Primary Weekly Update 25/02/2022

Has it just been a couple of weeks since we have been back?

With laughter and shouts of joy coming from the playground, it feels like we’ve never been away! It’s a great feeling knowing most of the children are back on site, building friendships, enjoying working with others and learning collaboratively.

The children are settling into school and routines are being established once more.  At the EY&I campus, the focus for our younger students is on physical development and their Gross Motor Skills after a long period of time at home.  Scroll down to read in more detail in a post from Ms Helen Bonner, Assistant Learning Support Leader.

At the Junior Campus our students are also settling into routines and enjoying the opportunity to collaborate with one another and be more active in their learning.  Year 5 students have been racing round chasing scientific facts using their IPADs as well as some tricky team building challenges to build connections now they are back in class.

Across the school, children are impressing us with their resilience, particularly those that may have to isolate currently due to covid or close contact.  We look forward to seeing them all back on campus very soon.

Lunchtime CCAs at the Junior Campus

While we have been unable to offer CCAs after school due to the current MOET decree, we have been able to offer Lunchtime CCAs at the Junior Campus that the children have been enjoying. From Art to swimming squads, Badminton to Dance, Minecraft to painting, the children are enjoying some additional time doing what they love or learning a new skill.  As soon as we can, we hope to build on this programme and extend it beyond the school day. Watch this space!

22/02/2022 Twosay!

How rare a palindrome (and ambigram) date like ‘Twosday’ is and what people say it means

The date has been dubbed Twosday, as it also falls on a Tuesday, and a once in a lifetime event.

What does Twosday mean and how rare is it?

Twosday has no real special meaning or significance, other than the date is palindromic. This means it can be read the same backwards as forwards. It is also an ambigram, in that on a calculator it can be read upside down in exactly the same way. This has only happened once before more than a thousand years ago on 11.01.1011 There will never be a 33.03.3033 as there is not month with 33 days in it, so it really is a unique date.

Of course, we can write the date slightly differently as 22.2.22, and earlier this month we had 2.22.22.

This has happened twice before with the dates 1/11/11 and 11/11/11, and the next one will not occur for another 11 years – 3/3/33.  22.02.2022 will never happen again, although there will be a 22.2.22 in 100 years. There will also be the 22.2.2222, but that will fall on a Friday.

How is it celebrated?

Some people have decided to celebrate Twosday to mark its rarity.  22/02/2022 The date  is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for you, but Stonehenge was there for 11/11/1111! 

22/02/2022
Today’s palindrome date is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence for you, but Stonehenge was there for 11/11/1111! #twosday #onesday pic.twitter.com/jw0ihyzrmf

— Stonehenge (@EH_Stonehenge) February 22, 2022

Physical Development for our Younger Learners

What are motor skills?

Motor skills are related to moving and coordinating the muscles of the body in order to perform actions and they are often separated into gross or fine motor skills. Gross motor skills use the large muscles such as when we are standing, walking, running, jumping and balancing and fine motor activities use the small muscles such as those in the mouth, eyes and hands which we need for communicating and hence fully participating in school life.

Gross motor skills are not just for PE or playing, they help children develop body control so they can move around the classroom, line up with the class, sit still and listen to the teacher while the fine motor skills needed for writing, speaking and reading have to build on earlier experiences of gross motor coordination. It is then essential for our children to experience a variety of physical activities as often as possible. Our Motor Circuit offers children opportunities to try activities that target their balance, locomotor skills, hand-eye and foot-eye coordination and awareness of their body in space, all skills which are essential to their success at school.

Helen Bonner, Learning Support Assistant Leader

Black History Month

During February, we are celebrating Black History Month at BIS. Throughout history, people have been treated differently because of the colour of their skin. Black people were not seen as equal and were not treated in the same way as white people.  For example, they had to sit in different seats on a bus or public places like the cinema. They were even made to go to separate schools.  At BIS we are global citizens of the world, so we need to make sure that everyone, of every race and colour, is celebrated and represented! This week, we have read lots of stories about Black characters and real Black people from history. We've been listening and thinking about music from Black artists and discussing amazing Black athletes who are using their talents to help change the world!

Ms Victoria and Ms Aziza, Equality and Engagement Champion

Book Day Dress Up Day

We are excited to let you know that Thursday 3rd March is World  Book Day. During that week, we will be having our own celebration of Books here at BIS.  Everyone at BIS is invited to dress up as a book character. Please start thinking about your costume and we look forward to ‘meeting’ a fantastic assortment of characters.

‘Reading is the gateway for children that makes all other learning possible.’ – Barack Obama

This quote is taken from the English Leaders information regarding the importance of reading with your child. Please click  here to read the full article.

Health and Safety Updates - Important - Please read!

We would like to thank you all for the support you have provided in ensuring we were able to have children back safely, but also in keeping with the current Decrees from both the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and the Department of Education and Training (DOET) of Thu Duc City and the Ministry of Health. In fact, our preparedness far exceeds any expectations put on us by these organisations. Here are our latest updates.

Issued together with Official Letter No. 548/UBND-VX dated February 22, 2022 of the City People's Committee)

Covid Community Transmission Management, Reduction and Prevention Measures: A Summary

• Covid Positive (F0) - Self Isolate until entirely symptom free for three full days.

Once symptom free, the return to school can occur once your child has either:

• PCR Test Result (Negative)
• A Medically Certified Rapid Antigen Test Result (Negative)
• Local Health Authority Release Certificate

• Close Contact - (Direct Physical Contact during transmission period). Five (5) Full Days Self Isolation. Return is allowed with either a:
  • PCR Test Result (Negative)
  • A Medically Certified Rapid Antigen Test Result (Negative)
• Household Contact (Anyone living in the same home) - Vaccinates Self Isolate for 5 full days from the date of last F0 case. Unvaccinated Self Isolate for 7 days. Return is allowed with either a:
  • PCR Test Result (Negative)
  • A Medically Certified Rapid Antigen Test Result (Negative).
• Return from Abroad - after 5 to 9 days depending on vaccination status. Return is allowed with either a:
  • PCR Test Result (Negative)
  • A Medically Certified Rapid Antigen Test Result (Negative).
• Symptomatic (Any Cold/Flu/Covid Symptoms) - stay off school until symptom free. 
  • Take a precautionary Rapid Antigen Test prior to return and keep the school informed. 

We carry out randomised, contact tracing and cohort testing as part of our covid transmission management and reduction measures.  When a child is tested under these circumstances we will make contact with parents.

As a school we recommend regular testing at home.  The health of our community is everyone’s responsibility.  Through vigilance, monitoring, testing and following these points, we can all help to maintain safety and lessen the chances of community transmission.

Any concern you have at home with the health of your child, and include the Health and Safety Leads of each campus (EYIC Ms Sarah Curran sarah.curran@bisvietnam.com  and JC Mr Chris McKelvie Christopher.mckelvie@bisvietnam.com  It is vital, also, that you inform the office of any positive case within your family – these are called ‘household close contacts’ and children of a household close contact will be required to remain off school until such a time as a negative PCR is provided to the campus nurse. Whilst we do not expect this, it is highly recommended that you have a supply of Rapid Antigen Tests at hand and that you use them regularly within your family.

Ms Sarah Curran and Mr Chris McKelvie, Deputy Headteachers

Early Years Car Park

BIS will no longer have access to the car park.  We are still working with the company to see what arrangements we can make with the car park across the road to help parents with parking. More details will follow next week.

You can continue to use Gate A for F1 and F2 children with their parents.

F3, Year 1 and Year 2 children will continue to enter from Gate B. We have narrowed the barriers to create more space for bikes.

School Photos

We are pleased to inform you that school photographs for all students and class groups will take place soon at the Junior Campus and a few weeks after that at the EY&I campus.  We are happy to advise that we will be partnering with Pret a Portrait this year for school photos.  To find out more about Pret a Portrait please read more on their approach and sibling pictures.

Dates

Pret a Portrait will be at the Junior Campus from Monday 7th to Friday 11th March 2022 (TBC) . Please check your child’s diary / learning letter/Class Seesaw Page that will state what day your child’s class and individual photograph will be taken.  More details will follow in a letter with regards to sibling photos and photos for EY&I students. Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform at all times.

Uniform Expectations

A reminder about the expectations for uniform and shoes as we are back on campus;

• All children should be wearing black shoes.
• Socks should be white, black or grey in colour.
• All children with long hair should have it tied back neatly.
• Children should not be wearing jewellery except small stud earrings. Any exceptions due to faith or other, should be discussed with the class teacher.
• Smart watches that can act as telephones are not allowed.

Many thanks for your support.

 Meet our PTG

A warm welcome from primary PTG (Parent Teacher Group) to all the parents. We hope your children have settled well at school. We all are happy to see our children going to school and having face to face lessons with their teachers. The children  are happy to see their friends and polish their social skills. We are aware that the school is focusing on keeping the students safe. Hence with events the primary PTG will be organising, we will be keeping the restrictions in mind. We still hope that the situation will improve soon as everyone adheres to the health and safety guidelines.

 The primary  PTG is planning a few exciting events. Please join us to learn more about the PTG and the upcoming events. We would like to share them during the virtual coffee morning on March 10th. Please see the poster for more details. Also, we are always looking for volunteers, so come and support us.

New parents, if you would like to connect with your class rep or country rep then please email primaryptgbis@gmail.com

We are still looking for class and country reps. Let us not live in isolation anymore. Please sign up and help to connect the parents with each other. Let the new BIS parents feel they are welcomed to this existing family. Please use the SUG to see if your country has a rep. If not then please sign up here.

Thank you and looking forward to meeting you all soon,

Ms Gayatri Shankar, PTG Co Cordinator on behalf of the PTG Committee

01/03/22                                 Book Day at BIS

07/03/22 - 11/03/22               JC School photos (TBC)

10/03/22                                 PTG Coffee Morning

24/03/22 - 30/03/22               EY&I School photos

And Finally…

Over the next few days, if you haven’t already, have a chat with your child and find out what has been their favourite lesson so far since returning to school? Have they enjoyed their specialist lessons? What has been the trickiest?  What have they enjoyed the most?  Please also take some time to read with your child and see the important note regarding reading in all Learning Letters this week.

Wishing you all a happy and safe weekend.  Please do remember to keep your children at home if they are not feeling well or exhibit any possible covid symptoms.  We would also strongly encourage our BIS Community to test regularly using RAT tests.

Kindest regards,

Ian Battersby and Dee Grimshaw, 
Headteachers