Newsletter #15

Dear Junior School Parents, 

As I pen this on a Saturday morning, the palpable excitement of my daughter, Lucy, fills the air. Winter's approach is imminent, a season she adores, much like many of our students who might be secretly wishing for a snow day. However, it's clear that this sentiment isn't universal. While prepping the snow blower for any potential storms, my neighbor Diane confided her apprehensions about the very season that fills Lucy with such delight.

Winter, a season celebrated with a rich diversity of traditions worldwide, reveals the myriad ways cultures embrace this time of year. From religious observances to cultural festivities, each tradition reflects unique historical and societal contexts.

In Colombia, the "Día de las Velitas" marks the beginning of the Christmas season with candles illuminating cities, celebrating the Virgen Guadalupe. This is followed by "Las Novenas," a time of family gatherings and traditional foods like "natilla" and hot chocolate. Puerto Rico celebrates with "Parranda," where groups serenade homes with music and songs, moving from house to house, often concluding where the most food is offered. This tradition emphasizes camaraderie and reconnection with family and friends. Ecuador observes New Year's Eve with "Quemar el Año Viejo," burning effigies representing the past year's failures, symbolizing a fresh start and the burning away of past regrets and frustrations. Germany's winter is marked by advent calendars and "Weihnachtsmarkt," the Christmas markets offering a variety of goods and foods, epitomizing the festive spirit of the season. In Egypt, the winter celebration differs significantly between Muslims and Christians. Christians focus on religious aspects and family feasts, while Muslims might partake in more secular or cultural celebrations, showing a significant interplay between religion and cultural practices. Jewish communities worldwide celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This eight-day festival involves lighting the menorah, singing songs, and enjoying traditional foods. African-American communities observe Kwanzaa, a celebration of African culture and heritage. This week-long festivity emphasizes unity, self-determination, and collective work and responsibility, blending cultural rituals with modern practices. Las Posadas in Latin America, is the celebration of a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for lodging. Three Kings Day or Epiphany in Spanish-speaking countries, see children receiving gifts from the "Wise Men". Yule is observed by Germanic peoples and Neopagans, celebrating the Winter Solstice with rituals symbolizing life and renewal. The Boxing Day was primarily a shopping holiday in the UK and former British colonies. Ōmisoka in Japan is marking the year's end with purification rituals and family gatherings. Soyal among the Zuni and Hopi is a ceremony to welcome back the sun and begin a new cycle. St. Lucia's Day in Scandinavia and parts of Italy is a festival of light honoring the Christian martyr St. Lucy. And many more!

Each of these traditions, from the vibrant "Parrandas" in the Caribbean to the reflective atmosphere of Hanukkah, from the family-centered celebrations of Christmas and Kwanzaa to the unique regional practices in Germany, and Ecuador, showcases the varied yet interconnected ways humanity celebrates winter.

But while winter celebrations around the world highlight the joy, community, and warmth found in this season, it's important to note that historically, and in various cultures, winter has also been portrayed in a more challenging or somber light. This perspective is typically linked to the natural hardships that winter can bring, including harsh weather conditions, scarcity of food, and higher mortality rates. From ancient times to the present, some cultures have viewed winter not just as a time for festivity but also as a period of difficulties and challenges, even dormancy or... death. 

In Norse mythology, the concept of Fimbulwinter is a severe, apocalyptic winter preceding Ragnarök, marked by extreme weather and hardship. Greek mythology presents a different perspective in the story of Demeter and Persephone, where Persephone's abduction leads to Demeter's mourning, causing the earth's first winter, thereby associating winter with loss and grief. Slavic folklore introduces Morozko, also known as Father Frost or Jack Frost, a figure embodying winter's chill, capable of both kindness and cruelty, reflecting winter's dual nature. In Celtic traditions, the festival of Samhain, marking the transition to winter, is a time when the veil between the living and the dead is believed to be thinnest, infusing the season with themes of darkness and the supernatural. Finnish mythology personifies winter through Talvi, aligning with the country's climate and historical lifestyle, depicting winter as a challenging yet integral part of the natural cycle.

The spectrum of interpretations related to the winter is wide: from joyous celebrations to more reflective, even somber, perspectives. This duality in how winter is perceived brings us to a concept explored in Wallace Stevens' poem "The Snow Man": the idea of 'nothingness.'

In this poem, Stevens invites us to consider winter not through the lens of our personal biases or preconceived notions, be they positive or negative, but as a blank canvas, an opportunity for pure observation. "One must have a mind of winter," he writes, to truly appreciate the season in its rawest form. This 'mind of winter' suggests an approach free from the emotional coloring of our experiences – a state where one can behold "Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is." It's an invitation to perceive winter, and indeed the world, without the layers of personal sentiment, to see the beauty in barrenness, the peace in silence, and the solemnity in the stark landscape. As we transition into the winter season, we may try to embrace this mindset. Let's encourage our students, our children, to see the world around them with fresh eyes, and to appreciate the unique experiences each season brings without preconceptions. Whether they revel in the excitement of a snow day, like Lucy, or share in Diane's concerns about the challenges of winter, there is a richness in experiencing each moment as it truly is. And should we have a snow day in New York, please see it as a chance to embrace the concept of nothingness. Don't be mad at us – instead, go out, play in the snow, and make the most of it! And, if you happen to make a snow angel, we'd love to see it – send us your photos and be the "listener, who listens in the snow."

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

• Wednesday, January 10  | JS Parent Coffee 8:30 - 9:25 Oman Hall (details in this newsletter)

• Monday, January 8 - Thursday, January 11 | PA DEI Committee Call to Action (details in this newsletter)

• Thursday, January 11  | MLK Day of Service / UNIS PA DEI (details in this newsletter)

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

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

• Monday, January 29 | Semester 2 First Day

• February 8 - February 10 | JS Musical Mary Poppins

• Wednesday, February 14 | Friendship Day

• Monday, February 19 - Friday, February 23 | No Classes for Students / President's Week Break

• Monday, February 26 | Classes Resume

• Friday, March 1 | UNIS Gala

• Monday, April 1 - Friday, April 12 | No Classes for Students / Spring Break

• Monday, April 15 | Classes Resume

Come join us in March. In the meantime, support our school during its annual fundraiser by donating auction items. Our top sellers are experiences (tickets to sporting events, theatre, concerts, spa packages); certificates to restaurants; private music lessons; art work; fine wine and spirits, and much much more! Your donation is tax deductible. 

Email fundraiser@unis.org if you have an item you'd like to donate. 

Calling all Students and Faculty

EARTHDAY.ORG

is launching their

Your Art, Our Earth Poster Competition for Earth Day 2024!

EARTHDAY.ORG’s Your Art, Our Earth poster competition for Earth Day 2024 is underway and open to student submissions until January 22, 2024!

This year’s Earth Day theme is

PLANET vs. PLASTIC

Please visit the link for rules and regulations: earthday.org/your-art-our-earth/

Any poster submitted by a JS student will be displayed at school! Share your .jpg digital file with rfico@unis.org and don't forget to name it with the student's first and last name and homeroom.

Rose Fico J1TA/Junior School Sustainability Coordinator  

The UNIS-UN Student Organizing Committee is seeking your help and suggestions in the planning and execution of another successful two-day conference to be held in March in the United Nations General Assembly Hall.  Students are hard at work identifying expert speakers who can lead workshops and craft dynamic and engaging presentations to both youth and adults on the topic of gender equality. 

KNOW ANY GREAT SPEAKERS WHO CAN CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND DELIVER AN AWESOME AND INSPIRING PRESENTATION?

Topics the conference is seeking to cover include but are not limited to:

• violence and conflict against women

• equitable access to education

• law and policy

• gender roles and stereotypes

• the portrayal of gender in the media

• mental health

• social economic disparities

• race and gender equality

• gender equality among refugees

KNOW ANY HIGH-SCHOOLS WE SHOULD INVITE?

In addition to the conference being attended by UNIS Tut House students, we invite students from local, national, and international schools. We value your suggestions to be added to the list of invitees.

Please submit recommendations for potential speakers and schools to invite

 HERE  by Friday, January 05, 2024.

IMPORTANT: 

REVIEW & UPDATE YOUR HOUSEHOLD CONTACT INFORMATION

All departments at UNIS, including the nurse, rely on the information that you enter 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 or weather emergencies, 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 since 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

IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT EARLY DISMISSAL REQUESTS

Early dismissal for students is strongly discouraged. Parents are expected to schedule their child’s appointments and travel plans outside of school hours. Early dismissal is reserved for urgent needs only or exceptional circumstances approved directly by the Executive Director, Dr. Dan Brenner.

In no event should requests be made for an early dismissal to attend an athletic activity, class or lesson outside of UNIS. The expectation is that after school activities be scheduled at a time that aligns with the dismissal time for your child’s grade or, if that is not possible, your child arrives late to their after school activity:

• PK & JA: 2:45

• J1 - J2: 2:50

• J3 - J4: 2:55

Early dismissals disrupt academics in the classroom for your child as well as all students in the class. Early dismissals pull our faculty and staff away from instruction time and tasks that affect the smooth and safe operation of the Junior School. 

Thank you for supporting the UNIS community and scheduling your child’s outside activities at times that do not interfere with teaching and learning.

To accommodate JS families during winter months, caregivers arriving before 8:15 are welcome to supervise their children in the main school lobby instead of lining up outside the Stairwell D entrance to wait for the JS doors to open at 8:15/8:20.

If they wait in the lobby, caregivers of  J1 - J4 students escort them to the Stairwell D entrance outside at 8:15, as usual, so students can use the D stairs to their 2nd floor homeroom.

If they wait in the lobby, caregivers of  JA - PK students escort them to the Staircase D entrance outside where they will be welcomed at the door at 8:20 and escorted by their teachers to their classrooms as usual.

• To maintain the safe flow and continuous supervision of all JS students at arrival please do not escort students to any other interior hallways or stairs if you have been waiting in the lobby. 

• All JS students must use the exterior JS entrance at Staircase D to access their homerooms in the morning. 

• Caregivers are expected to supervise JS students at all times until the JS doors open at 8:15/8:20 whether they wait in the lobby or outside the building.

• The only change to JS arrival is the option to use the lobby to wait if caregivers arrive earlier then 8:15/8:20. 

Over the past weeks, the Student Support Team has been attuned to our students' needs concerning the situation between Israel and Palestine. In the Junior School, we emphasize listening to and following our students' lead. Conversations can evolve based on the topics and concerns they express, always ensuring our responses are appropriate for their developmental stage. We believe in the importance of addressing their inquiries directly, rather than guiding the conversation ourselves. In classes where no questions or concerns arose, especially in the lower grades, we refrained from introducing the topic, adhering to our Junior School ethos.  Our primary focus in the Junior School remains to anchor our students in their regular school routines and foster their social connections.

For those of you who wish to continue these conversations at home, the team has curated a list of age-appropriate resources to assist you:

• NYC DOE Resources    

• Helping Children Cope With Terrorism - Tips for Families and Educators

• Common Sense - Explaining the News to Kids

• APA - Building resilience in response to indirect terrorism

• SAMHSA - Talking to kids after trauma

• Child Mind - Helping kids cope after trauma

If you observe shifts in behavior or hear concerns at home, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Support Team:

Dr. Dana Marnin dmarnin@unis.org (JS Psychologist)

Amy Iamundo aiamundo@unis.org (Counselor for J1, J3 JAS)

Alyssa Frost afrost@unis.org  (Counselor for J2, J4, JAW, JAF, JAK)

Semester 2 Registration for After School & Weekend Sports

After School as well as Weekend Sports Registration forms can be found here:

Semester 2 After School Activities Registration Form

Semester 2 Saturday Sports Registration Form

Semester 2 Sunday Sports Registration Form

Please make note of the dates when After School and Weekend Sports Classes take place.

There may be dates between Semester 1 and 2 when After School classes are not in session. Your child's SchoolPass account must be updated to reflect your pick-up plans on the dates when After School classes are not held:

1st Semester - Final Classes

Mondays

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

Tuesdays 

January 9, 16, 23 

Wednesdays 

January 3, 10, 17, 24  

Thursdays 

January 4, 11, 18, 25  

Fridays 

January 5, 12, 19, 26

Saturdays

January 6, 27

Sundays 

January 7, 21, 28

2nd Semester Classes Will Be Held On:

Mondays

February 5, 12, ---, 26 (No class Feb. 19) 

March 4, 11, 18, 25 

April ---, 15, 22, 29 (No class Apr. 1 & 8) 

May 6, 13, 20

Tuesdays 

February 6, 13, ---, 27 (No class Feb. 20) 

March 5, 12, 19, 26

April ---, ---, 16, 23, 30 (No class Apr. 2 & 9) 

May 7, 14, 21, 28

Wednesdays 

February 7, 14, ---, 28 (No class Feb. 21)

March 6, 13, 20 --- (No classes Mar. 27) 

April ---, ---, 17, 24, (No class Apr. 3 & 10) 

May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Thursdays 

February ---, 8, 15,  ---, 29 (No class Feb. 1 & 22) 

March 7, 14, 21 --- (No classes Mar. 28) 

April ---, ---, 18, 25 (No class Apr. 4 & 11) 

May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Fridays 

February 9, 16,  — (No class Feb. 23) 

March 1, 8, 15, 22, ---, (No class Mar. 29) 

April ---, ---, 19, 26 (No classes Apr 5 & 12) 

May 3, 10, 17, --- (No class May 24 & 31)  

Saturdays

February 3, 10

March 2, 9, 16, 23

April 20, 27

May 11, 18

June 1, 8, 15

Sundays 

February 4, 11

March 3, 10, 17, 24

April 21, 28

May 5, 12, 19

June 2, 9, 16

Outdoor Activity & Recess Policy During Cold Weather

Winter is here so please be sure your child is dressed for outdoor play every day, with a warm coat, sweatshirt, gloves and hat as needed.

UNIS JS follows the Dept of Health guidelines for outdoor play: "New York City Department of Health Guidelines regarding outdoor play in cold weather policy states “Children benefit from vigorous exercise and should be given the opportunity to play outside whenever possible. Unless it is snowing or there is ice on the playground low temperatures should not be a barrier to outside play, as long as children are appropriately dressed. The City’s Health Department strongly encourages principals to maintain outdoor play periods on the vast majority of winter days.”

Recommendations are as follows: If the wind chill factor is above 20 degrees, it is safe to play outside. If the wind chill factor is 0-20, outside play is advised provided that students are appropriately dressed and under observation to make sure that they are wearing their coats, hats and gloves." 

From:  New York City Department of Education and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Labeling Clothing

With students wearing extra layers of clothing, it's time for families to be sure that all coats, jackets, sweaters, scarves, hats, etc. are clearly labeled with your child's first and last name and homeroom. Our faculty and staff do their best to return misplaced items to their owners, but clear labeling is needed to do that.

Lost & Found

Please visit the UNIS Lost and Found. Items are on display by the A Stairwell behind the security desk. Please stop by or send your child to be reunited with lost items. All unclaimed items will periodically be donated. 

For more information on donations, please contact the PA Social Responsibility Committee at abhilasha.mahan@pa.unis.org  

RECYCLE YOUR OLD SNEAKERS!

The Junior School GREEN TEAM is launching a gotsneakers recycling program.

Don’t throw away your old sneakers - donate them!

Donations will be accepted from October 16 through June 2024

gotsneakers is an organization that takes used or old sneakers and refurbishes them for reuse, or turns the unusable sneakers into playground surfaces. 

We will take sneakers in any size and any condition!

Your sneakers can have holes in them and the elastic falling off!  We will take them!

Any size kid and adult sneakers are accepted!

IT'S AS EASY AS 1 2 3 

DONATE YOUR OLD SNEAKERS AND THE JS GREEN TEAM WILL EARN MONEY TO SUPPORT THE STUDENT’S GREEN INITIATIVES!

Donate your old sneakers by putting them in a box with the label gotsneakers. Boxes will be placed in the UNIS lobby and near the JS morning entrance.

Thank you for supporting us!

Rose Fico | JS Sustainability Coordinator

The UNIS Parents’ Association DEI Committee is excited to host the first of many MLK Day of Service for our school community. 

Event Timing: Thursday, January, 11th 2024 at 3.30pm - 6.30pm

Event Address: UNIS, 24-50 FDR Drive New York, NY 10010-4046. 

Contact the PA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee at 646 592 7126 

Click here to donate or volunteer. All help is welcome.

The observance of this day goes beyond mere remembrance — it’s a call to action. It encourages active participation in service projects, volunteerism, and initiatives aimed at addressing social issues.

This year's theme is centered around the celebration of “Keeping the legacy alive with Faith, Love, and Action,” inspired by Dr. King’s speeches and words: “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.” To learn more about Dr. King, view this presentation here.

This year’s partnership is with One Love Community Fridge, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, empower & engage the community through education and providing access to fresh, healthy food with no stigma. "Healthy food is a *right*, not a privilege."

We are looking for volunteers on the day of the event and we are looking for donations to be dropped off. In return TH students can gain community credits and parents/all families/staff and faculty can help contribute to the fabric of our school community through this UNIS PA DEI initiative. You can register here to contribute or volunteer.

We would appreciate the following from the UNIS community starting this Monday, January 8 through Thursday, January 11:

• Parent/Staff volunteers/Student volunteers (TH student community service points will be credited to all taking part)

• Food /Winter Essential Donations (fresh and canned goods, winter essentials like gloves and hats)

• Donations to Brooklyn based One Love Community Fridge

Donations can be any of the following:

• Monday-Wednesday mornings - we will be accepting at the school lobby winter warm essentials and non-perishable items 

• Thursday morning and afternoon (8-9am and then 3:00-4:00) - we will be accepting FRESH produce and winter warm essentials.

List of Suggested Foods for Donations: The guiding light is to ask : What is your favorite food? ALL food is welcomed and appreciated.

• Monday-Wednesday - We're collecting Olive Oil, Spices, Salt, Herbs, Bottles of Tomato sauces. We try to avoid cans, high sodium, high sugar and highly processed food. 

• Thursday - Our focus is on Fresh foods, Fruit and Vegetables to be donated on Thursday, January 11

  • Examples on suggested donations: 

    • All types of fruits such as: Apples, Pears, Oranges 

    • All types of vegetables such as: Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion, Lemon, Limes, 

    • Sandwiches, bars, soups in box/jar or other prepared foods

List of Suggested NEW Winter Essential Necessities Collected Monday-Thursday:

• Socks

• Hats

• Gloves 

• Hand Warmers 

• Toe Warmers 

To donate or volunteer please register using this link by Saturday, January 6, 2024.

We look forward to seeing you and your children join on Thursday, January 11 as we fortify our commitment to service as the UNIS community.

Wishing you and your family a happy and safe 2024!

UNIS Parents’ Association

GLOBAL BEATS

Saturday, January 20 from 3:30 - 7:30PM

The UNIS PA is thrilled to invite you to our multicultural dance event on the 20th of January, 2024. 

Featuring: 

• Dance workshops on Kpop, American Square Dancing and Bollywood Dancing from acclaimed NYC studios.

• Regional Snacks

• Arts and Crafts for the younger ones. 

• It's one big dance party for all ages and you are all invited! 

Get your tickets here ASAP as we have limited space 

https://www.unis.org/global-beats 

Parent Engagement Opportunities

GLOBAL BEATS on Saturday, January 20 from 3:30 - 7:30PM

The UNIS PA is thrilled to invite you to our multicultural dance event on the 20th of January, 2024. 

Featuring: 

• Dance workshops on Kpop, American Square Dancing and Bollywood Dancing from acclaimed NYC studios.

• Regional Snacks

• Arts and Crafts for the younger ones. 

• It's one big dance party for all ages and you are all invited! 

Get your tickets here ASAP as we have limited space. 

https://www.unis.org/global-beats 

UNIS Connect

We are inviting you to create a profile on our UNIS Connect platform where UNIS community members can create a profile. The profiles can be accessed by UNIS staff who are organizing events with students, faculty or parents and who are looking for speakers to cover themes in the range of UN work and/or values. 

By utilizing this platform, teachers can search for parents, alumni, teachers, and students who possess specialized knowledge, skills, or real-world experiences relevant to their subject areas.

Please scroll down to find a “Create Your Profile” button. When your profile is finished please press the green button “Publish” so we can enter it into our catalogue.

Please also forward the link with your friends and colleagues who you think would want to share their profiles with the UNIS community.

Our goal is to have 100 profiles completed by December 1 so we hope you join us in this effort.

LGBTQIA Caregiver Group 

The UNIS PA invites community members to join the LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group.

What's an affinity group at UNIS? The purpose is to provide an opportunity for the adults in our community to share and explore life and experiences within safe and supportive spaces defined by membership in a specific identity group. Self-managed, members take collective responsibility for ensuring respectful interaction. Affinity group participants celebrate identities, share successes and challenges, advocate for and support the community at UNIS and engage freely. LGBTQIA+ Parents/Staff/Caregivers and Parents of LGBTQIA+ students are welcome. If interested in joining the UNIS PA LGBTQIA+ affinity group, please email Yvonne.Brown@pa.unis.org.

Cultural Events Committee Launches Supper Clubs

The UNIS PA Cultural Events Committee has launched monthly supper clubs. If you're up for delicious meals and great conversations on world culture, join us! Please email Marie at marie.libeson@pa.unis.org. 

Parent Book Clubs

Hello UNIS Parents!  Want to meet other parents and talk about books?  Join a UNIS Parent Book Club.  Please send your name and child's grade to marie.libeson@pa.unis.org and we will get you connected with a book club.  Happy Reading!

General Volunteering

To volunteer in any way - help sell “merch” or photographers/designers welcomed as well as potential event planners, please contact us at unispa@unis.org and we will direct your request accordingly.

If you’d like to share information about your cultures’ heritage or historical celebrations or events with the UNIS community, contact us at unispa@unis.org. 

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 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!

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

Lost & Found Location

UNIS Lost and Found items are on display by the A Stairwell behind the security desk. Please stop by or send your child to be reunited with their lost items. All unclaimed items will periodically be donated. 

For more information on donations, please contact the PA Social Responsibility Committee at abhilasha.mahan@pa.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).