July 7, 2020
Dear Junior School Parents,
First of all, I would like to thank you for having selected Le Jardin Academy as your place of choice for your young child. We are very excited and honored to have your child in our care and are busily preparing for the start of the school year in August.
We are currently working on health and safety protocols due to COVID-19 to ensure the well-being of our students, staff, and LJA community. Please click here to see the initial protocols.
The Junior School (JS) curriculum is based on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), meaning that teaching and learning will engage children in active and inquiry based learning. The program focuses on the total growth of the developing child. This encompasses social, physical, emotional, and cultural needs in addition to academic development. Our approach to teaching pre-reading, pre-writing, and mathematical concepts has been developed from the best teaching practices. You will find in your introductory package which is shared at the first conference with the teacher (prior to the start of the school) detailed information on the curriculum and program.
LEARNING MODEL FOR JUNIOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021 In light of COVID-19, we have been working diligently to ensure that we can provide our students with a safe, healthy, and excellent learning environment for their return to school this fall. LJA is proud to announce that we will provide both Face to Face and Distance Learning options for this year, with the flexibility to switch back and forth between models at designated times in the year. This year, the curriculum might look slightly different from what we usually deliver, but skills, concepts, and knowledge will be aligned. Read our Junior School model.
STUDENT MEDICAL FORMS All new Junior School students must submit Student Health Form 14 and Preschool Supplement form 908. The Student Health Form 14 record must include a current physical and TB clearance dated within 12 months or TB Document G: State of Hawaii TB Risk Assessment for Adults and Children. Hawaii State regulation prohibits attendance without these documents. These forms must be received PRIOR to the first day of school along with evidence of proper immunizations.
th Student medical forms may be submitted to Magnus Health starting July 7 through our Parent Portal th (lejardinacademy.myschoolapp.com). Deadline is July 28 for all health forms (Grades PK-12). Follow these directions for accessing Magnus Health. If you need additional help logging into Magnus Health, please contact Melissa Handy at [email protected].
For your child’s records, we use Magnus Health, a web-based system used for managing health records. This system follows internationally recognized security standards and is HIPAA and FERPA compliant. Please feel free to visit the Magnus Health page for Parents: http://magnushealth.com/parents/ and Privacy and Security page at www.magnushealth.com/privacy-and-security/.
Here is a checklist of items that should be uploaded into Magnus Health: ● Student Health Record including immunization records, TB clearance, and physical examination. Please refer to the LJA website for vaccine requirements and requirements for physical exams and TB clearance. ● Over-the-counter Medication Form ● Prescription Medication Form - if applicable ● Asthma Action Plan Form - if applicable ● Anaphylaxis/Allergy Action Plan Form - if applicable ● Diabetes Action Plan Form - if applicable ● Seizure Action Plan Form - if applicable
To allow for a smooth transition, the Junior School begins the year with a staggered day schedule, dividing the students into 2 groups. Group 1 will attend on Monday the 17th of August and Group 2 will attend on Tuesday the 18th of August. For the first 2 half group days, the Pre-Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 11:20 am and the Junior Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 2:20 pm. All students will return to school on Wednesday the 19th of August for the first full day of school. th Extended Day will also start on the 19 of August for the children that are registered. rd Class assignment and the group date will be emailed to you the week of August 3 . Between August th th 6 and August 11 , you will receive a phone call from your child’s homeroom teacher inviting you to a th th th parent-student-teacher introductory conference on August 12 , 13 or 14 . Please click here to complete the Questionnaire for School Entry. Have the questionnaire with you to this introductory conference. You will also be asked to bring: ● 2 disposable face masks in individually labeled Ziploc bags ● heavy art apron (no plastic aprons) ● a change of clothes in a gallon-sized plastic bag labeled with your child’s name. ● fitted mat cover (light cotton fabric, no heavy denim, or quilted material). It must be a pillowcase style, approximately 44” x 20 ¾”. Please note: Mats will be sent home daily for washing.
*Due to storage limitations, no backpacks will be allowed. Please label all items.
Pre-Kindergarten (3-4 year olds) regular hours are 7:30 am – 11:20 am for half-day and 7:30-2:20 pm for full day. Junior Kindergarten (4-5 year olds) regular hours are 7:30 am – 2:20 pm. All dismissals th are from the front courtyard. Our Extended Day program begins on August 19 . Click here for important details found in the Extended Day tab of the Le Jardin Academy website. You may register by clicking the registration link and completing the online form. If you have any questions about our extended day program please email [email protected]. If you need after school care for your child, we encourage early registration as the Extended Day staff is based on attendance. Classes have filled in previous years and we were not able to accommodate late enrollment.
Besides Extended Day, we are currently assessing our limitations to offer Afterschool Activities. A separate email regarding these different offerings will be sent later in September.
Early care is available from 6:30 am - 7:30 am without pre-registration or an extra fee to all students and will be located in rooms 3 & 4. LJA staff will conduct daily temperature and visual well checks for all students upon entrance to the facility. Students arriving after 7:30 am will be taken to their homeroom by an aide. We serve all preschoolers a nutritious morning snack and an afternoon snack for those who remain at the school and are enrolled in Extended Day after 2:30 pm. Students staying after 11:20 am may pack a lunch from home or order one of our lunch options. Le Jardin Academy Lunch Program information and registration forms can be found here. 1% milk may also be ordered for lunch via the separate milk order form found on the same page. The lunch program begins on the first full day of school, August th 19 . For lunches from home, we recommend an ice pack to keep food at a cool temperature or a thermos for hot foods. There is no refrigerator or microwave available. It is important that you review the Junior School section of the Parent and Student Handbook, which will be included in your introductory package and posted online before the start of the school year.
Please note our policies regarding permission to publish: It is assumed that all student photographs and pieces of artwork done in the JS are permitted to be published on our social media, websites, and in our yearbook. Be sure to read this section in Magnus Health carefully and contact the Junior School Administrative Assistant at [email protected] if you do not want your child or any of his/her artwork published.
TUITION PAYMENTS: Please remember to sign into the SMART Tuition paperless billing and payment system. This is located in the resources tab in the Parent Portal (lejardinacademy.myschoolapp.com), which is the same portal where you signed enrollment contracts. If you have difficulty logging in or need a password reset please email [email protected]. th For annual payers, the tuition payment is due July 15 . For semi-annual payers, the first payment is th th due July 15 and the second payment due on December 15 . For monthly payers, the first tuition payment is due August 15th and subsequent payments due on the 15th of every month through May. Contact [email protected] if you have any questions regarding your account.
INCOMING DATES: th July 30 - Parent Meeting with Head of School, Earl Kim, via Zoom @ 6:00 p.m. th August 6 - JS New and Returning Parent Information Session via Zoom @ 6:00 p.m. The Junior School office is currently closed but you may email [email protected] with any questions you may have.
The Junior School team is looking forward to a year rich in safe, learning, fun, and rewarding experiences with your child or children.
I hope you will enjoy the rest of the summer with your family!
Sincerely,
Françoise Akina, Junior School Principal [email protected] or 261-0707 ext. 1040