Update from the Principal - January 21st 2022 | January 2022 | British International School of Ljubljana

Dear Parents,

Happy Student Appreciation Day!

We finish the week on a positive note with a celebration of our wonderful students at the British International School of Ljubljana. Thank you to parents for your support with this event and also to the PTA parent volunteers who have helped out with giving our students fantastic cupcakes today!

The purpose of the day is to appreciate and value every single student in the school and we do this by writing a personal note, presenting this to everyone, celebrating their successes and highlighting what makes everyone uniquely special. We have amazing students here at BISL!

Today, we also wish our Secondary Students a fantastic trip to Vogel as they will enjoy a great day of skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and snowshoeing, fingers crossed the weather is excellent and conditions are fabulous for everyone involved. Thank you to Miss Fairchild and the team for organising this event and to the staff on the trip. I can't wait to see the fantastic pictures on Facebook of our students enjoying the slopes!

We've had some excellent opportunities for students to develop their programming and problem-solving skills and I have included an article below showing what our students have been involved in and the new Computer Science curriculum they are following. The new skills they have experienced are vital and we look forward to more exciting LEGO projects!

This week we've had a lot of changes to the Covid guidance from the ministry and we are doing our very best to keep up with everything. I would like to personally apologise to the community for the amount of changes and confirmations we have had to communicate via email, it is something that can be improved. It is incredibly difficult for all schools at the moment and I can reassure you that we are trying our very best as a team to provide the safest environment possible. The whole staff have been amazing with their flexibility, patience and care for students during this time and often go above and beyond. This week I am very grateful for the help of parents who have personally contacted me to help with changes as they have been announced, communicated and implemented in real time, it is very much appreciated. The timing of the changes have been tough for everyone to prepare for and we have to wait until guidance is confirmed before we adopt this in our school.

We follow the ministry guidance and try to prepare as many links and explanations for everyone to see the reasons and rationale behind this in our FAQ section below. We all want the same thing - for the children to be safely in school, enjoying lessons and learning with one another. Thank you to everyone for helping us through a very difficult and challenging week.

I hope the number of daily positive cases will decrease soon and we can return to many events being held on site. My thoughts are with the families affected during this time and we send our best wishes to them for a swift and complete recovery.

Your support to our staff is very important and I thank you again for this. It makes a huge difference and I am very thankful for the great team we have here at BISL.

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards,

Paul Walton

Principal

It has been wonderful to celebrate our fantastic students throughout the day - there were some lovely messages shared from teachers with our students, and our PTA made a delicious contribution too!

More photos in our Galleries

Our Teacher Feature series continues this week with an interview with Ms Rachel Burtrand, our Computer Science Teacher.

Read Ms Burtrand's Teacher Feature here

Our students have the opportunity to learn vital skills with the new Computer Science curriculum that promotes problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration. It is exciting, challenging and more importantly, Fun! Following on from the launch of the LEGO Robots in our after school activities last term, we have now seen the introduction of the LEGO Robotics kits to both KS3 lessons and continue in the popular Robotics after school club. Take a look at what our students have created!

Computational Thinking, Problem Solving and Fun at BISL

We continued our Road Safety campaign this week with another great Student Voice article, this time from one of our Year 8 students.

Read it here

Please remember to keep speed limits around school to ensure our students can arrive to and depart from school safely.

The speed limit on Cesta 24. junija (from the train tracks and Ludus Sports Park leading up to school) is 30kph.
The speed limit on site in the school's car park is 20kph.

1. Have the pick-up and drop-off procedures changed?

No, pick-up and drop-off procedures continue as usual.

2. Can parents come into the building?

All parent meetings must be conducted online until further notice. For the few key organised events, parents will enter and exit from the building via the Assembly Hall and sign the COVID Declaration Form upon entry. Further details will be shared by the event coordinating teacher.

3. Will students go outside for break?

Students will continue to be encouraged and taken outside as usual every break time.

4. Should students bring in water bottles?

Yes, water bottles filled with water should be brought from home.

5. Will classrooms be ventilated?

Yes, classrooms continue to be ventilated regularly, and classroom doors remain open at all times.

6. Will there be hand sanitisers in every classroom?

Yes. Hand sanitisers are also available at the entrance and in common areas across the school.

7. Will online lessons be conducted during the day for students who choose not to attend school or have tested positive currently?

When the provision for students is at school, our teachers follow the usual timetables and teach the students in school. They will continue to upload work onto Canvas for students who are absent from school at the end of the day. If a Year group has transitioned to online learning, their lessons will continue online until that Year group returns. Once the Year group has returned to the school, the teacher will teach during the day and assist those absent by continuing to upload some resources from the school day.

8. Will school lunches continue to be available?

Yes, lunches will be served as usual in the canteen. Please order online as per usual. Cancellations can be made with 24 hours' notice.

9. Do all students and teachers have to wear masks in the classroom?

Students and teachers are required to wear masks as per the guidance below. We are in direct communication with the Ministry of Education and Health regarding updates on safety guidance.

10. Can students wear fabric masks?

No. Surgical or FFP2 masks are required as recommended by the NIJZ.

11. Will the school provide surgical masks to students?

Limited replacements are available should theirs break during the day, however, all students are required to supply their own masks. Parents are asked to ensure their child has a mask prior to being dropped off.

12. Are teachers vaccinated or getting regularly tested?

Over 95% of our staff are now fully vaccinated or have recently recovered. Ongoing regular testing will continue for the remaining staff.

13. Will students have to complete self-testing?

Yes, as sent out on Friday 12th November, we will follow the guidelines shared by the Ministry, with parent consent, students from age 6+ will be self-tested on site under the supervision of our school nurse.

14. Where can I get self-testing kits?

These are available free of charge from any pharmacy. If your child does not have a Slovene health card, you may be asked for proof of enrolment, which can be obtained swiftly from school by emailing admissions@britishschool.si if required.

15. What kind of self-tests are accepted?

HAG self-testing kits (nasal swabs) for students in schools are available free of charge from any pharmacy, as per NIJZ directive.

16. How can I give consent to the self-testing of my child?

You will receive an email from the school on Monday 15th November with a link to complete to ensure that your child can self-test at school.

17. Will distance learning be provided if I do not give consent?

Yes, access to class work will be given to students who are on distance learning/do not give consent to self-testing. This will not be a 'real-time' link to the lesson, it will include activities shared with the student online via Canvas or through email.

18. How often will students be tested?

3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

19. Does the school provide the self-testing kits?

No. Families must obtain the self-testing kits from the pharmacy, free of charge, and bring it with them to school.

20. What happens if a student doesn't bring a test with them to school on the day of testing?

If a student does not bring a test with them, they will need to transition to online learning (according to the Minister of Education) immediately and are sent home, the student will be isolated and the parents will be called to take the student home or bring in a test for them to use immediately.

21. Can students leave spare tests in school?

Secondary students may leave spare test kits in their own locker, but are responsible for having a test ready on the days of testing (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

Primary students should have a test kit ready in their school bag on each day of testing (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

The school is not responsible for the safe-keeping of test kits.

22. Do vaccinated children need to self-test?

No.

23. Do those children who have had COVID in the past 6 months need to self-test?

No.

24. What happens if there is a positive case?

The student will be sent home to then see a doctor for further advice and guidance.

We continue to ensure that the privacy of those affected is respected during this tough time.

25. Do siblings of positive students also need to quarantine for 7 days?

Under the current guidance, siblings of a positive student, or any student with a positive family member in the household, must stay at home in quarantine for 7 days.

There are three possible exemptions for this quarantine if the student meets any of the following criteria, they can return to school:

has been triple vaccinated
has been double vaccinated and has recovered from COVID
has recovered from covid in the last 45 days but not within the last 10 days

If they do not meet any of the three criteria above, they must stay at home in quarantine for 7 days.

26. Can students and staff avoid quarantine if they have been triple vaccinated?

Triple vaccinated students and staff avoid quarantine if they do not have symptoms.

27. Can students and staff avoid quarantine if they have been double vaccinated and have had COVID?

Double vaccinated students and staff who have had COVID can also avoid quarantine if they do not have symptoms.

28. Can students and staff avoid quarantine if they have recovered from COVID within the last 45 days?

Students and staff who have recovered from COVID in the last 45 days, but not within the last 10 days can also avoid quarantine if they do not have symptoms.

Any student who has not had any vaccinations or Covid will need to complete the full 7 days of quarantine.

29. What is the definition of high risk close contact?

The NIJZ definition of a high-risk close contact:

persons, living in joint household with a COVID-19 patient;
direct contact at less than 2 metres for more than 15 minutes;
other physical contacts or contacts with secretions (handshaking, hugging, use of common objects);
staying indoors for more than 15 minutes (joint household, office, waiting room in a medical institution, joint lunch, socialising at the same desk/table, etc.);
travelling in the same vehicle at less than 2 metres.

30. When are entire classes quarantined? - effective 19.01.2022 as per new government guidance

Entire classes will be quarantined only if more than 30% of students of a single class test positive over the span of 14 days. (detailed on page 11 of the linked NIJZ report)

The only students who are still required to self-isolate are those who test positive.

The following guidance is for students in Year 2 - Year 13 and Teachers:

If there is a positive test, the student that tested positive is sent home for 7 days, then this class is tested daily until the end of the 7 day period, or until there are no positive tests in the class.
In-Class Learning continues for this class.
If someone else in the class tests positive, the 7-day daily testing window restarts.
Vaccinated students and teachers also need to be tested during the 7-day daily testing window. Tests are free from testing points around Ljubljana and from pharmacies for students too.
If over 30% of the class is positive, then the class transitions to Online Learning until the end of quarantine. Heads of School will monitor the percentages in each class to track this.
Teachers in contact with an affected class (Form Tutor / Class Teacher) can stay in school but need daily tests too and must use FFP2 masks only.

There is no change in guidance for Early Years and Year 1.

31. Do students and staff need an FFP2 mask each day?

Students can wear a surgical mask or FFP2 mask at school each day. If there has been a positive case in the class, the students will proceed with daily self-testing, but will not be required to wear a FFP2 mask.

Teachers in contact with the affected class (Form Tutor / Class Teacher) are required to wear a FFP2 mask and will also do the daily testing.

32. Can siblings of positive students return to school?

Under the current guidance, siblings of a positive student, or any student with a positive family member in the household, must stay at home in quarantine for 7 days.

There are three possible exemptions for this quarantine if the student meets any of the following criteria, they can return to school:

has been triple vaccinated
has been double vaccinated and has recovered from COVID
has recovered from covid in the last 45 days but not within the last 10 days

If they do not meet any of the three criteria above, they must stay at home in quarantine for 7 days.

33. How long is the isolation period for positive students?

The isolation period is now reduced to 7 days from Monday January 24, according to new government guidance, provided the person does not have fever or any other Covid symptoms 24 hours before the end of self-isolation and tests negative on the seventh day at an approved testing provider.

If the rapid antigen test is positive on the seventh day, the person keeps self-isolating and does another test the following day until the tenth day, when self-isolation ends in line with the regime so far.

Masks - No Fabric masks please. Only Surgical or FFP2 masks are allowed as mentioned by the new government decree.
Canvas - will be used as the online learning environment for all students Year 2 and above. For EY and Year 1, the classroom teachers will email out if students transition to online learning.
Self-testing - will continue for those students in Year 2 and above that are not vaccinated/recovered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The self-testing will continue to be supervised by our full time School Nurse, Teja Rismondo. We are very lucky to have an in-house, qualified medical professional who can work with our students and staff every day.
Vaccination Certificates and Evidence - this will continue to be checked for those that state they have had a double vaccination or have had Covid as we aim to be as safe as possible. Thank you to all students/parents who bring in a copy of evidence. Those that do not have double vaccination or have Covid immunity will take self-tests or transition to online learning as outlined by the ministry.

Please be as safe as possible as we navigate through the current high cases of COVID and I thank all parents, teachers and students in advance for following guidance both in the school and in our wider communities.

We are following the general rules and guidance by the Ministry, WHO and NIJZ regarding distancing and hygiene, as well as the use surgical or FFP2 (ages 6+) masks. Please ensure that your child arrives to school wearing such an appropriate mask.
As a school, we have a direct contact with the ministry and receive specific instructions, following any changes in our situation, solely for our school community. These obviously, may differ from the general worldwide or regional guidance (shared by social media or aired by the news) depending on the cases in our immediate community.
A part of this guidance is to stay away from school if you show any symptoms and consult your doctor accordingly. As we enter the 'flu season', many of our staff, students and parents will have flu symptoms, and we ask everyone to stay away until you are tested if you show any signs.
If you are tested positive, stay home, and isolate accordingly, following further guidance from your doctor, as recommended by the NIJZ.
Over 95% of our staff are now fully vaccinated, or have recovered within the last 6 months.
We also ask the community to stay away from friends and family who have tested positive or those that have symptoms and are awaiting a test.
We also want to be as safe as possible and ensure that the privacy of families is respected during this tough time.

Ongoing daily clean of premises
Classrooms are well ventilated and classroom doors remain open
Key areas are cleaned multiple times a day (reception, classrooms, bathrooms, bannisters, door handles, etc.)
Drop off team continue to wear masks at all times
Declaration Form to be signed by all key visitors
Extra resources for hygiene available (sprays, wipes, gels, hand sanitisers, masks etc.)
Temperature checks when required
School Nurse available (full time)
All teachers are required to wear masks in key areas
Coronavirus Prevention guidance posters displayed around school
Smaller classes where necessary
Lunches and snacks are served in the new canteen following the guidance from NIJZ
Staff and parent meetings and events to be held online
Daily Review of all procedures by the Leadership Team

All urgent updates continue to be sent via email.

Please monitor your emails for future updates as this continues to be the best way to send out clear and consistent communication to all parents. Check that you are receiving emails, have enough space in your email folder, that they do not go to your 'junk' folder and if you are unsure, please contact reception@britishschool.si to check your contact email and phone number on record.

If you change any contact details, please inform the school immediately.