SFES Parent Handbook 2013 2014 by Seoul Foreign School

Contents SEOUL FOREIGN MISSION STATEMENT ................................................................................ 3 SEOUL FOREIGN VISION STATEMENT .................................................................................. 3 SFS ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES ........................................................................................... 4 WHAT'S HAPPENING 2013-2014 .............................................................................................. 6 ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL ..................................................................................................... 8 AQUATICS AFTER SCHOOL AND SATURDAY ACTIVITIES ...................................................................... 8 CAFETERIA................................................................................................................................. 8 CLASS SIZE ................................................................................................................................ 9 COUNSELOR .............................................................................................................................. 9 DISCIPLINE POLICY................................................................................................................. 10 DRESS CODE (STANDARIZED) .............................................................................................. 10 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ................................................................................................. 12 HEALTH PROCEDURES .......................................................................................................... 12 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST ........................................................................................... 14 GRADES 1-5 PROGRAMS ....................................................................................................... 14 GRADING .................................................................................................................................. 14 GUARDIANSHIP HOMEWORK ............................................................................................................................. 15 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS ......................................................................................... 16 KOREAN LANGUAGE .............................................................................................................. 17 LIBRARY ................................................................................................................................... 17 NUISANCE ITEMS .................................................................................................................... 18 PROMOTION POLICY............................................................................................................... 18 REPORTING STUDENT PROGRESS ...................................................................................... 18 RELIGION PROGRAM .............................................................................................................. 18 SCHOOL DAY ........................................................................................................................... 19 SCHOOL STORE/SUPPLIES ................................................................................................... 19 STAFF ........................................................................................................................................ 23 STUDENT BIRTHDAYS ............................................................................................................ 23 TECHNOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 TRANSPORTATION.................................................................................................................. 25 VISITING THE CLASSROOM ................................................................................................... 26 VISITORS .................................................................................................................................. 26 STAFF ROSTER 2013-2014 ..................................................................................................... 27 2013-2014 ES ROTATIONAL CALENDAR ………………………………. BACK INSIDE COVER

Seoul Foreign School Mission Statement Seoul Foreign School, centered in Christ, inspires educational excellence and promotes Christian values, personal integrity and responsible global citizenship through a dynamic international experience. Adopted 2010

Seoul Foreign School Vision Statement Seoul Foreign School (SFS), the premier choice of the international community in Seoul, is known for its students and alumni who strive for excellence and maintain an intrinsic love of learning. SFS, centered in Christ, is acclaimed for the depth and breadth of its academic and extracurricular programs that meet the intellectual, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its students. Recognizing its unique setting, this school and its staff are committed to innovative programs that value the growth and talents of each student. Students are served by a caring, competent, and creative staff. A spirit of true teamwork and caring exists throughout the school environment and extends to the broader community. Graduates are leaders in the global community, experts in their fields, and serve their communities and nations through meaningful social contributions. They identify and communicate clearly defined personal values, practicing them in daily decisionâ&#x20AC;?making. They demonstrate a high level of sensitivity to and understanding of a diverse society.

SFS Essential Competencies & Standards (May ‘13)

NOTE: Shaded sections indicate correlation to National Education Technology Standards, ‘NETS’. 1. LEARNING & INNOVATION SPECIFIC SKILLS: Students will be able to: 1.1 CREATIVITY & INNOVATION. (NETS) 1.1.1 Apply knowledge of content and skills to create and refine new ideas, products, or processes that make a realistic contribution. (NETS) 1.1.2 Think creatively by using a wide range of ideas and creative techniques e.g. brainstorming. 1.1.3 Work creatively with others using the design cycle (investigate, design, plan, create and evaluate) to explore issues, materials and complex systems to present possible solutions (NETS). 1.1.4 Form and communicate innovative solutions while considering other perspectives, limitations and consequences (NETS) 1.2 CRITICAL THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING (NETS) Reason Effectively 1.2.1. Investigate different points of view and thinking to explore alternative solutions e.g dialectical thought e.g. de Bono's Thinking Hats (NETS) 1.2.2 Think at different levels to meet the challenges they are facing e.g. Bloom’s Taxonomy. 1.2.3 Think about how one thinks and how one learns e.g. metacognition 1.2.4. Use systems thinking to analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce an outcome Make Judgments and Decisions 1.2.5 Identify the source of the material (i.e. opinion; factual; primary or secondary) in order to make an informed decision 1.2.6. Analyse, interpret and synthesize information, to make connections and draw conclusions. 1.2.7 Make informed group decisions based on consensus (NETS) Solve Problems 1.2.8 Identify and define authentic problems and form significant questions for investigation. (NETS) 1.2.9 Use a variety of techniques and methods to solve problems. (NETS) 1.3 COMMUNICATION (NETS) 1.3.1 Communicate information effectively for a variety of purposes(e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade, create) to multiple audience (including multi-lingual) (NETS) 1.3.2 Communicate information effectively using appropriate techniques, tools, technologies and media e.g. using the Writing Process, 6 Traits of Writing, using different structures forms/ genres, etc. (NETS) 1.4 COLLABORATION (NETS) 1.4.1 Identify and utilise a variety of techniques and tools (e.g. technology) to enhance interaction and productivity. (NETS) 1.4.2. Demonstrate cultural understanding, flexibility and an ability to leverage differences to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams to create original ideas, quality products or solve problems. e.g. contribute respectfully and responsibly to a group; develop group

cohesion - use group abilities and dynamics effectively for a positive outcome; achieve consensus when making a decision; resolve conflict; be accountable for results;.(NETS) 1.4.3 Adopt a variety of group roles and understand what behavior and responsibility is associated to each e.g. the behavior of being a leader is different to that of being a follower. 1.5 REFLECTION 1.5.1. Sets realistic goals and a plan/ process to be followed to undertake a project or solve a problem using appropriate terminology and diagrams. 1.5.2. Students can articulate the effectiveness (strengths & weaknesses of a selected tool, plan / processes and/or chosen course of action and connect prior experience with future possibilities 1.5.3. Seeks feedback from valued others (peers, teachers, parents) on their learning or project and considers these. 2. INFORMATION, MEDIA & ICT SPECIFIC SKILLS: Students will be able to: 2.1 INFORMATION LITERACY (NETS) 2.1.1 Utilize a planning framework to teach the information literacy skills i.e. To: Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information critically and competently from a variety of sources and media. e.g. The Super 3; The Big Six (NETS). SW Benchmarks. 2.1.2 Communicate results using an appropriate genre / form, techniques and tools (e.g.appropriate multimedia. in-text referencing, footnoting, etc.).(NETS) 2.1.3 Manage and organize the flow of information from a wide variety of sources. e.g. establishing filing system, social booking marking, etc. 2.2 MEDIA & ICT LITERACY (NETS) Analyze Media 2.2.1. Understand both how and why media messages are constructed, and for what purposes. 2.2.2. Examine how individuals interpret messages differently. 2.2.3 Recognize how the media can manipulate messages to influence beliefs and behaviors. Apply Technology Effectively to Create Media Products 2.2.4. Understand and use appropriate digital technologies (computers, mobile devices, apps, etc.) and communication and social networks techniques and tools effectively to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and communicate information necessary to successfully function in a knowledge based society.(NETS) 2.2.5. Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information technologies. 3. LIFE & CAREER SPECIFIC SKILLS: Students will be able to: 3.1 FLEXIBILITY & ADAPTABILITY 3.1.1. Adapt to varied roles, jobs, responsibilities, schedules and context. 3.1.2. Deal constructively with both positive and negative feedback and experiences to make appropriate adjustments to practices. 3.1.3. Understand, negotiate and balance diverse views and beliefs to reach workable solutions, particularly in multi-cultural environments. 3.2 INITIATIVE AND SELF DIRECTION (SELF MANAGEMENT) Manage Goals and Time 3.2.1. Understand the importance of intellectual, physical, social and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

3.2.2. Manage time by setting short-term and long-term goals with clear success criteria. 3.2.3. Establish realistic plans to achieve goals, monitor progress and make alterations where necessary. Be Self-directed independent Learners 3.2.4. Monitor, define, prioritize and complete tasks with appropriate supervision. 3.2.5. Demonstrate initiative to go beyond basic mastery of skills and acquisition of knowledge to explore and expand oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own learning and opportunities. 3.2.6. Demonstrate commitment to learning as a lifelong process. 3.2.7. Reflect critically on past experiences in order to inform future progress. 3.2.8 Understand personal factors that promote learning i.e learning style, multiple intelligences, motivation, etc. Work Effectively With Diverse Teams To Produce Quality Results 3.2.9. Demonstrate attributes associated with producing high quality products including the abilities to: - Work positively and ethically through active participation. - Show reliability and punctuality - Be open-minded allowing the group to leverage social differences to collaborate and cooperate as a team to produce a positive quality result. 3.3 LEADERSHIP & RESPONSIBILITY 3.3.1. Plan appropriate course of actions to address an issue, consider their consequences and take responsibility for their individual and group outcomes. 3.3.2 Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal 3.3.3. Leverage strengths of others (group dynamics) to accomplish a common goal 3.3.4. Inspire others to reach their very best via example. 3.3.5. Use influence, power and authority with integrity 3.4 RESPONSIBLE GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP: (NETS) 3.4.1. Understand technological, human, cultural, environmental and societal issues of a variety of communities. 3.4.2 Encourage and practice ethical work practices e.g. responsible use of information and technology. (NETS) 3.4.3 Exhibit a positive attitude that supports collaboration, learning and constructive use of learning tools e.g. technology to enhance productivity.(NETS) 3.4.4 Respond open-mindedly and respectfully to different ideas, values and cultural perspectives 3.4.5 Understand the rights and responsibilities of being a member of a community 3.4.6 Demonstrate personal responsibility for life-long learning.(NETS) 3.4.7 Demonstrate service within a variety of communities i.e. class, school, local, national, international 4. SPIRITUAL SPECIFIC SKILLS: Students will be able to: 4.1 UNDERSTAND A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW 4.1.1. Think critically about Christian and non-Christian beliefs by comparing perspectives, values and traditions. 4.1.2. Demonstrate Christ-like attitudes in interactions with others. 4.1.3. Understand Christian values as a framework for moral and ethical decision making.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN 2013-2014 Many of the following events are listed on the school calendar as well, but here is a quick summary. Registration Day New Student Orientation – 9:00 – 12 noon Returning students – 1:00 – 3:00 pm 15 First Day of School – Day 1 22 Opening Assembly – 12:40 pm – Lyso Center 27 Back-to-School for 4th and 5th grade parents 29 Back-to-School Night for parents, JK – g. 3 (7 – 8:30 PM) – Robb Hall 26 – Sept. 27 Map Testing 30 All Faculty Workday

August

September

5&6 7 14 16 – 20 25 26 28 & 29 30 – Oct. 4

October

Parent/Teacher conferences (3rd evening, No school for ES students on Oct. 4th) 9 All Faculty Workday – no school for students – Day 0 11 Junior Olympics 21 - 25 ES Korea Week – Hanbok Day Oct. 25 28 – Nov. 1 Elementary Picture Days

November

8 27 28 & 29

End of Trimester I Early Dismissal Report cards home – ½ workday Thanksgiving Holiday

December

4 11 6 10 16 –31

Preschool – Grade One Christmas Program – 10:15 AM Chapel – 12:40 pm – Chapel Committee – Lyso Center 4th & 5th grade Choir and 5th grade Band Concerts, 1:15 PM 2nd & 3th grade Christmas Concerts, 1:45 PM – Robb Hall Christmas vacation

January 2014

1–5 6 17 – Feb. 21 30 & 31

Continuation of Christmas vacation First Day of School 2014 – Day 1 MAP Testing Lunar New Year Holidays

February

3 19 19

All Faculty Workday – no school for students Hearts to Serve Assembly Dongdaewon TB Care Center Fundraising begins

March

Fifth Grade Retreat PTA Ice Cream Social ES Band Day Chusok United in Prayer on Field – 8:15 AM Chapel – 8:30 am – Chapel Committee – Lyso Center Google Summit ES Library Book Fair

3&4

1 6

Saturday – Samil Day End of Trimester II

6 7 14 24 - 28

Dongdaewon Fair Day – 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ES Division Workday, (No school for ES students) – Day 6 KORCOS – Faulty Workday, no school for students – Day 0 Spring Break

Parent/Teacher conferences (11th evening, No school for ES students on April 11th) 17 Easter Chapel – 12:40 pm – Lyso Center, Chapel Committee 18 Holiday – Good Friday – no school – Day 0 21 - 25 ES Library Week 30 Primary Fun Day (for Grades PS – 2) 8:30 AM – 12 noon 28 – May 23 MAP Tests

April

10 & 11

May

2 5 6 10 15 – 16 30

Rain date for Primary Fun Day (for grades PS – 2) Day Holiday – Children’s Day – no school Holiday – Buddha’s Birthday – no school PTA International Fair 4th Grade Drama Production (May 15th 3:15pm, May 16th 5:30pm) ES Band/ 4th and 5th Grade Choir Concert – 1:15 PM y 6

6 9 10 11 13 13 14

Memorial Day – no school 4th Grade Spelling Bee – 1:00pm Robb Hall Day Leaving – Good-bye Assembly – Lyso Center - Afternoon 5th Grade Spelling Bee – 1:00pm Robb Hall – Day 2 PM Last day of school (12:00 dismissal – No lunch served) High School Graduation Last Teacher Workday

5 June

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL An excused absence is granted for illness or emergency. All other absences are considered by the school to be unexcused. We all understand the necessity of missing school occasionally. Parents wishing to schedule a long weekend or holiday must understand that the days missed by their child will be difficult to make up. Teachers often can send along a few ideas of work likely to be missed, but it is difficult to plan advanced lessons for your child when your child needs to be absent for trips or vacations. The class interactions and the teacher’s delivery of material cannot be recreated through a set of exercises of extended work. It is very important, not only for the child, but for the teacher also that students are in school beginning the first day of the semester. It is not in a student’s best interest to miss the important first few days of class bonding. Extending the summer holiday into the beginning of the school year is definitely “frowned upon.” To ensure the safety of your child when he/she is absent from school, the parent should telephone the school office before 8:30 AM and inform the school that the child will be absent.

AFTER SCHOOL and SATURDAY ACTIVITIES There are numerous after school activities at SFS in the SWEP (School-Wide Extracurricular Program). Activities include but are not limited to: swimming throughout the year, soccer, Awana, Girl and Boy Scout programs, ballet and dance, gymnastics, martial arts, various music lessons, and teacher run activities. The list changes from session to session depending on the availability of parents and teachers. Some activities are free and others are available for a fee. Electronic sign-ups times take place before each session. Please watch the website for a description of activities and the electronic sign-up periods. Parents interested in helping or teaching an activity should contact Jack Moon at jmoon@seoulforeign.org On Saturday mornings, the Seoul Foreign PTA offers a variety of sports as well, typically including soccer, softball and basketball. All Saturday sports require the help of parents to coach. Contact the ES PTA representative for further info. Please be ready to volunteer or have your spouse volunteer you! There are no late buses available for elementary students. Please do not allow your child/ren to stay after school and play, if they are not enrolled in an activity or are not supervised. There is not any after school supervision for elementary students. We are concerned about student safety and we want all elementary students to be supervised while at school.

AQUATICS (SWIMMING) PROGRAM SWIM CLASSES The swimming program is based on the swimming skill levels of American Red Cross. Students will be working towards completing a range of skills in a swimming level/s. At the end of the academic year, students in the Elementary division will receive a report card on the level where students are currently working. The reports will illustrate the knowledge and skills the students have “demonstrated competency”. Students in Junior Kindergarten through Grade 5 will have two 5-week blocks of swimming lessons during their regular P.E. class time during the fall and the spring. Students in Preschool have one 5week block of swimming lessons during their regular P.E. class time during the spring. At the end of the students’ two swimming blocks, the school will offer students an opportunity to purchase an American Red Cross swimming level card. The purchase of the level card is optional at a cost of US$3 or KRW5,000. All money is to be submitted to the Aquatics staff and any checks should be made payable to the American Red Cross.

If a student is unable to swim due to sickness or injury, they are still expected to attend the swimming class and obtain a note from their parent or guardian explaining the reason and forward the note to the child’s swimming instructor. On the first occasion, a note from home is required. On the second occasion, a Doctor’s certificate / note will be required. PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR SWIM CLASSES Seoul Foreign School Elementary School would like to encourage parents to attend swimming classes to assist the swimming instructors. Parent volunteers are requested for the following grades or year levels in the Fall and the Spring. Fall JK - 4 parents (2 parents per locker room)

Spring PS - 4 parents (2 parents per locker room) JK - 2 parents (1 parent per locker room)

SK - 2 parents (1 parent per locker room)

Please note the number of volunteers may change depending on the maturity of the group. In the fall, the students may need a little more help whereas in the spring, we are encouraging the students to be more independent in the locker rooms. Please note… 1. All students are encouraged to actively participate in each swim lesson. 2. All students must bring a swimming bag with a towel and swimsuit on swimming days. 3. Appropriate swimsuits should be worn. Appropriate swimwear for the boys should be brief style or speedo trunk that is firm fitting and a 1-piece swimsuit for the girls. Long, baggy shorts and bikinis are inappropriate. 4. All students must take a shower before entering and after leaving the pool deck area. 5. No one is allowed in the pool area with bandages, tape, ointments, sores or infectious diseases. 6. If your child has a plantar wart, please have these treated and as a precautionary measure on swimming days, please cover them with duck tape. Duck tape will be used at the pool if these are not covered. 7. No diving in the shallow water or running on deck. 8. All students must follow instructions. 9. Jewelry must be removed (E.g. watches, necklaces, bracelets and rings). 10. Long hair must be secured back with hair ties. Swim caps should be worn. 11. Appropriate clothing should be worn by children on swim days so they can dress and undress independently. 12. Swimming goggles may be worn by children working on Level IV or higher. Children are encouraged to open their eyes in the water in levels I, II and III.

For more information, please go to the ES Aquatics page on the SFS website.

CAFETERIA The lunch period is 45 minutes in length. This includes the eating time as well as the lunch playtime. Students in grades Preschool – 5 have the choice of purchasing their lunch in the school’s cafeteria or bringing their own lunch to school. Students in Preschool and Grade 1 pre-purchase their lunches on a monthly basis. Students in Preschool and JK eat in the classroom with their teachers. Arrangements for the pre-paid lunches are made through the classroom teacher or in the elementary office. Students in Grades 2-5 have the choice of buying a western or Korean meal by going through the service line. Lunches are prepared by the JJ Catering and offer numerous ‘set’ menus, which are published monthly on our website. The School's Caterer, J&J Catering, uses a system that is designed to operate as a “debit” system for payments for food items in the cafeteria. This means that there MUST BE FUNDS IN A STUDENT’S ACCOUNT before any purchases may be made. Please note that students will not be allowed to overdraw their accounts to purchase items if adequate funds are not in their account at the time of the purchase. Funds can be deposited into a student’s account at the re-charge station in the cafeteria or by bank transfer; IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE 5 DIGIT STUDENT ACCOUNT NUMBER ACCOMPANY ANY ON-LINE TRANSFER, transfers must be made on-line or in person at your bank—NOT AT AN ATM. Transfer of funds are to be made to J&J Catering account number 204-910009-09304 at Hana Bank; again, please make sure that the 5-digit student account number appears on the transfer. J&J will process any funds received daily and the transfer should appear on the student’s account the next day. Any transfers received without the student’s 5-digit account number will be reversed and returned to the account from where the transfer was received. If you should need some help, please call the IT office at 330-3125 and our IT Support Associate, will walk you through the process. Several years ago, SFS started a biometric system using students’ fingerprints due to parent input. Students no longer need lunch cards. Parents may check on-line to see the balance of their child’s account and to see what their child is spending money on from day to day. PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS ENOUGH MONEY ON HIS/HER ACOUNT AT ALL TIMES! (Won 10,000 should be a minimum). A student needs to have enough money in the system for them to buy lunch each week. We want students to eat healthy foods while at school. Students may bring their own lunch but may not bring soda pop, chips, candy or other ‘junk’ to eat at school.

CLASS SIZE SFS strives to ensure that normally the maximum size of the Preschool is 12, while the maximum size of the JK is 16. Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 is 20 students and for Grades 2-5 is 23. Classroom assistants are provided to teachers Preschool – Grade One. One assistant is shared among the Grade 2 classes while another assistant helps Grade 3 and 4 teachers. In addition, parent, high school and middle school volunteers may assist all teachers in the classrooms.

COUNSELOR The Seoul Foreign School elementary counselors are primary student advocates delivering classroom guidance in accordance with the International Model for School Counseling Programs. The guidance curriculum is designed to serve all ES students in areas affecting

their growth and development in the social, emotional, educational, physical and spiritual domains. In addition to classroom guidance, the counselors work with students individually as needed, in small group sessions, during transitions when students are arriving or departing, in crisis matters, with parents in parenting education classes, in study skills planning, and with the Child Study Team (CST) as it assesses special needs of students. This necessitates a close collaboration between the counselors, teachers and parents as a team to provide the best possible support to our students. This teamwork includes close work with outside referral resources and the SFS school psychologist when useful or necessary.

DISCIPLINE POLICY - We are a bully-free school! SFS students are expected to behave in a way to keeps them safe and others safe. At all times, students are expected to be respectful toward others and to show respect for the property of others. It is important that students also remember that words like, “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” and “I’m sorry,” are expected as showing common loving courtesy to others. Each month a different Christ-like Attitude is emphasized across SFS divisions. Stealing, writing on walls or negligent breaking or damaging of school property will result in the replacement or complete restoration of the property at the expense of the student. Teachers discipline their students in different ways depending on the seriousness of the infraction and how often it occurs. The normal process of discipline is: Verbal Warnings The caring first step in solving behavioral problems is to explain to the student that the behavior is inappropriate and why it must change. If the behavior continues, it is then time to try some other method. Recess Detention If a student does not respond to a verbal warning, the teacher may decide to detain the student at recess. Referral to the Assistant Principal At any time, but especially if verbal warning or loss of recess time do not seem to work, the teacher will refer the student to the assistant principal. The assistant principal will confer with the student, teacher, principal and/or parents in an effort to eliminate the problem and change the behavior. Conference with the Principal If none of these approaches are satisfactory, it is then time for the principal to meet with the student and his/her parents to discuss how the problem can be resolved. It is our hope that the problem will be resolved in this conference. In rare and very serious instances, a discussion regarding whether the child is to remain enrolled in SFS may need to take place. If necessary, student suspension or expulsion may result. Suspension and Expulsion When all else seems to have failed or if on a first offense the behavior is of a very serious nature such as physical fighting, stealing, and bullying whether physical or cyber bullying – suspension of the student may be imposed by the principal. If the student continues to have problems, the principal will recommend expulsion from school. The parents then have the right to meet with the headmaster and petition for reconsideration. Please note, bullying is not tolerated at Seoul Foreign School. Bullying is defined as any repeated attempt to intimidate another student. These acts may be physical (including looks), verbal, or non-verbal intimidation of students, through the

Internet, text messaging, including posing as another person on-line. Cyber bullying is not only illegal, but is just as destructive to students as physical acts of aggression. These acts of intimidation will be dealt with severely, and may result in suspension and or expulsion from school.

DRESS CODE (updated June 7, 2013) There are now many options, both in Seoul and online, for families to obtain the SFES standardized dress articles of clothing. Students need to follow the standardized dress code while at school unless there are special events. Red or White logo polo shirts that meet the ES requirements may now be obtained from the SFS Spirit Shop. If you prefer a different grade of material, you may order logo shirts from Lands End, or purchase plain red or white polo shirts from outlets here in Korea or overseas. Possible stores are listed below. If you are not able to purchase plain colored polo shirts, red and white SFS logo patches may be bought in the SFS Spirit Shop. Many parents have found black and/or Khaki shorts and pants that fit our standardized dress requirements through Old Navy, Land’s End, Gap, and local locations such as in Namdaemun Market and local department stores. As tailors in Korea are plentiful and reasonably priced, many parents may also choose to have clothing made. We thank you for purchasing slacks that are not cargo-style (external pocketed) shorts or pants. The standardized dress code guidelines for the Elementary School for the 20132014 school year will consist of the following. BOYS Bottoms  Long trouser-like slacks or pants – (pls. no cargo style pants with large pockets on legs) – in khaki or black color  Shorts – khaki or black color  Cotton or wool fabric – no denim (Pants should not contain logos, emblems or stripes) Shirts  Polo style with collar - plain white or red  Short or long sleeve  Cotton fabric  All white oxford short or long sleeve button down shirt (Shirts should not contain logos, emblems or stripes) Sweaters/Layers for in the classroom  Red, white or black cardigan or pull over (plain, no logos)  ‘Spiritwear’ from the SFS Spirit Shop (zip up or pull over SFS sweatshirts) (Sweaters should not contain logos, emblems or stripes) Shoes  Sneakers  Closed toe shoes  Boots (as needed for wet & cold weather)  No traditional CROCS (the loose fitting type with the sling around the back of the foot), however croc closed shoes and croc boots are acceptable  No open toe shoes, such as sandals or open toed Teva’s GIRLS Bottoms  Long trouser-like slacks – no cargo style (large pockets on legs) pants- khaki* or black color  Shorts – khaki or black color  Skorts or skirts – khaki or black color  Red polo dress, long or short sleeve (shorts underneath are recommended)

 

Khaki jumpers (shorts underneath are recommended) Cotton or wool fabric – no denim (Pants should not contain logos, emblems or stripes)

Shirts    

Polo style with collar - plain white or red Short or long sleeve Cotton fabric All white oxford short or long sleeve button down shirt (Shirts should not contain logos, emblems or stripes) Sweaters/Layers for in the classroom  Red, white or black cardigan or pull over (plain, no logos)  ‘Spiritwear’ from the SFS Spirit Shop (zip up or pull over SFS sweatshirts) (Sweaters should not contain logos, emblems or stripes) Shoes  Sneakers  Closed toe shoes  Boots (as needed for wet & cold weather)  No traditional CROCS (the loose fitting type with the sling around the back of the foot), however croc closed shoes and croc boots are acceptable  No open toe shoes, such as sandals or open toed Teva’s  No shoes with high heels SFES favors the khaki and red colors found in the Land’s End catalog. Land’s End items are sold in Sears stores in the U.S. along with their mail order/on-line business. Other companies such as JC Penneys, Old Navy, The Gap and Bean Pole are also quality companies to purchase standardized dress items. Several of these stores, such as The Gap and Bean Pole are located in Seoul. Comparable clothes may be found in other stores in Seoul such as Shinsegae, Lotte or Hyundai Department stores. Clothes purchased in The Spirit Shop such as pull over or zip up sweatshirts or sweaters (“Spirit Wear”) are considered standardized dress. SFS patches that can be sewn on are also available in The Spirit Shop. T-shirts from The Spirit Shop, class T-shirts or Saturday YSP team shirts will be reserved for school spirit days and sporting events. These T-shirts will not be considered standardized dress. Class T-shirts may be worn for field trips. As a part of the standardized dress, students must wear closed toed shoes to school each day. Open toed sandals of any kind are not healthy for growing children’s feet. They do not provide support for their arches. Sandals do not provide the safety children need for playing at recess or in physical education classes. Starting in August 2013, it will be our standardized dress policy that Elementary School students cannot wear the loose, 'traditional' crocs to school. Our reasons for this change of policy are the same reasons that we do not allow students to wear flip-flops, sandals, or other open-toed shoes to school. Over time our faculty has observed that students wearing the traditional crocs experience the crocs falling off often. Students are not able to run, jump and climb as safely as they can if wearing more fitted footwear. Other medical professionals and educators have come to the same conclusions about the safety concerns related to children wearing crocs all day long at school. We thank parents in advance for your support in this matter. Hats may not be worn in the school building.

Children need a second pair of athletic shoes to leave at school and to wear inside the gym for PE classes. Please be sure you purchase ‘non-marking’ shoes so that the PE shoes do not leave scuffmarks on the gym floors. Swimming suits are also needed during the swimming unit in fall and spring. Swimsuits are available in The Spirit Shop. Because items can get lost or misplaced, parents are encouraged to write their child’s name in their standardized dress items, coats, shoes, lunch boxes, etc. Our “lost and found” has a way of quickly building up! EXAMPLES FOR BOYS (see list below for complete details)

EXAMPLES FOR GIRLS (see list below for complete details)

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES The security of all of the students at SFS is our prime importance. SFS employs 24-hour school guards on site and while Korea has an extremely low crime rate, we want to maintain the highest security possible for our students. Although we have many entrances into the elementary school, we asked parents to stop in the office, sign in, pick up and wear an SFS Visitors badge while they are in the building. When parents are finished with their school business, they sign out in the office and return the badge. Teachers are aware to look for people who appear to be loitering or ‘look out of place’ on campus. No student is to be dismissed from school, except by the school office and/or the school nurse. When a student is to leave school early, we ask parents to send a note or call the office. The student remains in the classroom until someone from the school office, the principal, assistant principal, secretary, secretary assistant, or the counselor, comes to the teacher to personally collect the student. This is not done until someone comes to the office to collect the child. It is important that you telephone the school and send a note to the office, if your child is to be dismissed early or is to go home with anyone other than you. A child is not allowed to go and meet you or a driver in the parking garage for an early dismissal. SFS conducts regular fire drills and emergency evacuation procedures. The alarm for a fire is the continuous ringing of the fire bell. If you are on campus during a fire drill we ask that you exit the building immediately and stand on the turf field or the early childhood playground. We want all adults to be good role models in conducting emergency drills. In the unlikely event that a national emergency happens during the school hours, the school will hold and be responsible for all students until they are either turned over to their parents or any other person parents have designated to pick up their child. Keeping in mind the many variables that can change in the event of an emergency and the many different scenarios that can be identified, our basic premise is mentioned above.

GUARDIANSHIP All students attending SFS Elementary School must live with at least one parent while enrolled. If both parents are absent for a short period of time, the school must be informed as to who is the designated legal guardian of the elementary student during the parents’ absence. Verbal transfer of a guardianship is not allowed. There must be a written transfer of legal guardianship, for the protection of the minor student, given to the school. Relevant Administrative Regulations: 5160 Parents will be provided information both verbally and in writing on the mission and philosophy of the school during the admission process. Parents agree to support the rules and regulations of the school as a part of their students acceptance into SFS. 5126 Students attending SFS are expected to reside with at least one of their parents. The Principal/Head Teacher concerned and approved by the Head of School with notification to the Assistant Head of School-Operations must recommend any exception. 5140 Attendance at SFS is a privilege and not a right. The Head of School, in accordance with Korean Law, may withdraw this privilege at any time.

HEALTH PROCEDURES The school health policy is designated to provide the greatest safety and protection for SFS students and staff at Seoul Foreign School. A Korean and a US certified school nurse are on duty during school hours. An EMT is on duty until 5:30 pm during the school week.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS 16

All new students must provide a current physical examination and immunization documentation before their first day of school. A medical form is provided in the registration packet. The medical form contains two sides. One side called “medical history” is completed and signed by parents. The other side called “report of medical exam” needs to be completed and signed by a physician and must contain a TB skin test or chest x-ray. The school nurse can recommend doctors or hospitals in Seoul for the exam.

IMMUNIZATIONS SFS follows the regulations that are effective in the US. When you take your child to a doctor for a physical, take the immunization card along and update immunizations according to the schedule. All students are required to have 5 series of DTaP (DPT), 4 series of IPV or OPV (Polio), 2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), 3 series of Hepatitis B, PPD (TB skin test) or chest x-ray upon admission and then every two year. Students who are over 11 years old are required Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria). Students whose PPD result is positive must also provide the results of chest x-ray. Students who had BCG vaccine within the previous calendar year need not be tested for tuberculosis. However, students who had BCG vaccine more than one year ago must provide the results of PPD. If the PPD is positive, chest x-ray is also required. In the absence of PPD test or chest x-ray, the school will accept a physician’s written statement that the student is not infected with tuberculosis.

MEDICATIONS Students who need to take medications during school hours should have a written prescription and/or parental permission. For safe administration of medications brought in from home, the “Medication Permission Form” must be filled out by parents and sent along with the medication. The form is available on The SFS website and includes student’s name, homeroom, name or purpose of the medication, dose, time to be given, how to store the medication and parent’s signature. Students are not allowed to keep medicine or take the medicine by themselves. Medication will be kept in the nurse’s office during school hours.

EMERGENCIES If a serious injury or illness occurs at school, the nurse will make every effort to contact parents. Please keep the office informed of any change in home, business or emergency phone numbers. You are also asked to keep your contact information up to date on Powerschool. When a medical emergency situation exists, we will transport the student to Severance Hospital Emergency Room or International Clinic. The school nurse or EMT will accompany the student and meet parents at the hospital. If parents prefer another hospital, they can transfer from the emergency room or international clinic of Severance Hospital.

ILLNESS If your child is ill and unable to attend school, please call your division office or e-mail your child’s homeroom teacher and the school nurse on the first day of the illness. It is helpful if the nature of illness is described, so the nurse can watch for general trends. In order to prevent other students from being unnecessarily exposed to illness, parents are asked to keep the student home or pick up their child from school as soon as possible if he or she: Has a fever of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher  Has been vomiting  Has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as excessive tiredness or lack of appetite, productive coughing, headache, body aches, earache, and severe sore throat. 

Children should NOT return to school until fever has been gone for 24 hours WITHOUT medication.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES A student with communicable disease MUST be kept at home. Students are considered contagious during the following periods. 1) Chicken pox: until all blisters are scabbed and dry *Symptoms: Low grade fever with red spot or blisters on part of body that are usually covered by clothing 2) German Measles (Rubella): 7 days or until symptoms disappear *Symptoms: brief red rash, enlarged glands in neck 3) Mumps: 9 days or until swelling disappears *Symptoms: fever, swelling and tenderness of glands at angle of jaw. 4) Mononucleosis: Variable but usually 3-6 weeks *Symptoms: fever, sore throat, malaise, swollen glands in neck. 5) Scarlet fever or Strep throat: 7 days from onset if untreated or 48 hours after antibiotic treatment *Symptoms: sore throat, fever, vomiting, fine rash later for scarlet fever. 6) Conjunctivitis (pink eye): The student SHOULD NOT attend school until treatment is effective. It is highly infectious and should be treated right away. *Symptoms: itching of the eyes, watering, redness, discharge from eyes.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST Seoul Foreign School recognizes the responsibility of parents to provide for their children’s psychological care. The school has an educational psychologist on staff to provide incidental psychological support as needed to students. This short-term service to students referred by division counselors is offered at no cost to parents. However, it is neither the purpose nor intent of that service to provide on-going psychological care for students. Students initially seen by the school psychologist who require long-term services or services other than those offered by the SFS educational psychologist, must obtain such services at the parent’s own discretion and expense. It is not the responsibility, policy nor practice of Seoul Foreign School to pay for psychological expenses of services rendered to students by mental health professionals.

GRADES 1-5 PROGRAMS The classrooms for Grades 1-5 are basically self-contained, meaning every student remains in their homeroom most of the day and are taught all core subjects by the homeroom teacher. For extensive details regarding our program, parents are encouraged to visit our webpage at: http://www.seoulforeign.org/page.cfm?p=462 Learning is both fun and challenging and standards at SFS are high. Three times a year, we administer the Measurement of Academic Performance (MAP) assessment. This formative and summative assessment helps drive teachers’ instruction during the year. Parents receive the yearly report with the final report card. To challenge the students, the teachers use a wide variety of teaching strategies to meet the needs and abilities of the students as well as to ensure that learning is exciting and interesting. The courses taught in Grades 1-5 are: Language Arts includes reading, literature, writing, spelling, listening and speaking and are integrated throughout all subject areas during the day. Mathematics Korean Culture/Language Physical Education

Social Studies Science & Health Computer

General Music Choir Class (grades 4 and 5) Band (Instruments beginning in Grade 5)

Library Skills

Art

Students needing reinforcement in various academic areas receive small group and/or individual support with the Learning Support and/or the ESL (English as a Second Language) specialists. Only a limited number of ESL students are enrolled each year at SFS.

GRADING Report card grading for the Kindergarten (both SK and JK) is done in each of the three trimesters and uses both a symbol and narrative report card on which the teacher describes the accomplishments of each student. Report cards for Grades 1-5 are issued at the end of each of the three trimesters as well. These report cards rate the student’s achievement and effort as indicated below. At SFS, we are more concerned with what students learn and how they apply their knowledge than simply trying to achieve a numerical or letter grade. JK and SK

Grades 1-5

Specialists (effort only)

Comments and checklist

3 - Consistently Strong

O - Outstanding

2 – Progressing

S - Satisfactory

1 - Needs Support

N - Needs Improvement

All parents are encouraged to contact their teacher and counselor if they have any questions or problems about their child’s grades. It is vitally important for the welfare and integrity of the educational process that this is done no matter how small the problem.

HOMEWORK At SFS, homework is important to the learning process and is assigned at most levels in different forms and amounts. Studies show students who read daily are better equipped to handle all areas of the curriculum; this includes parents reading to their children. Building their vocabulary and background knowledge are two direct benefits from students’ daily reading. Studies have shown time and again the importance of children reading every night. They go on to show that students who consistently read have this behavior modeled to them by their parents. Children who see their parents read and/or have their parents read to them nightly are supported in their development as readers. The amount of time students spend doing their homework will differ depending on the understanding the student has of the assignment. The school’s policy on homework is defined below. In order to meet the expectations of the classroom, the following chart shows the maximum amount of time any student should spend on homework and the minimum time they should read per night. Students should have an uninterrupted reading time and should read on their independent level. For the younger grades the time should include read-a-louds. Preschool, JK and SK parents should read a minimum of 15 minutes a night with their child.

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Homework 5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes

Independent Reading 15 minutes 20 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes

Written homework is not given on weekends or holidays. Homework is designed to reinforce the learning of concepts and skills taking place in the classroom. If the student is not doing his/her homework, the teacher will keep the parents informed of this problem. If your child is sitting down and fully engaged in their homework for the specified time and exceeds the time allotted for doing his/her homework, they should stop. Please inform the teacher that your child worked diligently on the homework and could not complete it in the allotted time. The teacher will work with the students who have missed school to make up their work in a reasonable amount of time. Students in Grades 3-5 may be asked to use an assignment book in which all daily assignments are written by the student or they may be asked to refer to the class website where homework tasks have been posted by the teacher. In Grade 1, students will bring home a daily reading log in which they write the name of the daily book they have read for homework and where parents sign. Grade 2 students bring home a “weekly” homework schedule that is to be returned, completed by the student and signed by the parent on each Friday. When a student works hard at school, they need down time at home to process all they learned during the day. We STRONGLY recommend not filling up your child’s afternoon and evenings with tutoring classes. Organized sports and music lessons have their place, but children need to be able to be independent to form their own play with other children at their developmentally appropriate level.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS For extensive details regarding our Early Childhood program, parents are encouraged to visit our webpage at: http://www.seoulforeign.org/page.cfm?p=1920 PRE-SCHOOL Pre-School is for children who will be three by August 31 st of the present school year. It is a time when a child should feel safe and secure, be given the freedom to explore new experiences, and begin the discovery of the world around them. A Preschooler’s day begins at 8:00 and wraps up by about 2:50 PM. Class size may go up to 12 students in one class. The preschool class has a full time teaching assistant along with the certified teacher. All preschool students may ride the regular school buses to and from school. The goal of the pre-school program is to develop the whole child through exploration and shared experiences. It is essential for students to be immersed in a caring and creative environment that promotes learning and confidence, which will have an impact on their future learning. To promote interactive learning, students will be involved in a wide range of opportunities to develop socially, emotionally, physically and intellectually. JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN Children entering JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN must possess a foreign passport, be 4 years old by August 31st of the school year in which they enter and live with their parents. This very popular full-day program of readiness meets the social, creative, and learning needs of children eager to explore and become ready for learning. The

curriculum of the Junior Kindergarten is not an academic one, but one of developing readiness through thematic teaching units. Children are scheduled for classes in art, Korean, library, music, and PE specialists (for more information see the Junior Kindergarten brochure). The areas of development in Junior Kindergarten are as follows: Social and Personal Approaches to Learning Number Readiness Korean

Health and Physical Christian Studies Art Introduction to Technology

Language and Literacy Creative Music

SENIOR KINDERGARTEN Children entering the SENIOR KINDERGARTEN must possess a foreign passport, be 5 years old by August 31st of the school year in which they enter, speak English, and live with a parent. Senior Kindergarten is also a full-day program. Because many children come to school after attending other preschools, the curriculum is designed to meet both the readiness needs of students and also the academic needs of those children who are ready for more formal instruction in reading and math. It is not the expectation that children will be fluent readers at the end of this year. This always depends on a studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; individual developmental readiness. The teachers plan outings and numerous field trips where the children can learn of the many interesting Korean cultural attractions and relate the things they learn to their daily life. Kindergarten students are also scheduled for classes with the art, Korean, library, music, and PE specialists (for additional information see the Senior Kindergarten Handbook).

The areas of development and study in Senior Kindergarten are: Language Arts includes reading, literature, writing, spelling, listening and speaking (literature and writing are integrated throughout all subject areas). Mathematics Bible Stories Korean Culture Library Skills

Science Art and Music Introduction to Technology

Social Studies Family and Community Physical Development

KOREAN AND MANDARIN LANGUAGE* KOREAN Living in Korea affords one many opportunities to learn of the wonderful Korean language and rich Korean culture. The school capitalizes on this in many ways. Field trips are taken around the Seoul area where children have many Korean experiences. Once a year, Korea week is celebrated during which time the children are introduced to various aspects of Korean culture. Also, students in the elementary school may elect to take Korean language classes three times per week. Due to the varying levels within a class, Korean classes are divided into groups based on their Korean language ability. Students will learn the language as appropriate to their needs and proficiency in a friendly, encouraging environment through engaging, stimulating and hands-on activities. Various aspects of Korean culture, such as history, customs and traditions, religions, ethics & values, etiquette & manners, family life, games, food, holidays, arts & crafts, and folk tales, are also built into the curriculum.

MANDARIN In the 2013-2014 school year, Seoul Foreign School is excited to be able to introduce Mandarin as a foreign language offering. During this school year, students in grades Preschool – Grade 4 may elect to take Mandarin as a foreign language. Classes will be held three times per cycle. All classes taught this year will be beginner level courses. In 2014-2015, Mandarin will also be available to Grade 5 students. *In some cases where children are new learners of English, the school may decide that the child will receive ESL support during the foreign language instructional block, rather than having the child attend Korean or Mandarin class. As the child’s English proficiency develops, he/she will then enroll in a Korean or Mandarin course.

LIBRARY All students have a variety of opportunities to utilize the library (browse and check out books) as well as receive integrated instruction from our Library Media specialist. In order to check out books, magazines, or videos, students must return the previous materials they have borrowed, so please help remember your child’s library day! Books are normally checked out for two weeks. (Holiday books are for one week; reference books overnight.) Videos are lent out for weekends and holidays only and must be returned on the first following school day. In the Elementary Library there are no late fines for overdue book s by students, but there is a daily 500 won fine for late videos. External borrowers (parents, etc.) must pay fines for all overdue materials. Parents are issued a library card if they come to the library to sign up for one. It is a school policy that students PS – 3rd grade must bring the official school library bag (available in the Spirit Shop) when they come to the library to prevent the library material from being lost or damaged. 4 th and 5th graders are highly recommended to make use of the library bags as well. Check the library home page on The SFS website for complete details and schedules. The online catalog, Destiny, can be accessed from home at http://library.sfs.or.kr. The Elementary Library is open 8:00-3:30 school days.

NUISANCE ITEMS SFS is a safe and secure place. Weapons of any kind are not allowed in school. Children are not allowed to bring pocketknives. Any guns pellet, toy and/or water guns will not be tolerated at school or on the busses. Please help us to eliminate a needless danger for all our students. Cell phones may be brought to school, but may not be used during the school day. Expensive toys should also be left at home. Students may use electronic games on their bus ride to school, but once in school the games are to be left in their backpacks. Expensive electronic games may be misplaced, lost and/or taken. Because SFES is fortunate to have ample access to a wide variety of technological tools (such as iTouches, iPads, and laptops) for student use. In most cases, students need not bring personally owned electronic devices such as those stated above to school. With this in mind as well as wanting to decrease chances of the breakage or loss of personally owned items, iPads and laptops may not be brought to school unless the child's class teacher has made a special, curricular request to the child's family for the child to bring the item to school. In short, please have your child leave costly items at home.

PROMOTION POLICY Student promotion is based upon the successful completion of all grade level academic courses taught as determined by the report card and teacher recommendation. When students do not have the necessary skills to be successful at the next grade level, retention may be considered. Retention is used sparingly and is normally considered only in younger grades. Retention does not guarantee success for students in the next year. Students’ maturation, years attending school and developmental readiness are all taken into account when retention is considered. Parents must remember that the school and home cannot remediate developmental readiness. Students in Grade 2 and above, after receiving the benefit of all of the resources available in the elementary, who are still not experiencing success, may be counseled to seek a more suitable school environment for their abilities or one which has programs to suit their needs. All children can learn, but they need the best environment suited to their needs. The decision of whether to retain or refer a student to a more suitable learning environment is the responsibility of the school administrator in collaboration with student support personnel and not any one teacher or parent. This important decision will be made in consultation with the parents, but it is ultimately a school decision to promote a student.

REPORTING STUDENT PROGRESS SFS considers it very important to keep the parents informed of how well their children are doing in school and the school provides many opportunities for such communication. Teachers post regular newsletters, via the SFS website regarding curricular events of the past month and what is to come in the following weeks. The SFS website is our primary communication tool between home and school. Teachers use The SFS website to communicate with parents via e-mail. Each family must have a current e-mail address and phone number where we have the ability to stay in contact with the home. Check The SFS website as often as you can to stay informed. Three times a year, at the end of every trimester, parents receive formal written report cards showing the grades in each study area (grades PS – 5). Parent/Teacher Conferences are also held during the first and second trimesters. At this time, all parents are given a conference appointment with the teacher for the purpose of discussing the child’s progress. At any time, parents are encouraged to call the teachers or send a note requesting a conference to discuss their child’s progress. Making an appointment is always preferable to a drop in visit so a teacher can better able prepare for the conference.

RELIGION PROGRAM SFS is a non-denominational Christian school affiliated with no specific church body. Its unique Christian educational program is not to be confused with fundamental Bible schools or doctrine oriented parochial schools. Our Christianity is characterized by the life of Christ and the Bible. It is emphasized by the examples set in the lives and actions of the teachers and how the SFS students relate to each other. The school gives admission to students regardless of their religious beliefs, Christian and non-Christian. The religion curriculum offers many opportunities for students to learn and share. The real Christian experience at SFS, however, does not come from any formal study, but comes instead from the examples set by the teachers who relate to the students in love and forgiveness and who model their actions on the Christian ethic.

SCHOOL DAY The school day begins at 8:10 AM and dismisses at 3:00 PM. Breaking up the day are midmorning recess for grades K â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 (20 minutes), lunchtime with recess (45 minutes) and mid-afternoon recess for Grades 2 and below (20 minutes). Separate play areas are provided for younger and older children. Preschool, Junior and Senior kindergarten may have longer recess times according to the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. If your child/children does not ride the bus, please arrange to have them picked up in a safe area away from the general parking area. It is dangerous for children to wander through the parking area looking for their car or driver. We do have guards in the parking area after school, but they are busy trying to control traffic. Guards may not notice a child wandering in and out of parked or moving vehicles.

SCHOOL STORE/SUPPLIES SFS supplies most of what your child needs for the classroom. Please, refer to the grade level list below, however, for items parents need to purchase. The Spirit Shop is a great place for supplies. It is an easy location for students to stop there on their way out of the lunchroom. The Spirit Shop is located in the ground floor of the multipurpose building, which also houses Robb Hall, the cafeteria and the ES library.

SFS Spirit Shop/School Store

A general list of supplies for each grade level follows. Some of these items may be purchased in the SFS Spirit Shop. Pre-School

Junior Kindergarten

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 medium backpack  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (slip-on or Velcro fasteners, please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit* Girls: one piece suit*

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 large backpack  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (slip-on or Velcro fasteners, please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit Girls: one piece suit

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)*

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)

  

1 swim cap (for long hair)* 1 1ightweight towel for swimming* 1 large bath towel or thin blanket for rest time  1 complete change of clothes in a large zip lock bag (these will remain at school, pls. write name on each piece)  1 library bag (purchased at SFS Spirit Shop)  1 reusable water bottle to be sent to school daily PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS. * Swimming items not needed until May, when PS will have swimming during PE lessons Senior Kindergarten

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 large bath towel or thin blanket for rest time  1 complete change of clothes in a large zip lock bag (these will remain at school, pls. write name on each piece)  1 library bag (purchased at SFS Spirit Shop)  1 reusable water bottle to be sent to school daily PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS.

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 large backpack  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (slip-on or Velcro fasteners, please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit: Girls: one piece suit

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)

  

Grade 1

     

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 pair quality scissor (non-pointed) 1 large box of tissues for classroom use 1 library bag (purchased at SFS Spirit Shop) 1 reusable water bottle to be sent to school daily

PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS.

Grade 2

Grade 3

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 large backpack  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit Girls: one piece suit

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)

   

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 library bag (purchased at SFS Spirit Shop) 1 reusable water bottle

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:   20 pencils (#2) with erasers  1 pair of scissors  1 covered pencil sharpener  1 pencil case  5 white erasers  1 set colored pencils

    

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 library bag (purchased at SFS Spirit Shop) 1 reusable water bottle 1 thumb drive/USB

(PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL P.E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES PLS.) CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:   20 pencils (#2) with erasers  1 pair of scissors  5 white erasers  2 packs of small post-it notes (51mmx38mm)  5 packs of regular post-it notes

PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS. (TO BE SHARED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR - NO NAMES)

Grade 4

Grade 5

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air* (see SFS website for further specifications)  1 laptop ‘always on’ case*, if using family owned laptop  1 large backpack, suitable for laptop*  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit Girls: one piece suit

P. E. & PERSONAL SUPPLIES  1 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air (see SFS website for further specifications)  1 laptop ‘always on’ case  1 large backpack, suitable for laptop  Physical Education shoes: NonMarking (please put name on shoes)  Swimming suit Girls: one piece suit

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)    

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 reusable water bottle 1 expandable document bag

*Grade 4 students can either bring their own laptop (see specifications above) or pay a user fee of 300,000won to use a school laptop, which will stay at school CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:  20 pencils (#2) with erasers  1 pair of scissors  5 white erasers  1 pencil case (pouch/box) (desk insides are 12 cm high)  1 set of highlighters – at least two different colors

CHOIR PROGRAM SUPPLIES:  1 white button-down shirt (3/4 or long sleeves)  1 pair of black slacks or black skirt (at least knee length)  1 pair black socks, and  1 pair all black closed-toe shoes

PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS.

Boys: trunks/racing suit (tight fitting above the knees)   

1 swim cap (for long hair) 1 1ightweight towel for swimming 1 reusable water bottle

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:  20 pencils (#2) with erasers  1 pair of scissors  1 covered pencil sharpener  1 pencil case (pouch/box) (desk insides are 12 cm high)  5 white erasers  Red, black and blue pens  1 set of colored markers  1 centimeter ruler  1 white out correction tape or fluid  1 set of highlighters  1 mechanical pencil & lead supply

PLS. PUT CHILD'S NAME ON ALL ITEMS.

Some classroom teachers may request students to bring additional items to class to use throughout the year. The above items will be used by all teachers in the grade level.

STAFF The School places great importance on acquiring the very best teachers for your children. Our teachers are expected to display an enthusiastic spirit and sincere caring, Christian attitude, which create an educational environment where students are challenged to develop self-esteem and enjoy learning. Every year the headmaster and principals travel throughout the world, spending several months personally interviewing teachers who possess the following SFS qualifications:     

Successful experience in their teaching area A commitment to the School’s Christian philosophy An enthusiastic, caring spirit that turns children on to learning The ability to demonstrate sincere love for children A sincere desire to be the very best teacher they can be.

The academic programs at SFS are enriched by the addition of specialists teaching art, music, physical education, computer, Korean culture/language, and library skills. Learning Support and ESL specialists, and counselors also provide important support services to the faculty, students and parents.

STUDENT BIRTHDAYS Birthdays are big events in the lives of children. Parents wishing to bring treats to school for birthdays are welcome to do so, but this is not the time or place for a regular birthday party. Please do not bring more than cupcakes or cookies. Please make arrangements ahead of time with the teacher. Treats will always be given out at the time chosen by the teacher. If a student is having a birthday party outside of the school day, please do not hand out any invitations at school, unless everyone in the class is invited.

TECHNOLOGY The SFS website The SFS website is the school's chosen tool for providing information online to students and parents in the SFS community. The web address is www.seoulforeign.org Parents and students have separate accounts that are linked together. Please visit the IT Department or the ES Office if you need assistance setting up or maintaining your The SFS website account. The SFS website sends messages to your personal email. This email must be kept up-to-date in the SFS website account settings. If a new email is entered, then you must verify your email by clicking a link in an email sent to you by The SFS website. Without this verification step, no messages from the school will be sent to you. There are also settings which allow messages from the school to be sent, which you must enable. IMPORTANT: A few times a year, SFS will ask families to make sure your email address and contact information is up-to-date. PowerSchool PowerSchool allows students and parents to view and update current information on a student's individual and family data, for example, address and phone numbers. A separate letter has been sent by the IT department about how to set up a PowerSchool account. Please contact the IT department if you do not have the letter.

SFS Website Parents have the authority to deny the school the use of their children’s picture in advertising documents or on the school Web page. In the absence of such a specific request, however, the school assumes the right to use photos in this manner. No last names will be used. SFS wireless network Students using parent-owned laptops in our 1-to-1 computing program will have their laptops configured to automatically access the SFS Wi-Fi network. Guests to campus or students who are not in the 1-to-1 program can also connect. SFS students may use their usual computer login to access the network. Guests may contact the IT department for a guest login and password. Laptop Program For extensive information regarding the SFS laptop program, parents are encouraged to visit the Technology @ SFS webpage at: http://www.seoulforeign.org/page.cfm?p=443 Students in 5th grade are required to bring an Apple computer to school. This parent-owned computer will be an integral tool in the learning process. The operating system on the computer must be in English. Students in Grade 4 may bring a parent-owned Apple computer to school or they may elect to use a school-owned Apple laptop (which requires a 300,000won user fee to be paid to the school). Laptop computers are excellent tools for learning, but can also tempt students to make poor use of their time. We also want to ensure that students have adequate time in the day to socialize and be active physically for their own health. Certain rules apply to the use of these laptops in the Elementary School and these rules will be adjusted as necessary as we continue to expand their use. The following rules will be in place from the start of the year.      

Students will not use laptops at school without teacher supervision. Laptops will not be used at school outside of class time unless a teacher is directly supervising - this includes before school, recess, lunch and after school. Laptops (with AC adapters) should be brought to school fully charged and ready to use at the start of each school day. Game-playing, movie-watching, or any other non-curricular activity at school using parent-owned laptops is not allowed unless a teacher specifically gives permission and supervises. Students are responsible to keep their laptops in secure locations at all times. The school will not be responsible for theft of unattended laptops or other devices. Required software, including anti-virus, must be installed on parent-owned laptops and kept up to date.

Parent supervision at home We expect and encourage some level of parent supervision of technology use at home. The following tips may help parents ensure that technology is being used appropriately and is not a source of distraction or means for inappropriate behavior. Parents should  Insist that students use computers, mobile phones, and other communication devices in common areas of the home, not in a student’s private bedroom  Require that schoolwork is complete before students use technology for gaming, chatting, or other entertainment purposes  Limit the total amount of time spent using technology  Reserve the right to take away the student’s privilege of using technology

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Be personally informed about and involved with the particular uses of technology that the student engages in - parents should know what kinds of music and movies are being downloaded, what sorts of games are being played, and who a student is conversing with online Require their children to add them as 'friends' on social networking sites such as Facebook Model appropriate use of technology and digital citizenship - this includes respecting intellectual property and copyright laws.

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SFS Responsible Use Agreement (RUA) Updated in May 2013 by teachers in the Elementary and British Schools

The purpose of this agreement is to encourage responsible citizenship, ensuring every member of our school community is respected, safe and can take full advantage of available technology for educational purposes. 1.

I will use information and communication resources in a respectful, accountable, honest, legal and responsible manner for learning and education. I will...

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demonstrate respect when using technology and the Internet.

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acknowledge that my parents and teachers have the right to control my use of technology, including making changes to the software installed.

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effectively manage my digital content including organizing and backing up my files.

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show integrity: for example I will use respectful language and not say unkind things to or about others. I will remember that anything posted on the internet is permanent. I will report any cyber-bullying immediately.

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turn in any electronic devices which have been misplaced.

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not access content intended for adults. If I come across unhealthy or inappropriate material, I will not show other students, but report it to an adult. 2.

I will protect my digital identity. I will...

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try to create a positive online presence and digital footprint, remembering, there is no privacy online.

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keep personal information private (passwords, login, full name, address, phone number, etc.) and respect the privacy of others, using only my accounts.

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log-off/sign-out and lock my device when I am not using it.

I will adhere to copyright laws and respect the intellectual property of others. I will...

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not download, display, transmit, or store any illegal or inappropriate material.

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cite sources of information and images created by other people.

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use my own words when referring to someone else's ideas, unless citing directly. 4.

I will use technology resources in a way that promotes my learning and the learning of others. I will...

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use my device only at the times and in the places allowed.

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use my device for recreation such as games and social media only when I have permission e.g. at home when my homework is finished - recreational games and social media are usually not permitted at school.

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only add positive or constructive feedback and comments to my peer’s online work using appropriate language, proper grammar and spelling.

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THINK: Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind?

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contribute and collaborate with my peers to produce the best work possible during learning tasks. 5.

I will take proper care of all technology resources entrusted to me.  I will...

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always close the device before carrying it anywhere and carry it with both hands.

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keep food and drink away from the device and keep it clean.

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keep items off the keyboard.

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tell a supervising adult right away if any device is damaged or not working and promptly get the device repaired.

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be responsible for the repair or replacement charges for the device, if damage is my fault. This applies to both school and personal devices.

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install and maintain updated antivirus software.

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bring a charged device to school along with my charger and monitor the battery life throughout the day.

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print only with permission.

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label my electronic devices with my name.

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be responsible for updates such as system software, Flash and Java.

I will follow division and classroom expectations and guidelines related to technology. I will...

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understand that failing to follow the guidelines set forth in my school, division, and classroom will result in disciplinary action

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report violations of these guidelines to protect the privilege of technology use for all students and for my own safety and the safety of others.

Misuse of computer or technology resources, whether school-owned or parent-owned, will result in disciplinary action in accordance with our normal discipline policies. Additional disciplinary measures may be needed to address particular forms of misuse and may include loss of administrative rights on computers, removal of unauthorized or distracting software, installation of monitoring software, or a suspension of the privilege of using technology at school for a limited time. Students will be given detailed guidelines and expectations on safe and appropriate use of technology and online resources. By signing this RUA, we acknowledge that we have read and understood the RUA. We hereby agree to follow the guidelines listed in the RUA.

TRANSPORTATION The School has a fleet of buses, which serve most of the foreign residential areas of the city. Although the places where the buses stop are convenient to these areas, it is very important that you check with the school business office to determine exactly where the bus will stop and how long the bus ride will be prior to signing a lease on your residence. Buses are generally limited to driving routes that do not exceed one hour in driving time. All students are expected to act appropriately on the busses. Disturbing behavior, use of foul language, not using seat belts properly, not observing the safety rules, and being disrespectful to the bus driver or supervisor are grounds for being suspended from use of bus service. Each bus is equipped with a security camera to help protect students and help monitor student behavior. If your child has a bus problem, please contact the Activities Coordinator (Jack Moon at 3303113 or jmoon@seoulforeign.org.) Late buses are scheduled for middle and high school students only at the end of their school activities. These buses make only a few stops near public transportation facilities leaving the students to continue on their way home by public transportation. Late buses do not drop off students at their houses, but at general locations around Seoul. For safety reasons, elementary students are not allowed to ride the late bus at any time. Due to increases in our bus transportation operating costs, the school must increase the fee charged for individual passes used on a ‘space available’ basis for students who are not registered bus riders. Effective April 1, 2013, students who desire to purchase a one-way bus pass may do so for 10,000won, again, on a ‘space available’ basis for a particular day. These “passes” will continue to be available through the normal process of your child’s Divisional Office. These fees have not been increased for many years and again, reflect the higher overall costs of bus service and our extensive route structure. We thank you in advance for your

understanding.

VISITING THE CLASSROOM SFS is proud of its professional ability and its teachers. We wish to share what the children do with parents. All parents are invited to visit the classrooms during the school year. Please make arrangements with the teacher and confirm your visit, so you do not come at a time when the class is testing. We do require that you stop by the office to collect an ID badge. It would also be helpful if you would take a few minutes after the visit to share your impressions with the teacher. That way we can both learn from the experience.

VISITORS During the school year, many families may have friends or relatives come and stay with them. Visiting school age children may want to come to spend time at school for a day. Please understand that while we welcome visitors to the classroom, visiting students are on vacation. They present challenges to your children, our teachers and the classroom routine. It is a long day for the visiting student when they don’t have proper school supplies and they do not understand what the class has already covered in preceding lessons. It is a difficult situation fro the SFS child who needs to accomplish their studies while ‘playing host’ to a friend in the room. A child’s loyalties are divided with the visiting friends and SFS friends. The visitor also takes your child’s teacher’s attention away from lessons to help the visiting student have a successful day. We don’t encourage these visits, but a shortened visit may be arranged where the students can have some class time and then have recess and/or lunch with your child. This may be prearranged through the ES principal’s office. If you would like a student to visit an SFS class, you must first approach the ES principal with your request one week in advance of the proposed visit. The principal will determine, in collaboration with the teacher, if the visit would be workable for the class. Once that determination is reached, the principal will contact the parent with the decision. Please do not start the process with the teacher, because you may put them in an awkward situation.

Seoul Foreign School Elementary Faculty & Staff 2013- 2014 Administrative and Support Staff Principal John Gaylord Assistant Principal Anne Gardon Curriculum Coordinator Dawn Melarvie Counselor Rhonda Chavis Counselor Margaret Park Administrative Assistant Eun-hi Cho Office Assistant Jackie Yoon Homeroom Teachers and Assistants Early Childhood Program Christine Bickel, Karolyn Benger, Amy Dornbach (3 & 4 yr. olds) Assistants Christina Lee, Rosa Lee Christel Oosthuizen, Paul Sanderson SK Assistants Jinny Kim, Jenny Jun Grade 1 Normandy Kononen, Mary Ellen Lee, Michelle Park, Assistants Sook-Young Kim, Francis Hur, Hye-Soo Lee Grade 2 Colleen Hoskin, Heather Wirch, Tae Yi Assistant Soo-Jee Moon Jennifer Baradi, Erin Searles, Patricia Swanson Grade 3 Assistant In-Young Lee Molly DeBoer, Sophie Hammerberg, Leslie Horne, Brad Grade 4 Thies Assistant In-Young Lee Jo Bigwood, Mike Jackson, Brett Loewen, Don Robinson Grade 5 Specialist Teachers Art Melissa Enderle (PS – Gr. 5) ESL Holly Hitchcock (Gr. 4 & 5) Gail Neff (Gr. 2 & 3) Susan Park (SK & Gr. 1) Madison Staffa, Nick Staffa Mandarin Korean Esther Jang, Hanna Choi, Seung Min Kang, Joanna Lee, Yanghee Lim Assistant Esther Jang Learning Support Caroline Hahn (Gr. 4 & 5) Kimberley Jefferd (SK & Gr. 3) Jami Yeo (Gr. 1 & 2) Library Media Specialist Kathy Kersting Assistants Jamie Kim, Heakyung Oh Music Jongbaek Yoon (General Music) Esther Jun (Early Childhood Music, 4th & 5th Grade Choir) Vonda Roddick (5th Grade Band) Physical Education Johan Greyvensteyn (PS – Gr. 4) Tim Schulze (Gr. 4 – 5) Technology Integrationists Sarah Carpenter, Alan Hoskin