Dear parents,

In 1962 the United States performed its last atmospheric nuclear test (though it would go on performing underground tests until the early 1990s) and, in 1963, the world’s nuclear powers signed the Partial Test Ban Treaty outlawing atmospheric testing altogether. The world's militaries radically rethought their approach to nuclear testing due to a fundamental discovery by a Japanese woman, Saruhashi Katsuko (1920-2007), a scientist who demonstrated that radioactivity from the tests, far from being confined locally, had in fact reached Japan in under two years, pushed through the oceans by water currents.  Ultimately, the model she developed not only had a profound impact on the political and military landscape, it also demonstrated methods of using radioactive tracers to track the motion of oceanic currents which proved of lasting value to oceanographers.

Edgardo Dizon Gomez (1938-2019) was a Filipino biologist who was conferred the rank of National Scientist of the Philippines in 2014. He was a Professor Emeritus for marine biology at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. He played an instrumental role in the world’s first national-scale assessment of coral reef damage, leading to international conservation initiatives such as the Global Reefs and Risk Analysis, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and the International Coral Reef Action.

Fazlur Rahman Khan (1929 – 1982) was a Bangladeshi-American structural engineer and architect who invented the tube principle, which became a game changer for the design of modern skyscrapers. For his innovative contributions to modern skyscraper design, Khan is known as the Einstein of structural engineering.  He was a Computer Aided Design Pioneer as he saw the potential of using Computer Aid Design early on. He persuaded Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the company he worked for, to invest in a computer system long before most design offices began using this new technology.

Anna Mani (1918 – 2001) was a pioneer in the development of a device for measuring ozone. It is to her credit that India has become one of the few countries in the world to have its own ozone measurement probe. The World Meteorological Association (WMO) quickly understood this contribution and made it a member of the International Ozone Commission. Mani later published the Handbook for Solar Radiation for India (1980) and Solar Radiation over India (1981), two books that have become references in the field of solar thermal systems. She was also able to realistically view the potential of wind energy in India and published Wind Energy Data for India (1983). Today, if India is one of the world's leaders in the establishment of wind farms, part of the credit goes to Anna Mani.

Min Chueh Chang (1908 – 1991) was a Chinese-American biologist who studied fertilization in mammalian reproduction. These findings laid the foundation for in vitro fertilization techniques in humans. As one of the researchers involved in the development of the oral contraceptive pill, Min Chueh Chang also helped to revolutionize the birth control movement.

Rampa Rattanarithikul has dedicated her life to the study of mosquitoes and raising awareness for environmental conservation. She began her work in 1959 as a lab technician for a malaria mosquito research project in Bangkok, Thailand. Her contribution as a technician collecting mosquito specimens for the United States Operations Mission (USOM) malaria control program is unprecedented. Malaria, a disease caused by a plasmodium parasite, transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, killed 627,000 people in 2020 alone. 

As diversity is tremendously important at UNIS, special mention goes to Syed Qasim Mehdi (1941 – 2016), a Pakistani molecular biologist who was a founding member of the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), which assessed human diversity by studying human migration, mutation rates, relationships between different populations, genes involved in height and selective pressure. 

U Hla Myint (1920 – 2017) was an economist who advocated for agriculture. An extremely talented student in Myanmar, he was admitted to Rangoon University to study economics when he was just 14 years old. Hla Myint highlighted the importance of free trade, capital accumulation and international specialization for economic development. He particularly stressed the importance of improving agriculture first, which helped provide the foundation for rapid growth in other Asian countries, such as Taiwan and South Korea. 

Võ Quý (1929 – 2017) was a Vietnamese ornithologist who studied the destruction of tropical forests and agricultural lands in Vietnam by Agent Orange, a herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. In addition to planning forest restoration projects, Quý rediscovered the rare eastern sarus crane, an endangered species that had vanished during the war. Known as the father of conservation in Việt Nam, his research has inspired many other scientists around the world.

Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani (1977 – 2017) was the first and only woman and Iranian to date to win the Fields Medal in 2014 for her work on curved surfaces. While studying at Farzanegan High School in Tehran, Maryam won the gold medal at the World Mathematical Olympiad in 1994 and 1995 and became the first Iranian high school student to receive a perfect score. And she was the first Iranian student to win a gold medal two years in a row.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is observed in the United States during the month of May, and recognizes the contributions to and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans on the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. The legislation to annually designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month referenced two key dates: May 7 and May 10.

• May 7, 1843 marks the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States.

• May 10, 1869, or Golden Spike Day, recognizes the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. which had significant contributions from Chinese workers.

The railroad stretched from the West Coast to the East Coast and 15,000 to 20,000 Chinese immigrants were a major part of its construction. Conditions were very difficult, and Chinese workers didn't receive the same benefits as their white counterparts. Unlike white workers, Chinese workers had to pay for their own food, had to work longer hours and were paid less. The contribution of the Chinese workers to the railroad was fundamental to the development of the American West. It cut travel time across the U.S. from months to less than a week.

Today, the UNIS Junior School celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month through the immense contribution of Asian scientists who have changed the world. Today, the UNIS Junior School also celebrates our own outstanding in-house scientist , a scientist who has chosen to share her passion for science dedicated to making the world a better place. Vanessa Go, originally from the Philippines, has led our Science Department in Junior School since 2001. She has engaged thousands of students in exploring the world and understanding the need to protect our planet Earth. Her dedication to her students and relentless fight to protect the environment makes her without doubt, an honored Junior School Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Ambassador. I can hear all our students chanting with me:

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal 

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

PS: I purposefully did not share the work of Gregorio Y. Zara (1902 – 1978), a Filipino engineer and physicist best remembered for inventing the first two-way video telephone in the body of my letter. Zara’s video telephone invention enabled the caller and recipient to see each other while conversing, laying the foundation for video-conferencing. Considering everyone's Zoom fatigue, I felt Zara's revolutionary work should lay in this post-script! 

Sources:

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• The story behind Asian Pacific American Heritage, and why it's celebrated in May, NPR

• Global Warming And Nuclear Fallout: The Foundational Geochemistry Of Saruhashi Katsuko, Women you should know

• Renowned zoologist Võ Quý dies, ViêtNam News

• In Vitro Fertilization, The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

• Min Chueh Chang (1908-1991),  The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

• Les débuts de la pilule, Europeana

• Anna Mani, météorologue, Science Et Bien Commun (ESBC)

• José Rizal, Filipino political leader and author, Britannica

• Maryam Mirzakhani, Iranian mathematician, Britannica

• Malaria, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Fazlur Rahman Khan, a CADCOE hero, Construction and Design Centre of Excellence

• Trinity Site - World's First Nuclear Explosion, Office of Legacy Management

• Giants in History, Asia Research News

• May 9 - May 13 | PE Uniform Donations for Thrift Shop (details in this newsletter) 

• Friday, May 13 | JS Book Fair Fundraiser & Storybook Parade (details in this newsletter)

• Saturday, May 14 | International Food and Fun Fair (IFFF) (details in this newsletter)

REMINDER:

Arrive no later then 8:20 and

Update School Dismissal Manager (SDM) for Semester 2

with your child's dismissal instructions for Athletics, After School, Language, Care Program & Bus

• • Week of May 16 | UNIS Arts Week 

  • Through May 22 | Book Fair Fundraiser Online Ordering is Available (details in this newsletter)

  • Friday, May 27 - Tuesday, May 31 | Memorial Day - School Closed

  • Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3 | MAP Testing for J3 and J4

  • Friday, June 3 | TH Graduation (11:45-11:55 dismissal for JS Students / Yellow bus departs at 12:15)

  • Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7 | MAP Make Up Testing

  • Thursday, June 9 | J4 Graduation 4:30pm (1/2 day dismissal for all J4 students)

  • Friday, June 17 | Last Day of School for JS Students (full day)

  • Friday, June 17 | 2nd Semester Report Cards Available

​JS Sports Week (a special morning of outdoor games from 9:00 - 12:00)

• Monday, June 6 - PK & JA

• Tuesday, June 7 - J1

• Wednesday, June 8 - J2

• Thursday, June 9 - J3

• Friday, June 10 - J4

When Your Child is Sick

When your child is sick with runny nose, cough, stomach ache, fever, headache, etc. there is no expectation from the school that they should attend school in person or attempt to learn remotely. 

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 to join classes remotely. 

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.

UNIS Junior School Book Fair Fundraiser Returns May 13, 2022

The PA is excited to announce the return of a beloved tradition, the annual Junior School Book Fair on Friday, May 13th.

It will be in person but comes with a (Covid-imposed) twist.  Main Street Books will provide single copies of a wide, customized selection of titles.  Students will visit the live event held in the JA gym with their peers and teachers to preview the books together.  Once there, each student will be given a form to note their choices.  Students will take these forms home to then order the books online.  Ordered books will be delivered to school for pickup at no additional charge or can be shipped to your home for an additional flat fee.

Online ordering will be available from May 6 to May 22 at mainstreetbookfairs.com under the link to the UNIS JS book fair.   

Additionally, you can contribute to teachers’ classroom libraries by using the eGift card option.  Just select the amount of the eGift card and enter the email address of the teacher.

Please join us in support of our Junior School: 20% of the total sales will be donated to the Junior School Fund.

Dear Parents,

We want to reach out with important information regarding the upcoming Spring Concerts. Unfortunately, the current rise in Covid cases at UNIS and across the city has once again caused a change of plans. While we had hoped to welcome parents into the building for these performances, it is not possible at this time. 

JA & J1 Concerts: Live Streaming and Recording

JA: Tuesday, May 23 from 9:00-9:35 am.

J1: Monday, May 16th from 9:00-9 40 am. 

We are excited to live stream and record our Spring Sing and J1 performances, after no concerts for 2 years!

Please have your children dress-up or wear festive/traditional clothing in which they can easily dance and move.

JA students do not need to wear a mask because they will be spaced apart and outside on the playground.

J1 students will wear masks for the J1 concert, as they will be standing close to one another on the risers in the theatre. 

Links to the live stream events will be shared closer to the events.

J2, J3 & J4 Concerts: To be Filmed

For J2, J3 and J4, we will film the concerts and prepare beautiful videos of the performances so that you can enjoy watching at home with your family to celebrate your child's hard work. 

In order to prepare a wonderful presentation, your child’s concerts will be filmed in two parts. The time we would have formerly used for a dress rehearsal will now be “Concert Part 1” and the time held for the Concert will be “Concert Part 2.” The filming for each grade will take place at the following times:

J2

Concert Part 1: Tuesday, May 17, 12:50-1:50 p.m.

Concert Part 2: Wednesday, May 18, 9-10 a.m.

J3

Concert Part 1: Monday, May 16, 11:50-1 p.m.

Concert Part 2: Tuesday, May 17, 9-10 a.m.

J4

Concert Part 1: Wednesday, May 18, 1-2 p.m.

Concert Part 2: Thursday, May 19, 9-10 a.m.

J2, J3 & J4: Concert Dress and Masks

With that in mind, students do not need to wear the same clothes for both performances, but you may want to be sure your child wears or brings concert clothing to change into both days, especially if your child’s class has P.E. on one of the days. There is no specific dress code, we just ask that students wear clothing in which they feel dressed up, but comfortable.

Due to the proximity of the children during the performance, we will also be asking everyone to wear masks during the concert. Since singing is considered a high-risk activity, we want to err on the side of caution.

Thank you for your continued support and flexibility. Your children have been working hard on their pieces in class and at home. We cannot wait for you to see the performances they have in store for you! They are doing a fantastic job. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Truike Boekolt at tboekholt@unis.org regarding the JA and J1 concert, for the J2 concert, Truike Boekholt or Amy Travis at atravis@unis.org, or for the J3 or J4 concert, Amy Travis or Jack Dod at jdod@unis.org.

Gratefully,

Kim Bruno

Director of Arts

kbruno@unis.org 

As has been shared in this Newsletter, and our JS Guidelines, students with medical and other appointments during school hours are asked not to attend classes that day, either in person or remotely. Although the school fully understands and excuses absences for medical or other reasons, the Junior School cannot offer flexibility in the schedules and duties of our faculty and staff to escort students to or from the gate during school hours. All of the school's personnel are fully dedicated to the routines of our division, and our students, and follow a full daily schedule. In addition, leaving early or arriving late disrupts the flow of learning in the classroom and affects the entire class.

Note that, as the school's leadership has shared in previous correspondence, the school provides the option of remote learning to only those students in quarantine or for exceptional medical reasons. If it is necessary for your child to attend an appointment during school hours, the expectation is that they are absent for that full day.

Your child's teacher will support them with catching up when they return. Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the school protocols.

PE Uniform Thrift Shop 

Clear your closets of outgrown PE uniforms - donations accepted starting Monday, May 9th through Friday, May 13th  - outside UNIS gates, at drop off and pick times.  Bring any size, washed (gently used) or unworn school-logo T-shirts, hoodies, pants, and shorts (bottoms do not need to have a logo). Items will be available for sale starting at $2 at IFFF on 14th May.

Thanks

Abhilasha, Giulia, Melissa

Social Responsibility Committee 

• Acknowledgements/Updates:

  • Thanks to many parents that attended the UNIS PA Social on Volunteer Opportunities on April 22. Click ​​here to see event photos and here to see volunteer leadership opportunities with the PA this coming fall. Email us at unispa@unis.org with any questions. 

  • Thanks to many families who participated in the Book Drive hosted by the UNIS PA Social Responsibility Committee. Special thanks to all the TH Volunteers, for all their energy, enthusiasm and help throughout the book drive, as well as Mr. Baha and Ms. Polatbara, the school administration and the maintenance staff for all their help. We donated 4,329 books to the “Reach out and Read” Program at Bellevue Hospital. Click here for photos and the thank you letter from Bellevue.

  • We have results from our recent survey on the UNIS Cafeteria offerings. View here. A group of parents recently met with Corey Dorn of Flik Dining and Dr. Jennifer Amos this week and there will be quick collaboration for parent input into cafeteria offerings. 

  • If you'd like to learn more about participating in a local research study at Teacher's College of Columbia University concerning 10-12 year olds on the effects of digital v. print media on reading comprehension , please check out this flier.

• International Food and Fun Fair (see below)

  • Raffle tickets are available for the fair with great prizes in tech for all ages. Visit here to purchase tickets. They are 5 for $25 advance online/5 for $30 day-of.

  • We are delighted to have IFFF back after a gap of 3 years. The International Food and Fun Fair on May 14, 2022 is sold out, owing to overwhelming demand. In an effort to ensure that this is a safe and healthy event, the school set a fixed limit on occupancy.

  • We all know that this is a very popular event and it pains us not to be able to welcome every family as is customary. In an effort to accommodate more people, we decided to offer two sessions to allow for maximum participation.

  • Tickets were available on a first come, first served basis and sold out within weeks. 

  • We understand that many of you are upset about not being able to get a ticket and we empathize with your disappointment.  We hope that next year we will be able to welcome everybody to join us at the International Food and Fun Fair. We look forward to seeing some of you at this year’s fair on May 14.

UNIS International Food Fair and Fun!

Don’t forget to get your Raffle tickets for $25 for 5 tickets to win exciting prizes: https://www.unis.org/ifff2022

• Keep Greening the Blue by bringing your own reusable water bottle on May 14th! Each reusable bottle will entitle you to one free Raffle ticket!

• PE Uniform Thrift Shop - CLEAR your closets of outgrown PE uniforms - donations accepted starting Monday, May 9th through Friday, May 13th  - outside UNIS gates, at drop off and pick times.  Bring any size, washed (gently used) or unworn school-logo T-shirts, hoodies, pants, and shorts (bottoms do not need to have a logo). Items will be available for sale starting at $2. Contact Nicole Clarkson at nclarkson@unis.org with questions.

• Dance Floor - Come and join us on an open dance floor and dance away with your UNIS friends. Simple and easy to follow dance workshops will be held in both sessions. Contact Charul at  charul01@gmail.com for questions.

• Flower Sale - Please visit our flower sale before you leave the Food Fair! We will sell all floral arrangements on display. All of the proceeds will go back to UNIS. The prices of the arrangements include vases. Prices range $5 - $20. Contact Branka at branka.obradovic@gmail.com with questions.

• Sessions - The event will be held over two sessions: Morning from 10.30am -12.30pm and afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Due to the restriction on the number of people who can be at the campus at any one time, attendees at the morning session will be asked to leave at 12.30pm.

• Fun Fair - There will be an inflatable bouncy castle, an inflatable slide and Basketball game. Additionally, everyone will have access to the playground.

• Crafts/Origami/Henna Tables - Try out your creativity at the Crafts corner! 

• Photo Booth - There will be a Photo Booth for capturing your memories.

• Reusable Cups and Water Buggies - There will be 2 water buggies on site. Please note that we are renting reusable cups for use on the day. Kindly make sure to return them to the marked receptacle for them to be washed. Please DO NOT throw these in the trash bins.

• Reusable cutlery - We have purchased silverware to use on the day.  Kindly make sure to return them to the marked receptacle for them to be washed. Please DO NOT throw these in the trash bins. (Rather than throw away the single- use cutlery purchased in 2019, the PA will use these items first. When supply runs low, we will augment it with the metalware.)

• Bins - There will be three different bins for Trash (Black bin) , Recyclables (Blue Bin) and Compostables (Brown Bin). Kindly make sure you use the correct bin - the plates we will serve food in are compostable!

• SWAG - Don’t forget to buy your SWAG at the IFFF!

We are excited to see you all in person!

Abhilasha & Sabrina

International Food & Fun Fair Co-Chairs

abhilasha.mahan@pa.unis.org; sabrina.zancan@pa.unis.org

Auditions for New York City Children's Chorus

The New York City Children's Chorus is holding auditions for their 2022-23 season. Rehearsing weekly at Madison & 73rd Street, this nationally recognized ensemble has appeared on the Grammy ballot and NYC stages from Carnegie Hall to NBC's TODAY Show. A rigorous and rewarding choral experience, the NYCCC sings music from Bach to Broadway. 

For more information, visit nycchildrenschorus.org. Tuition aid is available.

TH Environment Club Annual Art Contest Winners Receive Their Prizes

The TH Environment Club has been organizing an annual Art Contest to create awareness about threats to wildlife and their habitats for the last 4 years. The prizes are plushies of endangered species, and the money from the prizes goes to support wildlife conservation by the World Wildlife Fund. 

This year there were three prize winners :

The Spanish students performed Don Quijote for the Día del Libro on 23 April. It is a commemoration in all Spanish-speaking countries of Miguel de Cervantes, who died on that date. The Mother Tongue Spanish J4 and J2 students performed one of Don Quixote´s most famous adventures: the Windmills adventure.

On the same day, and as part of a beautiful tradition of Sant Jordi´s day, the Language B Spanish students gave away flowers to people all around the school.

Please enjoy the images of this special day.

Idoya Tapia Rubio| Junior School Spanish Teacher 

•  IMG_5965.HEIC

•  IMG_5966.HEIC

•  IMG_5976.HEIC

•  IMG_5977.MOV

•  IMG_5979.HEIC

•  IMG_5982.HEIC

•  IMG_5985.MOV

STUDENTS WHO MAY CONNECT TO CLASS REMOTELY

Following Dr. Brenner's direction, access to fully remote learning is an option offered only to students from PK to T4 who have opted in for fully remote for a full marking period, or those who need to quarantine due to direct contact with a positive case, or in the case of a student who tested positive and is asymptomatic. Online learning may also be offered in exceptional or medical circumstances. 

Students who have returned from an international trip and are required to quarantine due to travel, do not have access to fully remote learning. Thank you for your understanding. 

For families with a JS child connecting remotely to class while under quarantine, a daily Academic Tech Support session has been scheduled.

Junior School Remote Student Live Support for ACADEMIC TECH

Monday - Friday from 8:20 - 8:40am

Join Zoom Meeting

https://unis.zoom.us/j/9673245905

Meeting ID: 967 324 5905 

Francesca Zammarano & Javier Alvez, JS Design Engineering Teachers, and/or a member of the JS office, will be available for the support or guidance that you and your child may need regarding connecting to the JS academic technology learning tools such as Seesaw, Dreambox, etc. 

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. 

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: If you want your JS child to be masked at school, 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. 

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. If it is necessary for your child to attend an appointment during school hours, the expectation is that they are absent for that full day. 

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.

• • 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 and fzammarano@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 work hard to address the glitches we face. 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. 

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.

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.