Newsletter #32

Dear parents,

Every year, I find in one of Blaise Pascal's quotes, the famous French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher, the justification to write a short newsletter. "The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter" has always been one of my favorite quotes for that reason.

Today it's Mother's Day, a day I should not stay too long on the computer to inform you and share with you the past week's experiences of our students. But after using the French philosopher to save my lack of words in December 2017, December 2018, November 2020 (twice), November 2021, June 2022, and November 2022, I am not sure this will be enough to step away from my responsibilities so I can celebrate the two most important women in my life, my mother Bernadette, and my wife Arasy.

"Examine every word you put on paper. You'll find a surprising number that don't serve any purpose," said William Zinsser, but I have already used his quote. Samuel Johnson? No, I already used his own words in the past when he admits, "in all pointed sentences, some degree of accuracy must be sacrificed to conciseness." Henry David Thoreau, of course! His letter to Harrison Blake in 1857 is perfect, specifically when he said, "Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short." Already used? Asking our students to be creative and resilient every day does not allow me to reuse my past ideas to justify this newsletter being shorter.

It is not easy to be a son, a father, and a Principal on Mother's Day. And on top of that, May 1 was School Principals' Day, an opportunity to recognize the importance of principals annually, from elementary to high school, and all the work they do for the betterment of the school. Nobody seems to know it, not even my mother and my wife.

Being frustrated not to find ideas to justify today's shorter newsletter due to the circumstances of today's celebration will not solve my problem. I could try to tell my mother, who is in France, that Mother's Day is on June 4. It would work. Mother's Day is a bit like the metric system, not sure why we are doing things differently in the US, but it will not work for my wife: she is here and she will have for sure high expectations.

In a dramatic twist worthy of a Shakespearean play, I find myself in a predicament that even Hamlet would empathize with. Here I am, composing this newsletter to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our students and express our gratitude to the parents, while the clock ticks ominously, reminding me of my sacred duty to honor my wife and mother on this most auspicious of days - Mother's Day! Caught between the weighty responsibilities of my profession and my personal commitments, I feel like a modern-day Hamlet, grappling with existential questions, such as: "To write or not to write, that is the question!" The intensity of the situation is palpable, and the ghost of Shakespeare himself seems to be whispering in my ear, "Brevity is the soul of wit!".

Just like Hamlet, who found himself cornered by the expectations and duties placed upon him, I too face a dilemma. It is said that Claudius not only usurped the throne but also married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. While my situation may not be as dire, I would admit, the ghosts of the past newsletters haunt me, forcing me to recognize that I must continue to deliver valuable information while also dealing with feelings of guilt, procrastination, and the fear of disappointing my wife and mother on their special day. In an attempt to escape my fate, I search for comfort in typical French humor, hoping that laughter might serve as a cloak to shield me from the expectations placed upon me. Yet, as the clock continues to tick away, I cannot help but think of Hamlet's own struggles, wondering if he too wished for a bit of comedic relief as he faced his destiny.

Last week's twister of learning, celebrations, and opportunities for our students was so incredibly packed that even the ever-concise Blaise Pascal would find it impossible to summarize in just a few words. The task of capturing the essence of this spectacular week on Mother's Day is a Herculean feat, one that might leave even the most seasoned skilled user of words trembling in their boots. And for those who believe I can triumph in the face of such a daunting task, bear with me as I share a few examples that would test even Shakespeare's indomitable spirit!

In an act of theatrical mastery that would make Molière and Aristophane envious, our J3 and J4 students, led by their phenomenal teacher Ms. McBoom, took to the stage in a stunning performance of "Newsies," embracing the spirit of activism that flows through the veins of our school. As they sang and danced, our students became the very embodiment of courage and determination, proving that even the youngest among us can make a difference.

But wait, there's more! As if the week weren't already brimming with excitement, our students paraded their love for literature in the dazzling Book Parade on Friday. With the Parent Association working tirelessly behind the scenes, the Book Fair became a veritable abundance of literary delights, ensuring that our insatiable young readers would never be without a new adventure to dive in.

We were further graced by the presence of not one, but two esteemed guest speakers! Salome Egas, who shared her expertise with our eager JAs and PKs, and the ever-inspirational Gita Varadarajan, who met with our J1, J2, J3, and J4 students, igniting their passion for writing and storytelling. In a series of enchanting sessions, our young students were regaled with tales of creativity and wisdom. The words of our guest speakers danced through the air, captivating the minds and hearts of our students and further cementing the importance of the literary arts within our lives.

And as if all that weren't enough, we also had the honor of celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, where our wonderful parents showered our dedicated educators with gratitude and praise. As the week drew to a close, the halls of our school echoed with the laughter and joy of a Shakespearean comedy, leaving us all with a profound sense of pride and accomplishment.

And now, dear parents, as we reach the conclusion of this inevitably brief newsletter, I must, with embarrassment, offer my apologies for not being able to dedicate time to chronicling the extraordinary events of last week, given that today is Mother's Day. I have endeavored to craft a newsletter so succinct that even Blaise Pascal might raise an eyebrow. I must admit. I hope you will read my words with empathy and compassion, recognizing that the myriad of wonders that unfolded within our school's hallowed halls cannot be shortened to only a few sentences, so I shall pass.

 I will, therefore, choose to be simply concise. Here is today's Newsletter's final version:

I promise: I will do better next time.

• • May 15 - May 19 | Spirit Week (details in this newsletter)

  • Thursday, May 18 | JA Spring Sing 8:15-8:45 (details in this newsletter)

  • Thursday, May 18 | J1 Author Readings for Parents 9:00-9:45 

TO DO NOW

1. Alert your Caregivers

2. Update your child's SDM with their new pick up, Care program or bus dismissal plan

LANGUAGE AFTER SCHOOL LAST CLASS DATES

Final Classes for Mandarin Intensive, Portuguese, Francophone Enrichment Program:

• Monday, May 22 - Portuguese Final Class

• Thursday, May 25 - Mandarin Intensive Program Final Class

• Wednesday, June 7 - Francophone Enrichment Program

SPORTS PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL LAST CLASS DATES

• MONDAY Sports Program Classes:  May 22 is the Final Class

• TUESDAY Sports Program Classes:   May 30 is the Final Class  

• WEDNESDAY Sports Program Classes:   May 31 is the Final Class

• THURSDAY Sports Program Classes:  June 1 is the Final Class

• FRIDAY Sports Program Classes:   June 9  is the Final Class

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES LAST CLASS DATES

• MONDAY Classes:  May 15 is the Final Class

• TUESDAY Classes:   May 9 is the Final Class  

Tuesday EXCEPTIONS:

GERMAN & SWEDISH Last class date will be announced by the classroom teachers.

• WEDNESDAY Classes:   May 24 is the Final Class

Wednesday EXCEPTIONS:

ARABIC will run until June 7 (including makeup classes)  

ITALIAN will run until May 31 (including makeup classes) 

• THURSDAY Classes:  May 25 is the Final Class    

• FRIDAY Classes:   June 9 is the Final Class

Friday EXCEPTION: 

CLAY DESIGN will run an extra 20 minutes class on May 12th + 19th + June 9th, in compensation for the missed class on MARCH 17th. 

WEEKLY PRIORITY: Update your child's SDM account for 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.

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

• • Tuesday, May 23 | J4 Transition to M1 Info Session for J4 Parents 6:00 - 7:00 (details in this newsletter)

  • May 24 & May 25 | MAP Testing for J3 & J4 (details in this newsletter)

  • Friday, May 26 & Monday, May 29 | School Closed / Memorial Day Weekend

  • Friday, June 2 | 1/2 Day School for TH Graduation (11:45 Dismissal for JS)

  • Saturday, June 10 | New Family Playdate 2:00 - 4:00 (details in this newsletter)

  • Friday, June 16 | JS Last Day of School (1/2 Day)

  • June 20 - June 23 | Steam Camp JA-J1 and J4-M1 (details 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 tech.support@unis.org

JA parents are invited to join us on campus for an annual celebration of music performed by our JA students! 

JA students and their teachers have been working together in preparation for this event and are very excited to share their accomplishments . 

We hope to see you at the JA concert this week:

• • • • • Thursday, May 18 - JA Concert (8:45 - 9:15) Omani Assembly Hall

MAP Testing in May/June 2023

Dear J3 and J4 Families, 

We will be administering the third Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test for J3 to T1 students in the final weeks of May and in early June, 2023. In the Junior School, the tests will be administered on May 24 and 25, with makeups taking place on June 1 and June 2.

The purpose of MAP Growth is to compare learning growth from one point in time to another. Here is a presentation on how we use these data at UNIS.  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 the mornings of MAP.

Thank you.

REGISTER FOR CAMP HERE

TO DO NOW

1. Alert your Caregivers

2. Update your child's SDM with their new pick up, Care Program or bus dismissal plan

LANGUAGE AFTER SCHOOL FINAL CLASS DATES

Final Classes for Mandarin Intensive, Portuguese, and Francophone Enrichment Program:

• Monday, May 22 - Portuguese Final Class

• Thursday, May 25 - Mandarin Intensive Program Final Class

• Wednesday, June 7 - Francophone Enrichment Program

SPORTS PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL FINAL CLASS DATES

• MONDAY Sports Program Classes:  May 22 is the Final Class

• TUESDAY Sports Program Classes:   May 30 is the Final Class  

• WEDNESDAY Sports Program Classes:   May 31 is the Final Class

• THURSDAY Sports Program Classes:  June 1 is the Final Class

• FRIDAY Sports Program Classes:   June 9  is the Final Class

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FINAL CLASS DATES

• MONDAY Classes:  May 15 is the Final Class

• TUESDAY Classes:   May 9 is the Final Class  

Tuesday EXCEPTIONS:

GERMAN & SWEDISH Last class date will be announced by the classroom teachers.

• WEDNESDAY Classes:   May 24 is the Final Class

Wednesday EXCEPTIONS:

ARABIC will run until June 7 (including makeup classes)  

ITALIAN will run until May 31 (including makeup classes) 

• THURSDAY Classes:  May 25 is the Final Class    

• FRIDAY Classes:   June 9 is the Final Class

Friday EXCEPTION: 

CLAY DESIGN will run an extra 20 minutes class on May 12th + 19th + June 9th, in compensation for the missed class on MARCH 17th. 

Middle School Welcome Evening for J4 Parents 

Middle School Admin and Faculty gladly invite all current J4 parents to a Welcome Evening in the cafeteria on May 23rd from 6-7 pm. Parents will have the opportunity to learn all about the life of a middle schooler and what to expect as their J4 child transitions to middle school. There will also be a Q&A session at the end. We are very much looking forward to meeting our future M1’s so we hope to see you there! 

J4 Spanish Language A students had a video conference with Francisco Vera, a young environmentalist considered the Greta Thunberg from Colombia, who shared with the students, among other things, his motivation to have become a activist and advocate for the climate. 

Idoia Tapia | JS Spanish Teacher

If your child is not returning to UNIS in September please make the withdrawal official, and facilitate the release of UNIS records needed to enroll your child in a new school, by emailing the Business Office, Registrar and JS Principal as soon as possible at:

• enrollment@unis.org (Business Office)

• evanaken@unis.org  (Estela van Aken, Registrar)  

• pvallet@unis.org  (Pascal Vallet, JS Principal) 

Save the Date for JS New Families Play Date, 

Saturday, June 10th, 2-4 pm

UNIS Playground

The Parents Association, in collaboration with the school administration, will host a Junior School New Families Play Date on Saturday, June 10th, 2-4 pm, at the UNIS playground.

The goal of this event is to give new families an opportunity to get to know one another, and to help new families settle into the UNIS community. We are looking for current families who might be interested in welcoming new families. 

If your family would like to participate in the play date and meet some new families, please sign up here.

Thanks in advance! Questions? Email: pa_jscoordinators@pa.unis.org.

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 This is Junior School video. 

As an important reminder, we ask all JS families to reinforce at home that JS students should not trade or sell any food or possessions at school, and to follow these Guidelines about money and toys:

No Money at School 

Junior School children should not bring money to school and they are not permitted to purchase food in the Cafeteria or from vending machines.  If they forget their lunch from home one day, they can ask the JS Office to help arrange for school lunch for that day. Parents are expected to send payment in cash to the Food Service Director the following day in an envelope with their child’s name and homeroom. 

No Toys at School 

JS students are not permitted to bring toys from home, including electronics, balls and trading cards. Aside from often being lost, these items are a distraction from learning in the classroom, and a cause of conflict at play and during after school programs.

The complete JS Guidelines are always available for review at: JUNIOR SCHOOL GUIDELINES FAQ

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.

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.