Thailand Recap and More

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your flexibility while I was in Thailand over the weekend, as well as Thursday and Sunday. Ms. Csilla said the class did very well in my absence, which makes me so happy because it means that the routines, procedures, and expectations we worked so hard to reinforce have taken root, for the most part. The first few weeks back to school are always so important, so I think we are past the learning curve hump. Yay!!

My conference in Thailand was excellent! I learned so much and feel excited to use my new knowledge in the classroom, as well as in my own personal life. If you're interested in knowing a bit more about the conference, please click here. And, if you want to learn more about growth mindsets, I'd encourage you to start researching for yourself. Soon, I will be creating a page on the blog, which will include some great resources and I'll add to it throughout the year. (This is my personal Pinterest board on the subject.) The research by Dr. Carol Dweck absolutely fascinating.

As we begin a new week, please avail yourself of our weekly assignment sheet and news, as well as the most recent issue of SPOTS, our school newsletter.  In the assignment sheet and news, I included some practical ways that you can help your child review for the Unit 1 math test, which is Wednesday, Sept. 28th. If your child paid attention in class, did the nightly homework, and learned from mistakes made along the way, the assessment is simply a good way to show the great learning that took place in this unit.

If, however, there were some areas that still needed some practice, please use the tips I mentioned in the assignment and news. As always, if there are ever any concepts that your child is struggling to grasp, please just write me a quick email or jot a note in the agenda and I'll be sure to connect with him/her on a one-on-one basis.

Thanks so much for your wonderful support.

Lastly,  here are a few pictures. It was my first trip to Thailand, so even though it was very brief, I truly loved just about every minute.

James Anderson is engaging, extremely knowledgeable, and the only certified growth mindset trainer in the world. He also happened to be pretty cute, single, and had a great Australian accent. :) 

The hours flew by, which is always the sign of a meaty and interesting conference. 

Coming back to my hotel room to find this just made me smile. :) 

And now, for a few sightseeing pictures...

I hired a tour guide named Mandy for my few free hours in Bangkok. It was well worth the money and I'd recommend her in a heartbeat. (Just let me know if you want her info.)

The Palace was incredibly detailed and beautiful. 

And, the flavorful, affordable Thai food was just to die for. Wow, oh, wow. 

Did you know that every Thai man will become a monk in his life? Yep. It could be for just one day, one week, one month, or as long as he likes. 

Temple of the Reclining Buddha

It was fun to see guards walk past at the palace. 

Chinese women selling Thai food made me laugh.  

A lovely water lily...or is it a lotus? I honestly can't tell the different, even after googling it. 

Staying here was a treat!! I loved the plush bathrobe, slippers, and all the fun toiletries. It was also centrally located, which made sightseeing in the evenings very easy. 

I hope you enjoyed these few pictures! The children loved hearing about my trip and made some really great connections to their own travel. We are so blessed to be able to get around the world so much and I always want to drive that point home, so none of us (including myself) don't take this privilege for granted. 🙏

A Word from Admin

ES Dismissal and the start of ASA’s:

We want to say a big thank you to all of you that have assisted us before and after school with keeping our hallways clear until 7:30am and again until 2:45pm in the afternoon by waiting for your child(ren) in the foyer.  It has made a huge difference in keeping instruction going until the end of the day and speeding up dismissal!  

Please note the following change to our dismissal procedures in conjunction with the start of ASA's on Sunday, September 26th. As in previous years, students will begin to independently make their way to the foyer at the end of the day. Teachers will continue to assist students in packing up, lining up in the classrooms, and supervising students as they walk down the hallway. Students with ASA's will wait in the classroom until 2:55pm when they will be dismissed to attend their ASA.  Please continue to help us by waiting in the foyer for your child to come down. Students have been told to continue to meet the parent/driver at the same prearranged meeting spot in the foyer and members of the ES staff will be present to supervise the foyer. Thank you for your help with this.

Hats:

Our expectation that students wear hats in sun-exposed areas of the playground has been temporarily delayed due to an issue with an available hat supply at Threads.  Until a supply of hats is available for purchase, students will not be required to wear hats outside, although we encourage those that have already purchased hats to continue to wear them.  Once the supply of hats has arrived at Threads, and parents have had adequate time to purchase them, a new date for requiring students to wear hats will be established.  More information will be available once these details have been established.  We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience.

Transportation Update and Communication in My Absence (revised at 7:20 PM)

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be traveling to Thailand for a conference this weekend, so I will be absent on Thursday and Sunday.

If you need to reach Ms. Csilla, who will be my substitute, please email her at csilla.missamou@gemsdaa.net. She will be checking her email periodically. If you do not hear a reply, please contact Ms. Rene by phone.

Also, please note that ASAs are starting on Sunday, so children will be walking to their ASA with an EA for the first week, just so they know where they are going.

Students who are not in an ASA will walk down to the lobby independently to meet you there. Please have a conversation with your child, so that he or she is crystal clear about where to meet you, your caregiver, or your driver. And, as always, if there are any transportation changes, please notify Ms. Csilla.

If your child has an ASA, please just confirm that he is she is going by writing me a quick note in the agenda or by sending me an email, so I am certain to send him/her. This really helps me to know where to send your child at the end of the day. Sometimes children tell me that they aren't going, but it's difficult for me to know if this is their decision or yours. I'd really appreciate your help with this, so a huge thank you in advance!! :)

Rest assured that while I'm away, your child will be in wonderful hands! Ms. Csilla is terrific! 

Welcome back...again!

I hope you each enjoyed a lovely Eid holiday. What a nice surprise to get a whole week off!  Now, let's see how we all do getting back into the school routine, once more...

Just by way of reminder, tomorrow (Sunday) is Day 3, so the students will have PE. Also, please remember that students will not have school on Tuesday, as it will be one of our first Professional Learning Day (for staff).  To find out what we are learning in 3LN this week, click here. 

Also, we will be having our individual class pictures on Wednesday, Sept. 21, so kindly remember to have your child wear his/her formal uniform (not PE), including the tie. I can't wait to see how crisp and cute the students each look. I always smile when I see their hair extra slick and sleek when they waltz in the classroom on Picture Day morning.

If your child is interested in joining an after school activity, please refer to my last post regarding the registration. There are some terrific activities being offered this trimester!

Our class will be choosing a Student Council Rep on Wednesday, so if your child is interested in this leadership opportunity, please be sure to return the application by Monday (Sept. 19) and have your darling prepare a little speech, which he/she will present to our class on Wednesday.

As an FYI, I will be attending a growth mindset conference in Bangkok, Thailand, from Sept. 22-25, so I will not be at school on Thursday and Sunday. Not to worry, though. Your child will be well cared for and well taught in my absence. I'm already looking forward to imparting what I'll learn in our classroom!

Lastly, on a personal note, below you'll find some pictures of a very last minute trip to Norway with my mom and sister, Julie. (Dad stayed home with the dogs, so it was just us girls.) We met in Oslo last Saturday and I just flew back to Dubai today (Saturday). It was a wonderful trip in every way as we relished in each other's company, laughed, learned new things, met new and old friends, explored, breathed in the cool, clean mountain air, ate interesting local food, like brown goat cheese, reindeer, whale, and moose. We made about a thousand new happy memories to treasure for a long time to come. I hope you will enjoy the pictures. :)

So thrilled to meet in the Oslo Airport! I had to wait a couple of hours for them to arrive, but time passed quickly with a pumpkin spice latte, reading, and people watching. 

While we were in Oslo, we were able to see Lauren Williams, who some of you may know as our former ES art teacher. She moved to Norway in August, so it was fun and interesting to hear about her new life there. She's doing great! 

We loved the cooler temperatures. (The Royal Palace is behind us.) 

Ha! Mom sneaked this candid of me reading. So enjoying this good book! 

We took in all of the gorgeous scenery while riding the Flam Railway. 

Somewhere near Finse...

The cultural museum in Oslo was so interesting. This church dates back to the year 1200! 

A must-do if you're ever in Norway. 

I was so happy to see a true autumn after so many years. 

We were surprised to see a glacier! 

Norway is so stunning and we feel so grateful to have had the time off and opportunity to visit such a beautiful country. My mother's side of the family is actually from Larvik, Norway, so it was special to learn about my heritage firsthand. I have about a thousand more pictures, but I'll spare you. (Plus, I'm just a little tired.)  I'm looking forward to hearing all about your child's week off, as well! 

ASA Info.

Dear Parents and Students,

DAA is looking forward to kicking off our Trimester 1 After School Activity Program. The ASA Program will be a combination of teacher led (INTERNAL) and externally run activities related to sports, the arts, and academics.

Online Internal sign-ups will be open on Sunday, September 18th from 7 am and will be closed on Monday, September 19th at 5 pm. Please use the following website to view the offerings for Trimester 1 and for Internal online registration.

PS/ES After School Activities Website

Due to the Eid break, External ASAs sign-ups will be available on Sunday, September 18th from 6-8 pm and Monday, September 19th from 2:30 pm in the cafeteria.

You are invited to sign up for a wide variety of external after school activities including soccer, basketball, yoga, gymnastics, street jazz, tennis, karate, horse riding, science, pottery, and swimming.  Additional information about program dates, times, costs, and contacts will be sent out electronically next week. All providing groups will be at the sign up session to provide you with information about their program.

Thank you for supporting our ASA Program.

Trimester 1 Important Dates:

• Internal Online Sign-ups: Sunday, Sept. 18 (from 7 am) to Sept. 19 (until 5 pm)
• External Sign-ups: Sunday, Sept. 18 (from 6-8 pm) and Monday, Sept. 19 (from 2:30 pm)
• Start Date: Sunday, Sept. 25
• End Date: Wed. November 16
• Make up Week: Sunday, Nov. 20-Wednesday, Nov. 23

For any questions, please contact the ASA Coordinators:

• Mandy Gintaut (PS Internal ASA Coordinator) mandy.gintaut@gemsdaa.net  
• Laura Sarmiento (ES Internal ASA Coordinator) laura.sarmiento@gemsdaa.net 
• Beth Swartz (External ASA Coordinator) beth.swartz@gemsdaa.net 

The latest news in 3LN

As we near the end of our second week of school, I would be remiss if I didn't express to you just how much I am enjoying our class. They are really terrific! (Whew...)

I love to see their happy smiles as they walk in the door each morning and the way they are already so chatty with their new classmates. They are also surprisingly open and honest about their feelings during our morning meetings, sharing all kinds of their likes, dislikes, funny memories, and things they are scared of. I find myself sitting there on the carpet with a contented smile on my face because I know that I truly do have a great class. (See, even teachers have initial fears about their class. Lol.)

I have a few things to share with you, so kindly take note of the following: 

• I want to take a moment to say thank you to those of you who were able to come to our Back to School Night on Monday. It was great to see you! And, if you were unable to make it, please feel free to review the slideshow. I always love meeting the parents of the cute faces I see everyday. 

• Here's a note from Pia Garnder regarding the DAA swim team: 

• "With the help of Tara Lewis, Coach Voja, and I (Pia Gardner) are proud to offer a year-long swim team. Our plan is to hold tryouts for this swim team on September 19th and 21st (with make-ups on Sept. 22nd). We will hold these tryouts in the Elementary School pool from 3-4:30 on both days. Our plan is select 7 students from grades 2-5 to train and compete with us throughout the school year. The information regarding this will be sent out via SPOTS, as well as flyers posted throughout the building. We are requiring a two-time a week commitment of training, but offer two sessions in the afternoon and two in the morning, so students can also pursue other interests. Thanks so much for your support!"

• For those students who are interested in being an ES Student Council rep for our class, please complete this application and return it to school on Monday, Sept. 19th. Students who would like to be considered will then give their speeches on Wednesday, Sept. 21st and we will vote as a class to determine our 3LN rep.  Stay tuned to see who is elected! 

• There is NO SCHOOL for students on Tuesday, Sept. 20th. (Teachers will be receiving professional development.)

• Class Photos are COMING SOON!! Our class will have our individual class photos taken on Wednesday (Day 5), Sept. 21st, so please be sure that your child is dressed in his/her formal uniform (not the one for PE) and remember to bring your tie, so he/she looks extra sharp. 

• ASAs (After School Activities) are also coming soon. Please stay tuned, as I'll be posting all of the important details on the blog as soon as I receive them. 

• As an FYI, the ES Choir, which is new this year, has already filled up and has a waiting list. 

• Lastly, our class has already enjoyed our first reward party, which was "POPCORN AND M&Ms." How does this work? Well, every time our class receives a compliment, the students choose a letter and when all the letters are filled in, we have the party. We viewed a story from Story Line Online and there were smiles and crunching all around. 

Lastly, though this is a couple of days early, I'd like to wish those of you who celebrate a very blessed and happy Eid. What a treat that we have the whole week to enjoy the best of Dubai, as well as other places near and far. Wherever the holiday finds you, I hope it will be especially wonderful. 

My apologies...

For some reason, the post I shared yesterday is now appearing very tiny. It's so strange. I'm unable to save my preferred font size (normal, not smallest), despite my repeated efforts. I informed Blogger about the issue and apologize for the inconvenience. 

Please forgive the tiny text and, perhaps, you could grab a magnifying glass. Hopefully, Blogger will get it worked out soon and allow me make the edits I'm trying to make. 

#techproblems 

😁

First Week: Done ✅

After a full week of school, I am so happy to report that things in 3LN are going very well. Children had smiles on their faces, laughter could be heard, and there was plenty of great participation throughout the week. 

The first week is alway so important as procedures are set in place, students scope out the feel of the class and assess their comfort level, and the foundations for new friendships are laid. Thankfully, there were no glaring problems or issues and the class has already begun to gel as a family. (I am always on the lookout for children who seem alone or isolated and there were none to be found. Yay!) 

I drove home on Thursday so very happy with the way things went and so thankful for the children whom I can now call "mine," at least for the next 10 months. (Thank you, parents, for sharing them with me, by the way.) We are on the cusp of Week 2 and the speed will definitely start to pick up a bit. 

Here are some important items that you should note for the next week: 

• Our Back to School Night is on Monday evening. For those of you who can make it, it's always a valuable time for me to communicate the essentials of our year together in Grade 3. If for some reason you are unable to come, however, please rest assured that I will post the powerpoint and all the info. you need. (I understand that some are traveling, working, or home with children.) 

• As an FYI, I will be hosting our BTSN presentation in my classroom, Room 220, along with one of our new teachers, Ms. Jennifer Trataris. We will be co-presenting and look forward to seeing both sets of parents in the classroom. (So, don't be alarmed if there are parents you may not recognize as those from 3LN. Most of the information we'll share applies to both classrooms, but we will each add our own specifics as we go through the presentation.) 

• I have just posted this week's Assignment and News, so please read it over when you have 5 minutes. 

• There are also new pictures up! Click here to see them. (Wow, your children are really cute!) 

• Did you go somewhere pretty amazing this summer? If so, please share it with us! Here's a note from our lovely librarian, Sarah Mollenkramer: 

• Please join us in sharing your summer vacation geography fun facts on our hallway bulletin board. Bring or send us a picture of you on vacation and tell us a fun fact about that place. (s.mollenkramer1_DAA@gemsedu.com) Thanks for your help in promoting awareness about our wide and wonderful world!

That's it for now. I'm excited to see you on Monday night if you can join us!! :)

PS. I hope you'll enjoy these fun pictures, which are just a foretaste of the fun that is yet to come.

Sweet Sofiya is already writing a darling note to her new friend. 

Sarah and Jenna discovering something they have in common during our game of Bingo.

Zoya, "Ooo! Let me sign yours then!" 

Yehia is full of passion! And, he really likes Uno. 

Such a sweet smile...

Two seconds later. Lol.

Are these darlings cute or what?! We are going to have a wonderful year together. :)