CDS - First Program
The Weekly Word from CDS FP, Jan 28-Jan 31, 2020
Hello First Program Community,
I was very happy to see students and teachers working together to become more educated and cautious during an otherwise challenging week for all due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Teachers in FP have been working with students to educate them on safe practices and personal cleanliness.
This past week, we shared two PDFs with our FP community to update them on our school’s response. Our third update is here, or can be viewed below.
Please be sure to scroll down and view all the info that is posted regarding the upcoming FP Book Week!
Happy news in the First Program!—Ms. Fursova (G1) and Ms. Minot (G3) are both expecting, and their babies are due soon. Their maternity leave begins in mid-February.
Grade 3: Ms. Rebekah Drews will be the G3 homeroom teacher, substituting for Ms. Minot. Ms. Drews is very well aware of the practices and routines of G3, as she has been in the classroom all year.
Asst. Teacher: Ms. Marina Lopez Gemez will be the assistant teacher, substituting for Ms. Drews. She has been a member of CDS all year and has worked with FP students as our Spanish teacher. She will support First Program based on student needs, as Ms. Drews has done in the past.
Grade 1: Ms. Jeongmi Shin will be the G1 homeroom teacher, substituting for Ms. Fursova. We are very excited to have Ms. Shin joining the First Program. She will be in the classroom as of Monday, and she will shadow Ms. Fursova until her maternity leave begins, and then take over as homeroom teacher.
FP teachers and admin will support the classes as needed, and we expect successful transitions. Congratulations to the expectant mothers—we wish them the best!
Stay safe; stay healthy. Have a good weekend.
Educationally Yours,
Mr. Hill
Director of First Program
School Precautions Regarding the Recent Wuhan Coronavirus - Updated February 2
Dear FP Community,
After consideration of the most recent information available, we have updated our precautions and actions regarding the coronavirus:
Risk of Exposure Policy
Any student who is at risk of contracting the virus is asked to not attend school for two weeks since the risk of exposure, and obviously should only return if no there are symptoms of being ill with the coronavirus
E.g. if someone traveled to China and returned to Korea on Jan. 20, two weeks have passed as of Feb. 3, and the healthy person can then return to school
Risk of exposure includes the following two main categories:
Those who have traveled to China, Macao or Hong Kong; or
Those who have hosted (or had significant interactions with) people from China, Macao or Hong Kong within the last two weeks.
For students who have had risk of exposure, please be sure to let us know; we are being asked by the ministry of education to report our data, and it assists us with documenting absences
See the chart below for the dates when students can return to school:
Absences
Teachers
We had FP teachers who were at risk of being exposed, therefore substitutes were provided for them and the teachers are scheduled to return Feb. 10
The absent teachers are not experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, have been working from home, and are very much looking forward to returning to school.
Students
We have been communicating with the very few FP students who were at risk of exposure, and they are at home and healthy. They are scheduled to begin returning back to school this week, and will all have returned by the following week
FP attendance
It is important to note that only 5% of FP students have reported a risk of exposure. This means that most absences from school are parents choosing to keep their children at home for safety.
28th
23% of our FP students were absent
29th
14% of our FP students were absent
30th
12% of our FP students were absent
31st
19% of our FP students were absent
School Actions/Precautions
FP buildings were professionally disinfected on Jan 27, and again on Jan 31; a company was contracted to come and clean with a special disinfectant spray
Posters from the WHO and the KCDC have been posted around the FP, especially at building entrances
Teachers are working from outside of school in various ways:
Preparing an FP specific coronavirus lesson that has three main topics:
Empathy toward those who are returning
E.g. I am so glad you are back, rather than, is it safe to be near you, etc.
Cultural sensitivity
E.g. if this had originated in your home country, how would you feel about people thinking that you are related to this; let’s not be prejudiced against people because of nationality, ethnicity, or where they have traveled
Health awareness
E.g. what can we do to remain healthy and lessen the spread of viruses
Several teachers—both present and absent—have made contact with students via online lessons
Had an FP staff mini-PD on flipped classrooms to help support teachers in their support of absent students (use of screencast-o-matic, the use of YouTube, Seesaw, etc.)
All KAIAC inter school activities in the next two weeks are either canceled or postponed
FP athletics are canceled for the next two weeks
Classrooms have been stocked with extra hand sanitizer
Students are being asked to frequently wash hands and be extra cautious with germs
Will frequently check and immediately replenish hygiene items: soap, hand sanitizers, wet wipes, etc.
Please understand that the safety of our FP community is our priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the First Program division office (ext. 502).
Educationally Yours,
Mr. Hill
Director of First Program
Dates to Know!
Feb 3-14 JeoparBee
Feb 3-21 MAP Growth (Winter)
Feb 12 Winter Assembly @ 9:05
Feb 14 Day 100
Feb 17-21 Book Week
Feb 17 Author visit - David Greenberg
Feb 18 Reading Buddies Day
Feb 19 Book Character Day
Feb 20 Global Readers Day
Feb 21 Book Swap Day
Feb 21 Birthdays
Feb 26 WWWW (Wear What you Will Wednesday)
In the Spotlight
This week we are featuring Art and Library class.
Art with Mr. Read
This week in FP Art, students put finishing touches on their clay projects to prepare for them to be fired in the kiln. Students learned about the different stages of clay: slip, wet clay, leatherhard, bone dry, bisque, and glazed. The different stages of clay help us to know what techniques can be used, if the artwork can be painted or glazed, and most importantly, for some, if it is ready to take home!
FP Library with Ms. Choo
This week in the FP Library, we have begun talking about the upcoming FP Book Week (February 17-21), including reading books by the author David Greenberg who will visit FP on Monday, February 17 to kick off the Book Week.
Mr. Greenberg has written many poetry books and will perform his poems in an assembly for all grades. Throughout the day, he will visit classrooms to do poetry writing workshops.
After school, he will offer a Family Writing Workshop for students and their families (parents, grandparents, siblings all welcome). Family Writing Workshop Registration Form - Please register by Friday, February 7.
Students also have the opportunity to order some of David Greenberg’s books. The books will be signed and shipped after Mr. Greenberg’s visit. David Greenberg Book Order Form - Please order and transfer payment by Friday, February 21.
Click below for the most recent episode of FP TV!
Contact Information
032 563 0523
ext. 501 FP Ms. Kim - Teaching & Learning Coordinator (FP 1st floor - FP Exhibition Room)
ext. 502 FP Ms. Park - Division Assistant (FP 2nd floor - FP Office / Staff Room)
ext. 503 FP Mr. Hill - Director (FP 1st floor - FP Conference Room)
Who Are We - CDS FP!
Who Tries Their Best - CDS!
CDS First Program
Email: dhill@daltonschool.kr
Website: http://cdsfp.weebly.com/
Phone: 032 563 0523 (502)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDSFP
Twitter: @misterdavidhill