Dear parents,

February heralds a month brimming with enlightenment, celebration, and global collaboration at UNIS, marking significant strides in our journey towards a culturally rich and inclusive educational experience.

Celebrating Black History Month with Ancestral Melodies

We kicked off Black History Month with the enchanting sounds of West Africa, brought to life by Yacouba Sissoko and his band SIYA. Their traditional acoustic music, featuring instruments like the kora, n’goni, and talking drum, alongside contemporary bass and drums, filled our morning with celebration. Dr. Richard Smith, our esteemed musicologist, enriched our understanding with insights into the intersection of arts, music, and history, perfectly aligning with this year's theme. Explore more about our celebrations and engage with the activities we've organized for our students and faculty. Join us in this important observance by following the link to learn more about Black History Month at UNIS.

AIFHS/AAEI Global Leadership Summit and the Future of Education

On Monday morning, February 5th, the United Nations International School (UNIS) is proud to host the summit for the Academy for International School Heads (AISH), welcoming approximately 120 leaders of international schools from across the globe. This event represents a prime opportunity for UNIS to showcase its strengths and contributions to global education. The summit is organized in conjunction with the larger Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) Conference, which will be held in Manhattan from Sunday to Wednesday.

I am pleased to announce that I will be participating in and presenting at selected sessions during the AAIE Conference. My presentations will focus on the future of education in the context of the AI revolution and how schools can leverage the impending transformations to, paradoxically, reclaim our humanity—if approached correctly. This presentation is in line with a co-presentation I delivered last week in San Diego with Dr. Delphine Le Serre, Ph.D., the founder and president of EdHu2050, recognized as one of Forbes Top 20 Women in EdTech in Europe and a renowned conference speaker.

Additionally, Dr. Brenner will be presenting at the conference on the topic of Crisis Management. He will share insights and learnings from UNIS's experiences navigating past crises under his leadership. His presentation aims to offer transformative knowledge and strategies to school leaders worldwide, demonstrating how UNIS has been at the forefront of addressing challenges in international education.

UNIS is set to take center stage in leading the discourse on international education, demonstrating its commitment to excellence and innovation in the field.

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

• Monday, February 5 | Update SchoolPass for Semester 2 Activities and Athletics

• February 8 - February 10 | MS/JS Musical Mary Poppins (All Performances Sold Out!)

• Friday, February 9 | Schoolwide PA Meeting 8:30am (Daniel O’Connor, Athletics Dept Director)

• Friday, February 9 | Deadline to Request Report Card Corrections (instructions in this newsletter)

• Friday, February 9 | Gala Early Bird Ticket Deadline (details in this newsletter)

• Wednesday, February 14 | Friendship Day

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

• Tuesday, February 20 - Friday, February 23 | February Break Camp (registration in this newsletter)

• Monday, February 26 | Classes Resume

• Tuesday, February 27 | PA Workshop Guest Speaker Prof. Ollivier Dyens (details in this newsletter)

• Friday, March 1 | UNIS Gala (donation and early bird ticket details in this newsletter)

• Wednesday, March 27 | Student Led Conferences (evening)

• Thursday & Friday, March 28 & March 29 | Student Led Conferences (day)

• Thursday & Friday, March 28 & March 29 |No Classes for JS Students (Student Led Conferences)

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

• Monday, April 15 | Classes Resume

• Saturday, May 4 | International Food & Fun Fair

Semester 1 Report Cards for Junior School students were published at 5:00pm on Friday, February 2 on the Veracross Parent Portal.

The deadline for requesting a correction for a typographical error will be Friday, February 9. Please contact jsoffice@unis.org by email, with a copy to your child's teacher, no later than February 9 to request a correction.

We encourage you to save and review this report card with your child over this weekend

to celebrate his/her achievements during this past semester 

and engage in conversation about their growth.

Your child’s academic achievement for each individual subject is reported separately from his/her learning skills. The descriptors for academic achievement levels ensure a greater JA to T4 alignment and provide clarity in the transition between the word-based scale used in JA to M2 and the numeric scale used from M3 to T4. Previous used Learning to Learn Skills have been replaced by the IB Approaches to Learning Skills. The skills selected for a K-12 progression (Social Skills, Communication Skills, Self-Management Skills, Thinking Skills) are developmentally defined and will be assessed from a frequency of observable behavior.

What is the purpose of the report cards?

The purpose of the report card is to communicate your student’s achievement and learning goals. It is designed to provide you with clear and specific information about your child’s academic progress and the development of behaviors that support lifelong learning. This information includes identifying your child’s level of progress; areas of strength; areas needing additional time, effort, and/or support; and opportunities for growth, based on assessments that demonstrate evidence of learning and teachers’ evaluation.

What grade descriptors are used (JA-M2 Descriptors)

• MASTERING: The student is mastering the required grade level concepts, knowledge and skills by applying and extending these in a wide range of complex situations independently.

• PROFICIENT: The student is proficient in demonstrating understanding of the required grade level concepts, knowledge and skills with minimal or no teacher support needed to transfer learning to new situations.

• PROGRESSING: The student is progressing in demonstrating, with some gaps, understanding of the required grade level concepts, knowledge and skills by applying them in familiar situations with occasional teacher support.

• EMERGING: The student demonstrates emerging understanding of the required grade level concepts. The student is beginning to apply related knowledge and skills but needs a high level of teacher support.

How do I access my child’s report cards?

Report Cards were published on the Parent Portal of Veracross on Friday, February 2. 

To view report cards:

• access the Parent Portal of Veracross (myunis.vc)

• after logging in to Veracross, click on "Classes & Reports", and 

• click on "Report Card"

Friday, February 9 will be the deadline for questions about a specific JS teacher’s grading. Please contact the JS Office directly by email at jsoffice@unis.org, with a copy to your child's teacher, no later than the 9th of February. 

If you do not have access to the Veracross portal and need instructions on how to do so, please contact tech.support@unis.org for support.

UNIS Gala Fundraiser is back, and tickets are now on sale! 

Don't miss out on Early Bird pricing available until February 9!

This evening is a fun opportunity to come together to celebrate our community, support our school, and contribute to a brighter future for our students. The Gala includes fabulous food and drink, music, fun thematic activities, a silent auction, and a live auction.

We are also looking for fabulous items and experiences for our live and silent auctions. Please consider making a donation!

PURCHASE & DONATE HERE 

For Parents of J3 and J4 Student Club Members

If your child is a member of one of these student clubs:  

• Young Ambassadors 

• Peacekeepers

• DEI Club

• Animals Rights Club 

• Green Team 

• Tech Leader

please calendar these Wednesday meeting dates so that you can support your child in arriving at school at 8:15 prepared to attend the meetings that begin at 8:20:

Wednesday Meetings at 8:20:

• February 14

• February 28

• March 6 

• March 20

• April 17

• May 8 

• May 15 

• May 29

• June 12

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)

February Break and Spring Break Sports Camps Registrations are now open!   

You can find the February and Spring Break Camps on the website, or use the registration links below:

February Break Camps: Tuesday, February 20th - Friday, February 23rd

February Sports Camp Registration Link (PK-M4)

Spring Break Sports Camp: April 1st - 5th and April 8th - April 12th

April Spring Break Sports Camp Registration Link (PK-M4)

2nd Semester Activities Classes Will Be Held On (update SchoolPass):

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

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

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 

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

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, ---, 31   (No class May 24)   

2nd Semester Athletics Classes Will Be Held On (update SchoolPass):

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

Last week our J4 ELL students begain reading to our Pre-K friends. These learners met each other with openness and kindness as we shared books about travel adventures and different forms of transportation. We are so proud of the caring, risk-taking approach our learners are taking in establishing this special partnership. 

Tracey Turner & Janine Pelegano| ELL Teachers

The STAR (Serving, Teaching, Assisting Refugees) Project is collecting toiletries for the Hearts and Homes for Refugees as part of our annual Toiletries Drive. We have created an Amazon wishlist this year that directly sends the goods you purchase to the organization. Last year with your support, we managed to send an abundant amount of toiletries to the organization. This year the wishlist is open from January 25th to February 8th. We appreciate any contribution!

-Thank you, the STAR Project. 

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

OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE:

ANNUAL FRIENDSHIP DAY CELEBRATION, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14  8AM-1PM

As a way to cultivate kindness and joy, the PA is evolving its Friendship Day event to be a school-wide celebration (think bake sale and more).  Come and spend Valentine's Day morning with us and our lovely community!

The PA is asking for the donation of flowers, tokens of friendship, crafts, sweet treats (nut-free always and homemade or store bought), or drinks (like bubble tea or juice boxes), from any family or student club at UNIS.  

The PA welcomes student groups/clubs to get involved by selling items, donating items or raising awareness about their activities. And parents are asked to help organize, sell items, and clean up.

At the celebration, JS students will be able to spend up to $5 each and MS/TH can spend up to $10 each. 

Proceeds from the celebration will go towards the PA teacher appreciation activities as well as help to fund activities including the JS /MS/TH clubs and events, and the upcoming TH student ice skating party. Student clubs that participate can raise funds for their activities and charitable causes and must register for their club participation below.

ALL CAN SIGN UP BY FEB 9 FRIDAY TO DONATE/VOLUNTEER OR 

REGISTER A CLUB TABLE: SIGN UP HERE

Questions? Email unispa@unis.org

Parent Engagement Opportunities

Guest Speaker Ollivier Dyens

On Tuesday, Feb 27, 2024 at 6pm we will be hosting a speaker to discuss AI (artificial intelligence). Event will be in person and live streamed. Appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Professor Ollivier Dyens is Founder and co-Director of Building 21, an open lab dedicated to rethinking higher education in the 21st century. 

From 2013-2018, he was Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) at McGill University where he is currently Full Professor in the Département des littératures de langue française, de traduction et de création. Ollivier Dyens is the author of twelve books including La Condition inhumaine, published by les Éditions Flammarion in Paris, and Metal and Flesh: The Evolution of Man, Technology Takes Over, published by MIT Press.

He was a guest speaker at the Parson School of Design, at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City, at the Maryland Institute College of Art, at the Centre Européen de Technoculture, at Ars Electronia, at the Digital Humanities Summer Institute, at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, etc.   https://www.ollivier-dyens.com/ 

Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Upcoming Potluck

As a way to add new year cheer, the PA sponsored a luncheon for UNIS staff and faculty on Friday, January 12. We thank Flik Dining, the Special Events team and the Communication team for all their support. See photos here. 

Save the date for our Annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon  - it is a beloved tradition and a way for parents to show appreciation for all that the UNIS teachers and staff do for our children. This year’s Staff Appreciation Luncheon will be a potluck for UNIS staff with contributions from families and will be held on Friday, April 19th from 11 am-1:30 pm in the Staff Lounge on the 3rd floor. Parent help is needed from 8 am to 2:30 pm. The success of this luncheon is entirely dependent on your contributions!

Thank you in advance for your food donation and/or volunteering to help. Here is the link for signing up to indicate whether or not you will donate food so we can gauge parent participation: https://forms.gle/3x5Ai21phwZJYXx17

SUMMERTIME ON YOUR MIND

• Have a summer camp, internship or program that your child enjoyed? Trying to figure out what activities locally or abroad could be a good match? 

• Please take one minute and share favorite camps and programs on our annual PA Summer Program/Camp Survey. Find parents’ recent recommendations available HERE

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.  

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

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 bookclub.  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.

LICE ADVICE FROM THE NURSE

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Head lice occur commonly among school age children, but can happen to anyone. This is a condition that each year affects approximately 6 to 12 million US children ages 3 to 11. Head lice are parasites, which are found on the scalp, around the ears, and at the back of the neck. Head lice cause itching, commonly at the back of the head and neck or behind the ears. The adult louse is the size of a sesame seed and can be the color of your child’s hair. Eggs, or nits, are smaller and silver in color.

Head lice are not a sign of poor hygiene, and anyone can get them. Lice do not transmit infections and do not endanger a person’s health. Lice pass from person to person by direct contact or by sharing clothing with lice on them.

There are many effective creams and shampoos available over the counter or by prescription from your doctor. You may also seek treatment at any professional lice removal salons. The UNIS health office recommends you check your children frequently, and treat immediately. After initial treatment it is important to continue combing the hair daily for 14 days to prevent reinfestation. A retreatment may be necessary 10 days after the first treatment.

UNIS has a “no head lice and no nit” policy, which means that students found to have active cases of lice (live bugs), and those with moderate/severe cases of nits (eggs) will be sent home for treatment. Treatment can be provided by any company of your choosing or done at home. Students who are sent home for treatment will be required to follow up in the nurses office prior to entering class the next day for clearance. Once your child has returned to school, we will check to ensure that they, as well as any siblings, are free of lice/nits. If lice/nits are still present, the child/children sent home again. We continue to do this until we are as sure as possible that a child has no remaining lice/nits.

We would like to recommend that all parents be vigilant in checking their children for evidence of head lice on a frequent basis, as early diagnosis and treatment is crucial to prevent widespread transmission. If your child has long hair, please pull it back or keep it braided during the school day. Please remind your child not to share personal items such as brushes, combs or hats with other students. We ask that if you have found lice or nits on your child’s head, please inform the nurse’s office as soon as possible, even if your child has already been treated and appears to be lice-free.

We ask for your cooperation in ensuring that head lice are managed successfully, through a school and parent partnership. Working together, let’s limit lice interruptions in school. If you have any questions or comments, or would like additional information, please speak to your child’s pediatrician or feel free to contact the UNIS Health Office at 212-584-3078. You may also find more information on these websites: www.cdc.org or www.healthychildren.org.

Sincerely,

Marisa Rivera RN, BSN, CPN

Director of School Health and Nursing 

mrivera@unis.org

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).