May 22, 2020
Dear SJI Parents,
We hope that all is well with you and your family, despite the unprecedented situation we are all in.
We understand that as parents, you are wary about the growing health crisis and its negative impact on the education of your children. Be assured that our school is doing its best to address the challenges in education brought about by this COVID-19 crisis.
Our school, the St. John’s Institute, is committed to ensure the continuous delivery of instruction to its students, without putting to risk their safety and well-being, as well as those of their teachers and other school personnel. After a series of discussions and planning sessions among the stakeholders, we are providing you with updates:
1. School year 2020-21 will formally open on Monday, August 24, 2020, in accordance with the directives of the Department of Education and in abeyance with the protocols set forth by the Department of Health, the Inter-Agency Task Force and the local government unit.
2. For the two campuses, the Online Learning Modality using a combination of synchronous and asynchronous methods of teaching and learning, will be used for the incoming school year 2020-2021.
In synchronous modality, students learn together and interact with their teacher and with their peers in real time within a virtual classroom.
In asynchronous modality, students work at their own pace. They will be provided with teacher-uploaded learning materials in the form of teaching modules or pre-recorded classes and lectures. Students can access and use these materials during prescribed class schedule or at their own preferred time. Textbooks as prescribed shall be used following our set curriculum per subject.
3. SJI will be using G Suite for Education, a collection of free Google applications designed for schools to enable the students, teachers and parents to collaborate, interact and innovate together. G Suite can be accessed by using any device such as desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Google Meet is a video conferencing tool that can be used in synchronous teaching and learning in a virtual classroom. Google Classroom is another tool that can be used in asynchronous learning. It is there where teachers upload their teaching materials for the students to access and use. Google Classroom can also serve as a hub for online tasks and assignments.
4. Teachers have been attending relevant webinars and trainings for them to become prepared and fully equipped for this new normal in education. There is still a line-up of more webinars and INSET (In service Training) for teachers prior to school opening.
5. An orientation program, for both parents and students will likewise be facilitated as part of the pre-opening activities of the school. Details will be sent out in due time.
6. Enrolment for Chinese Summer class for new pupils for Kinder and Grade 1 is until May 29,2020. Online classes shall start on June 1 to 26, 2020. We have waived the entrance exams for new pupils
7. Enrollment for students for SY 2020-2021 shall start on June 8. We shall be sending you details on how to go about this by next week.
The incoming school year is very unpredictable with so much uncertainties and challenges. There is still no promise of a cure or a vaccine, no promise of when this pandemic will end, however, the school continues to rely on the promised partnership between us and you, our dear parents.
We therefore call on everyone’s support and understanding by putting together our strengths, as we face the new school year with the necessary optimism and faith in our Almighty God.
Sincerely yours,
(sgd.) Dr. Mariedel Isulat
Principal, North Point Campus
(sgd.) Nelsie Bravo
OIC Principal, Elementary School, Main Campus
(sgd.) Ma. Venus Lorny Villarosa
OIC Principal, High School, Main Campus
Cc BOT President