Newsletter #21

Dear parents,

An earthquake can shake the foundations of a community, causing destruction and chaos. Yet, in the aftermath, earthquakes can also bring out the best in humanity. Strangers come together to lend a helping hand, comfort those in need, and rebuild what was lost. In the middle of the rubble, stories of bravery and selflessness emerge, reminding us of the beauty that lies within each and every one of us. The pain and loss are intertwined with a sense of hope and resilience that prevails as people come together to support each other in the face of adversity. The power of the human spirit shines through in these moments, revealing the incredible capacity for love, compassion, and generosity that we all possess.

Mina is a former Junior School student and current middle school student at UNIS. She was deeply impacted by the recent earthquake in Turkey, which claimed the lives of several of her family members. But instead of feeling defeated, Mina decided to channel her grief into action and join a collective effort to raise money and awareness for those affected by the disaster.

This effort is being led collectively by students from UNIS, with support from parents, faculty, and staff. It will be a testament to the impact our community can have in helping those affected by the earthquake. The rescue teams in Turkey and Syria remind us of the importance of coming together in the face of adversity, and they inspire us.

Join Mina, her mother Ayse Aydemir, our students, faculty, staff, and families directly impacted by this terrible earthquake to fundraise for the victims of this terrible earthquake. This is a way for the UNIS community to make a real impact on the lives of those affected by this disaster. Our collective effort will help provide essential resources such as food, shelter, and medical aid to those in need. By coming together and pooling our resources, we can make a significant difference. So join us on Tuesday, and let's make a difference together!

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal

Alessandra Camilo, Junior School assistant Principal

PRIORITY: Update your child's SDM account for Semester 2 Activities After School & Bus

Accurate daily information entered by you in SDM 

is the only way that your child 

can be escorted to the correct location at dismissal.

• • Monday & Tuesday, February 13 & 14 | Lost & Found Displayed in Lobby (details in this newsletter)

  • Tuesday, February 14 | JS Bake Sale (details in this newsletter)

  • Tuesday, February 14 | JA Friendship Day celebration with parents (more information from your teacher)

  • Thursday, February 16 | No Classes for Students / President's Day Break

  • Friday, February 17 | No Classes for Students / President's Day Break

  • Monday, February 20 | No Classes for Students / President's Day Break

  • Tuesday, February 21 | Classes Resume

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

IMPORTANT DISMISSAL REMINDER - Semester 2 Began on Monday, February 6

If your child rides the bus or takes a class after school, remember to:

• alert caregivers

• update your own calendars and School Dismissal Manager (SDM) 

to reflect the updates in your JS child's Semester 2 after school Athletics and After School Class/Care Program schedule, and school bus ridership.

In order for your child to attend an Athletics or After School class or ride the Yellow Bus home, your child's SDM account must indicate that they are authorized by you to attend a specific after school activity, or take the bus. This must be updated for each day of the week.

Every afternoon, dismissing teachers and Athletics and After School instructors only follow the instructions that you, the parents, enter and authorize in School Dismissal Manager.

• • Tuesday, February 21 | Classes Resume

  • Wednesday, February 22 | Nepal Club Auction (details in this newsletter)

  • Thursday, February 23 & Friday, February 24 | No Yellow Bus Service (update SDM with your alternate dismissal plans)

  • Tuesday, February 28 | State of the School 6:00pm (save the date)

  • Tuesday, March 7 | JS Parent Coffee 8:30am (save the date)

  • Saturday, March 18 | JS Family Carnival Fundraiser (details in this newsletter)

  • March 27 - April 7 | No Classes for Students / Spring Break (camp registrations are in this newsletter)

IMPORTANT: 

All departments at UNIS, including the nurse, rely on the information that you provide in the Veracross Parent Portal to contact you. 

The only way you or your caregiver can be reached in an emergency, or when there are schoolwide announcements, is through the information that your family adds to our UNIS Portal. 

Please review your family profile and contact information to ensure that all of your local cell phone numbers, work phone numbers, email addresses and home address are correct and are entered in the correct fields. 

If you have not reviewed your information since the start of this school year, we encourage you to do it today so that we can reach you quickly if needed, especially if you have relocated from abroad.

After logging into the Portal at myunis.vc , you may review and update all of your family contact information by:

• Going to Veracross

• Clicking on Household Information

• Updating Household Profile -> Contacts.

Thank you for taking the time to review and update your contact information now, and throughout the school year if your contact information changes.

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

Lost and Found items are in the lobby till Tuesday, the 14th of February. Kindly check if you have something there.  All unclaimed items will be donated on Wednesday morning. We hope that many items will be reunited with their owners.

Thank you,

Social Responsibility Committee, Abhilasha, Saima, Ellen 

There is an exciting mentoring/tutoring program taking place during the JS after-care program hours (3:15-5:15) that is a fun way for Tut House students to engage with students from the Junior School community.

This program is organized by J2 teacher Ms. Louise Skinner and T4 student, Chloe Skinner. 

The goal of the mentorship program is to: 

• build rapport between Junior School and Tut House students by blending departments together and uniting the UNIS community through a range of fun activities.

• play games that revise counting, computation, and number facts in the area of mathematics and foster letter sound relationships and reinforcement with word attack skills in literacy.

• allow Tut House students the opportunity to volunteer and give service to their UNIS community whilst gaining service learning opportunity hours.

The logistics of the mentorship program :

1. Tut House students attend a training workshop to learn literacy and math games that they will teach the JS student.

2. Tut House mentor collects JS students from the after care program and sit with them in the cafeteria area. They then engage in literacy and math board and card game activities for a half hour time slot. 

3. Tut House student return JS back to the after care program.

Thanks for all your support,

Chloe Skinner T4

2023 Spring Break Camp (March 27 - April 7)

During the upcoming spring break, UNIS offers 2 weeks "Spring Camp" for students in JA through M4. The program description is attached for your convenience. 

  LINK to Registration

UNIS 2022-23 Spring Camp BROCHURE

• Division 1 (JA-J4)    

• Division 2 (M1-M4)

Program Dates & Times: 

Week # 1: Monday, March 27 - Friday, March 31, 2023

Week # 2: Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 7, 2023 

Arrival: 8:30am to 9:00am 

Time: 9:00 am to 3:30 pm

Extended Care Program: 3:30pm-5:30pm 

Division 1 Program (JA-J4) (inclusive)

• Leadership

• Arts & Crafts

• Team Building 

• Art and Design 

Division 2 Program (M1-M4) (inclusive)

• Week # 1  Debate & Public Speaking / Student Government:  Exciting Simulation Model UN - Crisis Committee - Security Council 

•  Art and Design 

• Team Building 

• Week # 2  Debate & Public Speaking / Student Government:  Exciting Simulation Model Congress - Executive Power

• Art and Design 

• Team Building 

Registration Fees: 

Early Bird Fee: $700 per week (if registered by February 15 , 2023)

Regular Fees starting February 16, 2023: $750 per week

*Registration is open on a weekly basis. Families can choose to register their children for both weeks or one of the weeks. The program will be offered if the minimum number of participants is reached. Please register as soon as possible.

The confirmation will be sent on March 15th.

Note: Students must bring their own food and snacks as the cafeteria will be closed during this time.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Dr. Lidana Jalilvand, Director of Special Programs

Email: ljalilvand@unis.org

Tel: 212 584 3083  

Nepal Club Auction - Wednesday, February 22 at 6:00 p.m. 

The UNIS-Nepal Service Learning Trip will again occur this year! Together we raise money to support the school lunch program for schools in rural Nepal. Our funds help employ local women to prepare breakfast and lunch for all students attending our under-resourced partner schools.

We will hold an auction on Wednesday, February 22nd from 6-9pm, and would welcome your participation. 

Please use this link for further details: Nepal Club Auction

Mark your calendar and join us 

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at UNIS.

UNIS Friendship Day Bake Sale, Tuesday, February 14 

• All JS/MS families are encouraged to sign up to donate Baked Goods Here.

• Please drop off your donations in the school lobby on Tuesday, 2/14/2023 from 8:00 am to 8:30 am.  

• Please do not bring your items before 2/14. The PA does not have capacity to properly store the items before the event.

• Please note that the volunteer list is closed. 

• All donations must be nut free. Items can be store bought.

• We are looking for parents to donate Top 9 allergen free items and vegan items.

• Biodegradable packaging is encouraged but not mandatory.

• Children will be visiting the bake sale with their class. Please send your child to school with a reusable box with a lid and $5. 

• For more information on food safety, packaging and donations, please go here Friendship Day Bake Sale - General Information

If you have any questions, please contact the JS PA Coordinators at pa_jscoordinators@pa.unis.org 

JS FAMILY CARNIVAL FUNDRAISER - SATURDAY, MARCH 18

Join us for the Junior School Family Carnival Fundraiser for 2 hours of carnival fun!

Date: Saturday, 18 March 2023

Time: 1:30 - 3:30 pm   

Location: Cocoon Tribeca 316 Greenwich Street between Duane and Jay Street 

Price:

• $35 Early Bird **Ends 28 Feb**

• $40 from 1 March

Tickets are online only. Buy your tickets here. Tickets are selling fast. Buy your tickets now!

What’s included: 2 hours of carnival fun! Ticket costs cover 4 carnival game tickets, magic show, balloon twisting, a dance party, snacks and non-alcoholic beverage. 

Special highlight: A silent auction featuring several sought-after unique experiences! 

If you have any questions, please contact the JS PA Coordinators at pa_jscoordinators@pa.unis.org

News from Lunar New Year Celebration!

The UNIS community came together to celebrate the Lunar New Year on the 4th of February.

The cafeteria downstairs was full of laughter and joy! There  were wonderful performances beginning with the lion dances, the Korean Nanta drums, Korean Fan Dance, various performances by the classes of the Mandarin language programme, Chinese opera singing and wonderful piano performance. Not only that, the TH kids led various activities like Lantern making, facepainting, own Zodiac painted tote bag, fortune-telling, Korean crafts and games, shadow puppetry.

There was food from Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam along with Chinese Teas. The Singaporean table handed out red envelopes, with chocolate coins. The festive atmosphere at UNIS was palpable, with music from the different Asian countries playing in the background.

We would like to extend our thanks to the school Admin, security, Maintenance, nurse, the performers, all the parent and student volunteers and lastly, the wonderful and appreciative, participative audience. We couldn’t have done it without you, thank you so much!

If you wish to see some photos, please click on this link: Lunar New Year 2023

In gratitude,

Abhilasha and Sabrina 

UNIS PA Cultural Committee Co-Chairs

JS PARENT COFFEE - MARCH 7

Save the Date: The next JS Parent Coffee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7 at 8:30am

GREEN GUIDE TRAINING

In keeping with the theme of UNIS - “Greening the Blue”, we would like to invite you to a Green guide training. This training will last around 20 minutes. And will focus on how to sort waste. If you’re interested in learning about this, please join us at UNIS on Wednesday, 18 of February, at 8:20 AM.

Abhilasha, Saima, Ellen | Social Responsibility Committee

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. 

COVID PROTOCOLS

If your child had any symptoms that could be consistent with COVID, they need to remain at home and take a rapid test. 

Students can return to school under the following conditions:

• they have tested negative on a rapid antigen

• they are afebrile for at least 24 hours

• their symptoms have resolved or are greatly improving

If your child's test is positive please email a picture of the test to covid@unis.org.

Please review the full protocols on our website https://www.unis.org/covid-protocols." 

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

We would like to remind everyone about our health protocols:

• When your child is sick with runny nose, cough, stomach ache, fever, headache, etc. there is no expectation from the Junior School that they should attend class 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.

• If your child had any symptoms that could be consistent with COVID, they need to remain at home and take a rapid test. Students can return to school under the following conditions:

  • • they have tested negative on a rapid antigen

    • are afebrile for at least 24 hours

    • their symptoms have resolved or are greatly improving

    • If your child's test is positive, please email a picture of the test to covid@unis.org.

You may review the full protocols on our website COVID & Health Protocols. 

Thank you for supporting the entire UNIS community by keeping your children at home when they are not well. 

When your child will be absent, please email your homeroom teacher before 8:00am with a copy to jsattendance@unis.org . We also encourage families to update SDM in order to alert all other departments, especially After School activities and Transportation.

Outdoor Activity & Recess Policy During Cold Weather

Throughout the winter season, 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.

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 were 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.