Important COVID-19 Protocol Updates

As promised, I am following up with additional information on the recent direction provided by the Education Bureau (EdB) regarding social distancing measures in schools.

• Masks
  • According to the government, all schools can now allow students to participate in physical education (PE) activities without their masks. At AIS, we have decided to proceed with caution, and will only be permitting our students to go mask-free during PE classes if those classes take place outdoors, beginning Monday, 6 February. Students who participate in PE activities in indoor spaces will continue to wear their masks. Naturally, any student who wishes to continue to wear a mask while outdoors during PE is free to do so. Currently, the government has also stated that students must continue to wear their masks during recess and at all other times, except when eating or drinking.
• COVID-19 Positive RATs
  • As mentioned last week, students who test positive for COVID must remain at home regardless of whether they are symptomatic or asymptomatic, and they must upload an image of their negative RAT to this FORM, as schools are still required to report incidents of COVID-19 on a daily basis.
  • In order to return to campus, the previous guidelines still apply, and all COVID-positive students must first obtain a negative RAT on Day 4 and Day 5 or on any of the following 2 consecutive days.
  • Evidence of a positive RAT, that is uploaded to the school form above, will allow the school to authorize all COVID-positive student absences at this time. Students do not need to seek medical attention or provide a doctor’s note for COVID, unless of course the family believes it is necessary and in the student’s best interest.
• Exemption Certificates
  • AIS will not provide school-issued exemption certificates, effective Thursday, 9 February, as government guidelines state that exemption passes can only be given to previously-infected persons 14 days after their infection. If your child is eligible for one according to this timeline, please be sure to have the 2nd negative RAT uploaded by the end of the day on Wednesday, 8 February to qualify. We will reassess the situation when we receive the anticipated update from the government by 28 February.

As always, we will continue to provide you with important updates as they become available. Please reach out to your divisional principal or to me with any questions you may have.

Parents Make the Difference

The February newsletters and daily learning planners are ready and are linked below for your convenience. Simply click on the images below to access your copies. This month, there are some terrific articles on reducing stress, sparking creativity, and focusing on strengths. Happy reading!

School Photo Days

School photo days will take place according to the schedule below. I will share a memo with everything you need to know about photo days early next week to help you prepare. In the meantime, please be sure to`mark these dates in your calendar and avoid making any appointments during the school day to ensure your child can participate.

Tuesday, 14 February 2023 — Elementary School (EC1, EC2 and Grades 1-4)

Wednesday, 15 February 2023 — High School (Grades 9-12)

Thursday, 16 February 2023 — Elementary School (Grade 1 Junior), Middle School (Grades 5-8)

Season 3 Sports!

In case you missed it, HERE is a link to the memo outlining our Season 3 Sports season which runs from 7 February – 27 April, 2023. You’ll find all of the information you need about each of the sports, coaches, signups, and more! Students – HERE is a link to sign up directly. Check your email for a message from Mr. Kelly sent Wednesday, 1 February at 3:22 pm for additional details. Good luck!!

Parent Teacher Conferences (PTCs)

All AIS families are reminded of our upcoming PTCs on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 February 2023. Based on the results of our survey, we will be hosting our upcoming meetings on Zoom once again, with the hope that our conferences will return to face-to-face meetings in the very near future. Please be sure to monitor your email for an important message about PTCs.

School Counselor Week, 6-10 February

Next week marks International School Counselor Week which is celebrated from 6-12 of February this year. Get ready to share some AIS love as we highlight the amazing work of our counselors!!

Lunar New Year

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Mandarin teachers for their wonderful work preparing our students for today’s festivities and assemblies. Although we weren’t here at the start of the holiday, it has been wonderful to be able to celebrate together today, just before the last day, or Lantern Festival, which takes place this Sunday, 5 February.

May the Year of the Rabbit bring you good health and prosperity!

Enjoy the weekend ahead.