Newsletter #02

Dear parents,

Back to School Nights at UNIS are right around the corner! This is a wonderful opportunity for teachers and parents to come together and gain insight into our curriculum and the routines that will shape your child's educational journey this year. Join us for a reception with the Junior School Leadership before our meeting with teachers! We invite all parents to join us in the Cafeteria from 4:45 to 5:15. This will be a great opportunity to connect and engage with our school community before we dive into the meeting with teachers from 5:25 to 7:20.

We have organized a structured and informative evening to ensure a smooth experience for all attendees. Attached to this message is a tentative schedule outlining the different spaces and timings for each session. To make navigation easier, we will also be providing an application for your phone which will assist you in finding the rooms quickly. Alternatively, you can check Veracross or ask your child for their Language teacher's name to locate the room promptly.

It's important to note that this year, all individual meetings with teachers will be held on the 2nd floor. However, please be aware that the Homeroom team meetings will take place on different floors. We want to ensure that you have all the necessary information to maximize your time during Back to School Nights.

We look forward to seeing you on September 21 and fostering open communication between teachers and parents. Together, we can create a strong partnership to support your child's learning and growth.

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal
Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

Please review the maps below. Your cooperation is necessary to support the better experience for our students, parents, and staff. Thank you!

• • Monday, September 18 | 1st Day Yellow Bus Service J1-J4

  • Wednesday, September 20 | 1st Day Yellow Bus for JA with older siblings 

  • Thursday, September 21 | International Day of Peace with parents in homerooms 8:30 - 8:55 

  • Thursday, September 21 | JS Back to School Night 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Message from UNIS Transportation

The United Nations General Assembly is in session and will continue through September 26th. The first day of the high level General Debate will be on Tuesday, September 19th, which is expected to cause significant travel delays during and through the week. There will be intermittent street and road closures throughout Manhattan. Many bus routes will be delayed. Please arrive early at your stops in the morning. 

For more details about affected bus routes please see emails sent by UNIS Transportation.

If you have questions, please email transportation@unis.org and as always, please include your child's name, homeroom, bus route & bus stop. 

• • Monday, September 25 | 1st Day Yellow Bus for all JA 

  • Tuesday, October 3 | JS Photo Day Stomping Ground

  • Saturday, October 7 | Cardboard Challenge: Register + Save Cardboard 

  • Monday, October 9 | 1st Day After School Program - update SchoolPass

  • Monday, October 9 | No Yellow Bus Service from OPT - arrange alternate transportation & update SchoolPass

  • Friday, October 20 | UN Day Celebrations

  • October 23 - October 25 | October Break

  • Monday, October 30 | Classes Resume

  • November 22 - 24  |  Thanksgiving Break

  • Tuesday, November 28 |  Photo Makeup and Retake Day  Stomping Ground

A total of 27 Tutorial House students have submitted ideas to contribute to the relief effort. They will be meeting with the Director of Student Services this week to define the projects that Tutorial House will implement to support the affected people in those tragedies. We are proud of our students for taking initiative and showing compassion.

Additionally, the PA (Parent Association) has organized a Winter Clothing Drive for Morocco. As November marks the start of the winter season, the UNIS community members have requested support for this cause. Starting this Monday, September 18th, bins will be placed in the school ground floor lobby for you to drop off any clean and gently used or brand new winter clothing items. We appreciate all donations, big or small, and they will be delivered to Morocco in collaboration with the UNIS community members.

Regarding Libya, organizing support is currently more complex. However, we have reached out to Joseph Barnes, who is a parent of a J3 student and also works with UNICEF. He kindly shared with us the specific needs for both emergencies. You can find more information about the two emergencies and how to support them by visiting the following links:

• UNICEF Morocco Earthquake Page

• UNICEF Libya Flooding Page

Please note that UNICEF is currently fundraising to support Libya, but they do not have a dedicated appeal for Morocco at this time. Joseph Barnes also highlighted the long-term support needed for the schools in both countries. They will require sustained assistance even after the initial response phase has concluded. Our thoughts are with the affected schools and their communities. Thank you for your support and generosity.

IMPORTANT: 

All departments at UNIS, including the nurse, rely on the information that you provide in the Veracross Parent Portal to contact you. 

The only way you or your caregiver can be reached in an emergency, or when there are schoolwide announcements, is through the information that your family adds to our UNIS Portal. 

Please review your family profile and contact information to ensure that all of your local cell phone numbers, work phone numbers, email addresses and home address are correct and are entered in the correct fields. 

If you have not reviewed your information in September, we encourage you to do it today so that we can reach you quickly if needed, especially if you have relocated from abroad.

After logging into the Portal at myunis.vc , you may review and update all of your family contact information by:

• Going to Veracross

• Clicking on Household Information

• Updating Household Profile -> Contacts.

Thank you for taking the time to review and update your contact information now, and throughout the school year. The school's ability to contact you depends on it.

If you need support in order to make updates, please email tech.support@unis.org

International Day of Peace - September 21

In honor of the International Day of Peace, all Junior School parents are welcome to join their child's homeroom class from 8:30 - 8:55 on Thursday, September 21:

8:30 - 8:50 - Morning Meeting in the classroom with a reflection on the International Day of Peace

8:50 - 8:51 - Minute of Silence for Peace - chime time

8:55 - Parents depart classrooms and all classes resume their regular academic schedules

General Assembly - Week of September 18

Please note that the General Assembly of the United Nations will host heads of State and Governments this week, resulting in major street and ferry closures on the East Side. Please plan accordingly, and use public transportation whenever possible. 

This means that students, families, faculty and staff are respectfully asked to refrain from bringing peanuts, nuts, and seeds of any kind or foods processed with these items or their by products, such as oils, into the school. This includes products which state "may contain traces of nuts/peanuts/tree nuts” or "manufactured in a facility which processes" nuts/peanuts/tree nuts.

For example, tree nuts (such as almonds, pistachios, pine nuts, cashews, brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and foods associated with them (such as nutella, pesto, granola bars, marzipan, macaroons, hummus (containing sesame), etc.) may present a risk to others. 

Please be mindful of the type of snacks that you pack for your child. UNIS is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all the children in our school. Food allergies are becoming increasingly common among children, and we have several students with severe and/or life-threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, and seeds of any kind, as well as other allergens, including wheat, eggs, gluten and other food items.

Strict avoidance of the allergen is the ONLY way to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction. Due to the nature of peanut/nut products, it is more challenging to prevent contamination of surfaces in the classroom, cafeteria, bathrooms, keyboards and other areas in the building.

In order to enhance safety for all students, UNIS is an “Allergy Aware” school. This means that students, families, faculty and staff are respectfully asked to refrain from bringing peanuts, nuts and seeds of any kind or foods processed with these items into the school. This includes products that state "may contain traces of" nuts/peanuts/tree nuts.

While some allergic reactions can be mild, many students with severe food allergies experience serious and potentially life-threatening reactions. You can help by not sending your child to school with foods that contain nuts, peanuts or seeds of any kind.

We ask our students and families to help make the school environment safer for all students, by following these simple suggestions:

• Please remind your child never to share his/her food and drinks with other students.

• If your child has eaten nuts prior to coming to school, please make sure they wash their hands and face before leaving home.

• Please remind your child often to wash their hands before and after eating.

• While some may perceive this as “inconvenient”, for many others it is simply a matter of life or death. We believe all families understand a parent/guardian’s concern and worry about safety and will join us in ensuring that our learning environment is conducive to this goal. Together we can make a difference!

Message from Director of Athletics - PE Uniforms Required

Dear Parents,

All students are required to wear PE uniforms during UNIS Physical Education PE classes. This comprises a UNIS T-shirt, shorts/track or yoga pants, and sneakers.

If you have not yet ordered your child's t-shirt, are waiting for delivery, or would like extra t-shirts they are available to be purchased from the Athletics office from 9:30 - 4:00 pm each day.

Any UNIS T-shirt can be worn, including the sports day t-shirts from last year.

Should you like to purchase additional UNIS merchandise take a look at our SPIRIT STORE.

--

Daniel O'Connor, CAA, CIAA. | Director of Athletics and Physical Education

doconnor@unis.org

JS Photo Day - Mark Your Calendar October 3

Junior School students will have their individual, as well as homeroom group photos, taken on Tuesday, October 3.

Note that October 3 is the only opportunity for a JS student to be included in their homeroom's group photo. 

These photos will be available to parents for purchase directly from Stomping Ground, and will be used in the annual UNIS yearbook. 

Tuesday, November 28 is Photo Makeups & Retake Day. Students who were absent on October 3 can have their individual portrait photos taken that day. Parents may also make a request to Stomping Ground to retake their child's October 3 portrait.

Homeroom group photos will NOT be taken on November 28.

STOMPING GROUND PORTAL

Mary Poppins Audition for J3 and J4  

Hello J3 and J4 Parents!

I’d like to take this opportunity to say welcome back to school and introduce myself!

My name is Madeline McBroom and I am the Theatre Teacher in the Junior School. For some of you we may have met a few times last year and for others this may be our first time corresponding!

I am reaching out to let you know that it is with great excitement that your child has the opportunity to audition for the combined (J3- M4) Junior School and Middle School Musical Mary Poppins Jr.! Some of your children might have already mentioned this to you and for some this may be the first time you are hearing about it and I want to make this process as simple as possible for everyone.

Written below are some important things to consider if your child is interested in being part of the Musical!

If you are interested in auditioning for Mary Poppins Jr....

Sign up sheets for auditions are already up in the Music and Theater classroom this week for your child to put their name down

• Please prepare a 20 second cut of a song for your audition! Think about what song showcases your voice and personality best! :) Mr. Hall and myself want to see you show off your very best self!

• Auditions will be during J3/ J4 long play on Thursday September 21st and Friday September 22nd in the Music and Theatre classroom. 11:50-12:50PM

• Rehearsals will be Wednesdays and Thursdays 3:00-5:30 pm with added Tuesday rehearsals for leads when we get back from October Break. It is important that you are able to commit to being at every rehearsal you are called for unless your child is absent from school due to illness or unexpected emergency.

• Unfortunately if your child has a language class afterschool on Wednesday or Thursdays, they will not be able to participate in both activities. (Please let me know if you have any questions.)

• The performances will be Feb. 8th, 9th at 6PM and 10th at 2PM and 6PM.

• A school performance will happen during the day on Feb. 7th (Mary Poppins cast will be excused from class for this)

It is good to note now that this will be a "cut audition." A cut audition means that not every student who auditions will be able to participate in this production. We are looking to cast  students who feel ready to be onstage and take on the commitment, responsibilities, and maturity that goes along with it. 

If your child is interested in being part of the backstage crew, they do not have to sing. Please just fill out the application form below :)

If for some reason being  part of Mary Poppins Jr. doesn't work well with your after school schedule, I am also going to be offering a performance opportunity in the Spring called Step Into the Spotlight! Step into the Spotlight will be a 6 week-long afterschool Musical Theater Intensive. Students will be able to closely focus on their singing, dancing and acting skills with a final performance for the UNIS community at the end. Any J3/J4 student that wants to participate can join! The show for Step Into the Spotlight will be announced in the spring!

Attached below is a cast and crew application! Please take the time to sit down with your child to fill out and submit the application.

LINK FOR APPLICATION

Finally, please plan your fall calendar accordingly if you are interested in being a part of this magical and memorable experience!! Availability for rehearsals will be very important to the casting process of the show! :)  

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Madeline McBroom | UNIS Theatre Department 

mmcbroom@unis.org

Free to UNIS: The CEO Forum Group's Virtual Summit

You definitely don't want to miss CEOs discussing “AI, Culture & Courage.”

September 28, 2023
11:00AM ET
To register for this virtual event:
https://institute.theceoforumgroup.com/register/transformative-ceo-summit-pass

This event is $49 per attendee, but for UNIS members, FREE!
Use code: UNIS

See top CEOs convene to brainstorm and interact while discussing the future, core elements of true leadership, and the types of cultures that will dramatically elevate organizations.

Join host Robert Reiss '79 (CEO of the CEO Forum Group), and hear from a few featured keynote speakers, including Tim Ballard, founder and former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad, former CEO of The Nazarene Fund, and the author of several books; Mike Critelli, former CEO and Chairman of Pitney Bowes; Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, CEO & President of Ethan Allen; Sharon Price John, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop; and Lynn Tilton, CEO of Patriarch Partners. 

Current COVID Guidelines 

We are all excited to welcome our students back and are looking forward to a healthy and happy school year. We would like to share the current COVID guidelines for NYC schools in an effort to keep us all healthy and off to a good start.

Students and staff who are feeling sick should stay home and test (at home-tests are fine). 

Please send a picture of your COVID test results to covid@unis.org

For positive COVID results:

No symptoms:  Isolate 5 days and return on Day 6

With Symptoms:  Isolate for 5 days 

  Symptoms must be improving AND Fever free (without medications) for 24 hours

  Masks need to be worn on Days 6-10

When determining how long to isolate and wear a mask, Day 0 is the day of COVID-19 symptom onset and Day 1 is the first full day after when symptoms started. 

For people who had no symptoms, Day 0 is the test date and Day 1 is the first full day following the test date.

Marisa Rivera, MS, RN, FNP, CPN 

mrivera@unis.org

Mask Wearing at School

Mask wearing while on campus is optional and the discretion of your family. Be assured that all JS students whose families choose to have them remain masked at school will be fully supported by our faculty and staff.

If your child will wear a mask at school be sure you have packed at least 2 spare masks in a clean bag in your child's backpack, as well as an extra bag to hold used masks if they aren't disposable. 

Health Protocols

We would like to remind everyone about our health protocols:

• When your child is sick with runny nose, cough, stomach ache, fever, headache, etc. there is no expectation from the Junior School that they should attend class in person or attempt to learn from home. 

• If your child has symptoms that would normally have kept them at home prior to COVID-19, we ask that families not send their children to school or request for schoolwork to be sent home.

• We hope that time will be taken for your child to rest and recover at home as the school believes that children recover more quickly when they are permitted to disconnect and rest, and when care is taken by everyone to avoid spreading communicable illnesses.

• If your child had any symptoms that could be consistent with COVID, they need to remain at home and take a rapid test. 

You may review the full protocols on our website COVID & Health Protocols. 

Thank you for supporting the entire UNIS community by keeping your children at home when they are not well. 

When your child will be absent, please email your homeroom teacher before 8:00am with a copy to jsattendance@unis.org, and update SchoolPass to alert all departments, especially After School Activities and Transportation, that your child is not at school.

Make Sure Your Child's Health Records are Up-to-Date

In keeping with state laws and UNIS policy, several student health and medical forms must be completed annually and submitted directly by parents via Magnus Health Student Medical Record (SMR). These forms may be uploaded, faxed or mailed directly to Magnus. In order to protect the confidentiality of student health and related information, please note that the health office is unable to accept and upload health forms. Once completed and received by Magnus, the forms are available to our school nurses for final review and approval.

If you are experiencing delays to obtain an appointment with your regular doctor/pediatrician, note that you can also obtain these medical forms through any urgent care center in New York City without any appointment. You can always update your records at a later date once you have been able to also see your regular doctor/pediatrician.

Required health forms which MUST be uploaded/acknowledged on Magnus Health:

• Annual physical exam

• Up-to-date immunization record

• Vital health record

• Consent to treat form

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medication form

If you experience difficulty with uploading, please contact Magnus Health SMR customer support at service@magnushealthportal.com or by phone 877-461-6831. If you have trouble accessing Magnus, please email the tech team at websupport@unis.org. 

A school nurse is available during the school day, from 8am to 6pm. You can contact our Health Office at schoolnurse@unis.org, or contact Nurse Marisa Rivera, Director of Student Health and Nursing, at mrivera@unis.org (212-584-3078).

Cameron - South China Morning Post

We're excited to share that Cameron, from J3Q, has been making waves in the news with her insightful article about her dream school, and she's graciously shared it with us!

PreK - J4 Lunch Brought from Home

Please be mindful as you pack lunches for your Junior School child(ren) as these remain stored in their backpacks until snack or lunch time. If lunch items require cooling, please be sure to include insulated ice packs in the packaging for your child's lunch. No additional heating or cooling options are available. 

No Money, Toys, Electronics, Smartwatches at School 

Junior School children should not bring money to school and they are not permitted to purchase food in the Cafeteria.  If they forget their lunch from home one day, they can ask the JS Office to help arrange for school lunch for that day. Parents are expected to send payment of $8.00 cash for the Food Service Director the following day in an envelope with their child’s name and homeroom. 

JS students are not permitted to bring toys from home, including electronics, balls and trading cards. Aside from often being lost, these items are a distraction from learning in the classroom, and a cause of conflict at play and during after school programs.

We understand that some families provide their children with smartwatches or cell phones for safety reasons. However, upon entering the school building, all watches and phones are to be silenced and placed securely in the students backpack and remain there until they are dismissed. We ask that parents not attempt to text, call or send alerts to their Junior School child during the school day. If you need to reach your JS child on an urgent matter, please phone the JS Office at 212-584-3190 or email jsoffice@unis.org with a copy to your child's teacher.

Gum chewing is not permitted at school at any point during the school day, including during playtime, and students are not permitted to bring any gum or candy to school.

Note that the school is not responsible for the loss of any personal items, valuable or not, that students have brought from home. This includes jewelry, smart watches, cell phones, electronic devices, toys, etc.

JS Birthday Celebration Policy

For reasons related to student allergies and health, this is the policy for JS student birthday celebrations on campus:

• Birthdays will be acknowledged and celebrated in the JS Homeroom and/or with the Mother Tongue group. 

• Students may bring a special food treat for themself from home on their birthday to enjoy at snack or lunch time.

• Instead of bringing food treats from home to be shared with classmates, the birthday student may choose from a menu of fun activities offered by the Homeroom or MT teacher for the class to participate in together. The activities will be age-appropriate and vary by grade.

• At the discretion of the Homeroom teacher, there may be individual celebrations for each student, or there may be grouped, monthly birthday celebrations. 

• Details about the birthday celebration policy for your child’s homeroom will be discussed in more detail with parents at Back to School Night.