International Programs School

May 14, 2013

Dear IPS Community,

We are now halfway through the month of May and busier than ever.  This WEDNESDAY, May 15 = NO CLASSES.  We will take a brief break to collect our energies for the final push to the end of the year - and yes it will be an active ending!   Please send kids to school with water bottles and hats for the rest of the year - it’s starting to warm up!

As you know our final day of classes for students is Tuesday, June 18 and all students will be actively engaged in the program up to and through that final day - please plan holidays with this in mind as any work missed in the last few weeks and days will be marked as zero.  Final reports will be available in our offices on Tuesday, June 25.  A full schedule of exams, assessments, and activities will be sent to you in the beginning of June through homeroom teachers and by divisions.  If this will be your last year at IPS, please contact our offices for withdrawal information.

Our seniors will graduate on Wednesday, June 12 in a ceremony starting at 7PM - their exams will be taken in the days before this momentous occasion and all final reports will be given to Graduates on that evening.   Beginning on Saturday, May 18 and for the remainder of the year all seniors may dress as you like with all the normal conventions applying.  These students have done a very nice job and are on their way to interesting universities and colleges - please help us wish all of them the best of luck in their final days here at IPS!

There have been confirmed cases in Saudi Arabia of novel coronavirus infections (nCoV) and the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that all member states monitor carefully severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) - Ms. Judith (our nurse) has been following this carefully and information from the World Health Organization may help you understand this.  IPS will be guided in our response with the Pandemic Response Plan in our Emergency Procedures Manual (please visit with Mr. Jim if you’d like to see this) and we are now somewhere between Level 1 and Level 2 which means:

1. No reason to panic - please ensure everyone maintains good hydration, follow proper hygiene procedures of washing hands regularly, covering mouths and nose when coughing/sneezing, staying home when sick (especially with fever), and seeking medical attention if the fever persists.
2. All normal school operations will continue as usual unless notified otherwise - updates will be sent to all if/when circumstances change.....no update =  no change = no worry!
3. It is VERY important to distinguish between the normal sniffles, colds/coughs, and minor fevers of everyday life and this nCoV and SARI - leave this to the medical professionals (on our campus this is Ms. Judith) - IPS will look to OFFICIAL sources of information and will not rely on rumors or innuendo - thanks for helping with this!

Finally, traffic and road conditions are unpredictable and the ONLY way to get to school on time is to LEAVE EARLY.  Thanks for your assistance with this AND thank you for being with us this year.

Sincerely,

IPS Administration

Jim Leahy, Director

Linda Amin, ES and Girls Principal

Bryan Ashby, MS/HS and Boys Principal

Please click on the LINKS below to read the previous Director's Notes: