Newsletter #04

Dear parents, 

From my window, the intricate dance of the clouds completely captivates me. Flying from Chicago back to New York, my thoughts are preoccupied with the insightful discussions and reflections sparked over two days at a conference I had the privilege to attend with Emilie Lauzie, the Coordinator of our French Language A Program, and Principals, Heads of School, and Coordinators from French schools accredited by the French Ministry of Education in North America. We explored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, enlightened by a stirring presentation from a professor from McGill, whose insights I hope to welcome at UNIS soon. We also examined "Le climat scolaire." The French term "le climat scolaire" translates to "school climate" in English. School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. It encompasses the norms, values, relationships, teaching, and learning practices, and organizational structures present within a school community. It significantly influences not only the students' academic success and well-being, affecting the levels of support, respect, and belonging they feel within the school environment but also greatly impacts the well-being of teachers, staff, and the overall parent community. Nurturing a positive school climate fosters a sense of community and mutual respect among all stakeholders, creating a harmonious and inclusive environment conducive to learning and growth for everyone involved.

However, the clouds are also a stark reminder of the devastating rain everyone in New York have experienced in my absence. Initial feelings of guilt for my inability to assist swiftly gave way to admiration. Our dedicated teachers and staff, led by the remarkable Ms. Camilo and in collaboration with Dr. Brenner, worked tirelessly to ensure our students were protected from the rain and the potential anxiety from such unexpected occurrences—occurrences poised to become commonplace if decisive action on climate change is not taken.

Reflections on the recently concluded Climate Ambition Summit 2023 at the UN reveal that, while the increase in political and financial commitments is reassuring, the absence of the two largest polluters, the U.S. and China, is a glaring reminder of the challenge ahead. “Climate action is dwarfed by the scale of the challenge,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres astutely observed. “Time lost to foot-dragging, arm-twisting, and the naked greed of entrenched interests reaping billions from fossil fuels must be made up.” We extend profound gratitude to the parents in our UNIS community engaging with the UN on the climate change program. Your unwavering dedication to environmental conservation and climate action is admirable. Maintaining hope and persistence in our shared mission to shape the world for future generations is crucial. The summit, convened by Mr. Guterres, aimed to spotlight the initiatives of global leaders ambitious in climate policy. However, the conspicuous absence of the world's largest carbon emitters sent a strong message, emphasizing the immense task ahead and the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels.

I am also reminded of a story from last year’s newsletter about a fictional resilient boy from Vanuatu, portraying the real and urgent challenges of climate change that vulnerable communities endure. Our recent experience with severe weather events in New York highlights the pressing need to address climate change; what we experienced would be considered minor to those in more vulnerable regions. Collective, decisive, and sustainable actions are imperative to mitigate climate change impacts, ensuring such narrated disasters do not become our reality. Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, emphasized the urgency of this crisis, stating, “This is, in fact, a greater threat because more lives are at stake globally.” The time is ripe for wealthier nations to honor their pledges to aid developing countries, which bear minimal responsibility for the warming emissions, in managing climate risks and transitioning to renewable energy. In these tumultuous times, where diverse considerations seem to fracture unity among world leaders, let us, the UNIS community, persist in our united resolve to contribute to a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient world.

Observing the clouds, they mirror my thoughts, symbolizing both the literal and metaphorical climates we navigate. They silently urge the need to foster unity and collective responsibility, sustaining environmental and communal harmony.

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

Sources:

• Barbados, Her Excellency Mia Amor Mottley Prime Minister 22 September 2023

• UN Chief: Planet Is Boiling; Time Running Out to Stop Climate Crisis

• Climate Ambition Summit 20 September 2023, United Nations Headquarters, New York

• UN chief puts spotlight on 'movers,' excludes US, China at climate summit

• Climate Ambition summit increases commitment to Early Warnings for All

• Ministers Set out Priorities for 2024 Summit of the Future

• At a Summit on Climate Ambition, the U.S. and China End Up on the B List

• Junior School Newsletter #28 04-16-2023

• • Monday, October 2 | 1st Day After School Programs - review SchoolPass for the week ahead and update your child's daily dismissal plans for Activities, Athletics, Bus and Pick Up

  • Tuesday, October 3 | JS Photo Day Stomping Ground (Parent Volunteers Needed - See PA Section)

  • Saturday, October 7 | Cardboard Challenge - Save Cardboard + Register in this Newsletter (Parent Volunteers Needed - See PA Section)

• 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 15 - November 17 | Parent Teacher Conferences (details to follow)

• November 22 - 24  |  Thanksgiving Break

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

• December 18 - January 2 | Winter Break - No Classes for Students

• Monday, January 3 | Classes Resume

• Monday, January 15 | School Closed (MLK Day)

Message from Dr. Brenner

Dear UNIS Community,

Ensuring the health and compliance of our students with the regulations set forth by the New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) is of paramount importance to us.

Annually, the NYCDOH provides UNIS with a 30-day window following the commencement of the school year to collect physical examinations, immunization records, and other essential medical information from our student body. This crucial process ensures that we possess the most up-to-date information required to deliver proper care and support throughout the academic year. We have messaged you many times about this beginning in the late summer and continuing throughout the current school year.

We would like to draw your attention to a pertinent excerpt from our Schoolwide Student & Parent Handbook, conveniently accessible via the Veracross Parent Portal:

"Physical examinations, immunization records, and all other forms must be submitted annually for all students. All forms, except for immunization records, remain valid for 12 months. Immunization due dates align with NYC vaccination requirements and schedules. Until these vital forms are completed, students will not be able to attend classes, join sports teams, or participate in pre-season athletic training. Your cooperation in diligently completing these forms in their entirety is instrumental in ensuring UNIS' continued compliance with NYC Department of Health regulations. This vital information also enhances the capacity of our school nurses to provide safe and effective care and support to your children throughout the school year.

*Please be aware that all documentation requiring physician completion and signatures must be handled by the child's physician(s). UNIS does not accept signatures or physician stamps from a student's parent(s)/guardian(s) who are physicians. This policy is rooted in the AMA Code of Medical Ethics' Opinion on Physicians Treating Family Members."

The conclusion of our 30-day grace period is swiftly approaching. Unfortunately, students for whom we do not possess all updated documentation on Magnus Health by this deadline will be unable to attend school or partake in student-related activities such as Week Without Walls, Middle School Camps, and sports activities.

To access all necessary information and forms, please visit our Veracross Parent Portal Health & Wellness Center Page, where you can conveniently upload new documentation through Magnus Health.

For any inquiries or assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via email at schoolnurse@unis.org.

Please help us and your children be safe at school as well help UNIS stay in compliance with City law.

Kind Regards,

Dr. Dan Brenner

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.

Attendance on 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 coordinate directly with Stomping Ground to retake their child's October 3 portrait.

Homeroom group photos will NOT be taken on November 28.

STOMPING GROUND PORTAL

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!

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY DATES:  ADDED to SCHOOLPASS ON MONDAY BY IT

Dr. Lidana Jalilvand, Director of the After School Activities program, has shared her calendar of Semester 1 class dates below. 

If you registered your JS child in one of the classes run by Dr. Jalilvand, please review your child's SchoolPass account this week to confirm the accuracy of your child's dismissal schedule beginning the week of October 2 (the first of classes). 

The After School Activities that you registered for should have recently been uploaded to your child's SchoolPass account. If for any reason your child will not attend the activity on any day during Semester 1, you can cancel it as your dismissal plan by clicking on the calendar and adding your child's alternate plan for that day's dismissal instead.

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES CALENDAR - 1st Semester 2023

• Mondays: 

  • October 2, 9, 16 ---, 30   (No class Oct. 23)

  • November 6, 13, 20, 27

  • December 4, 11

  • January ---, 8, ---, 22   (No class Jan.1 & 15 )

• Tuesdays 

  • October 3, 10, 17 ---, 31   (No class Oct. 24)

  • November 7, 14, 21, 28

  • December 5, 12

  • January 9, 16

• Wednesdays 

  • October 4, 11, 18 ---   (No class Oct. 25)

  • November 1, 8, ---,---, 29   (No classes Nov. 15 & 22)

  • December 6, 13

  • January 3, 10, 17, 24  

• Thursdays 

  • October 5, 12, 19 ---   (No class Oct. 26)

  • November 2, 9, ---, ---, 30  (No class Nov. 16 & 23)

  • December 7, 14   

  • January 4, 11, 18, 25 

• Fridays

  • October 6, 13, 20, ---   (No class Oct. 27)

  • November 3, 10, ---, ---  (No classes Nov.17 & 24)

  • December 1, 8, 15

  • January 5, 12, 19, 26

 Our wonderful music teacher, Truike Boekholt, has been making waves with her non-profit organization “Children of the Ganges” in India, and we’re excited to share the latest! A heartfelt documentary about the organization, “The Journey to Children of the Ganges,” created by Usha Rajeswari Thiagarajan, was showcased at the Dehradun International Film Festival on September 24th. It was a delightful and meaningful day for Truike, the kids, and the teaching staff who attended the festival, with smiles and pride all around. Winning this award was more than an honor; it was a celebration of the promise and the transformative power of committed teaching and learning. It was a day when everyone felt seen and appreciated. Remember our conversations about this project last year? To see it receive such acknowledgment is deeply rewarding for our community. The earnest efforts of Truike Boekholt and the advancements of the “Children of the Ganges” are truly motivating. Let’s extend a warm congratulations and lots of positive energy to Truike Boekholt and her extraordinary students! Here’s to continued learning, musical exploration, and joyful experiences on their journey!

Parent Volunteers Needed!

We would appreciate your help with the following two events. 

Please email the PA’s Junior School Coordinators (pa_jscoordinators@pa.unis.org) if you’re interested and available!

JS Photo Day, Tuesday, October 3

·       Parent volunteers will be helping our children look their best on Photo Day.

·       There will be different shifts throughout the day.

·       The schedules will be communicated to the volunteers as soon as they’re available.

JS Cardboard Challenge, Saturday, October 7, 10am-1pm

·       We’re looking for 2-3 parent volunteers who will be able to arrive by 9:30 am to help set up the event.

·       If you could stay after 1 pm to help with clean up, that would be much appreciated too!

IMPORTANT: UPDATE YOUR HOUSEHOLD CONTACT INFORMATION

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

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.

Birthday Celebrations Outside of School

We understand the importance of celebrating our students' milestones outside of school, particularly birthday celebrations, and how they can foster stronger bonds among classmates. However, to maintain an environment focused on academics within the classroom and to preserve the feelings of all students, we kindly request your cooperation with the following policy regarding birthday invitations:

• Invitations to birthday parties held outside school may not be distributed or communicated in the classroom.

• Families wishing to invite classmates to a party held outside of school should utilize the WhatsApp group set up for their class, or reach out to their Class Parents for support.

• This policy allows our faculty to focus on academics in the classroom and preserves student trust and confidence in them in the event that an invitation is not received.

We appreciate your understanding and compliance with this policy.

JS Birthday Celebration in the Classroom 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. 

• For details about the birthday celebration policy for your child’s homeroom please reach out to your teacher by email.

HEALTH NEWS FROM THE NURSE

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.

Magnus: 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).