January/February Events Message from Mark Rosenblum January 7, 2020 Yesterday brought unprecedented civil unrest to the very seat of our nation’s government, as a mob of protesters stormed and occupied the U.S Capitol. These events interrupted the peaceful, democratic close to the 2020 election. A day of solemn ceremony quickly became one in which chaos, fear and hate took hold of institutions we hold sacred in this country. Many lives were endangered. Four people were killed. Still in shock from yesterday, we are today left in a state of questioning and disbelief. It will take time within our community and around the nation to fully process what has taken place. As always here at SDFAS when addressing difficult events of this nature, we will above all else prioritize reassurance, empathy, and education. We are committed to nurturing knowledgeable, open-minded world citizens who seek understanding, know how to think critically, and act with compassion. Our students need to know that what happened yesterday is not normal. They need to review and understand the basic functioning of our electoral process, our democracy’s fundamental constitutional principles, the reason for a separation of governmental powers, and the importance of the First Amendment. They need to learn how to think and talk about what is right and what is wrong. They need us to model for them at school and at home what respectful civil discourse looks and sounds like. While much remains in flux, the situation thankfully appears to have stabilized to a degree: the election was certified and the Capitol is back under Federal control. Tomorrow and over the course of the coming week, administrators and teachers here at school and on-screen will continue conversations about the events, about effective ways to go about making sense of them, and about how best to engage our students in appropriate grade level activities. There is little doubt conversations will be ongoing for some time. Below are some resources you might find useful at home in our collective effort to educate our kids. Mark Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (NASP) The organization Teaching Tolerance recommends a three-step process for teachers to follow called “Listen, Protect, Model.” Families may find this useful as well: Listen: Ask good questions and listen to kids, try to understand their concerns. Protect: Work to make students feel safe and protected by establishing norms and guidelines for conversation, and by requiring facts and legitimate sources of information. Model: Demonstrate a calm demeanor and reasoned approach to conversation and disagreements. Encourage civil discourse and a sense of calm. Resources for Talking about the Attack on the Capitol from WeAreTeachers (Teaching resource that might also interest families, from ) Helping Kids During Crisis (ASCA) Tomorrow, January 9th at 2 pm Our community outreach program is expanding to include another series related to health! En Bonne Santé (in Good Health) will consist of a series of zoom events and potential outdoor meet-ups (pending COVID restrictions) to get our parents and students thinking about and actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle. The first episode of this new series will take place on January 31st at 2 pm and will be dedicated to Why boost your immune system and how? Marie Svet (Elsie Svet, 1st grade) will share her knowledge of essentials oils and their benefits. Register here. School Financial Aid, Bourses Scolaires and CCAoA 2 ) Bourses scolaires françaises (deadline February 19th) The French government awards scholarships to French nationals, three years and older, who demonstrate financial need. The timeline for 2021-2022 has now been published on the consulate website. More Information: Financial Aid. 3) Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) for Military/DoD Fee Assistance programs. New! We are now accredited by Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) for Military/DoD Fee Assistance programs. More Information: Financial Aid. Contact Isabelle Gilet, admissions@sdfrenchschool.org for more information. Check out books with our new Online Library Catalog-includes a new Guide to how to use the online catalog For questions related to the library, please contact Anne Ricart, Librarian, library@sdfrenchschool.org. The PK0-PK1-PK2 pictures with Alexandra Borbolla are postponed to February 3, 4 & 5th starting at 8:30 am. For questions about the preschool, please contact Babeth Esterly, besterly@sdfrenchschool.org, and Sophie Ricouard, sricouard@sdfrenchschool.org. For questions about the elementary school, please contact Francis Carlier, fcarlier@sdfrenchschool.org. Academic Newsletters For all questions relative to the middle school, please contact Tom Faure, Director of the middle school, tfaure@sdfrenchschool.org.A few words about this week’s events in the nation’s capital
Spotlight on distance learning in Maternelle
Covid-19 surveillance testing on January 11th and January 12th
“À table” virtual series – A community-building initiative
Join SDFAS families in the kitchen to bake your own Galette des Rois! Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an exclusive taste of French cooking!
“En bonne santé” virtual series
Outline:
1- Overview of the immune system and its defense mechanism
2- Importance of taking care of the immune system in general and especially during this pandemic
3- How to boost your immune system naturally
4- Naturopathy: definition, lifestyle philosophy, and alternative medicines
5- Essential oils: information and misinformation, and safety
6- How to boost your children’s immune system
7- Natural remedies and home remedies that actually work
February Camp for PK and Kindergarten
Girard Gourmet
It is time to register for your winter session Girard Gourmet plan! The winter lunch plan starts on January 4th and ends on March 31st.From the Financial Aid Office (deadlines coming soon)
Library
Preschool
Elementary School
Middle School
Updates from Erin Stoller – January 8th
Order Required Red Polo and Navy Blue T-Shirt and other Spirit Wear There is no school uniform at SDFAS; however, the school does have a Dress Code, as outlined in the Parent-Student Handbook. For the 2020/21 school year, we are excited to partner, again, with Land’s End, a provider of high-quality school clothing and spirit wear. Here is the Land’s End SDFAS webpage (900190869) where you will order: More Info here. Please remember to label your child’s clothing and personal belongings.
From Alice Kong, STEAM Coordinator. It is more important than ever to talk to children on a regular basis about online safety and digital citizenship.
Family-friendly activities Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Helpful reading for adults
Parenting Conference by Fusion
Responsive Classroom Responsive Classroom teachings remind us that in order to be successful in and out of school, students need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies – cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control — and a set of academic competencies – academic mindset, perseverance, learning strategies, and academic behaviors. Overview of the SEL Program at SDFAS
Return-to-School Documents for Acknowledgement and Signature **URGENT Action Needed!**Click here for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM to print, complete, sign, scan to pdf, and return by email to Stephanie Humbert at shumbert@sdfrenchschool.org.
How to Update Contact Information and Pick-Up Authorization in FACTS?
Sign in Procedure in Preschool with Procare App
Drop-off and Pick-up Protocols
Rules for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles in and around the dirt lot
Elementary School and Middle School Early Pick-Up We would like to limit the number of visitors to the main office. If you wish to pick up your child earlier than regular dismissal time for a medical appointment or any other purposes, please email Stéphanie Humbert at admin@sdfrenchschool.org with the date and time of pick-up. Please also copy the teachers so your child will be ready to go. When you arrive in front of the school, please call the front office and we will escort your child to your car. Thank you for your cooperation!
Download Magnus Health Screening App Consult our Covid-19 webpage at any time to see our most recent updates. Great news from Magnus! They have heard the recommendations from the community and have updated the Magnus application to now include Face ID/ Touch ID. The best way to take advantage of this update is to update the app in the Apple Store (iPhone users) or Google Play Store (Android Users). Once updated, login, and a pop-up window will appear asking if you’d like to enable the Face ID/Touch ID feature. You may need to delete the app and download it again if you do not get the pop up upon logging in. Flu Season is here. Don’t wait to get the flu vaccine. Video from Anna and Mark Instructions to install Magnus App For the upcoming school year, parents will use the Magnus Health Mobile App to complete a daily COVID-19 screening assessment for each SDFAS student from a smartphone in just a few clicks. This screening will need to be done every morning, at home, no later than 7:30 am, before departure for school. On August 27, 2020, parents will be able to set up a Magnus Health account via FACTS. After activating your Magnus Health account via FACTS you will install the Magnus Health Mobile App on your smartphone. To log in for the first time please follow the instructions below: At the completion of this initial process, you will be able to download the Magnus Mobile App for free on your smartphone and log in through the app to complete the screening assessment each morning. If you need additional help, you can always reference the parent tutorial. You will access the screening via the button titled “COVID-19.” We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this daily screening as it will be an imperative function of our safety protocols. Upon completion of the quick survey each morning, you will receive a message for the student’s attendance giving instructions for that day. If your child arrives at school and the screening has not been completed, we will ask that you complete it before the student exits the vehicle. A parent must be the one to fill this out. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep the school operational during this pandemic. Use of this App will help us create the safest possible environment for your children, our faculty, and staff. For any technical issues with the mobile app such as login problems, or problems completing the screening please contact customer support at Magnus Health SMR by phone at 877.461.6831 or by email at service@magnushealthportal.com.
Medical FormsPreschool and K & Medical Forms
K-8 & Medical Forms
Grades Pk0-PK1-PK2
Grades K
Grades 1-5
4th grade
5th Grade
Elementary School Parent Webinar by Mark Rosenblum, Headmaster – SDFAS Reopening Overview
Middle School School Supplies
7th Grade
8th Grade
You can find here the general information shared during the Middle School Back to School Night.
School Supplies
The printing and delivery of the 2019 -2020 Yearbook were delayed due to circumstances related to COVID. Our publishers’ facilities are operating at a greatly reduced capacity which has significantly impacted their production schedule. We are in regular communication with them. We will update the community with specifics as soon as they are available. Please contact our Yearbook advisor Andrew Ericson, aericson@sdfrenchschool.org, with any questions. Thank you for your patience.
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