Update from the Principal - March 11th

Dear Parents.

With sunshine, no masks and lots going on, it's been a great week at school for our staff and students at BISL!

We look forward to warmer mornings, more outdoor activities and trips over the coming months. Seeing the smiling faces of students in the building, in lessons and enjoying being another step back to normal has been a real treat for us all.

Thank you to all parents for joining the 'Coffee with the new Principal' last Friday, it was a great event and I am very happy that BISL will be in safe hands in the future when I leave in the summer.

We also have celebrated International Women's Day here this week and we have presented all women with a rose and very much appreciate all that they do every day!

This term we finish with another celebration of growth as the school will be the biggest it has ever been next month! This is a remarkable achievement in the current climate and I'd like to thank every member of the community for your ongoing support as we continue to grow stronger as a school. This creates more opportunities for our students with events, sports, teams and fixtures and I am personally very proud and absolutely delighted with this ongoing success!

Thank you to all families for your support with donations and our fundraising projects, it has been amazing to see how the community has come together and the amount of kindness, thought and care shown towards others has been truly overwhelming.

Have a lovely weekend!

Paul Walton

Principal

Tuesday marked International Women's Day around the world, and we celebrated it both in lessons in various ways, and through the traditional gifting of flowers to our female staff members.

This week's Teacher Feature shines the spotlight on our School Nurse, Ms Teja Rismondo, giving you an insight into how she got into the field of medicine. Enjoy!

The first shipment of school uniform from Trutex has already arrived to school, all neatly packaged for easy distribution!

For details of uniform requirements and to start shopping, click on the link below.

For some weekend viewing, if you haven't listened to our Stories with Early Years series on our YouTube channel, I encourage you to browse through our playlist of stories read by our fantastic teachers here at BISL.

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?

Following the recent announcement by the government regarding the removal of the obligatory wearing of face masks by students and staff in schools and other educational institutions from Monday 7th March, students and staff are no longer required to wear masks at school. We are in direct communication with the Ministry of Education and Health regarding updates on safety guidance.

10. Can students or staff continue wearing a mask if they wish?

Yes. If a student or member of staff feels more comfortable wearing a mask, they may continue to do so.

11. 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.

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

The isolation period is 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.

• We are following the general rules and guidance by the Ministry, WHO and NIJZ.
• 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 it is '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.)
• 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)
• 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.