The summer vacation is drawing to an end and we hope you have been keeping well. In view of the scheduled reopening of school, please note the following:

ACADEMIC YEAR
The academic year 2021-2022 begins for all students (KG to Grade 12) on 29 August 2021.

FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES
The following categories of students can attend face-to-face classes:
1. All students below 16 years of age.
2. Fully vaccinated students who are 16 years and above (completed 28 days after the second dose, with a UAE-approved vaccine).
3. Unvaccinated students aged 16 and above with vaccination exemptions verified on ALHOSN app OR through an official letter from SEHA, Mubadala Health Care or other Department of Health-authorized providers.

Unvaccinated students aged 16 years and above cannot enter the school premises or attend face-to-face classes.

DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION
1. Merryland will continue to offer distance learning for non-vaccinated members of our student body who are aged 16 and above who cannot, or choose not to vaccinate.
2. Additionally, distance learning will also be available to students with medical conditions classified as high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

Masks
1. Masks must be worn by all students while travelling by bus.
2. Masks must be worn by all students during school hours except when eating or engaging in medium and high-risk sports.
3. Masks must be worn properly to cover the mouth and nose.
4. Students must bring extra masks.
5. Mask requirements are subject to change based on the latest guidelines from relevant authorities.

Physical distancing
1. All students must maintain a distance of 1 metres between themselves and teachers across the school premises.
2. Handshakes must be avoided.

Personal hygiene
1. Students are encouraged to always carry a sanitizer with 60%-80% alcohol in their bags to sanitize their hands frequently.
2. Students must wash their hands properly or sanitize them if their hands are visibly soiled, before eating, after using the toilet, after touching high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs and handrails, after coughing or sneezing.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Learning
1. Please choose the mode of learning for your child/children (whether face-to-face or distance learning) and inform the class teacher by 21 August.
2. The chosen mode of learning cannot be changed in the middle of a term, except with valid reasons.
3. Ensure that your child attends classes regularly, whether online or face to face, unless there is a valid reason for absence.
4. Supervise your child’s education and monitor academic progress by contacting the teachers regularly.
5. Ensure that your child is properly dressed in full school uniform for attending both online and face-to-face classes.

Wellbeing
1. Please evaluate the health condition of your child/children before sending them to school. Do not send them to school if they are sick or if they have a temperature above 37 degrees Celsius.
2. Be aware of the online safety measures you have to follow with regard to your child’s online learning activities.
3. Make sure your child is physically and mentally active.

Pre-return PCR testing
Guidance on details such as age eligibility, test types, schedules, and locations will be communicated with schools closer to the start of the academic year. Parents must ensure that their children follow the PCR testing schedule and submit a negative report as and when required.

Forms

Parents are required to send the following forms:
1. Student Physical Return Declaration Form
Parents who are sending their child/children for face-to-face class should provide a Student Physical Return Declaration Form. The purpose of this form is for parents/legal guardians to declare their consent for the student to physically return to school and to make all parties aware of their obligations (i.e. daily screening for symptoms, staying home if unwell, declaring travel, etc.).

2. Medical Risk Undertaking Form
The purpose of the Medical Risk Undertaking Form is for students to declare whether they have any medical conditions classified as high-risk in relation to COVID-19, to acknowledge that they understand the risk associated with physically returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic and to take full responsibility for their decision to return.
In the case of high-risk individuals, a physician’s letter stating that the staff or student is fit to physically attend school shall be submitted alongside the form.

3. Travel Declaration Form
Parents who have made any international travel recently should send a Travel Declaration Form to the class teacher.
The purpose of this form is to inform schools if any students and/or staff have traveled internationally prior to returning to school and to declare that they have completed the required quarantine protocols determined by Abu Dhabi (even if returning to Abu Dhabi via another Emirate).

PCR test results are required for all students aged 4 and above who have travelled internationally. Students aged 4-11 have the option of taking either a saliva-PCR or a nasopharyngeal-PCR test.

SCHOOL VISITS
1. Unvaccinated parents will not be permitted to enter the school campus.
2. Parents are not permitted to enter the school campus during working hours.
3. Fully vaccinated parents (completed 28 days after the second dose, with a UAE-approved vaccine) can come to school after 2 pm with prior appointment, valid vaccination report, and a negative PCR test result conducted within 96 hours.
4. For payment of school fees, parents are required to make an online appointment on the Appointment Management System on the school website. Only one parent who is fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter the school.
5. Parents who drop off and pick up their children to and from school must remain in their cars and follow the dispersal timings. They will not be permitted to enter the school.

CONTACTING SCHOOL
1. The main contact persons at school are the class teachers, grade coordinators, school nurse, registrar, and principal.
2. Parents can contact the school over the phone: 025519626 or send an email to contact@merryland.org and cc to merrylandinternational@gmail.com