Elementary Update, September 20
American International School of Egypt - West Campus
Cohort A on campus. Cohort B online learning.
Learning continues
We had such a fantastic start to learning on campus last week after a break of more than 6 months. All of our educators were excited to have children in our classrooms. Each student who attended participated in comprehensive health and safety training, which was coordinated by our two school doctors, Dr. Marianne and Dr. Aisha.
This week, we are excited to welcome our Cohort A students on campus, while our Cohort B students continue with online learning. Please ensure your Cohort B children continue to monitor their learning platform (Seesaw or Google Classroom) for instructional videos and posts from their homeroom, specials and Arabic teachers.
When your children are off campus and at home, please continue e-learning through Seesaw and Google classroom. Homeroom, specials and Arabic teachers will be posting and providing adequate time for completion when your child is at home. These assignments will be graded and participation will be assessed.
Reminder to Parents for Dismissal
Grade 1
Dismiss at 2:30pm from Gate 2
Grade 2
Dismiss at 2:30pm from Gate 1
KG1 & KG2
Dismiss at 2:40pm from Gate 3
Grades 3
Dismiss at 2:50pm from Gate 2
Grade 4
Dismiss at 2:50pm from Gate 1 or 2
Grade 5
Dismiss at 2:50pm from Gate 1
Please remember to keep a distance between you and other parents while waiting for your child and instruct those who are collecting your children to do so as well.
Email sent to parents - Permissions - Car and bus riding information
Kindly note that you are responsible for notifying our transportation department no later than 1:30 PM of all changes involving students riding a car or riding the bus. Please contact the transportation department by email (transportation@aiswest.com) or email Transportation Manager; Mr. Mohamed Abbas, ( mabbas@aiswest.com ) or by phone (02 38540670) - (02 38540671) . From 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
* Busses will leave at 03:05.
Changes to riding the school bus and cars at end of school day:
Such messages need to be communicated to our transportation department no later than 1:30 p.m. (by email and with student ID number).
If parents call after 1:30 p.m., the information cannot be relayed in a timely manner to their child’s teacher, potentially creating a difficult situation.
Leaving School early:
Parents need to contact: (No later than 12:00 PM)
Parents who desire their child/ children to be dismissed early, for medical reasons or for an urgent appointment, are required to send an email explaining the reason and the time for early dismissal.
Please make sure you send an email before noon (before 12:00).
The student is to be checked out from the main gate area by the parent or parent designated adult. We also ask you to designate a time that does not disrupt a lesson. Please plan any appointments during the weekend or during your child’s holidays, unless it is urgent as we aim to maximize students’ learning in school.
- • Elementary Early Dismissal Office: elementarydismissal@aiswest.com Phone: 02-38540649
- • Middle School : rsherif@aiswest.com Ms. Reham Sherif (Middle School Administrative Assistant) in all cases by email.
- • High School : ishehata@aiswest.com; Ms. Inas Shehata (Secondary Administrative Assistant) in all cases by email.
Please complete the correct permissions for your children to leave with someone other than their parents. This includes drivers, nannies, aunts, etc.... we will not allow children to leave with someone we don't have permission from you to allow.
Fill the attached form in Arabic. A hard copy from the form should be handed to the security with a hard copy of ID (Maximum by next Sunday September 20).
**(Even if you already submitted the document last year, you need to fill it again). **
Masks ARE required, make sure your child has them on when they arrive at school and they should have at least one extra one with them.
Please send either a lunch or lunch money with your children. We will not be providing free lunches. You can add money to your children's lunch card from 9-11 every day.
Thank You and Regards,
AIS West Administration
Reminder of General Safety Guidelines
All staff and students will be required to wear masks at all times and follow social distancing guidelines, on campus, in the classroom and on the bus. Mask breaks will be catered for.
The PE curriculum has been adjusted to focus on personal fitness, health education and individual sport skills. Contact sports will not be allowed in P.E. classes. Whenever possible, the P.E. classes will be held outdoors.
Arrival, breaks during the day and dismissals will be staggered to prevent large groups from gathering. Hallways will have directionality markers that must be followed. Students will wait in distanced single file lines outside the classroom and enter when invited by the teacher.
Classrooms and common areas will be disinfected frequently.
Frequent hand-washing will be required of all students and staff.
Teachers will ask every student to sanitize their hands before entering the classroom. Each student will be allowed to visit the bathroom to wash their hands.
Teachers will be provided with the necessary chemicals to spray the desks throughout the day. Students are then required to wipe their own desks with tissue and throw it in the trash.
Arrival and dismissals will be staggered to prevent large groups from gathering.
Students will arrive straight to class. There will be no morning lines at the field.
There will be no after-school activities, community events or assemblies.
Library Books
The library will be quarantining the books when they return, before redistributing to the rest of elementary.
We have a push-in library cart and portable check out system for students to check out books in a safe way in their classroom.
Cafeteria and Food Service
KG1 and KG2 students will not have access to the cafeteria and packed lunches should be provided. Please provide sufficient food to sustain your child throughout the day. Pleas refer to the parent handbook regarding our healthy food policy.
Supply Lists for Students
Arrival to School and Staggered Dismissal
Gates open at 7:45am. Students will arrive and go straight to their classroom. Students should use the stairwell closest to their classroom. Assistance will be provided to students to know which stairs to use on the first few days of each cohort
Dismissal for elementary school will follow the same schedule throughout the hybrid model
Once students are dismissed, they will be accompanied by their grade level teachers and/or TAs to the bus/car gates.
Social distancing and mask-wearing will be required on the school buses.
- Students are expected to leave straight away and are not allowed to loiter inside the building or on campus to wait for siblings.
Gatherings and loitering near exit gates will not be permitted.
Parents and/or drivers are asked not to congregate near gate 1.
Face Covering Requirements
Face masks are required on campus.
All students are required to wear a face mask if they are riding the bus, transitioning in public
spaces, and at certain times in their classroom. Their classroom teacher, in coordination with the Principals, will determine appropriate times where students may need to remove their masks to facilitate learning, such as during language arts time. There may also be times where teachers of KG1-G3 students will use a face shield instead of a face mask to facilitate the teaching of the English language where the visual cues or mouth movements may be necessary for learning.
Students will be working in their designated cohorts and in small groups. There is a significantly
lower risk of transmission and infection associated with younger students and also
developmental and academic needs differ greatly.
Students in grades 4-12 and all employees will wear a cloth mask or surgical face mask at all
times on campus, indoors and outdoors, alone, or in shared spaces, except when eating and in
the circumstances described in the opening plan. Only a medical condition, documented by a
doctor’s note and verified by our school doctors will be accepted as a reason for any member of
our staff and faculty or any student in grades 4-12, to not wear a mask. Those who wish to wear
additional face coverings, such as face shields, may also choose to do so.
Please refer to the CDC's recommendations for further information.
How can you help your child wear a mask
Please practice removing and putting the mask on by the ear straps only. It is important that you work with us to build stamina for your child wearing a mask by increasing the time that they wear their mask on a daily basis.
Please provide your child with a paper bag or envelope that they can place their mask in during mask breaks and/or while eating. This should be a fresh bag daily.
Please ensure your child wears a mask to school and has at least one spare mask in their book bag in a suitable storage container. Masks, like other personal items, should be marked with your child's name.