Dear Parents,

Here are this week’s newsworthy items. There will not be a newsletter until the school reopens.

HFS Virtual Learning Initiative

I am very pleased that the Virtual Learning Environment that the HFS team established to cover this week of closure was successful. Effective teaching and learning took place and, despite some first day teething problems which is to be expected with the rollout of any new initiative, the E-Learning platform proceeded to great effect. Thank you to all the staff for their efforts in setting it up and to all the parents and students for their patience and understanding as the system was implemented. Now that it is in place we can use it readily if and when the situation calls for it. Enjoy this video clip of the students accessing the HFS online teaching environment.

HFS School Closure until Friday 13 March and Next Steps

After consulting all stakeholders, the decision was made that HFS will be closing for the Spring Break early. The school will be closed from today and is set to reconvene on Monday 16 March unless the Covid-19 Outbreak has not been brought under control. In this eventuality we will not resume with E-Learning but instead will consider bringing a section (2 to 3 weeks) of the summer break forward to allow time to weather the crisis. The final decision will be made closer to the end of the current closure and all parents will be immediately notified of the decision by email and text message before Monday 16 March.

In the meantime, we sincerely hope that everyone remains safe and healthy. Keep following governmental instructions:

• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly for 30 seconds
• Avoid large public gatherings
• Wear a mask wherever possible
• If you show symptoms of a fever, respiratory ailments or cough contact the helpline at 1339 and follow the instructions.
• Should you or any of your family members be positively diagnosed with the Covid-19 Virus please inform the school immediately.

Covid-19, while highly contagious, is also treatable and Korea is responding well to the crisis. In these challenging times it is important to try and maintain a healthy physical and mental lifestyle. Eat healthily, enjoy the outdoors as long as it is not in crowded public places and maintain contact with friends and family. Eventually, this too shall pass and we will get back to normalcy.

Thank you for your continued support. Take care and be safe.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

After consulting with all of you regarding finding the best possible solution to overcome the school closure as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, we have come to a decision.

The vast majority of parents do not have travel plans during the Spring Break that was scheduled for 23 March through 3 April. That being the case we have therefore decided to move our Spring Break to take place from Monday 2 March to Friday 13 March. School will reconvene on Monday 16 March. This should provide sufficient time to weather the current Covid-19 outbreak while also minimising the disruption to in-class teaching and learning.

We apologise wholeheartedly to those parents whose children may miss school work due to having travel plans during the original Spring Break dates. Be assured that teachers will do all that they can to ensure that your children can catch up any missed work.

We do feel that this is the best solution in this challenging situation and, again, we regret that we could not accommodate everyone’s circumstances.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support during this difficult time.

Best regards,

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

We have prepared our Online Teaching Contingency program for the school closure. We will send out the students school laptops tomorrow morning on the school bus route. Please make sure that you are at the regularly scheduled bus stop at the regularly scheduled time to collect your child’s laptop. (A different arrangement will be made for those parents not using the school bus). If you are travelling overseas and plan on taking the school laptop with you do take care of them since parents will be liable for replacing them should they be lost or damaged.

The Online Teaching platform uses Google Classroom. It can be accessed by your child by logging in to their regular school Gmail account and navigating to the Google apps dots in the corner. They must then click on the classroom app. An invitation to join their Google Classroom have been sent to them via email from their teacher.

Please ensure that your child is able to login to their Gmail account. If they are unable to, please email admin@hyundaiforeignschool.com for a password reset.

Students must complete the daily assigned work following the regular school timetable. There is sufficient work to cover all lessons for the rest of this week. The E-Learning program will run until Friday 28 February.

Thank you for your understanding and support in this challenging time.

Best regards,

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

While there is as yet no confirmed report of an instance of Covid-19 infection in Ulsan, HFS will be further escalating its measures to combat the spread of the virus in light of the recent increase in reported cases in Daegu and based upon the most up to date recommendations from the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education. These preemptive measures will take effect from Monday 24 February and will remain in place until the virus is under control to ensure that HFS remains a safe and secure environment for your children.

• The “Food Share” element of our International Week program scheduled for Friday 6 March will be cancelled but the group presentations by the students will go forward as planned
• School trips to external, public locations are henceforth cancelled
• Henceforth all playtimes will take place inside the school precinct to minimise contact with the general public
• Communal points of contact, such as staircase and elevator railings, as well as door knobs and table surfaces inside the HFS School area will be sterilized daily
• Students will wash hands thoroughly upon entering the school and there will be an increased focus on meticulous hand washing frequently throughout the day.

HFS will continue to carefully monitor the developments surrounding the virus through media and follow the instructions and guidelines from the Ulsan City Educational Authorities. Should a case of Covid-19 be reported in Ulsan and the decision is made by Ulsan City Educational Authorities to close down schools in Ulsan, HFS will also close down our school in accordance with their decision. In the unlikely event that this occurs, HFS will implement a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to minimise disruption to educational provision. More information about this will be shared with parents as the need arises.

Parents can assist with these measures by making sure not to send their children to school if they have a high fever, cough or cold-like symptoms and notifying the school immediately if symptoms present themselves. Individuals should only return to school once they are clear from all symptoms and have been examined by a doctor. In addition, if they continue to show such symptoms, they must contact the Covid-19 hot line at 1339 or visit designated medical facilities for testing.

Should a student, parent or staff member at HFS be positively diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus the school will immediately and voluntarily close for a quarantine period of 14 days and the school will implement contingency measures for a school shutdown. After the quarantine period, a decision will be then made about whether or not the school should reopen immediately thereafter and all persons who show no symptoms may return to school. Individuals who still show symptoms will only be allowed to return after a complete recovery and after providing medical proof of a clear diagnosis.  

HFS will carefully monitor the developments and continue to be vigilant, proactive and transparent in its plans. Thank you for your understanding and support as we work together to overcome this challenge.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

The weather is slowly warming as the Winter chill fades and Spring approaches. There are a few items of news that I must share with you this week.

Farewell to Gabriel Tillier

A sad day it was on Wednesday as we bid farewell to Gabriel Tillier. I am sure the Year 1-2 class will feel that much quieter without his lively presence. We wish the Tillier family only happiness and joy as they embark for France. They have a long-standing relationship with HFS and they must know that, should they return, they will always have a place at HFS.

Valentine’s Day Bake Sale

I am so impressed with the HFS Student Council and their fundraising initiatives toward the Australian Wildfire Disaster. Today they held a bake sale for Valentine’s day to raise funds for the worthy cause. Thank you to all who participated and purchased some of the sweet treats that they made.

Updated Parent Handbook

The HFS Parent Handbook has been revised and all parents are expected to familiarize themselves with its contents. This is the guiding document for new and existing parents alike and all the procedures, protocols and rules that govern the running of the school are set forth in its pages. It will be posted permanently on the school website but please click here to access it directly.

100 Days of School

On Monday 17 February we will have reached a small but important milestone at HFS for this year. It will be the 100^th day of school for the 2019/20 Academic year. The classes will fit in a few celebrations and games around the theme of “100” and I know that the FS 1–2 class has been counting the days as a build up to this significant landmark. Well done everyone! I look forward to the next 100!

PTA Meeting on Tuesday 18 February

On Tuesday 18 February at 3:35 pm we will have our next HFS PTA meeting. Please join us if you would like to be a part of this important school tradition. On the agenda will be the planning and organization of the upcoming International food share celebration. I look forward to seeing you there.

Finally, I am pleased to mention that the situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak is slowly and gradually coming under control. Hanmaeum center will be conducting a second fumigation of the building specifically targeting the coronavirus (Covid-19) on Monday 17 February at 07:00 am, starting with our school floor. That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful weekend.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

A full and busy week has passed at HFS. There was a sudden Winter chill that swept through Ulsan but that did not cool or dampen the spirits of the school. These are the news items that I must share with you this week.

Coronavirus Update

 I am pleased to report that HFS’s continued monitoring of and measures against the coronavirus outbreak are proving to be effective. By ensuring that we stay up to date with the latest information and developments and take appropriate actions without spreading unnecessary alarm we will stay on top of the situation.

HFS has taken the following steps to ensure that our school remains a safe and healthy environment for your children

• Daily temperature checks to identify any students who may have a fever
• Cancelling swimming club since it is in an environment where a virus may spread
• Reaching out to any families who may have travelled to China, are planning to travel to China or may have had contact with friends or relatives from China and taking steps to ensure everyone is safe
• Conducting lessons to inform students about the nature of the virus, how it is spread and what the best ways are to remain free of infection
• Going ahead with planning school trips but cancelling them at a moment’s notice should the situation require it

I would like to report that Hanmaeum Center has also stepped up its measures in combatting the spread of the virus by providing free hand sanitizer at the entrance and conducting a special building wide fumigation on Monday 3^rd February (outside of operating hours) targeting the coronavirus. I must also note that Hanmaeum Center does conduct regular building fumigations in the first and third week of each month to maintain a safe, healthy and hygienic environment.

It is important that everyone remain calm and accurately informed about the situation. HFS stays up to date with information and alerts from the government and media. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are recommending the following standard measures and actions:

• Regular and thorough hand-washing with alcohol-based sanitizer or soap
• Staying home if you are unwell and avoiding contact with others
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Wearing of masks to avoid spreading germs (masks will not prevent infection but we will support any student who wishes to wear them)

If these procedures are followed we will stay on top of the situation. I will update you with any new information or further measures immediately as necessity dictates.

Pajama Day Fun

On a lighter note, what an awesome spectacle it was to see so many students adorned in sleepy gear. I hope they didn’t sleep in class. Thank you to all the participants, your contribution to the Australian Wild Fires Charity will surely make a difference. Congratulations to Elif Ece, our overall winner of the best pajamas at HFS. You certainly must sleep soundly in that gear. Well done to Caroline, Theo, and Anna Julia, the finalists in our contest. I am sure everyone enjoyed the popcorn and juice courtesy of the HFS PTA, thank you for providing those treats. Watching the movie was a relaxing way to end a full week. Please enjoy these pictures of the day’s fun.

Dongrami Theatre and English Music School

 I am pleased to promote upcoming productions at Dongrami Theatre. They are a well-established institution in Ulsan and I am proud and happy to endorse them.  They are looking for students aged 4 ~ 12 years (international age) to participate in their upcoming productions.  These are:

1) The Snow Queen (Tuesdays) Starting on 25 February from 5:40~7:20pm.

2) The Wizard of OZ (Thursdays) Starting on 27 February from 5:40~7:20pm.

3) Hansel and Gretel (Fridays) Starting on 27 March from 5:40~7:20pm

4) The Bremen Band (Saturdays) Starting on 28 March from 5:40~7:20pm

For more detailed information you can call the director YooJung Im at 010-3191-8437 or the Dongrami Theatre directly at 052-258-1248.

FS 1-2 “Lightning Man” Experience Trip on Thursday 13 February

 Superheroes Assemble! I am pleased that the FS 1-2 students will enjoy a fantastic outing to the “Lightning Man” Experience Center on Thursday 13 February. It promises to be an awesome day of fun and learning around their IPC topic of superheroes. We will monitor the coronavirus situation in the coming days and modify the plans immediately if need be.

HFS Student Council Bake Sale on Friday 14 February

It always pleases me to report on our wonderful student initiatives at HFS. Next week the HFS Student Council will hold a Valentine’s Day Chocolate and Bake sale. There are sure to be many sweet goodies on offer and all proceeds will go to a worthy cause. Please send some 1,000 won notes to school with your child on the day so that they may purchase a treat or two in the name of fundraising for a good cause.

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support. Do stay warm, safe and healthy over this chilly weekend.

Mr. Kearney