Clarion Newsletter, April 14, 2023

Dear Parents and Friends of Clarion,

I would like to welcome everyone back to school after the Spring break. I do hope everyone had a wonderful break as we return to start term 3 of this school year.

1. Clarion Continuous Improvement Plan Meetings – We would like to invite you to our Continual Improvement Planning sessions to be held next week. This is a new initiative that we plan to hold every year where we talk about the work done till date and some of the material planning for the year ahead.

These sessions are an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the work that happens behind the scenes and its impact on your child. While we had initially planned this for May, we decided to bring it forward this year, as certain parts of the presentation align with what we have done and are doing with regard to the KHDA rating.

The meetings will be scheduled as follows:

• Monday, April 17 at 8:10 AM – PreK, KG1 and KG2
• Tuesday, April 18 at 8:10 AM – Grades 1 – 4
• Wednesday, April 19 at 8:10 AM – Grades 5 – 7

A separate correspondence has been shared with our parents with an RSVP link and agenda.

2. Book Fair –

Our next book fair will be held from April 25 to 27. To make the process easier for you, we will be distributing envelopes in your child's backpack next week, allowing you to conveniently send money for your child's purchases as well as any additional contributions you may wish to make. Keep an eye out for these envelopes from your child's homeroom teacher.

3. Ramadan Schedule –

Just a friendly reminder on our Ramadan schedule that will be in effect until April 21. Please take note of the following schedule –

Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and spiritual reflection, is anticipated to commence on March 23 and conclude on April 21. In light of this, we have made some adjustments to our student schedule during this period, which are outlined below –

Monday – Thursday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 11:45 AM

Please note, there will be no CCI (teacher led activities) activities taking place during this period. However, CCE (led by external vendors) activities will continue to operate as usual –

Monday – Thursday: 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Friday: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Also, during this period, students who are not fasting will have a short break to take their meals.

Our regular school schedule will resume on Monday, April 24 once we return after the Eid break.

4. Student Attendance and Lates –

1. KHDA will be assessing our student attendance for Term 3 when they return for their inspection in October. Please ensure your children are attending school and arriving punctually. We need to ensure our Term 3 attendance is at least 95%.
2. Term 3 is a short term with only 54 school days before the last day of school on June 26. Students will be writing the final MAP assessments in late May so every school day is critical to ensure our students are best prepared.
3. Please notify Poonam at pkadam@clarionschool.com if your child is absent due to illness or a medical appointment.
4. If your child arrives after 8:00 AM, kindly ensure that they obtain a late slip from the Atrium before proceeding to their class.

Attendance Facts –

• When children are absent from school, they miss out on consistent learning that is needed to develop basic skills. Children in early grades are particularly susceptible to falling behind in fundamental reading skills, which can have a snowball effect that impacts future learning.

Student absence for the reason of holiday travel is not considered an excused absence as per KHDA guidelines.

Please note that all extended student leaves in excess of 3 days require the submission of a request form. The form is available from our Atrium area or email: admin@clarionschool.com.

5. Sibling Enrollment at Clarion –

If you have a younger sibling in your family who you are planning to enroll in September 2023, please reach out to Emily from our admissions team at admissions@clarionschool.com.

6. Student Field Trips –

• May 3, 2023 – L' Alliance Française – Grades 4 to 7.

I sincerely wish everyone an enjoyable weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday, April 17, 2023.

Sincerely,

Larry