After over a year of strictly socially distanced school pick-ups, zero parent organization activities, and live-streamed concerts, I admit I felt like I was in a time warp when our school invited us to Chinese cultural classes. I had to read the email twice to make sure I wasn’t making it up. Nope. they were, in fact, reigniting their community-building activities.
That’s when I noticed more schools posting about open houses on-campus, and asked how they were able to come to these decisions. Amber Dang, Marketing and Admissions Officer, and Community Relations Officer at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing) told jingkids that “Having seen improvements in the COVID-19 situation recently in Beijing, we believe it is time to restart our parent activities with epidemic prevention measures in place. At YCIS Beijing, parental involvement plays a vital role in school life, and we are very keen to get these activities running again to enrich our community culture.”
They aren’t exactly opening up to parent activities on campus but using an off-campus office building venue close to the school. “This is perfect,” Dang says, “since it is under the school’s management and follows strict health and safety policies while still being separate from the students. It was refurbished over the winter to prepare for these activities.”
3e International School took a different approach with their Spring Story Picnic on Apr 24. Joanne O’Connor, Community Liaison Officer at 3e International School shared how “Finding meaningful and enjoyable opportunities to come together, both with our 3e families and the wider community is really important. Whilst remaining cautious and adhering to government advice such as monitoring attendee numbers, health code, and temperature scanning, and mask-wearing, we are grateful to reconnect again at this outdoor event, and enjoy the beautiful spring weather together.”
Dang explains YCIS Beijing’s precautions, even for this off-campus venue: “Parents who sign up for these classes have to submit relevant documents for approval to enter the building, and they need to wear masks at all times. We strive to offer the best possible activities for parents in a safe, healthy environment.”
Even something as simple as new parents being able to take their kids to visit potential schools in person versus making decisions through a virtual tour is outstanding. But I couldn’t help feeling a tiny twinge of springtime hopefulness in the air after seeing all these announcements, even if the events are tailored to be for smaller groups.
By May 22, YCIS Beijing will be ready to open its campus wider for Community Day.
As much as parents, myself included, sometimes roll their eyes at the socializing that’s expected as part of our children’s education, it feels like a fresh start to a newer normal we can expect in the future, and I’m hopeful the 2021-2022 school year might bring us back even closer to a more typical school year. Educators in Beijing have really done all they can to ensure their kids’ experience as close to a “normal” school as they can, and even the extended Chinese New Year and e-learning time feel far distant.
Nearly every week I need to remind my kids to stay diligent with their masks and handwashing, of course, and I’d be loathed to leave you with the idea that we shouldn’t still take these precautions. Let’s just also take a moment to enjoy the fact that parents don’t have to stay quite as distant from our schools as before.
KEEP READING: Summer Camp Previews: Survival Camp and UK University Prep
Images: courtesy of the schools
