Overview
As part of the governmental precautionary and preventive measures taken to reduce the possibility of transmission of the COVD-19 virus infection (the new coronavirus), Al Durrah International School has studied all the suggested back-to-school scenarios provided by the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), our school leaders developed face-to-face and hybrid extendable learning plans for the First Term. We understand that some of you may have anxieties about sending your children back to school. However, we know that this will be best for their learning as well as their growth and well-being. We can assure you that all face-to-face teaching arrangements and in-school health and well-being protocols will be very closely monitored to ensure the highest possible levels of control and infection-prevention, in compliance with new health and safety protocols.
The school has already rearranged the classrooms and the learning spaces, to accommodate physical distancing throughout the school. All health and safety measures and protocols will be followed to keep our school community very safe. Some of these procedures
- Measuring the temperature of everyone who enters the school building on a daily basis.
- The students, staff and other people present in the school building or riding on school transportation vehicles are required to wear a face-covering.
- Implementing physical distancing guidelines as recommended by the relevant health authorities, and reducing the class size.
- Sterilizing the school building, classrooms, laboratories, and other facilities on a daily and weekly basis.
- Organizing and managing the students working day including mealtimes to avoid high concentrations of students in one place.
- Limiting gatherings and suspending group activities such as school trips, celebrations, sports events, and student camps. Reducing school bus capacity to 50% to ensure physical distancing, and measuring all passengers’ temperatures prior to boarding.
- Appointing additional trained health and safety officials as well as licensed nursing staff in our school to ensure compliance with health and safety protocols and requirements.
We are fully aware that these years for our little ones are very critical, as their brains develop faster than at any other time in their lives, The foundations for their social skills, self-esteem, perception of the world and moral outlook are established during these years, as well as the development of cognitive skills.
Therefore, we would like to welcome your children on the school premises as per the following:
- The School assures its commitment to the safety of all members of the school’s community including students, teachers, parents, and administrators as well as a commitment to the health and academic instructions of the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Ministry of Health towards the end of the pandemic.
- We know that you have a lot of questions. Thus, we will provide more details about the different learning delivery models as well as the safety protocols and precautionary measures during the academic year 2020-2021.
Early Years (KG section)
- What are the available Learning Delivery Models?
Option 1: Full Face-to-Face Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place in the school throughout the weekdays
- KG1 and KG2 students will be re-allocated based on 1.5 meters per child in each class.
- Students will attend on-campus classes for 5 days, from 07:30 am till 01:00 pm
Option 2: Full Distance Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place remotely throughout the weekdays and are facilitated digitally through online live classes and pre-recorded sessions using the school learning platforms as implemented during the previous academic year 2019-2020.
- This type of delivery model will be applied to students of chronic diseases that may affect their immune system as well as students whose parents choose this model upon registration.
Primary school (Grades 1-2)
- What are the available Learning Delivery Models?
Option 1: Full Face-to-Face Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place in the school throughout the weekdays.
- Grades 1 & 2 students will be re-allocated based on 1.5 meters between students in each class.
- Students will attend on-campus classes for 5 days, from 07:15 am till 01:15 pm
Option 2: Full Distance Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place remotely throughout the weekdays and are facilitated digitally through online live classes and pre-recorded sessions using the school learning platforms as implemented during the previous academic year 2019-2020.
- This type of delivery model will be applied to students of chronic diseases that may affect their immune system as well as students whose parents choose this model upon registration.
Primary school (Grades 3-4)
- What are the available Learning Delivery Models?
Option 1: Blended Learning:
The combination of actual in-campus schooling and distance learning from home.
- Grades 3 & 4 students will be re-allocated based on 1.5 meters between students in each class.
- During the week: students will attend on-campus classes for 3 days, namely Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday from 07:15 am till 01:15 pm. They will join distant learning classes from home on the remaining 2 days, namely Wednesday and Thursday.
Option 2: Full Distance Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place remotely throughout the weekdays and are facilitated digitally through online live classes and pre-recorded sessions using the school learning platforms as implemented during the previous academic year 2019-2020.
- This type of delivery model will be applied to students of chronic diseases that may affect their immune system as well as students whose parents choose this model upon registration.
Middle & high school (5-12)
- What are the available Learning Delivery Models?
Option 1: Blended Learning: The combination of actual in-campus schooling and distance learning from home.
- Grades 5 – 7 students will be re-allocated based on 1.5 meters between students in each class.
- During the week: students will attend on-campus classes for 2 days from 07:15 am till 01:15 pm. They will join distant learning classes from home on the remaining 3 days from 08:00 am till 12:25 pm.
Option 2: Full Distance Learning:
- Teaching and learning fully take place remotely throughout the weekdays and are facilitated digitally through online live classes and pre-recorded sessions using the school learning platforms as implemented during the previous academic year 2019-2020.
- This type of delivery model will be applied to students of chronic diseases that may affect their immune system as well as students whose parents choose this model upon registration.
The Protocols Which The School Will Apply
To Ensure The Safety Of Its Educational Community
- All parents are required to check their children’s temperatures before leaving home.
- The School will check the temperature of students and their escorts at the school gates. Any student with a fever that exceeds 37.5° C will not be allowed entry and will be sent home with the parent immediately.
- A safe distance of 1.5 meters per child or person will be maintained inside classes. Each child is required to wear a mask or face shield.
- Safety signs will be available at all corridors and areas maintaining a safe physical distance of 2 meters.
- Parents will not be allowed to the school premises during the school day. One family member only will be given a maximum time limit of 10 minutes for pick up and drop off.
- Appointments through Google Meet shall be arranged for parents who wish to meet teachers or supervisors.
- Pre-packaged food will only be served at school. Families are encouraged to supply food and beverages for their children. Water dispensers will not be in service.
- A safety distancing of 2 meters will be maintained in the school food court. Face shields are encouraged during meal breaks when masks need to be temporarily removed. Personal hygiene tools and sanitizers should be available and not shared among colleagues.
- All teaching staff and students above 6 should wear masks.
- All employees who are in close contact with students should wear masks and/or face-shields if needed.
- Each student is advised to bring 2 disposable masks or 1 re-usable mask every day.
- Students should ensure that they bring enough masks and wash any mask according to the instructions of the producing company.
School Buses:
- Bus routes will be revised upon the requests of parents who wish their children to use the school transportation services.
- Anyone entering the bus will undergo temperature screening. Daily records will be maintained and cases will be reported.
- Buses will be sanitized before and after each use.
- Adequate signage will be added inside the bus as well as seats to guide children towards hygiene practices.
- The needed measures will be taken if a child shows symptoms of COVID-19 inside the bus.
- Buses will operate with 50% of their capacities.
Communication Channels
Between The School and Families
- The school will continue using its portal to keep families informed of all academic, health, and safety updates.
- SEESAW platform will be used as an additional communication channel with students and parents (KG and grades 1-2).
- School voice will be utilized for the reminders and updates as well.
For Academic inquiries – Should you require any further clarifications, please don’t hesitate to contact the Head of Academics on academic@aldurrahint.ae
For IT/Technical issues – Please contact IT@aldurrahint.ae for any issues arising with logins, software, or other technical elements during the distance learning period.
For any questions and/or feedback – you can reach out via feedback@aldurrahint.ae