Dear parents,

In December 2017, December 2018, and November 2020 I quoted Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher whose contributions to research in Mathematics and Epistemology was outstanding. In 1656 he wrote in The Provincial Letter, Letter XVI: 

Others have expressed the importance of concision: “Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose.” said William Zinsser. Samuel Johnson believed that “in all pointed sentences, some degree of accuracy must be sacrificed to conciseness." My favorite quote would be from Henry David Thoreau when he wrote to Harrison Blake in 1857: “Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.” For those who believed that my Newsletters are too long, he is here to remind us that it is not easy to make it short! I would however disagree with Amit Kalantri when he said: “It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.” My strong French accent has nothing to do with my brevity, or my lack of it!

All this to say that in the past I used Blaise Pascal's famous quote when I tried to justify why my Weekly Newsletter was... short. Once again, it might be used for this Newsletter, as it follows on top of it a very short week. 

However, let's be honest here, this Newsletter is short because I hope everyone will retain one major piece of information: on Thursday, June 9 at 4:30 pm, our J4 students will graduate! Parents of J4s are invited to the campus to celebrate this milestone in their children's education at UNIS, but the entire Junior School community, including family members and friends from around the world, will be able to watch the graduation ceremony by using a live stream link.

We are all hoping all J4 parents will be able to join us at school while everyone will be able to live stream this major milestone in the education of our wonderful J4 students!

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal 

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

• Week of June 6 | Sports Week for all JS grades (details in this newsletter)

• Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7 | MAP Make Up Testing (details in this newsletter)

• Thursday, June 9 | J4 Graduation 4:30pm (12:00 dismissal for all J4 students / details in this newsletter)

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

• Monday, June 6 - PK & JA

• Tuesday, June 7 - J1

• Wednesday, June 8 - J2

• Thursday, June 9 - J3

• Friday, June 10 - J4

REMINDER: UPDATE YOUR CHILD'S SDM ACCOUNT 

• All Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday After School/Athletics have ended

• All Mandarin and Francophone classes have ended

• Details are in this newsletter

• If your child was enrolled in an After School/Athletics/Mandarin/Francophone class, your School Dismissal Manager SDM account needs to be updated now.

REMINDER:

Arrive no later then 8:20 and

Update School Dismissal Manager (SDM) 

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

• • Friday, June 17 | Last Day of School for JS Students (11:30 dismissal for all JS students / details in this newsletter / Yellow Bus departs by 12:00)

  • Friday, June 17 | 2nd Semester Report Cards Available (the deadline to request a correction is Tuesday, June 21)

​

It is a Pleasure to Announce the 2022 Sports Days for Junior School! 

We will be hosting Sports Days on the school playground each day this week 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

The students will have the opportunity to play games and activities for the entire morning, reinforcing all concepts learned in PE this year. 

Traditionally we involved parent helpers. Unfortunately, due to current COVID protocols, parents will not be able to join this year. 

 Finally, for success on these important days, each student needs to prepare by:

• Applying sunscreen at home before school

• Bringing a bottle of water to school

• Wearing a hat and a PE uniform (or sports gear)

• Wearing sneakers or tennis shoes for running 

JS Dismissal at 11:30am on Friday, June 17

• The school calendar has been updated to schedule Friday, June 17, the last day of JS classes, as a half day. 

• JS students will be dismissed at 11:30 am. 

• Yellow Buses will depart at around 12:00, and the Transportation Coordinator will share more information closer to the date. 

• Note that the Care Program is not available on that last day of school. 

Please mark your calendars and alert your caregivers about the June 17 earlier dismissal time. 

All JS students and their caregivers are expected to depart campus promptly at the 11:30 dismissal.

We are pleased to be able to welcome J4 families to campus on Thursday, June 9 at 4:30 pm for the J4 Graduation Ceremony.

In preparation for that event, there are two actions for J4 families to take:

• Registering to attend the J4 Graduation - Deadline was June 2 REGISTER HERE

• Whether or not your family is attending graduation, arrange a 12:00 pick up for your J4 child on June 9

REGISTRATION

• To register to attend graduation in person, please use this link: REGISTER HERE 

• Every UNIS J4 graduate can have up to TWO people attend the Graduation Ceremony. Please use the form to RSVP for every guest in your party by June 2, 2022.

• Note, all attendees must be fully vaccinated. Please make sure everyone in your party brings a government issued ID or UNIS ID and proof of vaccination to gain access to UNIS.

12:00 DISMISSAL ON JUNE 9

• On the day of graduation, June 9, all J4 students will be dismissed at the tents in front of the school at 12:00, to be picked up in person (whether or not your family is attending graduation).

• All J4's are expected to depart campus at 12:00. 

• Note that yellow bus service will NOT be available for the J4 dismissal at 12:00 and neither adult supervision nor the Care Program will be available for J4s after 12:00.

• Please advise caregivers and make arrangements for the 12:00 pick up in person.

• J4s will not be eating lunch at school on June 9. You may want to pack a hearty snack for that morning.

• If you want a sibling in a lower grade to also be dismissed at 12:00 that day, please add a special note in SDM now and email your homeroom teacher to let them know.

We look forward to seeing you at 4:30 p.m. on June 9 at the 2022 UNIS J4 Graduation Ceremony. A short ice cream social will follow at 5:30 p.m.

3rd MAP Testing - Make Up Dates

The third Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test for J3 and J4 students were administered on June 2 and June 3.

Make up tests will take place on Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7.

The purpose of MAP Growth is to compare learning growth from one point in time to another. We explored how we use these data at UNIS in a presentation delivered at the March 16, 2022 Parent Association meeting.  We will share the results of the third and final testing session of the year once those Family Reports are available. 

MAP Growth reports give us an external measure to continue to monitor our student learning. It is one data point among many that we collect in order to inform and adjust our instruction to meet the needs of our students. MAP scores are not factored into student grades; UNIS report cards include information about student learning from both formal and informal assessments, which are conducted in the context of our curriculum.

Your child does not need to do anything special to prepare for MAP assessments.  As for all school days, we encourage a good night’s rest the night before and a healthy breakfast on the mornings of MAP.

Thank you.

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.

Open to all J3-M4 students 

Sign Up Today!

June 20 - 24, 2022

Morning Session 9:00am - 12:00pm | Afternoon Session 12:30pm - 3:30pm

Blackbox Studio 

$400 per student / morning session only

$700 per student / full-day 

ENROLL HERE 

Instructors: 

Madeline McBroom       mmbroom@unis.org

                      Jake Elvig                   jelvig@unis.org        

Camp Description 

This camp is designed for students with a desire to strengthen and broaden their general dance knowledge and technique as well as improve their performance skills and physical health. This intensive course is for beginner/intermediate level students. Skills learned here will set students up for success in musical theatre and dance performance, especially in UNIS’s theatre department.  Each day begins with a daily warm up that includes stretching and strengthening, after which students will complete a beginner dance class in various styles  - learning proper and safe technique and history/style. This culminates in a final showcase performance, where students will be able to present their new performance abilities. For the afternoon session, we will dive deeper into the art, intelligence, and cultural value of dance. Students will complete movement research and develop and choreograph their own dance piece to be presented in the showcase performance. Afternoon students will also learn contemporary world choreography and breakdown the origins and culture of these dances. Each day will conclude with yoga cool down exercises and of course, an open dance party.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE: 

Morning Session

9:00am – 9:30am  Warm up, Stretching, & Strengthening  

9:30am – 10:45am  Technique class (Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, or Musical Theatre)

-15 Minute Break- 

11:00am – 12:00pm  Rehearsal for Showcase  

Afternoon Session 

12:30 pm – 1:30pm World Dance: (Latin, Polynesian, or West African)

1:30pm – 2:00pm Intro to Creative Movement Improvisation   

2:00pm – 3:00pm Development and Choreography 101 

3:00pm – 3:20pm Beginner Restorative Yoga  

3:20pm – 3:30pm  Dance Party 

For more information please contact 

Madeline McBroom (mmcbroom@unis.org) or 

Tim Hall (thall@unis.org)

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.