Dear parents,

Semester 1 Report Cards for Junior School students will be published on Friday, January 29 at 5:00pm on the Veracross Parent Portal. We encourage you to review this report card with your child to celebrate his/her achievements during this past semester and engage in conversation about their potential growth.

Friday, February 5 is the deadline for questions about a specific JS teacher’s grading. Please contact the teacher directly by email no later than the 4th.

Your child’s academic achievement for each individual subject is reported separately from his/her learning skills. The descriptors for academic achievement levels have been reviewed starting last year to ensure a greater JA-T4 alignment and to provide clarity in the transition between the word-based scale used in JA to M2 and the numeric scale used from M3 to T4. The previous Learning to Learn Skills have been replaced by the IB Approaches to Learning Skills.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?

The Report Cards are published on the Parent Portal of Veracross. To view them, access the Parent Portal of Veracross (link found on the Parent Portal from the UNIS Website). After logging in to Veracross, simply click on "Classes & Reports", and then on "Report Card" (see screenshot). 

If you do not yet have access to the Veracross portal and need instructions on how to do so, please contact veracross@unis.org to get information. 

1. From UNIS website, select “Parent Portal”

2. Click on "Veracross Parent Portal"

Note that recently enrolled students who have attended UNIS for less than 8 weeks, will not receive a report card this semester. 

If you do not yet have access to the Veracross portal and need instructions on how to do so, please contact veracross@unis.org to get information. 

For those of you not able to join us for the JS Parent Coffee on January 6 on the topic of report cards, you can access the recording by clicking on the link below. 

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal 

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

• • Friday, January 29 - Report Cards Published for Parents (details in this newsletter)

• Tuesday, February 2 - Class Parent Meeting 12:00-12:45

• Wednesday, February 3 - JS Parent Coffee (Webinar) 7:00pm (Topic: Student Led Conferences)

• Monday, February 15 through Friday, February 19 - No Classes for Students - February Break

• INFORMATION: BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS

• PARENT ASSOCIATION CORNER: MLK @ UNIS CAMPAIGN & JANUARY 14 PA MEETING RECORDING

•  BIT OF NEWS:  EVENTS COMING UP!

•  BIT OF NEWS: NATURAL DISASTERS IN J4AJ

• REMINDER: JS iPADS & CHROMEBOOKS - SAFETY SET UP AT SCHOOL & AT HOME

• REMINDERS: HEALTH AND SAFETY

• REMINDERS: REMOTE LEARNERS

• REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR CHILD’S DISMISSAL PLANS in SDM

• REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION

The Equity & Inclusion Board and Black Student Union have put together a schedule of virtual Black History Month events occurring throughout and around February this year. Both organizations aim to give these events more visibility to the larger UNIS community. This schedule will continue to be updated as we progress through the next few weeks. 

Black History Month Event Schedule

The recording from the last UNIS PA Meeting held on January 14 can be found here:

Race and Privilege Parent Alliance (RAPPA) Meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2021

Let’s get together

We’re hosting a new event, and we’d love to see you there. Join us for Race and Privilege Parent Alliance (RAPPA) Thursday, February 4, 2021, February 4, 2021, at 6:00 PM.

Register soon because space is limited.

  We hope you’re able to join us!  

How To Register: Before registering, please view these simple step by step instructions. After following the right steps, you must receive a confirmation email to the address you entered during registration.

UN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY

VIRTUAL CONCERT ON OCCASION OF THE

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COMMEMORATION

IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST

VIRTUAL GLOBAL LAUNCH:

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

7:00 PM EST

WATCH THE CONCERT ON: UNITED NATIONS

UN GLOBAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL

UN WEB TV  

Mr. Jaouad has shared J4J's natural disaster news segment filmed in December. His class is very proud of their work and wanted to share it with as many people as possible. Everything, including the music and logo, was created by the students! Enjoy!

The devices issued by UNIS to our Junior School students are set up to maximize their safety with regard to online content. Here are recommendations from our IT Team, led by Carlos Mojica, so that parents can also support this at home:

iPads

iPads are managed through the JAMF platform which allows deep integration and management with the iPads on an individual and group basis. There are a series of hard filters in place blocking out problematic sites, and all families have access to the Screen Time function to track a student's hours on the app. On site at UNIS, the school uses a CIPA compliant firewall and web filter. At home, we do not have complete control over what students can and cannot access on their devices, so we suggest limiting use outside of school time or, if limitation of device use is not practical, we suggest using the Circle app for more complete control over your student's screen time. 

Chromebooks

UNIS provided Chromebooks are also centrally managed and have an additional app called GoGuardian which allows teachers to monitor and manage each student's screen in real time. GoGuardian includes filtering, alerts, and monitoring both on site at UNIS and at home, as long as the student logs in with their UNIS credentials on a Chromebook or a Chrome browser (browser instructions here). UNIS administration is notified if a student attempts to access inappropriate materials or shows signs of self-harm/suicidal thoughts. There is also a GoGuardian parent module which is being tested and allows for parents to monitor a student's activity while on a Chromebook. We continue to encourage families to limit use of UNIS devices at home to school activities. 

1. Arrival: To speed arrival for everyone, please have your child take possession of their backpack and lunch before they approach the entry gate in the morning and check to see that their mask is on, fits well, and is covering their nose.

2. Late Arrival: The late arrival of students in the morning delay our faculty and staff moving back to their positions. The JS gates should be closing no later than 8:40. Please ensure that you arrive at the time assigned for your child's grade.

3. Masks: Be sure you have packed spare masks in a clean bag in your child's backpack, as well as an extra bag to hold used ones. For the safety and peace of mind of all, do not send your child to school in a vented mask. We understand that many of you do use vented masks with filters inserted. But our teachers cannot be certain that every vented mask has the filter necessary to keep them safe. Please respect our community and do not send your child to school in a vented mask.

4. Remote Learning on Days with Appointments: We ask that you opt to have your child learn remotely on the days that they have appointments outside of school. Parents and caregivers will not be permitted inside the gate and late arrivals and early dismissals pull vital personnel from their assigned posts in order to escort your child. Just enter Remote Learning as an Exception in SDM to alert your teacher that your child will connect remotely instead of joining in person.

5. Switching from Remote to Hybrid: When requesting a switch from full time Remote Learning to Hybrid attending in-person classes, at least 48 hours (2 full school days) in advance, please email:

• your homeroom teacher

• jsoffice@unis.org

• schoolnurse@unis.org (to request health clearance to attend in person if your child has not been on campus yet)

The last step is to update SDM with your dismissal plans for each day your child is on campus.

6. Returning to Campus After Illness:  Based on CDC guidance, students who are sent home or become ill may not return to UNIS until the following:

• WITH A COVID TEST: A negative COVID test and clearance note from MD. Must explicitly state that the student is cleared to return to school.

• WITHOUT COVID TEST: Must be fever free (less than 100F) for 3 days with no fever reducing medications and improvement of symptoms

  • AND must be 10 days post-symptom (No symptoms in last 10 days)

  • AND report general feelings of wellness.

All students who are returning to campus after an illness, MUST FIRST SEE THE NURSE WHEN COMING BACK ON CAMPUS BEFORE STARTING CLASSES.

If your child is exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID please have them tested so we can alert potential contacts within UNIS. This helps us keep everyone safe. If you feel these symptoms are due to a cause other than COVID, please have your physician clearly document this in your return to school clearance letter. For health related questions please email: schoolnurse@unis.org and mrivera@unis.org

7. Social Distancing Outside of UNIS: Exercise caution and, whenever possible, to stay clear of gatherings where social distancing or face masks might not be the norm. We advise students and families to be particularly vigilant on playgrounds and during play dates, keeping in mind the impact they may have on the safety of everyone in our community.

8. COVID Testing: We recommend that students be tested at least ONCE a month, preferably every two weeks. All UNIS Faculty and Staff will be pool-tested every other week on campus.

• • Instruction begins at 8:40 each morning. Remote learners are expected to connect with their homeroom no later than 8:40 to participate in Morning Meeting. Students who try to connect after that time disrupt the class and pull the teacher away from the rest who are already engaged in person or remotely. It is tremendously important that students are ready to join at 8:40. Meanwhile, we recognize that due to technical glitches or late arrivals, not all teachers will always be able to start at 8:40. We thank you for your patience. But, once the class begins, students who join between 8:40 and 9:00 are missing important direction and are inevitably disrupting the class. Let's try our best together!

  • Question related to technology should be addressed by email to tech.support@unis.org only. Tech Support will need your child's full name, teacher name and grade in order to assist you quickly. Please do not disrupt your teacher's instruction time to address tech support issues for your family. We understand it can be frustrating sometimes; we recognize it and are working hard to address the glitches we are facing. But we have noticed teachers trying to troubleshoot a system while teaching, a system that really requires technician intervention. They do it out of caring and concern about their students not being able to connect. Please help them by reaching out to our Tech Department for support instead. 

  • All families should check their internet connection. The audio when your child connects from home should never be distorted - it is disruptive to the class when that happens and is likely the result from a poor connection at home. You should have at least 3mbps up and download. A 5mbps up and download will ensure optimal quality. You can check your bandwidth here: fast.com 

Our homeroom teachers follow the instructions entered by parents in School Dismissal Manager (SDM) each day. Please update your SDM account to regularly indicate what the plans are for your child each day of the week. SDM is always mandatory for Dismissal but can easily be used for Attendance as well. If your child will be learning remotely on a day that he/she is normally scheduled to be on campus, please use SDM and select "Remote Learning as an Exception". On days when your child will not engage in classes either remotely or in person, please use SDM to mark your child "Absent".

SDM is the only way of letting the dismissing teacher know where your child should go at dismissal. In addition to indicating that there is an After School Activity, you must enter a description of the activity in the box below. If the activity name is not entered in SDM your child may be placed in the Care Program instead.

No student will be placed on a bus at dismissal if their SDM account does not authorize their ridership on that date.  They will be placed in the Care Program instead.