Newsletter #07


Dear parents,

Last week we shared a close-up look at our PreK Students with the first episode of "a fly on the wall". It was a wonderful opportunity to see where everything begins at UNIS. Today, we step aside again and allow Nicolas and Matias Corona (Tut House students) the opportunity to be this week's Newsletter Chief Editors and place the spotlight on their wonderful project, part of the CAS Program (Creativity, Activity, Service) and one of the three essential elements that a UNIS student must complete as part of the Diploma Programme (DP). Their work is a great way to illustrate one of the many paths that our JS students are heading for.

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal 

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal


Dear Junior School Parents, 

Our names are Nicolas and Matias Corona, T4 and T3 at UNIS, and we are the co-heads of the Funding Bright Futures organization—a non-profit whose mission is to fund the scholarships of underprivileged children from around the world by providing extracurricular and academic services to children from the ages 8-12. 

We have both been volunteers at Funding Bright Futures for 3 years; Matias taught LEGO classes and Nicolas coached soccer. Working along ​​with two Indian based organizations—Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM) and Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS)— as well as another based in Mexico—Fundación Contando Con Un Amigo (“Counting on a Friend Foundation”)—we have been able to raise over ten thousand dollars over the course of three years for underprivileged kids who are now able to receive an education at a school where they will be able to eat the nutrients they need and return to an environmentally healthy community and housing. 

Through these experiences, FBF became a big, positive part of our lives and our way of giving back to the community. As we became so extremely passionate about aiding FBFs’ mission, we sought to take on more impactful roles as the organization’s founder (UNIS Alumni Jay Patel) graduated from high school. Now, as leaders of the non-profit, we are looking to not only fully reinstate classes that we previously provided, but expand the organization and its money raised. We will do this by recruiting more volunteers, enrolling more students, and providing a wider range of activities in which children can partake.

This year, we are set to provide academic tutoring including math, English, and Spanish classes; creative classes such as LEGO, Minecraft, and art; and athletic classes including soccer, basketball, and baseball. These classes will be mostly led by UNIS Tut House students who, before becoming official FBF tutors, undertake a thorough interview process in which we evaluate their experience and whether or not they are the right fit to represent our organization and meet the standards we wish to provide. 

Now, as Junior School parents, we look to you to aid our mission by enrolling your children in our specialized tutoring services. We want to know what classes your child is interested in and then we’ll find the tutor who can meet your needs. Attached is a questionnaire on which you can demonstrate your child’s interest in specific FBF classes. Once we have sufficient demand for a class, we will find the tutor right to teach that class and begin sessions, which usually run 45 minutes to an hour per week. These classes become a seamless, enjoyable process for you and your children, with regular calendar updates debriefing when and where the class takes place, transparent contact between parents and our executive committee and tutors (should you have any concerns), and simple payment methods which save you the unnecessary hassle! Should you need more information, or would like to contact us with any inquiries you may have, make sure to find us on our socials, website, or email. We will also be attending an upcoming JS parent event to present Funding Bright Futures face-to-face, so make sure to find us there, should you and your child be interested in our organization!

Finally, we hope to hear from you soon, and should you choose to donate once to our mission rather than participate in regular classes, make sure to visit the website linked above!

Sincerely,

FBF co-chairs Nicolas and Matias Corona and the FBF team

Instagram | FundingBrightFutures.org | FundingBrightFutures@gmail.com 

IMPORTANT DATES

THIS WEEK | WEEK A


REMINDER:

Update School Dismissal Manager (SDM)

with instructions for After School classes & changes in Bus ridership

UN DAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22

On Friday this week we will celebrate UN Day, an important day for our community and one that continues to be challenged by current circumstances. Safety being first, some traditional events will again not take place this year. 

All students are invited to come to school on Friday, October 22 wearing traditional dress to celebrate the country of their choice, or country of origin. This dress-up is optional.

The goals of this day are to:

JS students will create a Mandala of flowers by the front gate and parents will have the opportunity to take a flower when leaving with their children at the end of the day. Each class will have the opportunity to have an individual parade.  A special UN Day Assembly will be pre-recorded and homerooms will share it with their students during the school day. The Assembly will focus on sharing information about the United Nations with our students and is designed to accommodate the range of ages between our littlest ones and our J4 students. 

We will also provide a nut-free cookie to each of our students as we are not able to hold our traditional breakfast with parents. Students can choose to have the cookie, or not. Parents of students with food allergies may provide their children with their own snacks on Friday. The cookies will be provided by Flik following the same protocols they use for student lunches. 

Finally, we are planning to have some of our high school students sharing recordings of themselves reading, remotely, to our JS students.

During this exceptional day we will take as many photos and videos as we can to share with families. We regret that for the second year in a row we cannot welcome parents on campus, either for the parade or our traditional international breakfast. 

Last year, Germain visited the UN for our students...

UPCOMING EVENTS

THE NEWS

TO DO: VIRTUAL PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

SIGN-UP PROCESS: DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

In advance of registration opening from November 4 - November 8 for the Parent Teacher Conferences held on November 10 - November 12, please review the instructions for signing up for appointments. If you have questions or concerns about sign up, please reach out to veracross@unis.org as soon as possible.

CONFERENCE DATES


SIGN-UP PERIOD


ACCESS TO CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

SCHOOL WILL NOT BE IN SESSION ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11 and 12

CHILDCARE AT UNIS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE DURING CONFERENCES

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD

INFORMATION: MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS (MAP) 

We are happy to report that we have completed the first of three administrations of the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test for J3 to T1. The remaining administrations will be: January 2022 and May 2022.

The purpose of MAP Growth is to compare learning growth from one point in time to another. The October testing provides us with baseline data in the absence of any MAP testing at UNIS since the Fall of 2019. When we complete the January test, we will have a second set of data points which are necessary to generate the MAP Growth Report. These reports will be shared with families at the end of January. We will share the results of the May testing session once that is completed, too.

MAP Growth reports give us an external measure to continue to monitor our student learning. It is one data point among many we collect to inform and adjust our instruction to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students.

INFORMATION: HALLOWEEN DRESS UP MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Halloween will be held in Junior School this year. It will take place on:

Monday, November 1 - Optional Halloween Dress Up Day

Halloween is a regular school day and dressing up is optional. 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 is not a substitute for the mask they wear on regular days for safety purposes!

PARENT ASSOCIATION CORNER: PA MEETING OCTOBER 20

Join us for the 2nd All-School

UNIS Parents’ Association Meeting of 2021-2022

Wednesday, October 20

7:00PM-8:30PM

Click here for Zoom meeting

Webinar ID: 985 6307 7555 Passcode: 525631 

Please submit your questions in advance here for our speakers.


At our October meeting, we will be introducing the new co-presidents of the PA Queens Campus, Neil Nandkisure and Sylvie Fayolle.


We will also have a lively presentation by the following guest speakers from UNIS leadership.

And thanks to the Bridge2UN PA committee, we are featuring guest speakers (who also are UNIS parents) to discuss the meaning of UN Day and provide an overview of the UN structure geared for parents not employed at the UN.

Please submit questions here in advance by Monday 10/18 that we can share with our speakers.


PARENT ASSOCIATION CORNER: TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF FUNDRAISER

Your 100% tax-deductible donation to UNICEF USA will help UNICEF support ACT-A, the global Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, which provides vaccines, diagnostic tests, therapeutic medicine, and community engagement around the world. The 2021 fundraising campaign runs from October 1, 2021 through November 14, 2021. 

UNIS families can make their donation by visiting this link.  

BIT OF NEWS: COAT & BOOT DRIVE FOR REFUGEES (STAR CLUB)

STAR (Serving, Teaching and Assisting Refugees) Club: COAT AND BOOT DRIVE

The STAR Project is once again partnering with Hearts and Homes for Refugees to host a Coat and Boot Drive in support of newly arrived refugees in our community!

When: Oct. 19, 20, 21 from 7:45am to 8:15am

Where: Drop Off Bins will be placed at the UNIS gate in front of the school

What: Winter Coats and Boots in excellent donation condition for ALL AGES and SIZES. Please DON’T bring coats or boots that are dirty, torn, or otherwise in poor condition.

Thank you in advance for helping with the resettlement process of our most recently arrived neighbors. 

REMINDER: OPT IN FOR MARKING PERIOD #2 REMOTE LEARNING

Deadline: Tuesday, October 19

To opt into the remote learning model for marking period #2, from November 1 - January 21 (returning to campus on Monday, January 24), please respond to this survey by Tuesday, October 19.

Please note, students may not transition between remote and in person learning during a marking period.  At the end of each marking period families may choose to continue with remote learning, or choose to have their child return to in class instruction.

*This form is mandatory to opt in for remote learning for the 2nd marking period, despite your child's current learning model*

By not opting for remote learning by October 19, your child(ren) will be expected on campus on November 1.

REMINDERS: WHEN YOUR CHILD IS SICK / LEARNING MODEL CONSISTENCY

When Your Child is Sick

When your child is sick with stomach ache, fever, headache, etc. there is no expectation from the school that they should attempt to learn remotely. If your child has symptoms that would normally have kept them at home prior to COVID-19, parents should not request to join classes remotely. We hope that time will be taken for your child to rest and recover as the school believes that children recover more quickly when they are permitted to disconnect and rest.

Learning Model Consistency

The expectation is that Junior School students attend school consistently, through the end of this marking period, in accordance with the learning model the family has opted for at this time (either fully in person or fully remote). Inconsistent in person attendance is disruptive for the class as a whole and for the individual student. The school believes that a consistent schedule reinforces learning and appropriate classroom behavior, and reduces anxiety.

Dismissal for Parents and Guardians

At dismissal please stay in motion, circling through the tents as you wait to pick up your children, or wait outside the main gate between pick ups. The school has not relaxed it's policies regarding gatherings. Please do not linger or sit down in the tents to wait for a second child, or gather within the school gates to speak with other parents or teachers. At dismissal our goal is to have as few people on campus for the shortest time possible, and always in motion. Thank you for understanding and support as we work to keep our community safe. 

REMINDERS: COVID PROTOCOLS (UPDATED 9/21)

2021-2022 COVID protocols (5).pdf

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. JS students are expected to arrive no later than 8:20 and the front gates should be closing no later than 8:30. Please ensure that you arrive at the time assigned for your child's grade.

3. Masks: Be sure you have packed 2 or 3 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 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. Days with Appointments or Travel:

Because parents and caregivers are not permitted inside the school gate, a request for either late arrival or early dismissal for a JS student requires that school personnel leave their work in order to escort your child. 

Please support the school by arranging appointments and travel outside of school hours.

Of course, if your child falls ill during the school day, the nurse's office will coordinate an early pick plan with families.

5. Returning to Campus After Illness:  


We appreciate your cooperation in keeping the community safe!  

 

Please use the guidance shared by our Nursing Staff in this newsletter in coordination with your physician to address any illness.


For health related questions please email: schoolnurse@unis.org and mrivera@unis.org

6. 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.


7. 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 regularly on campus.

Thank you for your support.

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. 

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 your child has 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