customs. We ask that all parents and visitors to DAA during the dates indicated above observe the following rules:

Dress more conservatively than usual when you are visiting DAA; Do not eat, drink, or chew gum in public places during the daytime, including in the car;

and Show sensitivity, understanding, and respect to those who may be fasting.

Best regards, Ben Voborsky Acting Superintendent HOLY QURAN COMPETITION We would like to thank those students who have registered to participation in our Holy Quran competition. Kindly note the following information and remind your participating students that The Holy Quran competition will be held on May 15th, 16th, 17th, & 18th as follows:

• Grades 1, 2, & 3: Monday May, 15th ( During the school hours ). • Grade 5: Tuesday May, 16th ( During the school hours ). • Grade 4: Wednesday May, 17th ( During the school hours ). • Grades 6, 7, 8 (MS) : Wednesday May, 17th ( After school at 3:00, Room : 30 ). • Grade 9 (HS) : Thursday May, 18th (Last block, Room : 43 ). • Grades 10, &11 (HS) : Thursday May, 18th (After school at 3:00, Room : 139 ).

The DAA Islamic Department

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DAAPA NEWS

DAAPA (DAA Parents Association) is an active parent association dedicated to enriching the lives of DAA students and community, promoting cooperation between DAA parents, staff and administration and spreading the "culture of kindness" that is at the core of DAA's values. All parents/guardians of DAA students are automatically members of DAAPA.

DAAPA ANNUAL TEACHER APPRECIATION LUNCHEON The Annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, May 23rd. If you would like to contribute your time, culinary skills, or both to show your appreciation for our amazing staff at DAA, please complete and return the volunteer form below. Each family will also receive a form home through their homeroom parent or parent connect group. This is an annual event and we rely solely on our volunteers to provide a special luncheon for our teachers – one that reflects the diversity of our school population. As a way to show your appreciation to the amazing DAA teachers, we are requesting you to showcase your culinary skills and prepare an appetizer or salad, an entrée (cold or hot), or a dessert that will serve up to 20 people for the lunch. In order to get a good selection of sweet and savory, we ask that you bring an:

Dessert if your last name begins with the letters A-F Appetizer or salad if your last name begins with the letters G-R Entrée if your last name begins with the letters S-Z

(For example, Smith begins with “S”, so bring an entrée) It is an early release day so the children will be going home at 1:45. We suggest that you drop off your dish between 12:45 and 1:30 p.m. at the Middle School/High School Cafeteria. DAAPA volunteers will be on hand in the High School parking lot to assist you. If you would rather send your dish in the morning, please bring it to the Middle School/High School Cafeteria, but be mindful there is limited space for keeping items refrigerated. Kindly fill out the form below and turn it into the DAAPA box in ES or MS/HS reception, or send a reply with your name and the dish you are preparing to daaparentconnect@gmail.com by May 21st. Guidelines:

Dish must be in a DISPOSABLE foil pan or tray. If entrée is hot, please put in a 12” x 8.5” (22cm x 31cm) foil pan so we can keep it warm in

a chafing dish. Please do not send any items containing alcohol or pork.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I would like to bring the following item to the Teacher Appreciation Lunch on Tuesday, May 23rd between 12:45 and 1:30 p.m. Name: __________________________________________________ Tel: _______________________ Email: ___________________________________________________ _____ Appetizer/Salad________________________________________________________ _____ Entree ____________________________________________________________ _____ Dessert ___________________________________________________________ ☐ Check here if you need a chafing dish to keep your food hot. Thank you, DAAPA Teacher Appreciation Lunch Committee

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PRIMARY POINTS (Kindergarten 1 - Grade 2) FROM THE PS PRINCIPAL’S DESK Dear PS Parents, The 2nd Grade Choir Cubs and soloists shared their love of music during their performance to the delight of the audience. Many thanks to Mr. Paul Fowler and Ms. Julia Fabrizio for their inspired leadership! As well, a sincere thank you to the many parents for their support throughout the year. ASA’s: The last sessions for ASA’s will be the week of Sunday, May 21st - Thursday, May 25th. For this last week, each session will be 1 hour long because we only had 7 weeks instead of 8. Ramadan school hours reminders:

• Ramadan hours are expected to begin on Sunday, May 28th. • For the safety and security of students, please do not drop off your students before 8:00.

There will be no staff supervising the playground or the halls before then. • These adjusted timeframes are in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s decree of

Ramadan school operation hours. • Thank you for your cooperation and understanding with these changes to our schedule.

Morning 8:00 a.m.- Playground open 8:15 a.m.- Hall ropes released - all students go to class 8:30 a.m.- Period 1 Begins

Afternoon 1:25 p.m.- Hall ropes released 1:30 p.m.- End of school day 1:45 p.m.- Busses leave campus 2:00 p.m.- Teachers leave campus Tuesdays will have the same timings as Sun-Thurs. The only early dismissal day will be the last day of school, Thursday June 22nd. Fidget Spinners: The number of students bringing “fidget spinners” to school has significantly increased in recent weeks. While marketing claims that the Fidget Spinners are designed to help students to be focused, our experience is showing strong evidence to indicate the contrary. In practice, Fidget objects are meant to be felt, so that visual attention can be focused on the teacher, however, these Spinners are visually distracting.

For those students who need focus support, please be assured that our counselors and Learning Support specialists are able to offer appropriate options. Additionally, for those students who are bringing Fidgets to school, there are increasing numbers being distracted in the classroom, upset when they are lost or not being allowed to be taken to recess.

Please ensure that your children keep their spinners at home. If they do come to school, teachers will keep it in a safe place and return it to your child at the end of the day. If they come to school after that, they will be confiscated and returned directly to a parent.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Upcoming Events: May 15: 8:00 PS Parent Coffee Morning in the Conference Room

Featuring guest speaker, Dr. Saliha who will speak about Transitions May 28: Ramadan school hours begin May 30 8:30 Meeting for parents of 2nd graders moving to 3rd grade Best Regards, Laura King and Nathalie Salameh, PS Administrative Team

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ELEMENTARY ESSENTIALS Grades 3-5 Make sure to read the corresponding DAAPA NEWS section of this issue of SPOTS for all the latest Elementary School parent sponsored events! FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OFFICE

ES Evening of the Arts: Scott Baldwin and Jeannie Wyse, our ES Art and Music teachers, teamed up together this last Tuesday night to put on an amazing “Evening of the Arts” show. The school foyer was transformed and blanketed with the phenomenal ES student art. The ES choir also filled the foyer with their dynamic performance which reflected their commitment and talented voices. We had a wonderful turnout of parents and teachers gathered to support the students on this special evening. The artwork is still on display in the foyer, so, if you were unable to join us on Tuesday, please feel free to stop by the at any time to view the beautiful artwork created by our very own ES students.

ES Parent Coffee Morning: This past Tuesday morning, we were honored to once again have Dr. Afridi, from Lighthouse Arabia, speak to our ES parent community about the concept of transition and change. Typically this is a great presentation for 5th grade parents who are helping their child through the transition to middle school. But, this year in particular, Dr. Afridi’s talk spoke to all of DAA with our move to the new campus. A big thank you goes out to Dr. Afridi for sharing her wisdom and understanding about the transition process. Yearbook: ORDER YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARBOOK FOR 2016-2017 NOW! Our Yearbooks are being pre-ordered, and if you would like to purchase one, please fill out the form that went home last week and return it with AED80 (please send the exact amount) to your child’s homeroom teacher by June 1, 2017. Orders placed after June 2nd will be charged at AED100 Yearbooks will be distributed during the last week of school. Please note that the Primary school has their OWN yearbook and can be ordered at the PS OFFICE. Student Council Rhino project: The ES student council has been working tirelessly to put this year’s slogan into action, Putting Student Power to Work. Throughout the year student council has been working closely with the Baby Rhino Rescue. This is an organization that raises awareness of rhinos as an endangered species. To find out more about the Baby Rhino Rescue, check out their website: www.babyrhinorescue.org. Over the next 3 weeks student council will be hosting a variety of activities and events. The first week is designed to inform students of rhino poaching, this will be done in morning meetings with their teachers. The second week has students putting their knowledge to action by attending a mini-assembly and participating in a variety of recess activities. The second week will end with a symbolic walk across Africa called 1,000,000 footsteps. This walk will show that DAA is taking a stance against rhino poaching. Prior to the walk t-shirts will be sold for 40 AED, students will be encouraged to wear their purchased shirts on the walk (more information about t-shirt sales will follow soon). During the third week, we’ll celebrate and reflect with a final assembly where members of the Baby Rhino Rescue will address DAA’s hard work (students might also wear your shirt on this day too!).

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ELEMENTARY ESSENTIALS Grades 3-5, continued MAP Testing: The spring session of MAP testing for students in grades 3-5 continues. We give students MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) tests to determine individual instructional levels and to measure academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year in the areas of reading, language arts and mathematics. The tests are completely computerized and will be conducted in the classrooms. MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to be appropriate for each child¹s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing. Please refer to your child's classroom blog for more information. Tips to help your child to be ready for a good test experience:

• Make sure that your child is well rested on school days. Children who are tired in class are less able to pay attention or focus on the demands of a test.

• Give your child a well-rounded diet. A healthy body leads to a healthy and active mind. • Encourage your child to listen to directions and give every question their best effort.

Grade 5 Completion Ceremony: The Grade 5 Completion Ceremony will be on Monday, June 19th for all Grade 5 students. Parents of Grade 5 students are invited to join the ceremony at 8:30am in the auditorium. Grade 5 students will be allowed to leave with their families following the ceremony (this does not include other students in the Elementary or the siblings of grade 5 students). Invitations will be sent home with students with more information later. The dress for for grade 5 students on this special occasion will be 'smart': collared shirts and dress pants for boys; modest dresses/skirts for girls (no bare shoulders), dressy sandals or shoes. Please note that as part of our Grade 5 year end activities, we will also have a Grade 5 Parent-Student Coffee Morning on May 25th. This will be an opportunity for students to show their LipDub to parents and receive their DAAPA completion gifts. Later that day, students will enjoy a pizza lunch and dance party. This will be a dress down day for Grade 5 students. Dismissal time will be 2:45pm. More information will follow in class blogs.

ES/PS Swim Team Congratulations to our ES/PS swim team! Last week we had our last meet against ASD and we continue to be amazed at what our team can do! Thank you to everyone who came out to support us. We had a fantastic season and we couldn't be more proud of your performance throughout this year. This was the first team for the ES/PS at DAA that practiced year round. You put forth the time, dedication and hard work and it showed through how much each of you improved over this season. We participated in 6 meets and you came out on top in our books! Thank you to the parents for the continuous support! From the early morning drop offs, the late afternoon pick ups and the cheering section at every meet! We couldn't have done it without you. We look forward to another exciting season next year!

Coach Voja, Coach Pia, Coach Martin and Coach Beth

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ELEMENTARY ESSENTIALS Grades 3-5, continued JEAC Basketball Grade 4/5 This week we had several games against ASD at home and away. The games were exciting and fun. The kids were giving their best out there and the coaches were very eager to take on our competitors. Many parents came out to support their son/daughter. It was fun to see our youngsters engage in some friendly competition. Our teams seem to have better cohesion and understanding of their on-court awareness. If you haven’t seen a game please come out and watch a game or two. I would also like to thank all of the parents that have came out and given their support for our youngsters. Teachers are also showing up to support our little DAA Leopards and that is greatly appreciated. Also, don’t forget to be present at out our final jamboree games that will be at various locations. Please check the JEAC website for up to date information on the final jamboree: https://sites.google.com/a/gemsdaa.net/daa-jeac/home Upcoming Games: Grade 4 Boys: Wednesday, May 17 DAA @ GWA 3:30p.m. Grade 4/5 girls: Sunday, May 14 DAA @ GWA 3:30p.m. Wednesday, May 17 ASD @ DAA 3:30p.m. MS/HS Gym Grade 5 Boys: Sunday, May 14 GWA @ DAA Elementary Gym 3:30p.m. Wednesday, May 17 ASD @ DAA Elementary Gym 3:30p.m. *ALL GAME DAYS AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL MESSAGES (Grades 6-8) FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL OFFICE Yearbooks: Summer is coming and so is the 2016-17 MS Yearbook! Mr. Fichardt’s Digital Design students have been working tirelessly on capturing memories of this year to share with us all. Don’t miss out on remembering the final year at our current campus! Students can pre-order yearbooks from the front reception for 80AED until June 1st,100AED thereafter. Air Band: Congratulations to our Grade 7 Life Skills Air Band Competition winners 7ZH Lions and every students who participated! Every year we ask our students to create a performance of a lifetime where they are using 21st Century skills of innovation, collaboration and risk-taking. Students have to work together with their Life Skills class to create a show based off of a song they elect to perform. Students have to design their own costumes, think of instruments and how to make them, and finally work together to perform the show. It’s always amazing to see which students come and shine on the stage.

MS Spring Concert: We would like to formally invite all members of the DAA community to our end of the year Spring Concert. Our two bands and three choirs will surely put on another amazing show. The concert date will be on May 24th starting at 7pm in the auditorium. Hope to see you there! JEAC Basketball: This week we had several games against ASD at home and away. The games were exciting and fun. The kids were giving their best out there and the coaches were very eager to take on our competitors. Many parents came out to support their son/daughter. It was fun to see our youngsters engage in some friendly competition. Our teams seem to have better cohesion and understanding of their on-court awareness. If you haven’t seen a game please come out and watch a game or two. I would also like to thank all of the parents that have came out and given their support for our youngsters. Teachers are also showing up to support our little DAA Leopards and that is greatly appreciated. Also, don’t forget to be present at out our final jamboree games that will be at various locations. Please check the JEAC website for up to date information on the final jamboree: https://sites.google.com/a/gemsdaa.net/daa-jeac/home Upcoming Games: Grade 6 Boys: Sunday, May 14 GWA @ DAA MS/HS Gym 4p.m. *ALL GAME DAYS AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL MESSAGES (Grades 6-8)

Grade 8 Production (13 the Musical): On Thursday, May 25th, our grade 8 Theatre Production, Choir and Art classes will be performing a student lead production called 13 the Musical. This production highlights the social challenges of pre-adolescents and showcases the various talents of our DAA middle school Fine Arts student population. All are invited and best of all it is FREE!!! Show time for family and friends is at 3:30PM! MS Art & Technology Show: The Middle School Art & Technology students will be showcasing their fantastic pieces to the whole school in the MS commons area. Students have worked diligently over the course of the semester to create MS masterpieces. The showcase will be open from May 23rd through the 29th. We hope to see you there!

Unique Sporting Award: Congratulations A special congratulations to Pranu Prakash who was awarded the UAE U14 Fittest Teen Award. The award function was presided over by Dr Abdulla AL Karam , Chairman KHDA. Well done Pranu!

Warmest regards, Joan Wiens and Luke Spencer, MS Admin

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S HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS (Grades 9-12) Make sure to read the corresponding DAAPA NEWS section of this issue of SPOTS for all the latest High School parent sponsored events! FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE What just happened………..? Fabulous MayWeek Trips 2017 for Grade 9 students

Local Trips We had a very successful May week here at DAA. Students were given several options to participate in the three components of CAS. Below is a list of the experiences they took part in:

• CREATIVITY: Cooking, Hint Hunt, Challenge Chambers & Work Experience • ACTION: IMG Worlds, Bounce, Bowling, Aventura Parks, YAS Water World & Paintball • SERVICE: Posh Paws, Teacher Assistants & Work Experience

Tim Tschumpelin our CAS co-ordinator - I was very proud of the overall behavior of our students. They represented out school well and I received positive comments from every organization that we visited.

Kenya – life changing

Twelve students in Grade 9 have just returned from East Africa where they experienced what can only be described as a life changing adventure. The leaders of Camp Tsavo, in Kenya, said that they were particularly impressed with the determination of DAA students, as the group managed to produce 90 bricks in one day, and to build a corridor out of cement, sand and stones the following day. Students had many opportunities to meet with the community, as we visited school and helped

farmers. One of the highlights of the trip was the football game with local children. Students learned about the daily struggle that women are facing, and met an inspirational Kenyan, Mama Mercy, who shared with DAA students the wonderful projects that are taking place to support them. They discovered the lifestyle of tribes like the Maasai and learned a few words of Swahili, the most widely spoken language in Kenya.

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S HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS, continued

The group was a tribute to the school and to their families. It was a pleasure to see them develop new skills and build confidence. Above all, the trip leaders noticed “the culture of kindness” of DAA students in their interaction with the local community, with the camp leaders and with each other. Asante! (Thank you in Swahili) grade 09! Mr Jayne and Ms Frey

Nepal – a 9-day adventure

Eight students embarked on a nine-day adventure in Kathmandu, Nepal as part of their May week trip. It was truly a memorable and challenging trip with lifelong memories made.

Four nights were spent in Kathmandu where students experienced the chaos of walking the small crowded streets and shopping in the local markets. They visited local Hindu and Bhuddist shrines, experienced local Nepalese foods (“momos’ were a particular hit - steamed dumplings), went rock climbing and mountain biking and experienced an authentic nepalese cultural performance.

It was also a very sobering experience

witnessing the open-air Hindu cremation temple. Then, 4 nights were spent tenting in the Kathmandu highlands. A night was spent near our white-water rafting site. We then had a great three hour rafting experience on the river with students being thrown out on some rapids (don’t’ worry students all had vests and helmets for safety…) and this was the highlight of the trip for many.

Three nights were spent 1700m up in the mountains, which offered spectacular views of the valleys and even the Himalayas. Students trekked for hours to get there, and it was challenging, with steep inclines, rain, thunder and lightning mixed with the hot sun, but the walk in was truly beautiful with some amazing scenery.

Once there, students spent 2 days doing valuable service work for a local Nepalese school. Students painted, dug trenches, laid concrete and even played games and taught the local children. We also made a monetary donation, and there is no doubt our students made a big impression on the local children.

All in all, our students were superb ambassadors for DAA, and they accepted every challenge thrown at them head on, with not one complaint the entire trip. They also learnt a lot and grew personally as a result of their experiences - even dealing with insects and cold showers. It was a fantastic 9 days and thanks to our awesome students for all of their hard work and endeavor. Mr. Murray and Ms. Mundy-Paul

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S HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS, continued What’s going to happen………? IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS

April 28-May 19th (inclusive)- IB EXAMS-Remember some exams are on Fridays! Schedule has been released by Mr. Starr. Be sure to mark your calendars and planners accordingly. Almost all exams will be in the auditorium. May 19th- Prom at the Waldorf Astoria May 28th – June 1st (week of graduation) Seniors must complete their Clearance Form, which will be distributed. Seniors must clear any responsibilities, for example, accounts office, sports uniform, etc. Once the Clearance Form is complete, you can pick up your Final HS transcripts (needed by colleges). May 28th- Transition to College Meeting + Alumni Visit + First Graduation Rehearsal: 12:30pm-3:30pm. This is a Mandatory Event!! May 29th- Second Graduation Rehearsal: 2pm-3:30pm: Mandatory Event!! May 30th- Third Graduation Rehearsal: 2pm-3:30pm: Mandatory Event!! May 31st – Dress Rehearsal / Awards Assembly: Mandatory Event. Seniors parade in and sit on stage. Arrive at school 11:30am at the latest. June 1st- Graduation Day!!! Seniors arrive by 5:30pm latest. Gather in Gymnasium. HS Anouncements

The Prom Ball of the year is coming! The Senior Prom is once again in the Waldorf Astoria, The Palm on May 19th from 6 p.m.

Avoid the rush and secure your Yearbook early

HS Photography competition open to all It is that time of year again for the Photography Competition. and to showcase your photography skills and all the fantastic places you have visited in the past year. This year we have decided to open it up to HS students also. We have some great talent from both teachers and students and it would be great to exhibit the work all together.

Common Sense Media reviews the controversial Netflix series 13 reasons why and gives advice to parents https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/13-reasons-why

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ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIES

EAC Emirates Athletics Conference

DAA END OF YEAR - SPORTS CELEBRATION.

The DAA Athletics Department would like to sincerely invite all Season 1, 2 & 3 Junior Varsity and Varsity participants, coaches and parents to attend the end of year sports celebration. This is a time where we can enjoy the hard work, success, triumphs and challenges that students, coaches and parents contributed to our athletics program in a relaxed environment. It is also a special time to farewell pour leaving students and coaches. Light finger food and refreshments will be provided. WHEN: Monday 22nd May WHERE: High School Auditorium TIME: 4.30pm - 6.00pm (doors open at 4.00pm) WHO: All Season 1, 2 and 3 Junior Varsity and Varsity participants + parents WHY: Sports Awards: Scholar Athlete Award and Athlete of the Year Season 3 Participants - MIP, MVP and Coaches Awards Farewell & Thank our leaving Seniors Farewell & Thank our leaving Coaches RSVP: SIGN UP HERE>>> https://goo.gl/forms/aPboU65oGO3bObpI3

By Sunday 14th May FOR YOUR PLANNING NEXT YEAR: Please see the MESAC dates for 2017-2018. DAA will be hosting four MESAC activities: Swimming, Tennis, Cross Country and Varsity Softball/Baseball. For these events we will be asking our community to be willing to host visiting athletes. If your son/daughter makes a MESAC team, it will be a requirement to host an incoming athlete.

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COMMUNITY NOTES English Language Learning Summer Camp Help your child get ahead with an English Language Learning Camp this Summer! For more details or to register, visit https://school.gemsoasis.com/gems_ell/reg_form_spring.aspx

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Primary/Elementary School Menu

Middle/High School Menu