Talking to Children about the Coronavirus

• Coronavirus: What is?
• How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus?
• Social Distancing: This Is Not A Snow Day
• How to Talk to Your Anxious Child About the Coronavirus
• Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child?
• Brain Pop Video - What is the virus and how to stay healthy?
• Coronavirus Explained to Children (Eurac Research)
• Talking to Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
• Parent tips for supporting online learning
• Tips for handling work and kids during COVID-19 isolation
• Supporting Families During COVID-19

Helping Children Deal with Anxiety and Stress

• The Difference between Worry, Stress, and Anxiety - Tips on how to deal with Worry, Stress, and Anxiety
• Managing anxiety age by age
• How To Manage Your Anxiety About Coronavirus
• 5 Tips for Staying Productive and Mentally Healthy while you're Working from Home
• Self-Evaluation and the four B's importance of balancing all four of our inner senses
• Help Your Family De-Stress During Coronavirus Uncertainty
• Exercise and yoga for children to help decrease anxiety and foster well-being for children

Safety and Protective Measures

• Safety Measures for Coronavirus
• Kids Learning Cartoon - How to protect yourself
• Washy Washy Clean - Let's learn the proper steps of handwashing with this jingle!
• Parenting during coronavirus: What to know about playdates, education and more
• When and How to Wash your Hands
• Handwashing and Hand Sanitizer Use
• Seven Simple Steps to Protect Yourselves and Others from Coronavirus (UNICEF)
• Hand Washing: Why It's So Important
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Social Distancing with Children
• What you need to know about handwashing
• Song on YouTube - Kids Learning Tube For EY Children (starts at 1:00 - 3:16 mins)
• Coronavirus and protective measures for children

1. Teach and model good hygiene practices for your children:

• • Wash your hands with soap and safe water frequently. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Always wash hands with soap and water, if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Ensure that safe drinking water is available and toilets or latrines are clean and available at home.
  • Ensure waste is safely collected, stored and disposed of.
  • Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, nose.

2. Encourage your children to ask questions and express their feelings with you and their teachers. Remember that your child may have different reactions to stress; be patient and understanding.

3. Prevent stigma by using facts and reminding students to be considerate of one another.

4. Coordinate with the school to receive information and ask how you can support school safety efforts (though parent-teacher committees, etc.)

We also recommend following the guidelines on hand-washing and sanitary practices that prevent the spread of viruses (CDC's guidelines on hand-washing and sanitary practices that prevent the spread of viruses and CDC handwashing video). If you have a fever and a cough, you should stay home and contact your doctor.

1. Is ACS aware of any students or employees who have been exposed to the virus?

Since the onset of the coronavirus in Lebanon, there have been 3 members of our community (from two separate families) who contracted (or tested positive for COVID-19). All three individuals were isolated for over 14 days and have recovered (and tested negative for the virus), and currently in good health at home with their families.

2. How is ACS monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19?

We are in close contact with the Ministry of Public Health (MOH); the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE); the World Health Organization (WHO); and health specialists to monitor the outbreak of COVID-19 and ensure all appropriate actions are taken.

3. What is the school’s plan for learning while the campus is closed?

We will continue to provide an online learning framework (virtual learning) for our students while the pandemic forces us to close our campus.

• Our Virtual Learning webpage is up and running.
• We will continue to send out the principals’ weekly newsletters with specific information about continuity of classes online, schedules, assessment and feedback measures and important tips to keep in front of all families.
• Our commitment is that every student has access to our learning and is engaged at some level. If we do not observe engagement, our teachers will reach out to parents, followed by the Student Support Teams and/or principals.
• We have counselors and support teachers in every part of the school to help.

4. Will graduation /reunions and moving-up ceremonies be canceled this year?

Updates about graduation and other future events will be shared as we learn more about the spread of the virus.

5. What measures can I take to protect my children?

We recommend following guidelines for parents / caregivers and community members issued by UNICEF in coordination with WHO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as well as the Lebanese Red Cross for the prevention and control of COVID-19.

6. Why is the school reporting these cases to the community? Isn’t it a private matter?

We believe it is our responsibility to be transparent and communicate all reported cases related to the ACS community to prevent the spread of the virus while respecting the dignity and privacy of each person and family.

7. What precautions is the school taking to ensure the campus is sanitized?

Campus-wide fumigation took place on March 4. However, now the campus is currently closed to the public. We plan on fumigating again 24-36 hours before the school re-opens. We are committed to the health and safety of all of our students, parents, teachers, and staff.

8. My senior has not completed the community service requirements for graduation and he/she was planning on completing them during the spring semester. What should we do?

Mrs. Shatah will communicate with students on a case-by-case basis. We know that some students expected to complete this requirement in the spring and we will make appropriate accommodations to make sure they are able to complete them.

For ACS Beirut Families

We are requesting that families complete the following survey (International Family Travel Survey) if anyone in your immediate family is traveling now through April 20.

We are aware that your decisions and circumstances are changing rapidly, so please do return to the survey and fill it out again if your plans have changed; all information from the survey is held in HoS Office. We ask that members of our community who plan to travel refer to the CDC and WHO travel advisories, and adhere to mandatory quarantines upon return, if applicable.

For ACS Beirut Faculty and Staff

All Faculty and Staff travel outside of the country should be communicated to the school using this online link.

Head of School Latest Communication Updates

• Learning (a)Head May 30, 2020
• Learning (a)Head May 9, 2020
• Learning (a)Head April 29, 2020
• Learning (a)Head April 10, 2020
  
• Learning (a)Head April 4, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 27, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 21, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 13, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 7, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 6, 2020
• Learning (a)Head March 2, 2020