Week 6

Dear Parents, Friends and Families,

Welcome to Week 6 of distant learning.

This week will be a short week, no posting on Friday.  Please take the time to enjoy a screen free day!

We had such good feedback from our recent VCC's that we will do them again next week.  Your teacher will send you a sign up sheet on Thursday 30th April.

On May 22nd, we will organise ThreeWayConferences.  These conferences will be an opportunity  to talk more about your child's holistic learning during the past 8 weeks.  Teachers will provide parents and students with a guide as to how to organise these conferences and what you, as parents, can bring to come prepared.

Primary StuCo, will be thinking of some fun things to wrap the year up and will continue to post their Take Care Tuesdays.  Thank you StuCo for helping out with this engagement.

The Grade 5 students will be taking part in an online PYP Virtual on May 29th, please offer any support you can as a parent to the Grade 5 team.  This will be a very different approach to how schools approach the Exhibition normally.

Don't forget the Ped. team have set up a readaloud channel, parents can have a break for a few minutes whilst the children listen to the stories.  If you, or your child, have any stories you would like us to read, please let us know.

Lastly, don't forget to show appreciation to your teachers.  A lot of families have sent in messages of thanks - it means so much to teachers to hear that, so thank you - if your child hasnt done this already, please encourage them to do so.

I have posted a testimonial from our art teacher, Ms Basilia, be sure to read this with your child.  I found it very humbling.

I am currently in a place called Aarey colony. I come here sometimes to go hiking/trekking with my friends. It so happened that I came back from work and decided to go to my friend’s place in Aarey just before spring break. I had a few change of clothes, a packet of oil pastels and a few art sheets with me in my bag. I thought it would be a good idea to go hiking for a few days before school reopens after spring break. Suddenly, everything changed after the PM, Mr. Modi announced the lockdown. I actually live in Vasai which is really far from where I am right now. I can’t go home because they have locked down my area. They found a few positive cases nearby. My building society members and relatives advised me not to travel under any circumstances. Plus, local trains are not running for passengers.  I have been living in my friend’s PG place for almost a month now. The phone and WiFi connection is a bit bad at times, but somehow manageable. There are hardly any people around here as the building is in the middle of the Aarey forest, so no COVID scare over here. Actually, I feel a lot safer over here than in the city area.   For food and essential goods, I have to walk approximately 2 kilometers to reach the nearest store or ATM. It’s an uphill and then a downhill nature walk. This place is beautiful and scenic. I have a homemade mask made from an old bed sheet and I use a dupatta to cover my head as it gets really hot walking in the sun. I can buy only a week’s supply of food as I can’t carry too much weight in one go.  There is a small village near the building where I am staying. Lots of people there but thought it’s best to maintain social distancing for now.  
Even if trains start working after the 3rd of May and I try to go back to my place in Vasai, I will have to self quarantine myself for two weeks again. I am intentionally going to continue to stay here as it's safer this way for at least another couple of weeks. I am living one day at a time. I don’t know what my tomorrow is going to look like, whether I will have internet access, or be able to approve posts or check my mails or be able to contact my friends/family. This causes a lot of anxiety at times. But I try to gather myself and try to look on the bright side. I keep telling myself, “At least you are healthy, you have a roof over your head and have food to eat.”
This experience has made me realize about so many things I cannot even begin to fathom. I hope life will get back to normal soon. I still have my sanity intact and burning desire to teach and learn. Cheers!
Thank you and remember to be kind,
​Miss Lisa