ISY Elementary Blog

A Return to In-Person Classes!

Mike Simpson, Elementary School Principal

February 4, 2022

After two successful transition weeks, we are returning to daily in-person classes for all grade levels!

Yesterday, Dr. Hedger sent a message to the community announcing our return to in-person school for all grades beginning this coming Monday 7th February. 

School Hours

School will begin at 8:30am for all grades. 

School will finish at 1:30pm for Pre-Kindergarten.

In a slight change to the schedule, Kindergarten to Grade 5 will now finish at the slightly earlier time of 2:15pm. 

We ask that Elementary School parents pick up their children at 2:15pm and Secondary School parents pick up their children at the later time of 2:30. If you have children in the Elementary and Secondary School, please pick all of your children up at 2:30pm. 

Online Learning

If you have confirmed with us that your child will continue to learn online, your child will join our online program using the same Zoom links that they used this week.

We will continue to have online and in-person learning options until the end of the school year. To manage the learning of every student, once a student begins in-person learning, you will need to ask the permission of the principals for them to return to online learning. Please email elementaryoffice@isyedu.org if your child needs to return to our online program and you have not yet advised us.

COUNSELOR’S CORNER with Ms. Patty:

Supporting Your Child as they Come to Campus

Relationships before Rigor

Grace before Grades

Patience before Programs

Love before Lessons

If you were able to attend the Parent Meeting two weeks ago, you might remember that these are the words we, as a school, are keeping in mind as we welcome students back on campus.  We understand that the transition from online to in-person learning is exciting, but it can also create some feelings of stress or worry.  While meeting student’s academic needs, we will also focus on their social-emotional needs.  You might be wondering how you can support your child’s social-emotional needs during this transition.  Here are a few things to think about.

  • Actively Listen: Take a few moments each day to put away all other distractions and ask your child how they are feeling.  Ask open-ended questions.  These are questions that are difficult to answer with simply one or two words.  Listen to their responses without judgment and try to place yourself in their shoes.
  • Support don’t Fix: Allow your child to share their concerns but resist the temptation to interfere or fix the issue for them.  Stepping in too early doesn’t allow your child time to develop their own problem solving skills.  Support them as they strategize ways to handle their challenges.
  • Continue the Conversation:  In the days or weeks to come, continue to listen and ask how they are managing.  Think creatively to provide opportunities for your child to share their feelings and experiences.

If you’d like to further this conversation, please feel free to reach out to me at escounselor@isyedu.org.  I am happy to meet with students or families.

Warmly, Ms. Patty

PreK-Grade 6 Counselor

Ms. Patty is available to support all ISY families.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at escounselor@isyedu.org. 

Patty Amundson-Geisel

Pre-K to Grade 6 Counselor

Covid At-Home Testing

This message is copied from an email that went out to the community today from the ISY Communications email account:

As a further measure to keep ISY students safe we have acquired a substantial number of COVID test kids, and are continuing to acquire more.  Subject to availability we should have enough kits for every student and staff member to test themselves twice a week for the rest of the school year.

Every Monday starting next week, two test kits will be sent home with every student each week.  We ask that students be tested every Wednesday and Sunday evening and that you inform the ISY clinic (clinic@isyedu.org) if your child’s test result is positive.  If a student is absent on Monday they will be able to get their kits directly from the clinic when they return. 

Each kit has instructions on how to perform the test but here is a video from the clinic showing you how to test. Again, if your child tests positive please inform the ISY clinic (clinic@isyedu.org) and keep your child at home.  Here is ISY’s ‘Can my child come to school’ graphic.

If a student has a suspected case of Covid-19, the other students and parents in that person’s class will be informed and they should follow ISY’s Health and Safety instructions.

Many thanks in advance to all the members of our community for helping to keep ISY a safe environment to come to school.

COVID Considerations 

Please refer to our ISY Adaptive Learning page for up-to-date health and safety guidelines – including this useful Can My Child Go To School Today? flowchart.

Parent and Student ID cards and Placards

A few people have asked about ID cards and vehicle placards.  Please note that you will not be able to enter the approach road to ISY in a vehicle during the drop off (7:30 – 8:30 am) and pick up times (2:00 – 3:00 pm) without a placard.  (Taxis will also not be permitted). You can come to the front steps at any time outside of these times to pick up your vehicle placard.  Placards will not be distributed during the drop off and pick up times so as not to slow things down.  Parent ID cards can also be picked up outside of the drop-off and pick-up times from the security team at the front steps.  

Lunches

Students will need to bring a packed lunch and water bottle. Lunches can be dropped off at the front steps between the hours of 9am and 11am only.  There will be no food vendors on campus initially and there will be no facilities to heat food.
Previous Elementary School Posts

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Yangon, Myanmar

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