Newsletter #UN DAY


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 IS A BLUE DAY FOR OUR J2, J3 AND J4

Dear students, dear parents, dear teachers, dear UNIS community,

As I am writing these few words, we are celebrating our UN Days here at UNIS. We are celebrating our attachment to the values of the United Nations and its mission, and we are celebrating every one of you who are adhering to the UN Charter and our UNIS Mission by choosing to be here with us, as a student, as a parent or as a UNIS employee.

Wounded Veterans arrive at Opera House in San Francisco on April 27, 1945 for the Second Plenary Session of the conference that created the United Nations.

In the midst of the ravages of World War II, hundreds of delegates from some 50 countries gathered in San Francisco on April 25, 1945 for the start of the conference to create the United Nations.

“The world has experienced a revival of an old faith in the everlasting moral force of justice. At no time in history has there been a more important Conference, or a more necessary meeting, than this one in San Francisco, which you are opening today.” - President Harry Truman

"The global work of the United Nations is not without reason compared to that of a family -- striving for a common goal in concert with all members for a better future." -  Kofi Annan
“There are millions of people all over the world, right now, who are looking to the United Nations for protection and redress against the violation of their rights and deprivation of their freedoms.” - Louise Arbour
“The United Nations is our one great hope for a peaceful and free world” - Ralph J. Bunche
"The aim of political institutions like the United Nations is to draw the line between struggle and conflict and to make it possible for nations to stay on the right side of that line…" - Javier Perez de Cuellar

2020 will be remembered as a critical year of the Modern Time Period. And at UNIS, it will be remembered as the year we all come together to overcome, with passion, effort and resilience, the challenges forced on us by a worldwide pandemic. As we are doing our best to adapt to these circumstances, we are bringing the UN to UNIS today with the Secretary General addressing our students and our community. But, we have also brought UNIS to the UN, thanks to Stephen Margetts, UNIS parent, Board Member and, as you will see below, Germain's best friend! 

“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.” – Robert Orben

It is time for everyone to take a break from school now, to disconnect, enjoy some screen-free time, recharge our batteries, and then return, together again, to learn together, to grow together and... to be happy together.


Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal 

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal


See all the Junior School Photos 2020-21

INCLUDING THE UN DAY PHOTOS!

We will add some video clips during the break

IMPORTANT DATES

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2

THE HYBRID CALENDAR

See the hybrid calendar for the full year here

UPCOMING EVENTS


PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE DATES

SIGN-UP PERIOD

 

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

"Le rire, la moquerie, la dérision sont des entreprises de purification, de déblaiement, ils préparent des salubrités futures." - La Nuit sera calme - Romain Gary

TO DO: UNPLUG (IF YOU CAN)

This coming October Break week is an important week for students, teachers, staff and parents who have worked hard to support their children at home to take a break and recharge their batteries. Our mindfulness expert and Learning Support Specialist Karen Ager shares these resources with the community (we hope you can unplug after watching them):

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: VIRTUAL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES - NOVEMBER 11-13

CONFERENCE DATES

SIGN-UP PERIOD

ACCESS TO CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

SIGN-UP PROCESS: DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

SCHOOL WILL NOT BE IN SESSION ON NOVEMBER 12 and 13

CHILDCARE AT UNIS IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE CONFERENCES

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD

PARENT ASSOCIATION CORNER: JS PARENT COFFEE - NOVEMBER 4 at 7:00pm

Our next JS Parent Coffee Webinar will be held on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00pm.

Among other things, we will discuss outdoor play and the upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences as well as the expectations for those days.

Please join the Webinar using this link: JS Parent Coffee Nov 4 


 BIT OF NEWS: CARE PROGRAM PROTOCOLS & FAQ

Care Program Protocols, Schedule & Frequently Asked Questions

The Care Program is designed to meet the needs of working parents of Junior and Middle School students who want their children to do their homework and be engaged in relaxing activities after school hours. It provides a dependable daily program in a warm and safe environment. The Care Program runs every school day from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM.  

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION: 

The Care Program is required to follow the safety measures in place at UNIS. 

Due to the constraints of Covid 19 pandemic and the obligation to social distancing, only limited number registrations are available on full-time basis only. 

 

The JS Care meets in the cafeteria. The MS Care meets in the gymnasium and/or cafeteria.    

The JS parents are reminded to update the School Dismissal Manager (SDM) to reflect the changes in your child’s schedule. Based on that information the JS dismissing teachers direct the students. We would also remind the parents to please indicate any allergies or restrictions your child may have. 

 

Registration & Fees Options 


 

Program Schedule

3:00 - 3:30  PM       Students have snacks in the Cafeteria

3:30 - 4:00  PM       Indoor activities and games, reading books, doing puzzles, origami, drawing, coloring, arts & crafts … 

OR

3:30-4:00PM           Fun Light Physical Activities 

AND

3:30-4:30PM Special Events, Projection of Films & Documentaries & Games - from time to time on Fridays 

4:00 - 4:30  PM      Brainpop Jr., Read books on UNIS Chromebooks 

 

Remote After School Program starts at 4:00PM on Zoom platform 

MONDAYS: 

TUESDAYS: 

WEDNESDAYS:

THURSDAYS: 

FRIDAYS: 

 

4:30 - 5:00 PM        Lego, Origami, puzzles, games, drawing, coloring…

5:15 - 5:30 PM        Dismissal begins in the tent  

 




Homework 


PARENTS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS



REMINDER: HALLOWEEN DRESS UP DAY - NOV. 2 AND 3

Halloween will still be held at UNIS this year. It will take place on:

Halloween is a regular school day. While we want our students to enjoy dressing up, we also want to ensure that the day is focused on learning. 

And of course students must still wear a mask aligned with our Covid-19 Protocols. A Halloween mask in not a substitute to the mask they wear on regular days for safety purposes!

REMINDER: TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF

UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund that raises money to help children around the world to provide education, nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter, health/medicine, and emergencies.

Since 1950, millions of children across the United States have Trick-Or-Treated on Halloween with UNICEF collection boxes, calling out, "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!" Trick or Treat for UNICEF has helped to raise nearly $177 million since 1950. 

The donations on Halloween add up to lifesaving changes for kids across the world. For example, $1 can provide children important medical shots or provide pencils for a class of 30 students; $2 can provide 66 children with vitamin A capsules for a year which helps them grow strong and protects them; $2.46 can provide school supplies (pencils, books, chalk, slate board and paper) for one child; 

$9 can provide a pack of 200 water purification tablets for safe drinking water; and $55 can buy one box of therapeutic food treatment to save a child from malnutrition.

Although we will not be collecting donations for UNICEF at school this year, we hope your friends and family will consider donating directly: 

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

Your 100% tax-deductible donation to UNICEF USA will give the world’s most vulnerable children the nutrition, water and medical supplies they desperately need. 

Through November 15, parents can register their children and create an online profile by visiting Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF where they will receive a Virtual Collection Box with a customized link and QR code. 

REMINDERS: HEALTH AND SAFETY

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:

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:

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.

REMINDERS: REMOTE LEARNERS

If you have technology issues, please send an email to tech.support@unis.org

If you have academic tech questions, please contact Ms. Zammarano at fzammarano@unis.org 

All other times: If you are having trouble logging in at any other time, please call 212-584-3100 for technology support. 

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR CHILD’S DISMISSAL PLANS in SDM

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.


REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR PARENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Please take the time to review your family profile and contact information to ensure that your cell phone numbers, email addresses and home address are correct and are entered in the correct fields. You may update your information at any point throughout the year, but if you have not reviewed your information recently, we encourage you to do it today. 

All departments at UNIS rely on the information that you provide in the Veracross Parent Portal to contact you. The only way you can be reached in an emergency, or when there are school wide announcements, is through the information that you have entered in the Portal. After logging into the Portal at myunis.vc , you may review and update all of your family contact information by:

If you need support in order to make your updates, please email veracross@unis.org