Covid 19 virus - Updated

Following on from my last communication, I would like to keep you informed of the health and safety plans we continue to make with regard to the spread of Covid 19 virus. Hand sanitizers have been distributed to all classrooms and students are being encouraged throughout the school to wash their hands, cough or sneeze into a tissue or sleeve, and let a teacher or the nurse know if they are not feeling well. Please refrain from sending your child to school if he/she is unwell. This is in everyone’s best interest.

The School has been in touch with the Ministry of Health and we await further guidance, instructions, and information to share.

With the holiday beginning this Friday, we wish everyone travelling outside and inside Zambia a safe trip and trust they will follow all procedures necessitated in their country of destination, specifically taking all precautionary measures available to stay healthy.

Upon return, we would ask that all families who have traveled outside the country inform the class teacher (Primary students) or the Secondary office (Secondary students) so that the School nurse can either contact the family by phone or arrange for a meeting to discuss further details of the travel. We solicit your support in this request.

As many of you know, we initiated a distance learning programme during the Cholera outbreak. Curriculum meetings in Primary and Secondary have begun and preparations are being put in place to ensure that, if needed, our children will remain academically engaged from home.

Specifically, with regard to the examination years of Years 11 and 13, ISL will be following the instructions and guidance given by those examination boards. At present, Cambridge (Year 11 IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate (Year 13 IBDP) have informed all schools that they are monitoring the situation carefully and communicating regularly with the schools and educators impacted by the outbreak to provide the support needed. The IB is also updating the ministries of education and universities regularly.

You may find the following links useful in understanding more about Covid 19 and what steps we can all take to minimize our risk.

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://www.gov.uk/topic/health-protection/infectious-diseases

Sincerely,

Mark Fox