From the Principal's Desk
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
April 23, 2017 FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK Research is clear. The student-teacher rela- tionship has the greatest impact on student learning, even beyond curriculum. We pride ourselves on being a school where every stu- dent is known, where the connection amongst students and faculty feels like family, where big dreams and aspirations are fulfilled. The world is changing, and GMS is responding. We are researching innovative ways to prepare our students for the future and implementing If you don’t have great teachers, you don’t have a revolutionary flexibility to make that possible. great school and nothing else is going to change Our STEM programmes are amongst the most that.” – Todd Whitaker, What Great Teachers Do Differently.” popular and our students have shown time and In Hollywood they say casting is everything. If you again that if you can imagine it, you can create pick the right actors to star in your movie, odds are it. We have already seen results but our sights better it will be a box office blockbuster. The same are set higher – much higher. holds true for schools. If the staff and teachers are great, odds are the school will be great. Our doors are always open and we welcome your inputs. Please do not hesitate to discuss At a recent staff meeting, we welcomed our new your suggestions or share your thoughts and teachers - all highly qualified specialists who have ideas to help us make this an extraordinary been carefully chosen for their proven ability to year for your child. ignite the curiosity of learning in every student, help them improve in areas of weakness, and shine in areas of strength and interest. Page 2 Kids Creative Café Pens help create words and sentences and express pictures and ideas. They create stories and tales and compose charming poems. Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) has a specially designed programme called The Creative Kids’ Café which is being Athmaja Kavia Bijo of Grade 9 G and Syed Zidane held daily from 19 April to 29 April, 2017 at the Sharjah Expo of Grade 6 B have the proud distinction of having Centre. Students from the globe and from within the U.A.E were been chosen as Guest Speakers at the Creative Kids’ Café, sharing their journey to becoming invited to be a part of this program which was devised to inspire authors and publishing their books. children to invest their time in writing, reading and other creative activities. Thousands of children who visited the festival enjoyed talking to them and were inspired by their amazing talent. Behind each unique and thoughtful literary creation is the creativity. Page 3 Athmaja’s Experience at the Kids Creative Café The Kids Creative Café at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival The entire festival was an attempt at liberating our ideas was an experience that gave me a kind of freedom to express my of reading and writing through various programmes and views of writing and creativity. It was a platform where my views activities, making people realize that literature is some- on things, though in their nascent stages, along with the various thing that can be construed in many different ways. facets of different matters as viewed by different people were Speaking to my friends and others in the audience made discussed and thus bolstered. me feel like a part of this endeavor; I am grateful to my school for having provided me with this opportunity. We will be sharing with you Syed Zidane’s experience in the next Newsletter... Page 4 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Our school participated both in the Senior as well as Junior Competition level at the First Lego League held at GEMS Nations Academy on April 15, 2017 .Our students presented their solutions to the judges with a dash of creativity based on the programmme’s Core Values. For the Senior team, the theme was ‘Animal Allies’ in which they had to design, build and program a robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS technolo- gy. Our team comprising of Rishabh Java of 10B1, Ravindra Singh of 10B, Mohammed Haneen of 10B and Bhavish Kumar of 9B won the ‘Innovative Solution’ prize. Our Junior innovators researched, developed and FIRST LEGO LEAGUE programmed using LEGO Wedo1.0 and Wedo 2.0. The theme in the Junior category was ‘Creature Craze’ First Lego League is based on Imaginative Thinking and Team and the members were Arfaz Mohammed of 4B4 , Work .It combines learning with fun while applying Science, Tech- Gatik Sharma of 6B2, Shaurya Gupta of 6B2, Vedika nology, Engineering, and Math concepts (STEM) in a practical way. Yogesh of 5G2 and Reshi Adhikari of 6B. They bagged the Excellent Core Values Honourees Award. CONGRATULATIONS! Page 5 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE FIRST LEGO League and FIRST LEGO League Junior both are based on innovator’s imaginative thinking and team work which was held in Gems Nations Academy on April 15, 2017. It adds up to tons of fun and learning while children learn to apply science, technology, engineer- ing, and math concepts (STEM). Page 6 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE FIRST LEGO League and FIRST LEGO League Junior both are based on innovator’s imaginative thinking and team work which was held in Gems Nations Academy on April 15, 2017. It adds up to tons of fun and learning while children learn to apply science, technology, engineer- ing, and math concepts (STEM). Page 7 Invitation from Microsoft for Rishabh Java RISHABH JAVA Rishabh Java of Grade 10 B1 has been invited by the Microsoft Team to visit the US to share his experience in creating the Bionic Arm. Well done Rishabh. We applaud you on your success. We will keep you posted of further developments... Page 8 OUR GRADE 11 TEACHING FACULTY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT MS. ASHWINI RAO MS. SANDHYA SANJEEV M.A. (English Literature, University of MA. (English Literature, Madras Kerala); B.Ed. (English); Diploma in University); B.Ed. (English) Journalism Ms. Ashwini has over 13 years of experience in teaching Ms. Sandhya began her career as an English Teach- English to the Middle and Senior School. She has re- er in the Republic of Maldives under the Ministry of ceived accolades for her competence in English Lan- Education. She has over 18 years of experience, 6 of which have been with Our Own English High guage teaching during her B.Ed. Programme. After a School, Sharjah (Girls Branch). Ms. Sandhya is stint of 6 years as an English Teacher with J.S.S Inter- known to be a passionate teacher committed to national School in Dubai, she joined GEMS Millennium students’ development. School, Sharjah in April 2015 and has since then added considerable value to the English Department. Page 9 MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT MR. JOHNSON C.J MR. MANOJ KRISHNAN M.Sc. (Mathematics, M.G. University); M.Sc. (Mathematics, M.G. University); B.Ed. (Mathematics); SET B.Ed. (Mathematics); SET Mr. Johnson has rich experience of 20 years in teaching Mr. Manoj comes with over 14 years of experience in Mathematics to Senior Secondary grades. He enjoys an teaching Mathematics to Senior Secondary grades. He excellent reputation and is known to be a teacher who is joins us from Birla Public School, Doha where he was able to bring out the very best in his students through the Head of the Mathematics Department. His previous his positive approach. He has worked as PGT Mathemat- experience includes The Indian Islahi Islamic School, ics Teacher at Bhavan’s Vidhya Mandir, Kochi for 19 Abu Dhabi and the T.K.M. Centenary Public School, years. He taught at the Indian School, Salalah, Oman for Kerala. He has also coached students for IIT and Engi- a year before joining us. neering entrance exams at Tandem Institute, Kuwait. Page 10 SCIENCE DEPARTMENT MS. LEELA SATHISH MS. SONIA RODRICKS M.Sc. (Zoology, M.G. University); B.Ed. M.Sc. (Zoology, Agra University); B.Ed. (Science) (Science) With a career spanning over 20 years, Ms. Leela Sathish has taught Biology to Grades 11 and 12 at Our Own English High School, Sharjah – M.Sc. (Mathematics, M.G. University); Main Campus for 9 years. She is very highly regarded for her ability Ms. Sonia began her teaching career in City Mon- to ensure that all her students work to their fullest potential. In tessori School, Lucknow in 2003 and taught Biology 2004, she received a letter of appreciation when 73.7% of her stu- and Environmental Education to Grades 11 and 12 at dents of Grade 12 and 64.9% of her students in Grade 10 secured A1 Christ Church College, Lucknow. She joined GEMS in the CBSE Board Examinations. In 2005, she was commended by Millennium School, Sharjah in 2012 and is known for GEMS for getting the highest subject average (Biology) amongst all setting very high expectations for her students. GEMS Schools. 85% of Grade 10 students got A in their Board Exams and the subject average for Grade 12 was 86.6%. This rose to an incredible 91.8% in the academic year 2011 – 2012, with a student getting a perfect score of 100. Ms. Leela’s most recent appointment was as the Principal of Cochin Public School for a year. She is returning to a career that she is most passionate about - Teaching. Page 11 SCIENCE DEPARTMENT MS. BINSU MARY JOHN MS. SHERLY PETER M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Chemistry Hons. from M.Sc. (Chemistry, Sagar University, M.P); St. Stephen’s College, University of B.Ed. (Science) Delhi); B.Ed. (Science); CET M.Sc. (Mathematics, M.G.