Newsletter #33

In the year 1947, under a sky glittering with twinkling stars over Verona, the air was thick with suspense at the ancient amphitheater. A full house of eager spectators, their faces a mosaic of anticipation, were ready for the night's show. La Gioconda was the highlight promised on the evening's program. Yet, the star performer, Renata Tebaldi, was unexpectedly absent. Instead, the spotlight would shine on an unassuming Greek-American soprano, a mere understudy who had to fill the shoes of a superstar. A challenge of epic proportions. Yet, she carried the burden elegantly. Her heartbeat echoed the crescendo of the intensifying overture. The conductor, his serious silhouette contrasted against the orchestra pit, poised his baton, and a hush descended upon the crowd. With the first strains of music, the melody shot into the summer night, and the woman began to deliver her lines. Her voice reverberated around the arena, bouncing off the old stones, her high notes ascending, her low notes vibrating, expressing a whirlpool of emotions in song. She transformed, no longer herself, but became La Gioconda, her voice reflecting the agony, the fervor, the stubborn resilience of the role. As the opera's last note dwindled into the night, there was a pause of absolute silence, a moment of shared reverence. Then came the roar of applause, a powerful outpouring of respect that swept across the amphitheater, acknowledging her captivating performance. That night, beneath the star-filled Verona sky, a new star emerged: Maria Callas.

Decades later, a school auditorium filled with excitement bore witness to a new crop of performers, under the same daunting anticipation that once loomed over a young Maria Callas. The UNIS JA students, guided by their Music Teacher, Truike Boekholt, huddled backstage, their hearts hammering like uncontrolled percussion instruments. They grappled with the all too common nervousness of performers, the fear of lyric amnesia, of missing the conductor's signal. Yet, stepping onto the stage, under the bright lights, they felt a warmth similar to what had once embraced Maria Callas. Their stage may have been smaller, their audience primarily familiar faces, but the gravity of the moment was just as profound. The conductor lifted her finger and, mirroring the silence that once fell over the Verona amphitheater, a serene hush spread through the Omani Room of the United Nations International School. The students inhaled, held their breath, and then let it out in the form of the opening notes of their performance. As their voices flooded the room, all apprehensions melted away. Every note found its place, every voice resonating with the others, crafting a captivating melody that danced through the crowd. The performers drew in the spectators, not only with their skill, but with their brave hearts standing on stage and pouring their emotions into every note. When the last note ebbed into silence, the ensuing applause mirrored the scene from Verona, so many years ago. It was loud, sincere, and a testament to the enchantment they had brewed. Under the soft illumination of the school lights, new stars emerged - a band of students who had the courage to take the stage, who spellbound the audience with their vocal prowess, their fervor, and their undeniable aptitude. From that morning, their names would be etched into the memory of everyone who had the privilege to witness their performance. These were our JA students, treading the path once taken by Maria Callas, inaugurating their personal voyage into the universe of music.

Just two days earlier, within the vibrant heart of New York, stood a symbol of cultural grandeur and musical excellence, the Metropolitan Opera. A group of J4 students found themselves immersed in a sprawling spectacle of rich crimson and gold, their eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and anticipation. Guided by Jen Fiorese, Matteo's mother from J4C, who had orchestrated this awe-inspiring expedition, they were about to experience a live performance of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, The Magic Flute. This opera, sung in the rhythmic tones of German, was a language unfamiliar to many but nevertheless intriguing to their eager ears. As the lush curtain ascended, the conductor lifted his baton, and the orchestra began the well-known overture. The notes of the music, filling the opera house, sparked a ripple of excitement and anticipation in the children. This marked their inaugural encounter with live opera, its raw emotion, and grand spectacle. As the narrative of The Magic Flute unfolded before them, they found themselves mesmerized by the music, the drama, and the enchantment of the opera. They traced the journey of Prince Tamino, the bird-catcher Papageno, the powerful soprano of the Queen of the Night, and the profound baritone of Sarastro. These young observers were more than just audience members: they experienced the same fear, elation, and astonishment as the characters on stage. Each note, each melody became a chapter in their own personal journey, an exploration of their own emotions. By witnessing such a performance, they were acquiring knowledge - knowledge not merely about music or language, but about the human spirit, passion, bravery, and the essence of storytelling. They learned that they could be more than spectators. They were active listeners, absorbing every note, every subtlety. As the final note of The Magic Flute dwindled away, the applause resonated throughout the opera house, mirroring the roaring applause that would, two days later, reverberate through the UNIS Omani Room for the JA students. The students at the Metropolitan Opera gleaned a valuable lesson that day, a lesson about the power of music, the influence of performance, and the power of active engagement.

Whether they were sitting in the audience, like the J4 students at the Metropolitan Opera, or standing on the stage, like the JA students during their performance, our students were all part of the same journey. A journey of learning, growing, and understanding the universal language of music and human emotion. And the beautiful melody of their journey has just begun to play. This was a week in Junior School, a snapshot filled with music, passion, and lessons about life and humanity. Much like myself, witnessing these experiences as their Principal, I am certain that Maria Callas would have cherished the opportunity to sit in the audience, observing the remarkable journey our students undertake each day at UNIS. 

Pascal Vallet, Junior School Principal
Alessandra Camilo, Junior School Assistant Principal

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

  • Tuesday, May 23 | J4 Instrument Choice Form for M1 is Due (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

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.

• • Friday, June 2 | 1/2 Day of School for TH Graduation / 11:50 Dismissal for JS (details below)

  • Wednesday, June 7 | Final JS Parent Coffee 8:30 - 9:25 Cafe (details in this newsletter)

  • Wednesday, June 7 | Scavenger Hunt Organized by T3s for JS 6:00pm (details in this newsletter)

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

  • Friday, June 16 | JS Last Day (Half Day) of School /  11:50 Dismissal for JS (details below)

  • 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

Enjoy this video of the JA Spring Sing led by JS Music Teacher, Truike Boekholt. 

Congratulations to all of our JAs and to Ms. Boekholt for a joyful concert!

 JA SPRING SING

M1 INSTRUMENT CHOICE DUE MAY 23

Please review the J4 to M1 Music Choice Letter 2023 that was sent to you last week so that you and your child can make an informed decision regarding instrumental/choral options in M1. 

Upon considering the information, please submit the J4 Instrument Choice Form for M1, Fall - 2023 by Tuesday, May 23. The students recently received instrumental/choral demonstrations and are eager to make their choices!

Kim Bruno | Director of Arts

M1 WELCOME FOR J4 PARENTS ON MAY 23

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!

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) 

-  MOVABLE MACHINE  Last Day was May 17

-  ARTS & ENGINEERING   Last Day was May 17

• 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. 

On May 15 the J3s visited the American Museum of Natural History with a focus on the lives of indigenous peoples.

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. Email 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 the Last JS Parent Coffee

Wednesday, June 7 8:30 - 9:25 in the Cafe

Special guest: Ms. Barbara Kennedy, Interim Chief Academic Officer

Please send questions in advance to pa_jscoordinators@pa.unis.org

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.

Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday, June 7, 6-7:30pm

• Scavenger Hunt Organized by T3 Students for JS Students 

• During the UNIS PA End of Year Meeting and Parent Social on June 7, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm in the Oman Hall. 

• A small donation is required. 

• 100% of the proceeds will go directly to support the victims of the Syria and Turkey earthquake.  

• Please see this flyer for details. 

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.