High School Updates

Dear High School Parents and Students,

As we conclude another week at Dubai American Academy, I am filled with pride and gratitude for the vibrant school community we share. Our collective efforts continue to foster an environment where our students not only excel academically but also grow into compassionate, well-rounded individuals.

We are near welcoming the Holy Month of Ramadan, a period of reflection, devotion, and community. With the announcement expected over the weekend, I wish to extend my heartfelt wishes to each of you for a Ramadan filled with peace, joy, and prosperity. Let us embrace this blessed month with open hearts, promoting a spirit of kindness and understanding, both within our school community and beyond. Please note that upon the official commencement of Ramadan, we will be transitioning to Ramadan hours.

Our sophomores recently had the privilege of participating in the 12th Annual Career Conference, a milestone event dedicated to exploring future career paths. The conference featured 78 breakout sessions led by 39 distinguished professionals, offering our students invaluable insights into various careers and professional journeys. Additionally, an engaging auditorium session with a Student Panel provided perspectives on different diploma pathways. Events like these are instrumental in guiding our students as they take significant steps toward their futures.

This week was marked by a significant achievement as we celebrated the first class of initiates into the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. This new chapter at Dubai American Academy is a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our students in mathematics. Congratulations to all the initiates on this prestigious recognition!

In the spirit of fostering camaraderie and school spirit, our students participated in the Dodgeball 7s event today. This long-standing tradition is not just about competition; it's a celebration of teamwork, spirit, and joy. Year after year, this event proves to be a highlight, and I am thrilled to say that this year has been exceptional in its display of enthusiasm.

At DAA, we are committed to providing a multitude of opportunities that engage and empower our students daily. The variety of events, initiatives, and traditions at our school ensures that each student can find their niche and thrive. We are more than a school; we are a community where every student has the potential to succeed.

Wishing you all a safe weekend ahead, mindful of the potential rain and storms.

Kind regards,

Dr. Cody Yocom

High School Principal

We hope that you found this week's course selection information sessions helpful. The session presentations are linked below for your reference. Session recordings and responses to questions will be shared via email next week.

Course Selection Information Session Presentations

Diploma Pathways by Country

4-Year Course Planning

IB Programme

Advanced Placement Program

Math

Languages

Course selection opens in PowerSchool on Monday, March 11th and closes on Friday, April 26th. Detailed instructions on entering course requests in PowerSchool will be emailed on Monday.

Teachers' recommendations will be visible in PowerSchool when course selection opens. Recommendations follow DAA’s Course Recommendation Criteria. If you have questions regarding course recommendations after reviewing the course recommendation criteria, please contact your child's teacher.

A gentle reminder that all course requests submitted on or before April 26th are considered equally. There is no benefit to submitting course requests early. Further, you can revise your course requests any time prior to April 26th.

If you have any questions about the Course Selection process, please contact your child’s counselor or Ian McHugh at i.mchugh_daa@gemsedu.com.

Congratulations to the High School Knowledge Masters Open team. The team had an online quiz competition against 25 other high school teams in the United States on February 28th and did extremely well. Congratulations to team members Adam Abid, Rianna Gupta, Rayan Al- Mutawa, Zahaan Hasham, Arpita Nayak, Abhay Pabbathi, Shanaya Sanjay, Yanni Akrour, and Khaleem Hasham.

The counseling office will be closed from Friday, March 22nd, 12:00 PM until Monday, April 15th, 7:30 AM.

Senior Parents: If your senior requires any official documents please make sure they submit their request to the Submitting Documents Request Form Class of 2024 by 2:00 PM on Wednesday, March 20th. Any requests submitted after this date will be completed on our return on April 15th.

We have exciting news to share! PowerSchool can now summarize the credits that students have earned towards graduation, as well as the pending credits. If you have transferred to DAA in high school, the counseling office is working to add transfer credits.

If you have not provided your final transcript from your previous school, please do so as soon as possible. Send your transcript to Mr. Jon Gatus, j.gatus_daa@gemsedu.com.

Review Credit Check - Graduation Plan Selection Student Directions for details on how to check credits earned towards high school graduation.

Is your freshman or sophomore unsure of which Diploma Pathway to pursue? This presentation provides an opportunity to learn what some upperclassmen shared about their experience in the US Diploma and IB Diploma pathways. Review their feedback about their experiences and encourage your learner to reach out to them with any specific questions.

Diploma Pathway Student Panel Presentation

Please see the overview of exciting events leading up to the Class of 2024's graduation below. Further details of each event will be shared throughout the coming months.

• Senior Breakfast: Monday, April 15th, Hilton, The Palm
  
• Senior Walk: Friday, April 19th, DAA
• IB Exams: April 24th - May 17th, DAA
• AP Exams: May 6th - May 17th, DAA
• Prom: May 31st, Waldorf, The Palm
• Graduation Rehearsal: TBD, DAA
• Graduation: June 3rd, Dubai Opera

Senior Clearance is a process that involves clearing/updating all DAA accounts.

• The clearance process can begin now; with exception to the Final Transcript Review.
• The Final Transcript Review will begin in May, once Seniors receive their Unofficial Final Transcript via email for approval.
  
• The Senior Clearance process must be completed for students to receive their HS Diploma, DAA Transcript, IB Diploma, IB Results, and AP Results.
• Final Transcripts will be available on or after graduation, if the Senior Clearance process is complete.

Click the button below for Senior Clearance directions.

The Counseling Department invites all Freshmen and Sophomore students to book their 1:1 meetings with their counselor during the upcoming Course Selection process. This 1:1 meeting is designed to help students plan their future courses and diploma pathways.

We request all students complete the Diploma Pathway Conversation 2023-2024 Form before this meeting so that the counselor can best support them. This form is accessible to students only. Parents are welcome to join the meeting along with their learner. Booking links can be found in the upper left hand corner of the grade level newsletters: Sophomore Newsletter Class of 2026 and Freshmen Newsletter Class of 2027

Student lunch and learns will continue after Ramadan.

Click the link below for details of upcoming sessions.

Congratulations to all our Seniors on their commendable performance during the mock exam session! Their hard work and dedication have shone through and we are proud of their achievements.

With the final IB exams approaching, it’s important to stay focused and prepared. With feedback from mock exams rolling in, this presents an invaluable opportunity for growth and improvement. Students are actively identifying areas of strengths and areas where they can further refine their skills. Our teachers are here to support them every step of the way until their final exams.

We are currently finalizing the details for the May 2024 IB examination schedule which will be shared with you in our next edition. Meanwhile, let’s continue to strive for excellence!

Should you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to your IB DP Coordinator, Dr Sarah Verdoïa, s.verdoia_daa@gemsedu.com.

TOK Exhibition

The final TOK Exhibition is due on March 11th. Students are reminded that all work must be properly cited in order to meet the IB requirements for academic integrity.

Extended Essay

All IB Diploma students have now been allocated a supervisor for the Extended Essay. Students are expected to email their supervisor this week to arrange an informal meeting.

The timeline for the EE is available here.

All key dates for coursework for the IB can be viewed here.

AP examinations are scheduled from May 6th - May 17th. Follow this link for details of AP exam dates. The DAA AP exam timings will be shared following Spring Break.

Payment for AP exams may be made through the GEMS Connect portal from Friday, March 1st at 6:00 PM through Monday, April 15th at 11:59 PM.

Payments must be made for each course that your child is enrolled in. The examination fee for all AP courses is 495 AED, except AP Capstone - Seminar. The fee for AP Capstone - Seminar is 550 AED.

To pay AP examination fees and confirm registration for the examinations, please follow the steps below:

Online

1. Go to https://www.gems.ae/
2. Click Parent Portal
3. Login using your username and password
4. Click the Students activities Box
5. You will see the activity for AP Exam - settle payment for the required subjects studied by your child.

If you need assistance with your username and password please contact receptionist_daa@gemsedu.com.

For questions regarding AP examination fees, contact Ian McHugh at i.mchugh_daa@gemsedu.com.

GEMS DAA High School students are invited to participate in Yale University's Foreign Policy Initiative Essay Writing Competition

The Yale Foreign Policy Initiative is a student-run organization dedicated to expanding access to foreign policy opportunities through competitive research partnerships with experts from around the world.

The essay competition focussed on extending opportunities to DAA High School students who may have an interest in global political event, essay writing, or current affairs.

For the competition, students will choose a country, identify a global or domestic issue it faces, and propose a foreign policy approach to address the problem.

Essays will be reviewed by a number of undergraduate and graduate Yale professors, and the winning pieces will be showcased in Yale Foreign Policy Initiative-partnered publications.

In addition, Yale Foreign Policy Initiative will award $300 to the essay which achieves first place.

Deadline for submission of essay for the 2024 competition is Sunday, April 14, 2024.

Further details of the competition can be found here: https://yalefpi.com/opportunities