SZPAB September newsletter

HONORING THE PAST EDUCATING FOR THE FUTURE

SZPAB NEWSLETTER

September, 2023 volume 9

OUR MISSION

The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy aims to honor the past and educate for the future by developing confident, responsible and caring young people of integrity who are well educated and prepared to meet the challenges in an ever-changing world.

OUR VALUES

To achieve our mission, we will work to our core values which are:

Pursue excellence in all that we do Celebrate achievement and participation of all Appreciate and foster UAE National Identity

Cherish the community and the environment

Promote Emirati culture and ethical values Promote respect, responsibility, belonging and caring

Develop leadership capacity and global citizenship

Principal's Welcome

Dear Parents,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our first SZPAB newsletter of the academic year The Summer holidays now seem a distant memory however, I hope that you and your families enjoyed this time together. September has been a busy month at school with students and staff returning with renewed energy and determination to make this a very successful year We have welcomed many new students and a small number of teachers and I wish them every success as they begin their journey at SZPAB

One of the big developments at school this year is the introduction of a ‘house’ system across our entire school. Every SZPAB student, member of staff and parent is now a member of a ‘house’. Our ‘houses’ celebrate the UAE flag and are named ‘Red House’, Black House’, White House’ and ‘Green House’ During the year, students will take part in house events such as our Sports Days and they will receive housepoints for their achievements In addition, all students are able to receive housepoints for their attitude to learning, attendance and punctuality, leadership, homework etc House Awards will be presented to students receiving the most housepoints during the year and a House Cup will be presented to the winning house at the end of the year. We are very excited about this new development at SZPAB and look forward to lots of friendly competition!

Working in partnership with our parents and families continues to be of highest priority to our school community Hardworking students, dedicated teachers and supportive parents are the ingredients of a very successful education and we continue to strengthen these relationships. In this newsletter, you will find details of a wide range of Parent Engagement events taking place this term These events are opportunities for parents to visit school, to see their children engaged in their learning and to learn more about what we do at SZPAB Our monthly Parent Coffee and Tour events are a wonderful way for parents to learn about our school and our first event is taking place on Tuesday 3rd October at 8am. Wherever possible, I would strongly recommend parents to take these opportunities to visit our school.

I would like to wish every member of the SZPAB community every success for the year ahead as we continue to ‘Honor the Past Educate for the Future’

Yours sincerely,

Mr Neil Matthews Principal

SZPAB Parent Engagement Calendar 2023

Term 1

SEPTEMBER

5th G1 Curriculum Information Workshop (3-4.15pm)

6th Secondary Curriculum Information Workshop (4-6pm)

7th Elementary Curriculum Information Workshop (5-6pm)

21st 5B Assembly – Respect and the 3C’s (7 45-8 15am)

28th KG Red House Visit (KG1 12pm and G1 2pm)

28th Elementary Islamic Assembly (7.45-8.15am)

OCTOBER

3rd Parent Coffee & Tour (8-9am)

3rd G12 Class of 2024 Parent Event (5-6pm)

10th KG Phonics Workshop for Parents

12th 4A Assembly – Goal Setting (7 45-8 15am)

12th Elementary Role Model Event

23rd Secondary Science Workshop – Mole Day (8.45am)

26th 3D Assembly – Growth Mindset (7.45-8.15am)

27th KG Black House Visit

w/c 30th Student Progress Meetings

NOVEMBER

2nd 2D Assembly – UAE National Identity (7 45-8 15am)

7th Parent Coffee & Tour (1 30-2 30pm)

8th Secondary Student and Parents STEAM Day

9th 5A Assembly – Kindness (7.45-8.15am)

14th G12 Careers Information Workshop for Parents (8.30-9.15am)

14th Secondary Robotics Workshop for Parents (9 30-10 20am)

15th Elementary Talk for Writing Parent Workshop

17th KG World Nursery Rhyme Week Assembly

23rd 4B Assembly – UNICEF Rights of the Child (7.45-8.15am)

30th KG White House Visit

DECEMBER

5th Parent Coffee & Tour (8-9am)

7th 3A Assembly – Respecting Culture (7.45-8.15am)

8th KG End of Unit Celebration

Early Years News

A very warm welcome to the start of a brand new and exciting academic year 2023-2024. We hope that you had a wonderful summer break with your families and are also looking forward to seeing what this new school year brings

Over the summer, my team has been busy planning interesting and innovative lessons, activities, opportunities and trips for your children. We have been working hard on both our indoor and outdoor learning environments and you might see some of the changes and improvements we have made over the coming weeks.

There will be lots of opportunities for you to come into school and participate in activities with your children as the months progress.

May I take this opportunity to give you heartfelt thanks for all your support last year, my first year of leading this phase? Your contributions included:

helping to create lots of exciting costumes for the numerous dress-up days attending our sports day, graduations and end of unit celebrations generous donations of refreshments for our school-wide events engaging in conversations about your child’s academic, social and emotional progress at parent and teacher meetings

As I begin my second year leading my incredible team, they and I are so excited about meeting your children and watching them blossom and grow throughout the terms.

Here’s to another successful year!

Nicola Lavis Head of Early Years

Elementary Update

Dear Parents and Families,

I would like to welcome you to the new academic year which has started very smoothly. Classes have completed early assessments and begun their teaching programs.

Grade 2:

Grade 2 introduced their new Talk for Writing unit by having a scavenger hunt around the school. This began with the students watching a video from Ms. Martina, our Elementary teacher librarian. She congratulated them on their hard work so far this term and told them she had a gift for them, but she needed their help to find the correct key to open the padlock. The students followed a series of clues, each of which took them to a piece of the key When they had the whole key, they were able to unlock the gift, which was a book linked to their new unit

You can watch the video here: Miss Martina and the lost Key Video

Grade 3:

Children have begun the imitation phase of Talk for Writing and are working collaboratively using actions to internalize our Talk for Writing text ‘The Disgusting Sandwich’

Here are Osha, Nasser, Talia, Shaikha and Abdulla Saeed of Grade 3B in action.

Rashed in Grade 3B showed signs of leadership during our library session by offering to read to his classmates and asking them retrieval and inference questions.

In science, Grade 3 are learning about extreme weather and were posed with the problem of how to rescue people from a tsunami In the Lego room, Nasser and Saeed Anouar of 3B followed instructions to build their own rescue helicopters.

Grade 4:

Grade 4A have really been enjoying the imitation phase of our first Talk for Writing unit of the year. In the photos the boys are showing how well they can remember ‘How I Met a Dog Called Midnight’. They really enjoyed working collaboratively to create a class set of actions for the text.

Grade 4’s first science topic has focused on the amazing human body In this lesson, students were answering the question ‘How do people move?’. Here Khalaf and Talal are using their robot fingers to explain how muscles help our bodies to move.

In this photo, Ateej is transferring his learning about the robotic finger onto his own body He is explaining to Yousif and Abdulla Mohammed which muscles he can feel contracting when he moves his fingers and his forearm Photo Finally, we see Saoud and Khalifa exploring where they think the muscle that helps them move their fingers starts and ends on their own body.

Grade 5:

Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Mazrouei and Mohamed Marwan from Grade 5 have learned how to multiply using the Lattice Method in math. This is an effective and visual way to multiply numbers. Their presentation showcasing their work was amazing Photo

Grade 5 Reading Leaders

Reading is a big focus across Elementary. Our aim is to have all our students love reading. International research tells us that students who develop a love of reading at an early age are more likely to be successful later in higher education

As part of our Grade 5 leadership program, the students became positive role models for students in the lower grades by reading with them.

You can see photos of them here: https://app seesaw me/pages/shared item?item id=item 30e43209-02ed-474d-9c8fdc6475ae4d0d&share token=MIoXn56OQiGuuW-0vATMMA&mode=share

Visual and Performing Arts

International Dot Day, 15 September, Students from Gr 1 to 5 created a dot design and then cut it up and pasted in to create a beautiful Art Collaboration to brighten our walls.

Video link

It has been an extremely positive and productive start to the year The secondary team are very proud of how well students have returned to school after the summer break and the independence they have shown. Parent partnership continues to be a priority for us and we have already held parental engagement events, such our curriculum evening and the science event about Sultan Al Neyadi. We have many more planned.

Offsite PE is back for high school students in Grades 10-12 and we have introduced an honors course in collaboration with Forza Sport. We have a TrainYAS PE opportunity for high school students taking place on Wednesday, October 4: join the PE team at the Yas Marina Circuit for an evening of cycling or running around the famous grand prix track.

Grade 12

It has been an excellent start for the Class of 2024’s final academic year at SZPAB Students have had the opportunity to study our widest variety of subjects yet, including a choice of 5 AP subjects.

SAT testing for Grade 12 is scheduled for October 7 Please note registration closes on September 22

We are holding our first parent and student event of the year for Grade 12 families on Tuesday, October 3 at 5:00 p m in the school auditorium. The Class of 2024 Evening will provide important and useful information about the year ahead.

So far this year, our college and careers advisor has met with Grades 11 and 12 students to discuss the admission requirements for UAE, USA and UK universities We have also supported our Grade 12 students to access the EmSAT portal

We have two trips arranged this term. The first is to New York University - Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and the second is to the Najah exhibition. The aim of these upcoming academic trips is to enhance students' knowledge of higher education programs and requirements

Opening Minds, One Book at a Time

At SZPAB we want to foster a love for reading by providing a range of activities to improve literacy across the curriculum. Library provision in the secondary phase involves working alongside the English department to create a collaborative and holistic way of teaching that appeals to different learning styles as well as promoting leadership skills and digital literacy We have a number of competitions and activities taking place in the library. Please see below for more information:

Secondary

Enriching the curriculum

The initiative to enrich the English curriculum through library activities is a dynamic and innovative approach to foster a deeper appreciation for language and literature among students It recognizes that the school library is not just a repository of books but a vital resource for enhancing language skills, critical thinking and a love for reading and writing.

Here is a variety of activities to support Grade 6 English in our library

Reading Hall of Fame

This year we have started the ‘Reading Hall of Fame’ competition Its aim is to inspire learners to develop a love of reading and to engage more with books and literature. The ‘Reading Hall of Fame’ is a celebration of the joy of reading, a tribute to those who have embraced it wholeheartedly and an invitation to others to embark on their own reading journeys It encourages a culture of reading and lifelong learning within the SZPAB community.

Chess Club

The Chess Club is a vibrant and intellectually stimulating activity dedicated to the game of chess. This club is open to all students, from beginners to experienced players. The Chess Club provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for chess enthusiasts to gather, learn, compete and socialize

Secondary School Magazine: Our Voice

Our school magazine is a dynamic and creative platform created by students for students. This publication captures the spirit and essence of our school, offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of experiences, talents and accomplishments that define our educational community. Learners use their lunchtimes to collaborate, share ideas and create articles.

Secondary

Debate Club

The Debate Club is an intellectually stimulating and dynamic studentled session dedicated to the art of debate and discussion. It provides a platform for students to engage in lively and respectful debates on a wide range of topics from current events to ethical dilemmas

Talented Students at SZPAB

Our artist-in-residence, Ali Salem AlShamsi (Grade 12), has been refining his painting skills over the past four years with his work being proudly displayed at the Horse and Hunting Exhibition for the third year in a row. His work was admired by many, including H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Our students not only show great creative talents but they are gifted sportsmen too. This year, Salah Nooh AlHammadi (Grade 10) was selected to represent Abu Dhabi Cycling Club at an elite summer camp for young performers. Salah has been targeted for great things and is one to watch for future Tours De France

Another outstanding achievement from a talented sports performer is Mohamed Al Nahyan’s (Grade 10) second place overall in his age group at a recent Muay Thai championship

The last winner in our ranks for this newsletter is Ahmed Hasan Al Hosani (Grade 8). Ahmed participated in both the Asia Cup and the Abu Dhabi Challenge Event, competing at two different weight categories in Jui Jitsu The Olympics is next for him!

Arabic Language Department Activities

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Inclusion Insight

Meet the Team

Name

Caption

Hello! I am Ms Pamela from Dublin, Ireland, and I am very excited to be working in Early Years this year. I joined The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys last year and worked with the older boys in Secondary. This year I am thrilled to work with the little ones - a very exciting new adventure! This is my fourth year in Abu Dhabi and I am very happy to call it home I have been working in education for 18 years. Most of that time has been spent in Inclusive Education which is where my passion lies. I am a mum to boys and my home, just like work, is very loud and busy! In my spare time, I love to swim, box and do yoga - anything that keeps me active! My favorite place in Abu Dhabi is Yas Waterworld and I love crazy waterslides! When we have holidays from school, I love to travel. I have been on many wonderful holidays. Exploring the world is our favorite thing to do as a family. This summer I traveled back to Ireland for the first time in two years I was very excited to go home to see my family, but it rained every day I couldn’t wait to get back to Abu Dhabi. I love the friendly faces and busy corridors of SZPAB. Watching the children learn, play and grow in our fabulous multisensory environment brings me great pleasure I wish all of our students and their families a wonderful academic year ahead!

Mabuhay! I am Ms Geraldine from the Philippines I have worked at The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys for 5 years as a Learning Support Assistant, helping students with additional needs. This school year I am delighted to be a part of the Inclusion Team in Early Years I love helping children who have additional needs and, with my 10 years’ teaching experience, I believe that I can contribute significantly in this role I particularly enjoy breaking down complicated concepts into simple examples that students can grasp. I believe that being creative, nurturing and, most of all, patient and understanding is key in this role I firmly believe that every student has unique talents and gifts I follow a philosophy of motivating and encouraging students to unleash their capabilities and skills through play, investigation, differentiated activities and integration. I look forward to supporting your child

Pamela

Geraldine

Ashley

Greetings! I am Ms. Ashley, hailing from the USA. My heart belongs to a wonderful trio: a two-month-old baby boy, a spirited four-year-old girl, and an adventurous five-year-old boy Together, we cherish the joys of family time

I'm thrilled to be your Head of Inclusion for Early Years and Elementary, actively collaborating with students, parents, and teachers from Pre-K through Grade 5 My teaching journey spans a fulfilling 19 years, with a decade dedicated to Abu Dhabi and four years nestled within the SZPAB community.

My passion for teaching was ignited by my love for children and a deep-seated commitment to guide them through educational and emotional challenges, fostering an environment of acceptance and understanding. I am a firm believer in enriching children's experiences through multisensory learning approaches, always striving to make learning enjoyable and engaging The school corridors have welcomed both fresh faces and familiar ones, and I eagerly anticipate continued partnerships as we embark on this year's collective mission of nurturing our students along their unique learning paths, both now and in the future.

Hi everyone, I am Ms. Margaret, and I am from Ireland. I spent eight years there as a homeroom and learning support teacher before moving to the UAE in 2019

This is the fifth year I have been teaching in Abu Dhabi and my first year at The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys. I will be supporting student learning in Elementary It has been a pleasure joining your school and getting to know the pupils over the past few weeks

This year I hope to develop a growth mindset in the pupils I work with I look forward to celebrating every step they take in their learning

I like to spend my vacations traveling or being at home with family in Ireland. It rained every day of the summer there!

Margaret

Hello, my name is Jean. I am from the Philippines where I studied for a bachelor’s degree in special education. It has been my privilege to work at SZPAB as a Learning Support Assistant for the last 7 years

I love spending my vacations with my family in the Philippines, especially my 5-year-old daughter.

I hope to impact the success of every student that I will be working with this year. When I see a student, I see a work in progress and I want to be part of it.

Hello, my name is Miss Meaghan and I am a learning support teacher that will be working with Grades 3 and 4 this year. I am from Arizona, USA, where I taught for 8 years as both a learning support teacher and then a Grade 2 homeroom teacher After working in the USA, I moved to Madrid, Spain, where I worked as an English language teacher. This is now my eighth year working at The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys. I am excited to see some of the students from last year as well as getting to know the new students that I will be working with

I look forward to a great year of supporting students so they can meet their goals and feel successful in their learning.

Hello! My name is Sara and I am from Egypt I started working at the school as an Arabic Learning Support Assistant in 2022.

I went to Egypt during summer and spent the vacation with my children. I enjoyed my time with them very much.

I aspire to develop further with the inclusion department and to learn more The teaching profession does not have a limit and there is a lot to learn about it I let my students know that they have no limits, and I am very excited for them to do their very best this year.

Meaghan

Sara

Name

Ragia

Amall

Anthony

Caption

I am Ragia Mohamed. I am Egyptian. I have a bachelor's degree, a special diploma, a professional diploma and master's degree of education I worked as a speech therapist, SEN teacher and lecturer in Egypt then I moved to the UAE in 2019 and worked as a special educator and people of determination coordinator. I am delighted to join SZPAB this year and hope to develop my skills as an inclusion teacher. My dream is to get a Ph.D. in education. I look forward to working with students in Grade 4 and Grade 5

Hello, I am Amall from Jordan I was born in Saudi Arabia, spent my childhood there and then moved to study in Jordan

During the summer I went to Jordan and Saudi Arabia with my family and we had a lot of fun. I have a beautiful 10-year-old daughter

I have worked at The Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys since 2021. I love my job as an inclusion teacher. There is lots of support, inspiring me and giving me energy and hope. What I love most about my job is seeing my students succeed I am very excited to get to know new students and new colleagues this year

Hi, I am Mr Anthony and I come from England I have been at SZPAB since August 2020

This summer vacation I stayed in the UAE and spent some quality time with my family.

This year I am looking forward to teaching and supporting all students. I am looking forward to the break-time and lunch-time social club in the Learning Hub where we get to find out more about you.

I am excited to get to know you all better and look forward to working on your goals for the future.

Hello! I am Miss Baraa. I am from Jordan. I am a mother of 3 amazing children, Taleen (16), Mohammad (10) and Talia (8).

In the summer, we traveled to Amman in Jordan to see my family I love reading, music, and roses.

I joined SZPAB in 2015, its first year, and have been working with the Learning Support/Inclusion team since then This year, I am supporting Grade 6 students in their transition to middle school and helping them settle into their new routines. I work with students to meet their potential in math and am currently identifying gifted and talented students in middle and high school to ensure they are appropriately challenged

In addition, I work with SZPAB’s National Identity team to promote pride in the UAE throughout our school community.

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to all of our returning students this year, and a huge SZPAB welcome to all of our new students. I am Miss Áine and I lead our wonderful inclusion team I am from Ireland and I have worked in SZPAB since 2019 It is my pleasure to see the boys I first taught in Grade 8 prepare to graduate this year The start of a new school year is always a time of anticipation and possibility, and this year is no exception. As the Head of Inclusion, my primary commitment is to ensure that our school is an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment for all students Inclusion is not just a concept; it is a core value that we hold dear and is embedded in everything we do. Students, you know my door is always open. Parents, you know you can email me any time I cannot wait to see what this new academic year brings