A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR 22 August, 2021
Dear Parents,
I hope that you are all well and are excited about the start of the 2021-22 academic year next week.
Over the summer break our admin team have worked incredibly hard to ensure the school campus is in great shape to welcome back staff and students for the year ahead. On behalf of the entire community I would like to extend our thanks to them for their hard work and commitment to the school. Over the past week we have been inducting our new staff to Fairgreen and are looking forward to the return of all staff today for a busy week of preparations before the return of our students on Sunday August 29th.
Please take a few moments to read through the important updates below in preparation for the academic year ahead.
I look forward to meeting you all in the coming days and weeks and am particularly excited about all that we will achieve during the academic year ahead.
Kind regards,
Director
FROM OUR PRINCIPALS Dear Parents,
We hope that you are having a safe and restful summer break and that you have enjoyed your time with loved ones. As we approach the start of the new academic year, we would like to remind you about arrangements for reopening:
Official protocols for the return to school have not yet been received from local authorities but whatever these look like we will maintain the same high standards of health and safety that were so successful last academic year.
The latest versions of our Parent Handbooks can be found on the website and accessed through these links Early Years, Primary, Secondary, or see below in this newsletter.
Please ensure that you have checked the relevant sections of the handbook regarding uniform and appearance before you make any purchases over the summer break. The uniform shop has moved temporarily to the gymnasium, and can be accessed by appointment only (see below for more info).
Our new members of staff completed a week of orientation last week and we will be joined by all our staff this week. We look forward to welcoming all our students back on campus!
Kind regards, Seema Desai Secondary Principal Matt Greenwood Primary Principal
IMPORTANT DATES:
THURSDAY, 26 AUGUST, 12 Noon - 12:45 p.m. KG2 - Grade 11 RETURNING Student Orientation via Zoom For students returning to Fairgreen, a special returning student orientation will be held via Zoom on Thursday 26th August from 12 noon until 12.45pm. Students/families will receive the link to this Zoom meeting directly from their child's classroom teacher prior to this date. Please watch your email. This is a great opportunity for returning students to ask questions and receive information about their first day of school.
THURSDAY, 26 AUGUST, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. KG2 - Grade 11 NEW Student In-Person Orientation For students who will be new to Fairgreen this year, a special in-person new student orientation will take place on campus on Thursday 26th August from 2pm until 3pm. Please be on time as we need to end promptly at 3pm. Please check last week's email for detailed information on arrival, Covid-related protocols, etc.
SUNDAY, 29 AUGUST FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR KG2 - GRADE 11 Please see the school calendar available on our website for additional information on upcoming important dates. You will find the Fairgreen 2021-22 School Calendar under the Academics tab on our website or CLICK HERE NOTE: Pre-KG and KG1 students will have a soft school start to help our youngest students warm into the new school year (further information about this will be emailed by our Early Years Coordinator)
MONDAY, 30 AUGUST Orientation Day for Pre-KG and KG1 students: (Pre-kg and KG1 parents, please check last week's email for timing) Pre-KG and KG1 students will come to school with their parents for a drop-in visit to meet their teacher for the first time and get oriented with the classroom. This is a short introduction session where parents and children can stay for 15 minutes in the classroom. This is a nice, soft start for your child and an opportunity for you both to get acquainted with the teacher, look around the school environment, learn where your child's classroom drop-off and collection points will be, and to explore the learning space. For Orientation Day, all Pre-KG and KG1 classes will be split into two sessions to reduce the amount of congestion in the classrooms.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: POST-TRAVEL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR FAIRGREEN STUDENTS, TEACHERS & STAFF
Please note the following Dubai Health Authority regulations if you have travelled outside of the UAE over summer break:
SCHOOL RE-OPENING PLAN:
Fairgreen will be open for full-time on-campus learning for all of our students for the 2021-22 School Year. Our Covid-19 on-campus learning plan has health and safety as our top priority. As we expect to start the school year with around 700 students, and our campus is big enough for 1,150, fortunately we have many advantages that allow us to accommodate ALL students to learn on campus, all day, every day. Please click below to read our re-opening plan in full:
STUDENT HANDBOOKS
Please take time to review our student handbooks to make yourself aware of all of our school policies and procedures. The handbooks can be found on our website under the Community tab under Parent Information or click on the link below:
ID BADGES: FOR ALL NEW PARENTS ONLY As we prepare for the start of the new school year, we need to make sure our school security procedures are fully in place, which includes issuing Identification badges to our new Fairgreen parents and staff. As part of our school security policy, all people on campus must wear an identification badge. When you come onto campus for any reason, you will need to wear your ID badge indicating you are a parent of a child at Fairgreen.
For all parents new to Fairgreen this coming school year, in order for us to issue your ID badge, please email the following to us at info@fairgreen.ae:
Please plan to pick up ID badges in school reception anytime after 25 August, Sunday through Thursday, between 8am-4pm at your convenience. Thank you for your prompt response to this request. Please see below for reminders relating to school transportation, technology and school uniforms.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our reception at 04 875 4999.
SCHOOL LUNCH SERVICE Our lunch service provider is SwissCanonica, known locally as Canonica Restaurant & Catering LLC. The local Dubai branch, which opened in 2015, is part of the SwissCanonica Group, which has been running Food and Beverage operations in the Geneva Airport since 1948.
SwissCanonica provides a European-inspired menu with a mix of dishes from around the world. Every day, the team prepares two different menus, each with a starter, main course and healthy dessert. One menu is based around meat, fish or poultry while the other one provides vegetarian options to help teach children (and adults) the many ways of adding more vegetables to their diet. At the end of each week, a country-specific menu is offered. In addition to regular lunch menu service, there is also a 'Grab-n-Go counter available in the canteen, offering a selection of sandwiches, salads, healthy snacks, drinks and freshly baked pastries.
COST FOR LUNCH SERVICE SwissCanonica offers term lunch package, full month lunch packages, as well as daily lunch options for parents that would like to order hot meals only on certain days. Each meal includes starter, main course, side dish and dessert. Purchase options are as follows:
PURCHASE MONTHLY SERVICE FOR AUG/SEPT We will send out a reminder email every month for parents who wish to sign up for monthly service. Or, you can do so each month by clicking on the sign-up link on our website under the Community tab. Or CLICK HERE
The deadline to purchase Aug/Sept monthly lunch service is Tuesday, 24 August. The vouchers can be ordered at any time.
CURRENT LUNCH MENU You can always view a current lunch menu on our school website under the Community tab. Or, CLICK HERE.
If you need to contact SwissCanonica with any questions, write them directly at fairgreen@swisscanonica.ae.
UNIFORM PURCHASING Please remember to book your appointment to come on campus to purchase school uniforms for your child(ren). All uniform purchase timings must be pre-booked (no drop-in appointments can be accommodated due to Covid restrictions). Timings are filling up so please book your slot ASAP. You will purchase the regular school uniform, PE kit, and your child's house kit in our on-campus school uniform shop. The shop is open Sundays - Thursdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. You will need to schedule a time to shop on campus via our online scheduling system through our provider, Trutex. No drop-ins please.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT Please visit www.trutex.ae to book your school uniform appointment for anytime Sunday - Thursday, 1-26 August from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you need help understanding the scheduling procedures please see this guide.
FAIRGREEN'S UNIFORM POLICY Please refer to our Parents Information webpage to review Fairgreen's Uniform Policy and Uniform Pricing information.
QUESTIONS? Email: fairgreen.shop@aquariusllc.ae Call: 050 870 3393 Visit: www.trutex.ae
TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS Thee following are the technology requirements for your children in Grades 3-11.
REQUIRED DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS For Grades 3-5 Students in Grades 3 to 5 need a fully charged iPad on a daily basis as part of their normal school supplies. To ensure a consistent learning set-up and rich experience for students, the following iPad is required: iPad 10.2 (WiFi, 128 GB, the new 8th generation iPad) - Pencil, Keyboard, iPad Cover options, Apple Care.
For Grades 6-10 Students in grade 6-10 can choose between a Macbook (8 GB ram, 256 GB storage of Intel or Apple M2 chipset) or an iPad 10.2 (WiFi, 128 GB, the new 8th generation iPad)with a keyboard and a pencil.
For Grades 11-12 Students in grade 11 & 12 are required to have a Macbook (8 GB ram, 256 GB storage of Intel or Apple M2 chipset).
OUR PREFERRED VENDOR To purchase through our preferred vendor, visit: https://edustore.mdscts.ae/account/register You will need to create an account for discounted rates on device packages for Fairgreen families.
NEW MDM INITIATIVE Next year, we will be implementing a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution as an enhancement to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program to support our goal in providing the best learning experience for students at Fairgreen International School.
The MDM solution will improve the security of connectivity of student iPads and MacBooks. It also allows us to manage software/app installation and provide troubleshooting. As the school continues to grow, this solution will help us provide the best learning and teaching experience for both students and teachers.
Some of the Key Benefits:
Some points to note:
Required devices: Installation of the MDM solution on all student devices is now a requirement in order to access the Fairgreen International School network. Going forward the school educational device will be an iPad with a Keyboard and a Pencil for Grades 3 to 5. In grades 6-10, students can choose between a Macbook (8 GB ram, 256 GB storage of Intel or Apple M2 chipset) or an iPad (10.2 (WiFi, 128 GB, the new 8th generation iPad) with keyboard and Pencil. Grades 11 & 12 are required to have a Macbook laptop.
Access to student data: Fairgreen International School will not have access to any data on the apps (photos/videos, emails, etc.) after the enrollment of the iPads & Macbooks to the MDM solution.
Parent information: At the beginning of the year, students will be further informed of the impact of an MDM solution on their educational devices. Parents will also have information sessions sharing how an MDM will support their child's education to ensure proper use of the device while on campus.
Steps to Enroll iPad for the MDM solution: 1. Backup your iPad and save data (use Google Drive, iCloud, etc.) 2. Sign out of iCloud 3. Bring to the school IT staff. The iPad will be completely erased and the new MDM system and all school apps will be installed and set up 4. You can then sign back into your iCloud account and reinstall your previously deleted apps and bring the iPad back to its normal status.
Steps to Enroll MacBook: 1. Backup your MacBook and save data (use Google Drive, iCloud, etc.) 2. Bring to the school IT staff. The new MDM system and all school apps will be installed and set up
For a guide on how to back up your data on an i-Pad or MacBook, please CLICK HERE for more information.
HOW TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT: You can schedule an appointment to bring your child's device to Fairgreen to complete the MDM device enrollment process during school summer working hours from August 15th onwards, with the help of our IT Department. Please email ithelpdesk@fairgreen.ae to set up an appointment. Additionally, the MDM solutions will be added to students' devices throughout the first few weeks of school and scheduled with classroom teachers. Please ensure that preliminary steps of device backup are completed prior to completing the MDM device enrollment process.
Any technical questions or concerns can be directed to ithelpdesk@fairgreen.ae
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