Community Notice: Return to Campus Update #6

Dear SCIS Families,

The announced approval for our faculty and students return to campus from the Shanghai Education Commission (SEC) marked the closing of one phase of our community’s response to Covid-19 and the beginning of another. So, while we will undoubtedly continue forward with our virtual learning program, we are also hard at work preparing our campuses for next week’s return of Grade 10 and 12 students. Please read below to learn more about our efforts ahead:

Return to Campus Presentation

The SEC and related authorities (CDC, FDA, Transportation, etc.) provided all Shanghai schools with a comprehensive document outlining the health, safety, training, and virus prevention measures necessary to have in place before a return to on-campus learning. As such, our SCIS Return to Campus Task Force has been working diligently to ensure we meet and exceed all required government regulations and can communicate them clearly to our staff, faculty, students, and families. These efforts have led to several documents, guidelines, and training materials.

With the goal of getting this information to you as soon as we can, we will begin by providing you with a video presentation to support your understanding of the general procedures and requirements for our return to campus.

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Setting our Shared Expectations

As exciting as it is to have life returning to our campuses, it is also essential for our community to recognize that our return to campus will not be a return to ‘normal’; rather, we are entering a transitional phase that represents our ‘new normal.’ Please rest assured, our efforts for the transition ahead have placed health and wellbeing at the forefront of all planning efforts. SCIS is committed to not only adhering to all requirements but to adding those we have become aware of from around the globe to make certain we are re-opening with our students, faculty, and staffs’ health and safety in mind. Our critical areas of focus will emphasize working as a community through the realities we have faced together, supporting one another through all that remains, and providing an opportunity for an emotional closure for this unique school year. 

Blended Learning

For our families outside of China or those still unable to return to campus learning, we recognize the news of some classmates returning comes with an understandable feeling of sadness or frustration. Know that we remain your school, just as you remain SCIS Dragons, regardless of where you are located. We will keep all students fully engaged in our meaningful learning experiences through a continued provision of virtual learning alongside our on-campus learning, an arrangement we call, ‘Blended Learning.’ This next phase of on- and off-campus learning makes clear our commitment to support our learners both in and outside of China.

I will continue to share information about our transition ahead to the entire community. At the same time, families with students in grade levels set to return to campus in the weeks ahead will soon receive specific information from their campus and divisional administration on their return to campus expectations, procedures, and pre-arrival requirements.

I believe our community is ready for the challenges that lie ahead, just as we were for all that we have faced these past few months. We now stand ready, with each returning community member walking through our campus gates, to acknowledge that we are one step closer to once again being SCIS • Together • 在一起!

Sincerely,

Daniel D. Eschtruth

Director of Schools

Shanghai Community International School

亲爱的SCIS家庭们，

上海市教委已经审核通过允许我们的教职员工以及学生重返校园，这标志着在应对新冠疫情的过程中，我们的社区将开始一个新的段落。因此在我们进行线上教育的同时，我们也在积极准备着筹备我们的校园，以迎接下一周10和12年级的同学们重返校园。请阅读以下内容来了解更多：

重返校园的讲座

上海市教委以及相关部门（疾控中心，食药监，交通部门等）对所有上海市内的学校给出了一系列指导性文件，针对返校中的健康，安全和病毒防控等方面给出了一系列的指导。因此，我们SCIS的返校工作筹办小组尽全力将这些指示清晰得传达给我们的教职员工，学生和家庭，以保证我们可以达到这些要求并且做得更好。我们努力制定了一系列相关的文件，指导和培训材料。

为了尽快向您传达这些信息，我们将首先向您展示一段视频讲座来帮助您更好得了解关于返校的总的流程和要求。

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设定共同期待

尽管重返校园是很令人振奋的，然而很重要的是，我们应当认识到返回校园并不代表着返回“常态的”校园生活；更多的是，我们正进入到一个新的阶段，开始一段“新常态”。请放心，我们始终将安全健康放在一切工作的首位。SCIS承诺不仅会满足本地的健康管理要求，同时会借鉴世界各地的防疫经验，时刻将我们的学生和教职员工的安全放在心上。我们将共同面对现实的挑战，相互支持，共同完成这一个特殊的学年。

线上线下综合学习

对于我们在国外的一些家庭暂时无法返回校园学习，我们认识到当得知自己的同班同学可以开始返校学习的消息，学生们会有一些难过甚至愤怒，这些都可以理解。请知道无论你们身处何地，我们依然是你们的学校，而你们也依然是SCIS之龙。我们会保证始终将每一个学生考虑在我们的学习安排中。结合线上和线下的教学方式，我们称其为“综合学习”。接下来校园内-校园外共同结合的学习模式是一个新的阶段，也清晰得展示了我们承诺：无论学生在国内或是国外，我们都会给予全力支持。

我会在今后继续分享有关返校过程的更多信息。同时，几周后即将返校的特定年级学生及其家庭，很快你们的年级校长和指导老师会给你们发来有针对性的开学前的准备要求和流程。

我们相信我们的社区已经准备好 了迎接前方的挑战，就像我们在几个月前的共同应对过的那样。我们已经准备就绪，每一个重回校园的社区成员，都意味着我们离目标更进了一步，SCIS • Together • 在一起!

Sincerely,

Daniel D. Eschtruth

Director of Schools

Shanghai Community International School