Newsletter #23

Dear parents, 

As part of our ongoing celebration of Women's History Month, we had the immense pleasure of hosting Gita Varadarajan, author of the enchanting children's book "My Bindi", last Thursday. Through two engaging sessions tailored for our Pre-K, JA, J1 in the morning, and J2, J3, J4 in the afternoon, our students embarked on a profound journey into the rich tapestry of Indian tradition and personal identity, led by Gita's inspiring narrative.

Gita Varadarajan brought the vibrant story of "My Bindi" to life, a story of cultural heritage, personal strength, and the beauty of embracing one's roots. Through the eyes of young Divya, our students explored the significance of wearing a bindi for the first time—a symbol of protection, pride, and a direct connection to their heritage.

This special assembly was not just about learning the tradition of the bindi, but also about understanding the deeper notions of freedom, tradition, and pride. Gita's storytelling beautifully illustrated how symbols like the bindi are not merely decorative but carry with them histories, meanings, and powers that resonate deeply within our personal and collective identities. Her message of embracing who we are and where we come from has left on all of us a strong impression, encouraging us to view our own traditions and cultures through a lens of pride and strength. We are incredibly grateful to Gita Varadarajan for leading our assembly and sharing her journey and the rich tradition of the bindi with our community.

Our J4 students have embarked on an exciting new initiative that truly sets a remarkable milestone for our school community: the launch of the JS News Podcast. This initiative not only showcases their talent and dedication but also offers a fresh platform for sharing news, insights, and stories from our vibrant community. The JS News Podcast is a student-led project, aiming to inform and connect our community through engaging audio content. Spearheaded by an enthusiastic group of J4 students—Naomi, Bode, Lori, Amara, Santiago, Spencer, Joyce, Aubrey, Olympia, and Daphne—this podcast promises to be a source of pride for our school.

The fist edition of the podcast has just been released, and we cannot overstate how impressed we are with the quality of work and the professionalism displayed by our students. Covering a range of topics that are close to their hearts and our community's spirit, the podcast is an embodiment of our students' initiative, creativity, and passion for storytelling. We encourage every member of our community to listen and support the JS News Podcast. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with our school's events and narratives from the unique perspectives of our students. It's a testament to their hard work, creativity, and the supportive environment that allows such innovative ideas to thrive.

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal
Francesca Zammarano, Junior School Assistant Principal

• Wednesday, March 13 | JS Parent Coffee on Science & DE 8:40am (details in this newsletter)

• Thursday, March 21 | Student-Led Conference Sign Up Opens for Parents 7:00pm

• Thursday, March 21 | Iftar Dinner 6:30pm (details and RSVP in this newsletter)

• Friday, March 22 | Senior Speakeasy 6:00pm (details in this newsletter)

• Monday, March 25 | Student-Led Conference Sign Up Closes 5:00pm

• Wednesday, March 27 - Friday, March 29 | JS Student-Led Conferences

  • • • Wednesday, March 27: from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for J1 - J4 Student-Led Conferences (not for PK or JAs)

      • Thursday, March 28: from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK - J4 Student-Led Conferences 

      • Friday, March 29: from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK - J4 Student-Led Conferences 

• 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 (camp registrations are in this newsletter) 

• Monday, April 15 | Classes Resume

• April 22 - April 24 | No Yellow Bus Service from DOE / Make alternate arrangements & update SchoolPass / Private Queens & Brooklyn buses will operate as usual

• Saturday, May 4 | International Food & Fun Fair (save the date)

The Student-Led Conferences for our PK to J4 students are approaching. They were implemented in the Junior School in 2016 and have been through a few iterations since then.

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES: GOAL

The goal of these conferences is "to celebrate the Learning Experience and Successes of the school year, in connection with the IB attitudes and attributes". To reach this goal, as in the past, parents have a fundamental role to play as the main interlocutor with our students, your children. You will find below important information to support you in understanding the goal and organization of the conferences this year.

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES: WHY

Student benefits:

• empowers students to take responsibility for their own learning

• encourages reflection and self-evaluation

• increases self-confidence, self-esteem and motivation

• improves communication and critical thinking skills

• student ownership of celebrating the learning experience

• Opportunity to celebrate what students are most proud of

Parent benefits:

• encourages active participation in their child’s education

• provides parents the opportunity to observe their child as a learner

• increases parents’ understanding of their child’s learning experience.

• involves parents with realistic goal-setting

• allows communication in the home language

Teacher benefits:

• Keeps student wellbeing and resilience at the forefront of conversations this year

• emphasizes shared responsibility and encourages partnership approach

• more reflective of actual classroom learning experience where the teacher is "guide on the side"

• increases parent participation

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES: WHAT TO EXPECT?

Students

Before

• Students and teachers work together on reflections and choose pieces of work which are representative of the student’s learning experience.

• Students work with teachers to prepare for sharing samples of their work during conferences.

• Students reflect on their learning experiences and successes throughout the school year.

• Students reflect on and share report on their social and emotional lives at school.

• Students prepare for sharing their reflections and celebrations of the year. They will review with the teacher what they would like to celebrate and the pieces of work that will support their reflections.

During

• The student is the main speaker during the conference.

• Students will share their reflections and celebrations of the school year connecting them to the samples of work they chose to share with parents

Parents

Before

• Parents and teachers reach out to each other with any issues or concerns well before conferences.

• Parents read the Parent Newsletter to understand the goals and structure of the SLC.

During

• Parents must remember to let the student lead the conversation, saving questions for the students until the end.

• Parents will listen to their child’s explanations and reflections as the student presents their celebrations, reflections, and work samples.

• Parents may provide feedback, ask the child questions about his/her work and offer encouragement to their child.

• Parents may ask how they can help and what the student needs from them.

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES: WHEN?

The conferences will be held on Wednesday evening, March 27 (for J1, J2, J3, and J4), and during school hours on Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29 (for PK, JA, J1, J2, J3, and J4).

Regular JS classes will not be held on Thursday and Friday. On those two days, JS students and their families are invited to campus for the length of their conferences only.

Important SLC Dates for PK - J4:

• Wednesday, March 27: from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm for J1 - J4 Student-Led Conferences (not for PK or JAs)

• Thursday, March 28: from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK - J4 Student-Led Conferences

• Friday, March 29: from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for PK - J4 Student-Led Conferences

Note for PK Families: PK homeroom teachers will reach out to families directly to schedule their SLC appointment time. Specialist teacher work will be included in the homeroom classrooms’ immersive experience.  PK families will not use the automated booking system. Look for your PK teacher's email on March 21st to book your time to visit the classroom with your PK student on March 28 or 29.

Sign-Up Period

• Start / Open: Thursday, March 21 at 7:00pm

• End / Close: Monday, March 25 at 5:00pm

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES: THINGS TO KNOW

• Parents will make appointments with the homeroom teacher and the language, ELL or learning support teacher only.

• Specialists will welcome families to their classrooms during Student-Led Conferences, without appointments, for a maximum of 10 minutes.

• Families may visit specialist teachers before or after their homeroom appointment. However, if your homeroom teacher conference is the last of the day, ending between 2:20 - 3:00, kindly be sure to visit your specialist teachers before then.

• The specialist rooms will be open to all, so there may be students from other grades visiting at the same time.

• Specialists may need to cap the number of students visiting at one time. Thank you for your understanding and note that you should only need to wait 10 minutes until another family is finished.

• Specialists may have activities set up where children can demonstrate the things they have learned.

• Specialists will facilitate as needed by giving prompts and asking questions related to the work samples or activities being presented.

• Parents may ask the specialist teachers some general questions at this time.

• Siblings are welcome. They can join in the class or wait outside on a chair.

• And remember, the Student Led Conference is a time to pause and celebrate your child’s successes and understand their challenges. It is about your children, and allows them to lead and take ownership of their learning journey. It is not the time to raise significant issues, or a time to discuss class placements for next year!

Our teachers will soon begin the process of creating class lists for the 2024-2025 school year. Homeroom teachers, specialists, the school psychologist and the counselors collaborate to create balanced classes across each grade. Friendships and social interactions from this and previous years are taken into account and care is taken to ensure that children are placed in a group with familiar friends and where they will also have the opportunity to develop new friendships. While the Junior School does not accept requests for specific teachers, if you have any serious concerns about next year’s class placement for your child be sure to email their counselor by Friday, March 29, prior to Spring Break, to have those concerns addressed.

• PK & JA Dr. Dana Marnin dmarnin@unis.org 

• J1 & J3  Ms. Amy Iamundo aiamundo@unis.org

• J2 & J4  Ms. Alyssa Frost afrost@unis.org and Ms. Shannon Dressler sdressler@unis.org

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.

Arrival Reminder

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)

We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting an Iftar, the evening meal to break the fast during Ramadan, here at UNIS. This event is open to everyone, and we warmly welcome all to join us in the Oman Hall on Thursday, March 21st, from 6:30 pm to 9 pm. 

Please RSVP using this sign-up sheet. We're looking forward to sharing this special event with you.

Spring Break Sports Camp Registration is open!   

You can find the Spring Break Camp on the website, or use the registration links below:

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

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

EMERGING PERSPECTIVES: IB ART EXHIBIT

The Performing and Visual Arts Department invites you to join us for Emerging Perspectives, this year’s annual IB Art Exhibit.

Dates/Times

Opening Reception on March 15th from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. 

Open Gallery on March 16th from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Location

The Caelum Gallery

Suite 315

526 W. 26th Street

Do not miss this exciting annual UNIS Visual Art Event!

play:science & design engineering

UNIS Summer Camp JA, J1, J2 Students

When? 

June 24-28 Five Days of STEAM Making

July 1-5 (July 4th camp closed) Four Days of Coding/Robotics

July 8-12 Five Days of Engineering a Lunar Colony

What? 

Join Ms Zammarano in the CoLaboratory Jr. for a week of play through science and design engineering experiences. You can sign up for one week or all three, we guarantee fun and play throughout! 

Structure:

The daily schedule will follow the design process model where the students will all be introduced to a 1) Problem to Solve, 2) Brainstorm solutions, 3) Design and Prototype, 4) Build, 5) Iterate and get Feedback finally 6) Share the Process with each other.

8:30 - 9:00 - Settle in to camp, free play

9:00 - 10:00 - Daily Problem to Solve and Brainstorm Solutions through

guided structured lessons

10:00 - 10:30 - Snack and short outside play

10:30 - 11:45 - Design and Prototype (Guided and independent work)

11:45 - 12:45 - Lunch and long outside play

12:45 - 1:45 - Build (Guided and independent work)

1:45 - 2:30 - Iterate / Test (Guided and independent work)

2:30 - 3:00 - Snack and short outside play

3:00 - 3:30 - Share Closing circle

Students will each get their own prototyping notebook and bring home design solutions - make sure you keep room for their creations at home! Snack and Lunch is not provided by the school, please plan on packing these for them. A Parent Showcase will occur at the end of each week. 

Fee: 

$800 per week per camper

Questions? 

Please email fzammarano@unis.org

Space is limited to 20 campers per week, so please fill out the interest form as soon as possible. 

Steve & Kate’s Camp is coming to UNIS this summer

 available for children ages 4 – 12

Since 1980, Steve & Kate’s Camp has put kids in charge of their own learning experience – allowing campers to choose from a variety of activities in real-time. Activities include sewing, stop-motion animation, coding & gaming, sports & recreation, maker crafts, water play, baking, and more.

And there’s plenty of perks for adults too. Families can attend for a day, the entire summer, or

anything in between. There’s no weekly sessions or reservations required. Plus – they’ll

automatically refund any unused Passes at the end of the summer.

Lunch, snacks, and all hours (8am–6pm) are included. 

Camp at UNIS runs from June 26 – August 16.

Learn more about Steve & Kate’s Camp – Manhattan–Kips Bay, 

and reserve your spot HERE !

Attend the March CEO Forum Group Summit for FREE

“Business Transformation: Innovation, Human Capital and Growth”

THE 4th ANNUAL TRANSFORMATIVE CEO SUMMIT (VIRTUAL)

March 21, 2024  11 AM – 1 PM ET (via Zoom)

“Fueled by societal changes, generative AI, and economic forces, CEOs will assume a central role in steering us toward a renaissance characterized by advancements in business, the economy, and society. Join us for our Annual Transformative CEO Summit, “Business Transformation: Innovation, Human Capital, and Growth,” where an assembly of top CEOs will dive into conversations on how this exciting new landscape can contribute to building a better world.” – Robert Reiss, CEO, The CEO Forum Group

• Summit Cost: $49 Standard Fee -- FREE FOR UNIS members using code: UNIS

• Participants: 20 CEO Panelists in WorkGroups  (By Invitation Only) and 150+ CEO observers

Register for the SUMMIT here:https://theceoforumgroup.com/transformative-ceo-summits/

Code: UNIS

Tastes of the Diaspora

UNIS Black History Month, Beyond

On Friday, March 1, the UNIS Black Student Union, with a bit of help from our MH friends, 

presented samplings of foods from the African Diaspora to our UNIS Community. Treats prepared from okra, yams, millet (fonio), hibiscus, coffee, rice, cacao, sugar, tamarind, and plantains,to name a few, were shared. Dishes included the most delicious offerings of meat patties, pies and sauces. This activity opened up many conversations on indigenous foods and foods of trade, hopefully all lending to an appreciation of the diasporas global influence beyond Black History Month.

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

JS Parent Coffee on Science & DE  - Wednesday, March 13 at 8:40 - 9:25am 

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the next JS Parent Coffee, Wednesday, March 13 from 8:40 - 9:25am for an update on the JS Science and Design Engineering program.

Key questions to be addressed:

1. How does the JA-J4 Science/DE program align with the Middle School?

2. How are Science and Design Engineering combined into one curriculum?

See you there!

Parent Engagement Opportunities

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 by March 4. Find parents’ recent recommendations available HERE

Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Upcoming Potluck on Friday, April 19th from 11 am-1:30 pm

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. 

SIGN UP TO DONATE AND/OR VOLUNTEER 

https://forms.gle/3x5Ai21phwZJYXx17

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).