Primary eNews – August 14, 2020

BIS Library Availability During Distance Learning

The BIS Library would like to support reading and learning during distance learning; therefore, we have devised 2 systems for BIS community members to use the library for book circulation.

The first option is to use the BIS Library Checkout Distance Learning Support form to schedule short in-person visits to check out books from the library. These visits will be limited to 15 minutes. All of the relevant information is contained in the form. Please fill it out completely, wait for a confirmation message, and then come during your scheduled time.  Please return any current library materials at the time of your appointment.

The second option is to use the BIS Library Book Online Request & PickUp form. This option allows you to search our online book holdings catalog (called Destiny), request books you want using the form, and then having the library package these books for pickup at the front gate of BIS without having to enter the campus. On the form, there are a few screenshots to demonstrate the process, a link to the Destiny catalog as well as a tutorial video on how to use Destiny.

And of course, the BIS Library Resources website is always available to find e-books, audiobooks, databases, and other online sources to support learning.

At this time, the library is not available to book as a physical space (extended leisure browsing, as a study area, etc).

Social-Emotional Counseling

Welcome to the new school year and welcome new families. My name is Sharon Gibbons, and I am the school counselor. 

For many of us, the past few months have been challenging. We have been trying to help our children manage online learning, keep up with our work, decide where to be as a family, make financial decisions, and figure out how we all keep ourselves balanced and healthy. We are not starting the year fresh like we usually do.

I will use this space to share parenting tips as we go along. I will also offer parenting workshops and courses, like Positive Discipline, once students settle a bit.

I want to focus this week on culture shock, and grief. 

The graph above is a commonly used image to help families understand what they will experience in a move to a new country or school (#1-5) or when they return to their “home” country (#6-9). Some of you went to your passport countries for an extended time over the past few months and experienced the chart’s right side. Life is not as clear cut as the graph suggests, but the point is that every person in your family will experience culture shock, and timing will be different for each of you.

Now, why am I sharing an image of a grief cycle? In international schools, children experience grief when they leave a place, school, home, and caretaker. Perhaps they have a best friend or beloved teacher move, which feels like a big hole. Maybe they got to spend extra time with family they do not see often and are grieving the loss of time with those loved ones. Perhaps they have had a family member or friend die who they were unable to get closure with because of distance. Grief is not a word we often use with children and sometimes we are quick to ask them to “be happy that you are on this beautiful island and at BIS” when they are experiencing real loss. As parents, we must acknowledge their feelings and understand that theirs might be quite different from ours. 

If you feel your child is struggling with a sense of loss or adjustment to BIS or has any other social-emotional issues where you think you need support, please reach out to me at counselor@baliis.net.