This year has been a challenging and difficult one for much of the world. For education institutions, the coronavirus adds unique challenges, and for international schools, still more obstacles to overcome. But our operations teams have been up to the task. Every BASIS International Schools location has been able to not only survive this time, but also thrive thanks to the tireless efforts of the operations teams at each campus.
In a series of posts, we have been highlighting the contributions of the operations teams at each of our schools. This post focuses on the team at BASIS International School Nanjing and the variety of ways they have helped our teachers and staff navigate these uncertain times.
From the Head of School
Every member of the school community has added their fingerprints to this tree.
I would like to publicly thank our fabulous operations team. They picked us up from the airport (and put up with our grouchiness), they sent us fabulous care packages, they cleaned the school from top to bottom, they paid us full salary (unlike many schools and businesses around the world), they set up Microsoft Teams and Zoom so we could carry on delivering high-quality lessons. They sent the parents online learning schedules and answered their emails (which is no easy task!), they helped monitor our online classrooms, they checked our temperature as we entered the school to ensure the safety of our community, they attended meetings with the Education Bureau, they liasied with the Lande Geography Industrial Area to help us gain access to the school.
Health and safety procedures were followed prior to entering the campus.
They sent school supplies to our apartments so we could carry on working from home, provided healthy and nutritious meals in the cafeteria, translated documents and emails, carried on interviewing prospective parents to ensure eligible students are able to attend next year, reassured our new hires and processed their documents, kept us updated on the latest travel restrictions and quarantine regulations, created draft schedules for next year, and they maintained the school grounds.
They picked us up when we were feeling down. They are the best!
Dr. Mark Starbuck, Head of School, BASIS International School Nanjing
Beyond the Team
The operations team at BASIS International School Nanjing have done an excellent job of not only taking care of our teachers and staff’s logistical and practical needs, but also emotional and social needs as well. When teachers returned after the extended Chinese New Year break, they were greeted with chocolates and assistance traveling to and from the airport to their home in Nanjing. To further uplift their spirits and allow for time to take in the outdoors, staff and faculty have also been treated to free trips every two weeks to nearby scenic locations, such as Purple Mountain.
Guide to Nanjing’s Mountain Scenic Area
Families of our faculty and staff have also been included. Activities such as a fun Easter egg hunt helped our teachers’ families and children feel included and supported as they have also had to adjust to new ways of living.
The Easter egg hunt was a big hit with everyone who attended!
Classroom Support
Online learning presents many unique challenges and definitely requires creativity and support to be effective. Our teachers had extensive support in this area, from help with setting up the online learning platform and sending parents online learning schedules, to sending school supplies to our teachers’ homes to ensure access to everything needed to continue to provide the highest quality education possible. For teachers who chose to carry on their online learning classes from the school campus, specialized teams checked everyone’s temperature upon entering the school and gave health advice and updates on new safety measures. The attention to detail by the operations team even included ensuring teachers and staff had access to healthy and nutritious meals in the school cafeteria every day. All of these measures allowed our teachers–even in the midst of a global pandemic–to focus on delivering high quality lessons to their students.
Back to School
Every surface and part of campus was thoroughly disinfected prior to reopening.
Dorm parents thoroughly clean bedding to prepare for boarding students to return.
On campus classes have begun for most students at BASIS International School Nanjing, and the operations team is still hard at work ensuring teachers and students are able to learn in a safe and healthy environment. Extensive disinfection procedures were carried out prior to reopening, with great attention to detail from surfaces to water filters. Every day when students and faculty arrive at school, their temperature is taken and students receive hygiene kits to use to ensure they have what they need to stay healthy. The school nurses have made the most of this opportunity to educate students about health and hygiene habits and we know this will have long term benefits for our school community.
Student hygiene kits and supplies
Posters around campus help inform and remind students about healthy habits.
All of these events, details, support, and care would not have been possible without the tireless and thorough work of the BASIS International School Nanjing operations team. We recognize their exceptional support and our entire school community is thankful for them every day!
Students display the thank you notes they have written to the operations team.
Read more about the amazing support and care provided by the operations teams at BASIS International School Park Lane Harbour, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou.
