Dear Parents and Guardians,

(Scroll down for Chinese translation) (请翻阅后⾯的中⽂翻译)

“When nothing is sure, everything is possible.” – Margaret Drabble.

It was only a mere 24 hours ago that we shared our last communication detailing our plans for the school calendar based on an assumption of a tentative March 16 resumption date. As has often been the case during this fluid situation, new information has prompted us to adjust our approach. We learned of this information on February 25 from the Guangdong Education Department, Guangzhou Education Bureau, and the Hong Kong Education Bureaus.

As an international school, we are seeking clarification of what specific instructions and guidelines are in place for international school providers. We hope that by providing you with the most accurate and up to date information, you will be in a better position to plan accordingly.

What We Currently Know

• Hong Kong has made the announcement that school classes will remain suspended until April 20.
• The Guangdong Provincial Department of Education announced that “local schools will commence online learning beginning March 2, that Kindergarten and Special Education Schools will not be required to participate in online learning and all schools will be closed until further notice, and that resumption date for local schools is still to be determined.
• AISG has been in constant communication with the Guangzhou Education Bureau regarding confirmation of the school’s on-campus resumption date (previously tentatively scheduled for March 16). The information we have from the Guangdong Education Department continues to be as follows: “The time for students to return to school will be determined after scientific research and judgment according to the situation of epidemic prevention and control and released to the public in advance.”
• Additionally, the Guangzhou Education Bureau has informed the school that “All faculty, staff, and students who travel out of the city shall be isolated at home for 14 days before returning to school" according to the new policy released by the State Council of China.

What We've Done

• AISG’s Learning Leadership team held a meeting to discuss improvement strategies to support a potential continuation of online learning should March 16 no longer be a viable date for the resumption of in-person learning.
• Given the ongoing uncertainty of return dates, and our required compliance to the instructions of the Guangzhou Education Bureau, the Director and Board of Governors have met and agreed to change our resumption of school communication strategy from identifying a potential re-opening date to a notification strategy of providing a three-week notification of a resumption of school (re-opening) date once we receive permission and notification from the Guangzhou Education Bureau.
• We are also in communication with the Guangzhou Education Bureau regarding clarification of the implementation of the new 14-day quarantine directive.

What We're Currently Preparing For

• In light of this new information, the AISG Leadership Team and Board of Governors are discussing potential long-term strategies for the continued operation of the school, assuming that March 16 is no longer a viable resumption date for in-person learning.

What We Need You To Be Thinking

• In the event that AISG does not resume in-person instruction on March 16, we ask that you please engage with your child/ren’s classroom teacher or divisional counselor to discuss ways to support your child’s engagement in online learning and social-emotional wellness.

Therefore, AISG will remain closed until we are notified that we can re-open by the Guangzhou Education Bureau. We are committed to providing our community at least three weeks' notice of our re-opening pending notification from the government. We will continue to deliver our curriculum through our online learning for all of our students.

In the interim, we will continue to provide you with regular communication updates as more information becomes available to us from the authorities.

I know that this is not the update many of you wanted to receive. I encourage you to continue to keep lines of conversation open with our teachers and administrators. We are all in this together. While I’ve no doubt we all yearn for this crisis to be over, I know that the strength of our community and our willingness to support one another during this time will see us through.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact prepare@aisgz.org should you have any questions, concerns or feedback.

Stay calm, stay the course, stay well and positive.

Kevin Baker
Director
American International School of Guangzhou

 

尊敬的家⻓和监护⼈:

“当⼀切都不确定时，⼀切都是有可能的。”——Margaret Drabble

仅仅在24⼩时之前，我们刚刚与家⻓们分享了上⼀次的更新，基于暂定的复课开学⽇期为3⽉16⽇， 详细说明了我们的校历计划。正如在这种不断变化的情况下经常出现的情况⼀样，新的信息资料促使 我们调整我们的⽅针⽅法。我们在⼆⽉⼆⼗五⽇从⼴东省教育厅，⼴州市教育局和⾹港教育局获悉了新的信息。

作为⼀所国际学校，我们正在寻求澄清对国际学校的具体指示和指导⽅针，我们希望通过向您提供最 准确和最新的信息，让您更好地做出相应的计划安排。

我们⽬前所知情况

• ⾹港已经宣布，学校延⻓停课⾄4⽉20⽇。
• ⼴东省教育厅宣布“全省学校3⽉2⽇起开展线上教育,幼⼉园、特殊教育学校不需要开展在线教 育，所有学校继续关闭直到进⼀步通知, 同时，当地学校复课⽇期仍有待确定。”
• AISG⼀直与⼴州市教育局保持联系，确认学校的复课⽇期（原暂定⽇期为3⽉16⽇)。我们从⼴ 东省教育厅了解到的情况如下:“学⽣返校时间，将视疫情防控情况，经科学研究后确定，提前 向社会发布。”
• 另外，⼴州市教育局根据中国国务院发布的新政策，已经通知学校，“所有外出或外地的教职员 ⼯和学⽣，返回居住地后应当居家隔离14天后⽅可返校”。

我们已采取的⾏动

• AISG管理层团队举⾏了⼀次会议，讨论改进策略，以⽀持在线学习有可能需要持续，假设3⽉ 16⽇不再是恢复线下学习的可⾏⽇期。
• 鉴于复课⽇期持续的不确定性，我们需要遵守⼴州市教育局的指示，董事会已经召开会议并同 意改变我们的复课通知沟通策略，从分辨可⾏的复课开学⽇期通知策略调整为⼀旦我们收到⼴ 州市教育局的许可通知，我们将会提前三周通知⼤家开学⽇期（复课⽇期）。
• 我们正在与⼴州市教育局就落实新的14天隔离时间进⾏沟通。

我们正在积极准备的事项

• 根据这⼀新信息，AISG管理层团队和董事会正在讨论学校继续运营的可⾏性⻓期战略，假定3 ⽉16⽇不再是⼀个可⾏的线下教育复课的⽇期。

我们需要家⻓们考虑以下⼏个⽅⾯

• 如果AISG在3⽉16⽇没有恢复线下教育，我们希望您与您的孩⼦/孩⼦们的班主任⽼师或督导探 讨如何⽀持您的孩⼦参与在线学习和社交情感健康的⽅法。

因此，AISG将继续关闭，直到⼴州市教育局通知我们可以复课。我们承诺⾄少提前三周通知我们的社 区成员，等候政府复课通知。我们将持续通过我们的在线学习为所有的学⽣提供学习课程。

在此期间，若我们从当地政府获悉更多信息，我们会继续定期向各位家⻓提供最新的信息沟通。

我知道这也许不是你们许多⼈所期望的更新，但我⿎励你们继续与我们的⽼师和管理层保持对话。我 们⼀起⾯对。毫⽆疑问，我们都渴望这场危机尽快结束，但我知道，我们社区的⼒量和我们在这段时

间的相互⽀持将帮助我们渡过难关。

⼀如既往，如果您有任何问题、担忧或反馈，请发送电⼦邮件到prepare@aisgz.org。

让我们保持冷静，坚持到底，保持健康和积极⾯对!

Kevin Baker
Director
American International School of Guangzhou