Inspection Day

Dear Friends,

Our incredible office, transportation, and cleaning staff got the ECE campus ready for the government inspection in one and a half workdays. It was a flurry of activity that ended with us standing around waiting for the inspection team who arrived about an hour after they were scheduled. Once they arrived, I welcomed them with the help of our school secretary and they were off with our government relations teams to tour the school.  We were ready and approved with a few minor adjustments to make before we re-opened the following week.

Heather

Time Flies

Dear Friends,

Wow! Last post was three weeks ago. It has been a busy three weeks with long days. I snapped this photo on my way out of work one night. I am sure I had been there since 6:45 am. This was the latest night, with most running until about 7:00 pm. 

Exhaustedly yours,

Heather

Filming Day

   


Dear Friends,

New arrival and dismissal routines will be in place when our 2-5-year olds return to campus. In an effort to make for an easier transition for our students and parents that will not be allowed on campus, our marketing department is putting together videos for our community. Our office staff spent some time yesterday demonstrating our new entry routines. Today's projects include developing a script and recording the voiceover for the community video.

Busily yours,
Heather

Health Protocols

Dear Friends,

I cannot even begin to imagine how much time I have put into the illness flow charts for our two campuses in Hongqiao. These documents are crucial to everyone on campus knowing what to do if someone is identified as having an elevated temperature. With COVID-19, the days of taking every child to the school clinic are long gone. Now it's off to the isolation station or quarantine station depending on the time of day. A specific procedure is followed in order to confirm a fever before a student or staff member is sent off to the fever clinic as mandated by the Shanghai Education Commission and the CDC. While these include a lot of information there is also the behind the scenes process of who contacts parents, administration and our government relations office. 

In good health,

Heather

Return to Campus Planning Diet

Mid Day Treat

Friday Night Dinner 

Dear Friends,

I've been the only foreigner most of the last week at school with our local staff. I've been provided local lunches (all veggie) from the school and the surprise of a bubble tea from our government relations officer. Friday night meal planning was all my own-treats from the local convenience store (Family Mart) located in the metro paired with wine delivered to my doorstep by Bottles XO. I enjoyed this elaborate meal while I worked for a few more hours at home. Next week thinking about doing some actual meal planning.

Love,
Heather

ECE Return to Campus Committee

Dear Friends,

I have been fortunate to work with two different groups identified as Return to Campus (RTC) committees: a systemwide committee consisting largely of system vice-principals; an ECE committee of teachers and assistants. Yesterday was the first day that the ECE RTC committee was able to meet on campus. This team reviewed our new spaces and ways of movement throughout the campus and are hard at work thinking through new arrival and dismissal plans, health protocols and developmentally appropriate ways to welcome our children back to campus and comfort parents as they are not permitted on campus.

With Gratitude,
Heather

Whirlwind

Quarantine Station 

Staff Lunch Set Up

Thermal Imaging at Entrance 

Dear Friends,

The announcement from the Shanghai government on Saturday was met with the news that we had a campus inspection on the following Thursday. Staff returned to campus on Wednesday and there was a whirlwind of activity in every corner of the ECE campus from thermal imaging being set up to quarantine tents erected. The campus we left at the end of the day looked different from the one we arrived to in the morning.

Love,
Heather

Return to ECE

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Dear Friends,

The Shanghai Education Commission announced on Saturday that students in Grades 3 and under could return to school as of June 2. With this news, our ECE staff sprang into action. Today was the first day office staff and administration were permitted to work on campus for a full day. As I greeted everyone this morning I was tearing up with joy to see our ECE family coming back "home". We literally hit the ground running as our government inspection is tomorrow. I couldn't be more proud of all the heart and soul that was put into getting the campus ready to welcome teachers and students back.

Love,
Heather

Grades 4-8 Return

Dear Friends,

Today we welcomed grades 4-8 back to campus. Our grades 1-3 classroom and single-subject teachers were out on the field cheering our students back onto campus. It's great hearing the voices of children on the campus again.

Love,

Heather

Welcome Back Dragons!

Front gate temperature check station

Dear Friends,

On May 6 we welcomed our grade 10 and 12 students back to campus. The return of students brought joy to our buildings. All staff from guards and cleaners to teachers and administration were delighted to see our buses rolling in on Wednesday morning. The staggered return of students allows everyone to get familiar with the new routines on campus-temperature checks to enter and throughout the day, new entry and exits to buildings and lunch routines.

Love,
Heather

Trial Run

Arrival Procedures

Revising Lunch Traffic Flow

Dear Friends,

We welcomed teachers back to our main campus on Monday. This was a great opportunity for us to run through our procedures and see how things work before students come on campus in two days. Much of the day was spent directing staff to new traffic patterns around the campus and introducing them to new entry and lunch procedures. Many things did not quite work as planned so we made a few adjustments. 

Love, 

Heather

10 Years!

Dear Friends,

Last week was a busy week of prepping for faculty arrival back on our campus. On Saturday we took a couple of hours to go down and celebrate our anniversary at our favorite place on the Bund. Drinks at Pop! followed by a wonderful dinner at Mercato.

Don't worry, this was just a moment without our masks.

Love,
Heather

Health Protocols

Dear Friends,

Part of the work of the Return to Campus Committee has been to take the regulations from the CDC and the Shanghai Education Commission to create and communicate new protocols for many aspects of the school day. This is one of many posters that will be shared with our community that clearly identifies new protocols for entering our school buses. As we have no kids on campus, this team and the nursing staff have been brushing up on our modeling and acting careers.

Love,
Heather

Admin Report

Dear Friends,

After leaving school on Jan. 23 for the Chinese New Year holiday, yesterday, Monday, April 27, was my first reporting day back on campus. Sadly, it was not my ECE campus but rather the Grade 1-12 Main campus as currently there are only plans for grades 4-12 to return. Our team has been hard at work getting things ready for the return of faculty and students across our small system of schools.

Love,
Heather

Return to Campus

Our IT team setting up temperature gauges

Dear Friends,

This week our school was informed that we can begin preparing for a return to campus. There is a lot to prepare; interpreting the Shanghai Education Commission Guidelines, ordering temperature gauges, signage, thinking through traffic flow, and emergency fever situations to name a few.

A few signs for around campus. 

Traffic flow

Maintain 1-meter distance from others 

Our incredible systemwide Return to Campus Committee made of vice-principals (that's me!), marketing, facilities, government relations and our tech team, has been busy this week getting things ready to welcome back staff and students. We are hoping to see staff by May 4 and Grades 10 & 12 shortly thereafter. Things change by the minute so we have been strengthening our flexibility and problem-solving skills.

Love,
Heather

Air Quality

Dear Friends,

With the slow down the last few months in China, the air quality has improved significantly. I usually have to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) app every morning before a run. My cut off is 150, with usual ranges from 100-150. Since our return a month ago, the AQI has been around 50 or lower. It's been nice to not have the AQI ruin my running plans. One positive that has come out of these crazy times!

Love,
Heather

Temperature Checks

Dear Friends, 

Temperature checks are commonplace when entering restaurants, gyms and apartment compounds. Employees are assigned to this task at most places, however, in some of the lane houses, it is my understanding that neighborhood volunteers are assigned to this task. From my experience, if your temperature is extremely low it is no cause for alarm. Hoping I don't get to tell you first hand what happens if it is above 37. 3 C. 

Love,

Heather

Slow Re-opening

Dear Friends,

We live near Tian Zi Fang which is normally quite busy with people on the weekends as they wind their way through narrow alleys. The small alleys are not easy to get through and changes have been made in order to reopen this area to visitors. The many entrances have been closed, allowing access only through this one location. 

                                               

All the signs on the gate explain the system for making reservations for a time to get in. I am assuming that only a certain number are allowed in at a time with a required departure time. Additionally, you are required to show your health QR Code. This is all checked once you walk through the gate along with the required temperature check as you enter. 

While all the closures and checks are inconvenient and sometimes difficult to understand for us non-Mandarin speakers/readers, the city is doing its best to slowly open.

Love,

Heather 

Conflicted

Dear Friends,

Like most places currently, there is an unusual atmosphere around Shanghai. We are required to wear masks around town. However, at restaurants and cafes, these can be removed to eat and drink. To walk on the street, it appears that many things are returning to "normal". However, when talking with my doctor yesterday, she cautioned that it is still wise to maintain social distancing. We are still working out a balance that feels comfortable for us.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Public Messages

Dear Friends,

I keep seeing these posters around town. I don't need to be able to read Mandarin to get the message. Particularly like the Shanghai strong poster.

Love,
Heather

Guidelines

Dear Friends,

As Shanghai continues to recover from the Coronavirus outbreak, new guidelines come out periodically. This week, these were shared with staff...

• If going to public places, for example, supermarkets or shopping malls or parks, please wear masks and show the Green Code. The Green Code has been used widely when entering public places.

• Please be cooperative when the staff wants to take the body temperature when entering public places or neighborhoods. In April, some places have canceled the temperature measurement, but some still do.

• Online shopping delivery service could be door to door service now, instead of dropping the things down at the gate of the neighborhood. But that might depend on each neighborhood’s management. 

• Always remember to wash hands after outing activities. Wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. This is something the Ministry of Health department emphasizes a lot. 

• Social distancing. Yes, of course. Even though some restaurants and cafes have started the offline business again. The local government still doesn’t want to see big crowds of people together in one place.

• Please be aware of the social distancing when exercising, sports for example, basketball and soccer ball or any sports including body contact are not encouraged. Walking, jogging or bicycle riding are encouraged in places with fewer people.

• It is ok for citizens not to wear a mask, if they are exercising, for example, running, bicycle riding, etc, especially when doing intensive exercises.

Love,

Heather and Bradley

Free!

Dear Friends,

Today marks day 14 and the end of our in-apartment quarantine (and Brad's birthday). What does that mean? We no longer have to take and text our temperatures to a community nurse twice a day, text someone when we open our door to put out trash or accept a delivery, and most importantly, we are free to go out in public places around town. Of course, we thought this was a big day but were surprised when the community nurse showed up with a doctor and presented us with small "gifts" of flags and a letter to thank us for our cooperation and proposed the photo above. You can't tell, but we are grinning from ear to ear with excitement.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Refining Skills

Dear Friends,

Among many other things we have been doing to keep ourselves busy for our 14 day in apartment quarantine, Brad has been refining his "Mixology" skills.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

QR Codes

Dear Friends,

QR codes are being used to allow people into public places such as restaurants, malls, and public transportation. The color coding is as you would expect, green-free to go anywhere, with yellow and red indicating different levels of quarantine.

Upon our arrival, we completed the online questionnaire and were given a green status, which lasted all of about 10 minutes. As we are on a 14 day home quarantine, we are red. Periodically throughout this time, we have checked the app and somedays it is red and somedays green.

All that really matters is that it is green and stays that way after Friday when we have completed our 14 day in apartment quarantine.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Memory Lane

Dear Friends,

Day 10 of quarantine. One of the items on my list of home organizational projects was to convert my paper recipes into my online recipe file. I had no idea that this project would be similar to flipping through old photo albums. It has been a lovely opportunity to reflect on friendships and great memories.

Love,
Heather

Sanity Saver

Dear Friends,

I have become reacquainted with my 15-year-old treadmill this week. This treadmill has kept me from the Bucharest street dogs, the heat of Abu Dhabi summers and the pollution of Shanghai.  I was thinking about getting rid of it right before the holidays. SO glad I did not. This, along with my yoga mat, has been keeping me sane for the first eight days of quarantine. 

Love,

Heather

National Day of Mourning

Dear Friends,

Today in China's Qingming Festival. This year China used this day as a national day of mourning for those that were lost to the Coronavirus.

Love,
Heather

New Addition

Dear Friends,

Today we opened the door to receive our grocery and water delivery to find this sign stuck to our door. Yet another preventative measure by the quarantine police, as we kindly refer to the volunteers ensuring the health and safety of our community.

Love,
Heather and Bradley

Care Package

Dear Friends,

This care package arrived yesterday from my school. A nice little surprise to brighten up our day. The masks are especially welcome as we will need to wear them when going outside when our quarantine is over.

Love,
Heather and Bradley