Newsletter #35

Dear Parents,

In the bustling and ever-energetic heart of our school, a place filled with curious minds and open hearts, there was a beautiful convergence of yesterday and today. Our lively school corridors, usually echoing with the present dreams and future aspirations, found themselves greeting a face from their past. A joyous occasion, indeed, as we welcomed back Kanako Wada, an esteemed alumna from the class of 2006, who once had walked these very halls from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Her visit last Thursday was a heartwarming homecoming, a testament to the enduring bonds formed within our UNIS family.

She walked familiar paths, her presence sparking a series of happy recognitions and nostalgic reverie. She shared affectionate greetings with Ms. Linda Miglierina, once her guiding light as her J3 homeroom teacher.

Fond memories resurfaced as she exchanged smiles with Ms. Kimmy, her Teaching Assistant while she was in J2, now lighting the way for our JA students. A shared history was acknowledged in her interactions with Dr. King-Calnek and Mr. Masahiro Tanaka, their roles as educators in Kanako's UNIS journey now sewn into the fabric of her own identity.

As we celebrated our recent graduates, I felt the imprints of our alumni and the legacy they carry with them, tangible in their connection to UNIS. From the Tutorial House students guided by their Principal, Mr. Antoine Delaitre, and Assistant Principal, Ms. Kenya Washington, to the grandeur of the Class of 2023 receiving their diplomas in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, amidst the heartfelt congratulations, the powerful speeches, and the joyous celebrations, there was an echo of a promise kept. 

The Class of 2020, denied a traditional graduation by the pandemic, finally had their moment of triumph. As they stood together in the UN, a beacon of resilience and unity, they were living testimony that although our students may leave our school, they remain an indelible part of our community.

In this beautiful dance of time and memory, I was drawn back to Kanako. I found myself wondering about her thoughts as she stepped out of our gates many years ago, a young graduate brimming with dreams and aspirations. Perhaps she was, as our graduates today, embarking on a life-changing journey, her soul imprinted with the essence of UNIS. Could she have envisaged how the school that played such a significant role in her early life would come to shape her future? These poignant intersections of the past and the future, the 'then' and 'now', are the transformative moments we facilitate here at UNIS.

As I conclude my Newsletter, I find myself imbued with gratitude towards my colleague, Antoine Delaitre, our Tutorial House Principal, who summoned a memory in his latest Newsletter that struck a chord deep within me, bringing forth an emblem of resilience and persuasive eloquence - Christiane Taubira. Her unwavering voice, as she introduced the "Marriage for All" bill in the French National Assembly in 2013, remains one of the most poignant political speeches of our era. A moment I remember distinctly, despite being oceans away in South Korea at the time. It was not only the fervor of her words but also the indomitable spirit that marked this event as a touchstone in my memory. As does Mr. Delaitre, I choose to remember Christiane Taubira's words to begin this important month for our LGBTQ community: Pride Month, celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.

Madame Taubira, the first black woman to become Minister of Justice in France, the representative of French Guyana, a territory sharing its landscape with Brazil and Suriname, endured one of the most grueling parliamentary battles in French history. Yet, she stood undeterred, her conviction unwavering amidst personal attacks and over thousands of amendments aimed to thwart the bill she championed. Her voice echoed through the halls of the National Assembly for 109 hours of debates, resulting in the bill's triumphant adoption, which today sees same-sex marriages accounting for about 4-5% of all marriages in France. In her impassioned speech, Taubira quoted the famous French author Victor Hugo, saying, "Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." These words resonate deeply with us here at UNIS, as we navigate our own transformative journeys. We embrace the diversity, equity, and inclusion of all identities, holding steadfast to the belief that nothing is indeed more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

As I reflect on the vibrant tableau of our J2 Wax Museum, perhaps Antoine Delaitre and I might have chosen to honor this individual whose steely resolve and eloquent speech have left an indelible impression on both of us: Christiane Taubira. Led by her and everyone else who has contributed to make the world a better place, we too continue our journey of educating, nurturing, and empowering our students to be the torchbearers of the future, fostering a spirit of unity and understanding. We step into the future, carrying the echoes of our past, instilling in our students the belief that they too can be a part of the groundbreaking ideas shaping our world.

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

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

  • Wednesday, June 7 | End of Year PA Meeting with Dr. Dan Brenner and Ms. Barbara Kennedy & Parent Social 6:00 - 8:00pm (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)

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 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 (registration in this newsletter)

  • June 20 - June 23 | Video Game Design Camp J2-J4 (registration 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

J4 Sports Day Waivers Are Due

Tuesday, June 13 - J4 Sports Day at Ferox Athletics in Greenpoint, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

J4 Sports Day will be held Tuesday, June 13 at Ferox Athletics in Greenpoint, and students will be transported by bus to and from UNIS for the activity. 

UNIS and Ferox Athletics require J4 parents to complete these waivers for students to be eligible to participate: 

1. Complete the UNIS Travel Waiver Here and return it to Daniel O'Connor 

2. Complete the Ferox Waiver online.

Final After School & Weekend Sports Programs (Update SDM for June)

Monday, May 22 - Final Class
Tuesday, May 23 and 30 - Final Classes
Wednesday, May 24 and 31 - Final Classes
Thursday, May 25 and June 1 - Final Classes
Friday, June 9 - Final Class
Saturday, June 3 and 10 - Final Classes
Sunday, June 4 and 11 - Final Classes

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 Class for Francophone Enrichment Program:

• Wednesday, June 7 - Francophone Enrichment Program

SPORTS PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL LAST CLASS DATES

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

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

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

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

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

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES LAST CLASS DATES

• MONDAY Classes:  May 15 was the Final Class

• TUESDAY Classes:   May 9 was the Final Class  

Tuesday EXCEPTIONS:

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

• WEDNESDAY Classes:   May 24 was 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 was 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. 

Principal Vallet participated in Mr. Jantzen's J1 measurement lesson last week.

Rose Fico | J1 Teaching Assistant

Please email Javier Alvez jalvez@unis.org this week to express your interest in his Video Game Design camp running from June 20 - June 23.

REGISTER FOR CAMP HERE

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.

We understand that some families provide their children with smartwatches or cell phones for safety reasons. However, upon entering the school building, all watches and phones are to be silenced and placed securely in the students backpack and remain there until they are dismissed. We ask that parents not attempt to text, call or send alerts to their Junior School child during the school day. If you need to reach your JS child on an urgent matter, please phone the JS Office at 212-584-3190 or email jsoffice@unis.org with a copy to your child's teacher. 

Gum chewing is not permitted at school at any point during the school day, including during playtime, and students are not permitted to bring any gum or candy to school.

Note that the school is not responsible for the loss of any personal items, valuable or not, that students have brought from home. This includes jewelry, smart watches, cell phones, electronic devices, toys, etc.

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) 

FINAL 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

JS NEW FAMILIES PLAY DATE

Saturday, June 10, 2-4 pm

UNIS Playground

New this year, 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.

If you’re interested in volunteering at the event and helping to sell UNIS swag for school spirit, please email us at unispa@unis.org.

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.