1. Food 

Q1. Does ISA International School of Guangzhou provide meals?

A: The canteen in ISA campus provides free snacks which include: fruit, bread, cookies, yogurt and juice for students in the morning and the afternoon. Nutritious lunch which take into consideration Chinese and Western preferences are also available.

ISA provides buffet which includes: meat, vegetables, Home-made sandwiches, cold dishes, rice, pasta, salad, fruit and soup. In hot food area, we provide two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes and two staple food. Cooking methods are not repeated every month. In homemade sandwiches bar, we offer different kinds of breads each week including: baguettes, toast, multigrain buns, hamburger, buns, and hot dog bun; different kinds of side dishes including: jam, tuna fish sauce, roast beef, chicken, salmon, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a variety of sauces. Variety, taste and nutrition are emphasised so that students can choose according to their own preferences. 

All the ingredients are supplied by Metro AG and other respectable suppliers, and are healthy and of a high quality. Our chef (who used to work for an airline) provides dishes that meet Chinese as well as Western preferences.

Q2. Can students bring lunches to school if they are not used to the food provided in the canteen or if they have special dietary needs?

A: Parents can prepare lunches for their children to bring to school. Students’ homeroom teachers and associate teachers will assist them in warming their food.

Q3. Do teachers and child-care workers help in feeding the younger students when they are having lunch?

A: Unlike local schools, ISA emphasize the development of the students’ independence. So ISA encourages its students to eat without assistance, which helps our students in developing healthy eating habits and manners. As for the students in 2-year-old and 3-year-old Classes, the teachers provide assistance if required in order to meet each student’s individual performances and needs.

Q4. Do the teachers in ISA International School of Guangzhou remind students to drink water?

A: Teachers remind their students to drink plenty of water, especially during their outdoor activities and also during PE class time. Teachers also expect students to refill their water bottles after being used, or after finishing their activities. In relation to students’ drinking water during lunch times, ISA does not have any rules or traditions as to how much water students should drink. The flexibility in this matter allows students to learn how to develop their own self-management skills. 

Q5. Can ISA students bring snack to school?

A: ISA students are not allowed to bring snack like candies, chips or cookies to school as the snack will not only easily contaminate the classroom environment but also distract students from their study.

2. Clothing 

Q1. Are the students in ISA International School of Guangzhou required to wear uniforms every day?

A: ISA students are required to wear school uniforms on school day and wear sport uniform on PE class. Wearing uniforms helps to develop a team spirit and a collective sense of honor and also helps to enhance the image of the school.

Q2. Are there different uniforms for each season?

A: ISA International School has summer and winter uniforms, which students may buy as required.

3. Accommodation

Q1. Does ISA International School of Guangzhou offer accommodation to student?

A: Currently ISA does not provide student accommodation in the Redtory site. Nevertheless, in our future site, student accommodation will be provided. All our middle school and high school students will have the option of choosing whether or not to live in the school dormitory. We suggest that kindergarten and primary students commute to school every day as they still need their parents’ care.

Q2. Do students in ISA International School of Guangzhou have afternoon nap?

A: ISA provides a comfortable environment for the students in Early Year to have afternoon nap. Calming music is played when students are taking a nap. It helps students fall asleep. Primary students and middle school students may choose reading in library, practice instrument in music room, have fun on playground or have a rest in their classrooms after lunch.

Q3. Are the afternoon nap beddings cleaned or disinfected?

A: ISA provides students with fixed bedding. Teachers place a tag on student’s bedding for identification and ensure that students use their own bedding. Afternoon nap bedding is sent to a professional cleaning company for thorough cleaning and disinfection each week.

4. Transportation 行

Q1. Does ISA offer school bus service?

A: ISA provides 16 school bus lines with bus supervisors: Zhujiang New Town Line A&B&C, Haizhu Line A&B, Taojin Line, Baiyun Line, Favorview Line, Panyu Line，Tianhe North Line and Dongshan Line. There are many stops available on each line. Parents are required to pick up their child/children using a pick-up card at the scheduled time and station. We will choose the school bus stop by considering student’s safety and house location. Middle school students can return home by themselves if they can ensure their safety; early years and primary students should be picked up by parents or other family members. Parents need to sign a “Statement on Parent Duties of School Bus Safety” to help ensure student’s safety.

Q2. Can parents of ISA International School of Guangzhou pick up their child/children themselves?

A: Parents may pick up their child/children using a pick-up card during school time and when school is finished.

Pick up time is 16:45pm from Monday to Thursday; 15:45pm on Friday.

5. School Safety 

Q1. Is there a school nurse in ISA International School of Guangzhou?

A: ISA International School of Guangzhou is equipped with a professional nurse. The nurse establishes good relationships with parents and teachers to ensure all the students information is updated and those who need special medical treatment is being applied. She also communicates all clinical information to parents in a sensitive, confidential and helpful manner. When emergency situation arise, the nurse will deal with the student in the first instance. Parents and the Head of School will be informed immediately. A vehicle will also be ready to send the student to the hospital if necessary, and a member of school staff will accompany the child. If a student has any particular medication needs, parents need to provide our nurse with clinical information.

Q2. Are classrooms equipped with CCTV cameras? Are parents able to watch the camera footage?

A: ISA is equipped with CCTV cameras, which record students’ daily life, in every classroom and within other areas of the school. Parents are not permitted to watch the CCTV footage due to the students’ privacy.

Q3. Are there any security guard to ensure the safety of our students?

A: Yes. ISA International School of Guangzhou has equipped with professional and well-trained security guards to ensure the safety of our students. Security guards are responsible for controlling students getting in and out of the school safely every school day. Students are not allowed to leave the school unless the identity of the adults who pick them up have been checked (normally the adult need to provide a pick up card) by our security guards. The security guard also help students get on and off school bus; direct traffic around the campus, which make it a school day smoother for both our parents and students.

Q4. Are students permitted to use scissors at school?

A: PYP course encourages students to use proper tools to explore things around them. So, scissors are allowed to use in school under the instructions of a teacher. Students will learn to use scissors properly with the help of teachers. We would try our best to avoid students cutting their clothes.

We also encourage students to use the outdoor area to develop their physical skills, feed themselves and use the proper utensils, learn about science and math when they play with water. Student’s uniform may get dirty but this helps to show what they are learning.

6. Teacher/Parent Communication 

Q1. How do parents keep in contact with teachers?                                                              

A: During 2017-2018 school year, parents can add classroom teacher’s Wechat as friend and parents are informed of the students’ daily life at school and other school information. Parents and teachers may thereby communicate with each other. At times teachers may be unable to promptly reply to parent due to their busy teaching schedule. We also set up class email for sending some official notice to parents. We encourage parents to contact the homeroom teacher directly if they have any questions.

In addition, each student has a homework diary (communication book), which acts as a bridge for parents and teachers to record important messages. The communication books are designed to provide teachers the opportunity to comment upon the students’ performance and behavior. Parents can use the communication book to ask questions, and share their suggestions with their children’s teacher. Teachers will aim to respond in a timely manner.

Parents could also make an appointment to meet teacher to learn more about their children.

Communication channels for 2018-2019 school year will be different. Email, homework diary and face-to-face will still be used as important ways of communication whilst we use ENGAGE learning Management System as well as ENGAGE Parent Portal instead of private Wechat as our main communication channel.

Q2. In addition to the channel listed above, are there any other ways for parents to communicate with the school?

A: Parents can not only communicate with the classroom teachers using the communication tools mentioned, any questions and suggestions concerning the school, and teaching methods used may be made to the “Parent Service Center”. The Parent Service Center will convey parent’s suggestions and problems to the related department, and school leaders for any related follow up and feedback.

Parents could also write email to our Leadership Team if they have any questions or suggestions. Our Leadership Team aims to reply parents email within 24 hours.

School official notice will be sent by email or “Parent Service Center” WeChat Account. Parents should check their email and WeChat timely in case misunderstanding resulting from missing important messages from the School Leadership Team.

We encourage parents to join the parent seminars, PYP exhibitions, student-led conferences and other activity hosted by school. Students are encourage to share their school learning with their parents as this helps parents to understand much more about their child’s progress and educational achievements. Such activities help to increase a greater understanding between family and school.