Dear students, dear parents, dear teachers,

On Friday, October 21, I celebrated my 9th UN Day at UNIS. Alessandra Camilo, her 4th. My first UN Day in 2014, with Leila, my first daughter, in 3rd grade, was unforgettable. Walking into Mr. O's 3rd grade classroom and realizing that 19 countries were represented by his students made me feel at home. I remember Leila's true feeling of belonging. In 2017 I remember my second daughter Lucy's first parade when she was graciously invited by Marissa Kane to join her PreK students. Before being a Principal, I am a dad. And I am so grateful for those special moments that my children were able to share with the UNIS community, with all of you. Last Friday, Lucy wore a dress sent by her grandmother, Nenek. Nenek is from Sumatra, Indonesia. The dress belonged to her daughter, Lucy's mother, when she was the same age. Another very special moment.

But this is one small story. UN Day, October 21st, 2022, was made up of hundreds of stories, every one of them emotional, joyful, intense, deep, light, passionate, and soulful. Our students' stories, and your stories. 

This UN Day, more than any of the other UN Days I've experienced, was special. Maybe because I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of stories that were unfolding before my eyes, and magically woven together by Daphne's words to create one story, our story, the UNIS Junior School Story.

Daphne is right, TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG. This is not about one person, it's about US.

UNIS is truly a unique community, more than a school, to be a part of. UNIS is also a paradox: it is a place that will survive us, as it has for the last 75 years. But it is also a place with an identity that mirrors every single member of its community. The students, the parents, the teachers, the staff, and the administrators, we are all UNIS. And on Friday, October 21, this reality was truly overwhelming.

Being united and strong together, with our uniqueness and differences, being able to walk peacefully through our disagreements, being able to support each other, being able to listen to each other and value everyone who contributes to the community: how we are together, with our colleagues, with our students and with our community of parents, this is what makes UNIS unique.

And after 9 UN days, and 6 as the Junior School Principal, I am still and will always be, with humility, grateful.

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

• • October 24 - October 28 |  No Classes for Students / October Break

  • Monday, October 31 | Halloween Dress Up Day (optional / details in this newsletter)

  • Wednesday, November 2 | JS Parent Coffee: Extracurricular Activities & Student Clubs  8:30 - 9:25 

  • Thursday, November 3 - Monday, November 7 | Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up Opens (details in this newsletter)

See the PA's section of this newsletter for PA-sponsored events  & information.

• • Wednesday, November 9 - Friday, November 11 | Parent Teacher Conferences for PK - J4 (details in this newsletter)

    • • Wednesday, November 9 (Evening 5:00-8:00pm)

      • Thursday, November 10 (Day 8:30-3:00 - No School for Students)

      • Friday, November 11 (Day 8:30 - 3:00 - No School for Students)

  • November 9 - November 11 | After School Programs are Cancelled during Parent Teacher Conferences (Wednesday through Friday)

    • • • JS After School Program Classes Cancelled

        • JS Francophone, Portuguese and Mandarin Classes Cancelled

        • After School Athletics for JS students Cancelled

        • On Campus Private Music Lessons for JS students Cancelled

        • Note: Care Program will be available from 3-6pm Wednesday, November 9 only

  • Thursday, November 17  |  Photo Retake Day (details from Stomping Ground are here: School Photo Page )

  • Wednesday, November 23 - Friday, November 25 | School Closed / Thanksgiving Break

  • Saturday, December 3 | JS Talent Show 3:00 - 5:00pm (details in this newsletter)

  • Monday, December 19 - Monday, January 2 | No Classes for Students / Winter Break

  • Tuesday, January 3 | Classes Resume

Next week, Wednesday through Friday, you will have the opportunity to meet with your child's teachers for our traditional Parent Teacher Conferences. This year the conferences will be held in person. 

Conferences with the Homeroom Teachers and Mother Tongue Teachers (20 minutes) may cover:

• Check-in

  • Information gathering: This meeting is an opportunity for teachers to hear your experiences as a parent, taking into consideration your child's journey on an emotional and an academic perspective

  • Building relationship: opportunities to connect with your homeroom teacher may have been limited this year as compared to others. This is an opportunity for you and your teacher to connect and build a relationship important for your child's academic growth and well-being.

• Sharing information

  • Approaches to Learning: teachers will share information about the IB Approaches to Learning (ATL) which focus on specific skills and dispositions that support learning and have relevance across the curriculum to enable students to manage their own learning and to provide a foundation for success in further education and the world beyond the classroom.

  • Academic Skills: teachers will share information about how their students have academically grown, based on their observations and assessments.

  • Learning in Progress: teachers will share with you where they are in the curriculum and what they have covered.

  • Next Steps (Goals, Expectations): when necessary, teachers will set up specific goals and expectations with parents.

Conferences with your child's specialist and language teachers (10 minutes) will focus on:

• Check-in: opportunities to connect with the specialist and language teachers may have been limited this year as compared to others. This is an opportunity for you and your teacher to connect and build a relationship important for your child's academic growth and well-being.

• Sharing information

  • Units and Curriculum Covered: what your children have learned during the first part of the year

  • Goals: what goals the teacher has for the students in a specific grade for this school year

  • Academic Growth and Learning Successes: Teachers will share observations and assessments related to students, regarding academic progress/behavior.

Please note that teachers will use a clock to be sure they don't go over the allotted conference time for each family. We want to ensure that the parents who are waiting are welcomed on time to their meeting. Thank you for your understanding - our goal is to give to everyone the same opportunity to meet with their child's teachers.

Due to the high number of students taught by some of our specialist teachers, not every parent will have the opportunity to meet with each specialist. Therefore, we encourage you to book an appointment with specialist teachers only if you have a concern regarding your child and the subject taught by that specialist. This ensures that specific concerns are addressed as a priority. This is not the case with our homeroom teachers as every parent is expected to take the opportunity to meet with them. 

SIGN-UP PROCESS

In advance of registration opening from November 3 - November 7 for the Parent Teacher Conferences held on November 9 - November 11, please review the instructions for signing up for appointments. 

If you have questions or concerns about the sign up process, please reach out to tech.support@unis.org as soon as possible.

CONFERENCE DATES

Wednesday, November 9 (5:00 - 8:00pm Evening) - PK/JA - J4 Parent Teacher Conferences 

Thursday, November 10 (8:30 - 3:00 Day - No Classes for Students) - PK/JA - J4 Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 11 (8:30 - 3:00 Day - No Classes for Students) - PK/JA - J4 Parent Teacher Conferences

SIGN-UP PERIOD

Opens: Thursday, November 3 at 7:00pm

Closes: Monday, November 7 at 7:00pm

ACCESS TO CONFERENCE SIGN-UP

Sign-up is available through the link on the Veracross Parent Portal (myunis.vc).

Without access to Veracross, you will not be able to book conference times with your children’s teachers.

If you have not yet received notifications regarding your Veracross login credentials, or have forgotten your password, please send an email message now to tech.support@unis.org to retrieve them.

If you have your credentials you must use your Veracross credentials to access the Parent Teacher Conferences sign up system.

When you login to the conference portal, you will be able to sign up for conference slots for each of your children.

SCHOOL WILL NOT BE IN SESSION ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 and 11

CHILDCARE AT UNIS IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING CONFERENCES

All After School Programs are cancelled Wednesday through Friday during Parent Teacher Conferences / The Care Program is available Wednesday only

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD

• • November 9 - November 11 | After School Programs are Cancelled during Parent Teacher Conferences (Wednesday through Friday)

    • • • JS After School Program Classes Cancelled

        • JS Francophone, Portuguese and Mandarin Classes Cancelled

        • After School Athletics for JS students Cancelled

        • On Campus Private Music Lessons for JS students Cancelled

        • Note: Care Program will be available from 3-6pm Wednesday, November 9 only

Your 100% tax-deductible donation to UNICEF USA will help UNICEF support children all around the World. The 2022 fundraising campaign runs through October 31, 2022.

UNIS families can make their donation by visiting our fundraising page

Halloween will be held in Junior School this year. It will take place on: Monday, October 31 - 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. 

• All students who choose to dress up should arrive at school fully dressed in costume. Time will not be provided for students to change into their costumes at school. 

• Please be sure your child will be comfortable in their costume for the full school day.

• If students have PE on that day, they should have their PE clothes under their costumes.

• Costumes should not insult a particular ethnicity, religion, or gender.

• Costumes should be safe.

• Props or costumes that simulate a weapon or promote violence are not permitted.

• Students need to remember that it is a regular school day.

Welcome one and all!

We are SO excited to welcome the Talent Show back to the JS theatre this year.

We welcome ALL performers, stage hands, technical assistants, audience members and volunteers to join us this year for a unique interactive experience.

If you would like to participate and share your talent please be prepared to stay for the entire show to support your fellow performers.

Kindly note that all performances must be two minutes or less and registration does not guarantee participation as the number of performances are limited.

We are excited to see you soon!

Jen Fiorese, Parent and Talent Show 2022 Coordinator

French teacher, Molida Khuon, is proud to share this video of her J3 Mother Tongue French students reciting extracts of the poem "Liberté".

Outdoor Activity & Recess Policy During Cold Weather

As winter approaches, please be sure your child is dressed for outdoor play every day, with a warm coat, sweatshirt, gloves and hat as needed.

UNIS JS follows the Dept of Health guidelines for outdoor play: "New York City Department of Health Guidelines regarding outdoor play in cold weather policy states “Children benefit from vigorous exercise and should be given the opportunity to play outside whenever possible. Unless it is snowing or there is ice on the playground low temperatures should not be a barrier to outside play, as long as children are appropriately dressed. The City’s Health Department strongly encourages principals to maintain outdoor play periods on the vast majority of winter days.”

Recommendations are as follows: If the wind chill factor is above 20 degrees, it is safe to play outside. If the wind chill factor is 0-20, outside play is advised provided that students are appropriately dressed and under observation to make sure that they are wearing their coats, hats and gloves." 

From:  New York City Department of Education and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Labeling Clothing

With students wearing extra layers of clothing now, it's time for families to be sure that all coats, jackets, sweaters, scarves, hats, etc. are clearly labeled with your child's first and last name and homeroom. Our faculty and staff do their best to return misplaced items to their owners, but clear labeling is needed to do that.

FRANKENSTEIN Tickets Now On Sale! 

Adapted from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," this captivating physical retelling of the classic tale awakens new questions about moral responsibility. As Frankenstein prepares to right his greatest wrong by confronting the Creature, scenes from their past are replayed and the line between good and evil is debated, revealing a powerful and agonizing question about the ethical limits of science and human imagination. 

JS PARENT COFFEE - NOVEMBER 2 at 8:30am

Please join us in person for the upcoming Junior School Parent Coffee on Wednesday, November 2 from 8:30 - 9:25 am in the UNIS Cafeteria. 

These topics will be discussed:

Section 1: After School Program + Q&A with Dr. Lidana Jalilvand

Section 2: PE After School Activities + Q&A  with Mr. Daniel O’Connor

Section 3: JS Students Leadership Club

UPCOMING PA EVENTS

• Wednesday, November 30:  Junior School Parent Coffee (Save the Date)

UNIS VIDEO LIBRARY

If you missed a meeting or want to review what you remember from a past meeting, UNIS maintains a library of recordings available at https://vimeo.com/unisny.  Some highlights include a Fireside Chat with the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and a recent This is Junior School video. 

ARCHIVE

New2UNIS If you’d like to meet other parents - new or current to UNIS- sign up for the New2UNIS listserv at new2unis@unis.org Follow us on Instagram too!  

Publicize your Business or Seek Services - UNIS marketplace. Submit your business description, website and image on this form to publicize. Scroll through services here. 

Never too late to volunteer with the PA. Submit your interest here. 

Buy UNIS merch online. Visit https://store.unis.org/ And if you want to join the UNIS PA swag team, email unis@unispa.org. 

The late arrival of students in the morning is disruptive for faculty and staff and your child's classmates.

 J2, J3 and J4 students are expected to arrive at 8:15 and proceed directly to their homeroom. 

PK, JA and J1 are expected to arrive at 8:20 and proceed directly to their homeroom.

Please ensure that your child arrives at the time assigned for your child's grade.

IF YOU DROP OFF YOUR CHILD AT ARRIVAL TIME FOR THEIR GRADE

IF YOU GO TO THE CAFETERIA BEFORE DROPPING OFF YOUR CHILD

• Legal guardians may access the school building to wait near the drop-off zone, and remain in the company of their children until the announcement is made for students to line up with their classes at 8:15 (J2/J3/J4) or 8:20 (PreK, JA, J1).

• Legal guardians may access the school building to sit in the cafeteria, beginning at 7:30 am, and remain in the company of their children until the announcement is made for students to walk independently to their classes at 8:15 (J2/J3/J4) or to line up outside Staircase D to meet their teachers and walk to their classrooms at 8:20 (PreK, JA, J1).

• Legal guardians may remain in the cafeteria until 9:00 am.

• Legal guardians who arrive earlier than 8:15/8:20 in order to have breakfast in the cafeteria must supervise their children at all times while on the premises until an announcement is made for students to line up with their teachers or proceed directly to their classrooms (dependent upon grade). 

• At no time is playground access permitted for students being supervised by their guardians. Playground access is reserved solely for students arriving by Yellow Bus who are in the care of school personnel.

• At no time may legal guardians enter the 2nd floor or access any classrooms.

• Legal guardians and students are expected to arrive at the campus no later than the arrival time for their grade as shared by the school's administration. Late arrivals impact the efficiency of our protocols designed for smooth transitions, as well as to detract from our community's safety. Families are strongly encouraged to ensure that their child(ren) arrives at UNIS at the time assigned for their grade, and no earlier or later.

• Students arriving at school by bus will be welcomed and supervised in the playground.

• J2, J3 and J4 students arriving at 8:15 am walk independently to their classrooms. If J2, J3 and J4 students have arrived earlier and are in the cafeteria supervised by their legal guardians, an announcement will be made at 8:15 for those students to proceed to their classrooms independently using Staircase D.

• J1 students arriving at 8:20 walk independently to their classrooms. If J1 students have arrived earlier and are in the cafeteria supervised by their legal guardians, an announcement will be made at 8:20 for those students to line up outside Staircase D with their legal guardians and then proceed to their classrooms independently.

• PK and JA are welcomed by their teachers at 8:20 at Staircase D and proceed directly to their classrooms. 

• PK and JA students who are in the cafeteria being supervised by their legal guardians will hear an announcement at 8:20 to meet their teachers at Staircase D to proceed to their classroom.

There is a strict hand-to-hand policy in the Junior School for dismissal:

JS teachers will only dismiss at the end of the day to a parent, authorized caregiver, after school/after care/athletics teacher/coach, or bus supervisor. JS students are not permitted to leave the front gate of the campus without adult supervision. Only a sibling in M3 or older may be given permission to escort their sibling from campus.

During Dismissal time, legal guardians should not gather inside the school premises to wait for their child. If their child is not at the designated location, they should continue to walk, following the flow, until their child arrives.

PreK through J4 students are not permitted to meet parents or caregivers outside the school’s front gate. Teachers must release students whose dismissal is indicated as being “Pick-up” in SDM, to parents, or another adult authorized by the parents, following the dismissal guidelines as indicated below.

Please note that parents and caregivers are expected to arrive at UNIS no later than the time indicated in this section. If parents or caregivers are not able to arrive on time on a regular basis, please contact our Office of Special Programs to register for the Care Program. If you or your caregiver is running late in unusual circumstances and will arrive later than the time indicated, the school will place your student in the Care Program. Parents are aware that Non‐Registered Care Program drop off has a specific cost (see After Care protocol for most updated fees).

To give permission for a new caregiver to enter UNIS to pick up or drop off your child, please log in to the Veracross Parent Portal at myunis.vc:

• Log in to Veracross

• Click on Household Information

• Update Household Profile by clicking on Contacts for My Children and +Add New

• Enter that caregiver’s details under the Contacts section (add as many additional contacts and caregivers as you need)

• Next, grant the contacts Pickup Authorization as needed by clicking on Pickup Authorization on the right and +Add New.

After you enter that information in Veracross, your caregiver can have a UNIS ID made that will allow him/her access to the school to pick up and drop off. In the interim, until the caregiver information is populated by IT to the Security Access card system, fill in this ID Authorization Form, print and sign it, and have the caregiver carry this form along with a photo ID to present to Security at the front gate until a physical UNIS ID card is printed.

Parents are asked to retrieve and turn in ID cards issued to caregivers who are no longer employed.

• PK and JA are dismissed by their teachers at 2:45 pm

• J1 and J2 are dismissed by their teachers at 2:50 pm

• J3 and J4 are dismissed by their teachers at 3:00 pm

To support our Security team and ensure a smooth transition, parents and guardians arriving to pick up their children at dismissal should avoid entering the school building.

• Parents/legal guardians arriving on time at school for dismissal can pick up their child at designated areas indicated in the Dismissal Map.

• After JS dismissal and before 5:45pm: parents may pick up their child in the cafeteria by following the directions given by the security guards.

• Parents are required to indicate in the note field in SDM the identity of the parent/caregiver who will pick up their child, providing both the first and last name as it appears on that person’s identification. This information needs to be accurate on any given day. If the information is not provided correctly by the family, but the parent/caregiver is registered as a parent or an authorized caregiver in Veracross, and UNIS personnel are able to verify that information, the student will be allowed to leave with him/her. This information is required at dismissal as well as when the pick-up is scheduled after an After School, Care Program or Athletic activity.

• Parents are required to list all caregivers/babysitters on the portal in Veracross. Security will not allow entrance to caregivers/babysitters who are undocumented/not listed in Veracross. To avoid delay and complications at pick-up, please make sure to maintain an updated list of all caregivers/babysitters in Veracross on the portal. In case of an emergency, parents are required to call and email the JS Office or After School program (depending on the pick up time) providing the full name of the individual who is picking up their child and confirming that that person will carry a government issued photo ID.

Any student scheduled to be picked up at school by the parent/caregiver, and that parent/caregiver fails to collect the child at dismissal, will be brought to the Care Program and the family will be billed accordingly. Parents are aware that Non‐Registered Care Program drop off has a cost (see After Care protocol for most updated fees).

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 from home. 

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 for schoolwork to be sent home.

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.

Please be mindful as you pack lunches for your Junior School child(ren) as these will remain stored in their backpacks until snack or lunch time. If lunch items require cooling, please be sure to include insulated ice packs in the packaging for your child's lunch. No additional heating or cooling options are available. 

For reasons related to student allergies and health, the policy for JS student birthday celebrations on campus has been updated.

• Birthdays will continue to be acknowledged and celebrated in the JS Homeroom and/or with the Mother Tongue group. 

• Students may bring a special food treat for themself from home on their birthday to enjoy at snack or lunch time.

• Instead of bringing food treats from home to be shared with classmates, the birthday student may choose from a menu of fun activities offered by the Homeroom or MT teacher for the class to participate in together. The activities will be age-appropriate and vary by grade.

• At the discretion of the Homeroom teacher, there may be individual celebrations for each student, or there may be grouped, monthly birthday celebrations. 

• Details about the birthday celebration policy for your child’s homeroom will be discussed in more detail with parents at Back to School Night on September 28.

At this time, mask wearing while on campus is optional and the discretion of your family. Be assured that all JS students whose families choose to have them remain masked at school will be fully supported by our faculty and staff.

If your child will wear a mask at school be sure you have packed at least 2 spare masks in a clean bag in your child's backpack, as well as an extra bag to hold used masks if they aren't disposable. 

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.