Primary Weekly Update 04/03/2022

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss

Getting lost in a book, taking oneself  to another world, another realm, another lifetime is one of the greatest joys when picking up a book. The anticipation, the excitement, the joy and often sadness when we reach the end of the final chapter.   World Book Day is about the joy of reading, the amazing world it opens up and the characters and friends you meet along the way.

Yesterday, our campuses were alive with characters from our favourite books.  Wizards and warlocks, heroes and villains, adventurers and characters from history, all could be found at BIS yesterday. 

Children in all classes shared their favourite books, they heard stories from other teachers and primary leadership teams, they shared book reviews and designed their own book covers, they planned and wrote their own stories and delved into the library to explore. 

Reading is for everyone of every age, we encourage you to always read to and with your children, share with them what your favourite book is, what character would you be from a book?

Although not as extensive as previous years, we look forward, next year, to having our book fair once more, to inviting visiting authors to inspire our young readers and to classes sharing books together. 

In the meantime,  please have a look at this amazing Ted Talk from children’s author Mac Bennett about why a good book is a magic door.

Finally, please enjoy this selection of photos from our World Book Day

Black History Month

Today in Assemblies, we shared this video, sharing the learning that has taken place over the last few weeks.  Our thanks to Ms Victoria Wheeler and Ms Aziza Williams, who along with Ms Rachel Lowry from the secondary campus, have been leading this learning across the three campuses.  Please click on this link to see the video and learn more about what your children have been learning about over the past 2 weeks.

Black History Month Assembly Video

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 - Self Isolate until entirely symptom free for a minimum of three full days.

Once ‘symptom free’ for a period of three full days, 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). 7 (or 5 if your child is vaccinated) 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) - Self Isolate for 7 (or 5 if your child is vaccinated) Full Days from the date of last F0 case in the Household. Return is allowed with either a:
  • PCR Test Result (Negative)
  • A Medically Certified Rapid Antigen Test Result (Negative).
• Return from Abroad - after 4 to 8 days depending on vaccination status. Return is allowed with a:
  • PCR Test Result (Negative).
• Symptomatic (Any Cold/Flu/Covid Symptoms) - stay off school until symptom free. 
  • Take a precautionary Rapid Antigen Test at home prior to return and keep the school informed. 

As you will be aware 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

Vaccinations for children aged 5 to 12 years

Thank you to all the parents that completed the Google Form regarding vaccinations.  For the families that have requested their details to be forwarded to the Ministry Of Health (MoH) and Department of Education and Training (DOET), we have completed this.  As and when we receive more information, we will share it with all parents.  Please note that we do not have information as to what the vaccine will be or when these vaccinations will take place.  It is also important to note that the vaccinations will not be mandatory for our students.

Early Years Car Park

Shortly BIS will not have access to the car park. We have made arrangements with the car park opposite for BIS families to park at the school's expense. If you use this car park you will need to say you are BIS as you enter the car park and collect a ticket from BIS when leaving.

When our current car park closes:

Gate A will be used for F1 and F2 children with their parents.

Gate B will continue to be used for F3, Year 1 and Year 2 children.

There will be space for limited bikes outside Bike B.

School Photos

We are pleased to inform you that school photographs for all students and class groups will take place next week at the Junior Campus and from March 25th to April 1st 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 follow the link here.

https://www.pret-a-portrait.net/our-services/a-fresh-approach-to-school-photography/

https://www.pret-a-portrait.net/our-services/siblings/

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. 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.

Update from the PTG

We look forward to welcoming you all to the PTG Coffee Morning next Thursday.  We will have our Core Committee in attendance as well as Mr Ian and Ms Dee. 

Click here to join -  http://bit.ly/3sdp3nG

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 we are looking forward to meeting you all soon.

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

07/03/22 - 11/03/22               JC School photos

10/03/22                                 PTG Coffee Morning

17/03/22 - 18/03/22               FOBISIA Virtual Primary Maths Competition

24/03/22 - 01/04/22               EY&I School photos

01/04/22                                 End of Term 2

And Finally…

We look forward to attending the PTG Coffee Morning next Thursday. We will be sharing a recruitment update for the coming academic year as well as some campus updates. 

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 & Dee Grimshaw, Headteachers