ISO Community, Colleagues, Teachers and Friends,
Two weeks ago, the International School of Ouagadougou had over a 4.75% positive rate, and were one or two members from “behind the wall” in transitioning to distance learning for one week. We are fortunate that it did not happen. Today, our number of active COVID cases among our students, faculty and staff is ZERO. Many parents and teachers have informed me that the number one reason we were able to mobilize so quickly, keep our school physically open and our community safe…is that our revised/updated COVID OPERATIONAL MANUAL V.12 worked!
Since a plan of this nature keeps evolving and adapting, we were not sure of how successful it would be. However, I will say that … “luck”, combined with excellent external medical human resources who provided sound scientific advice, clearly helped. This of course, with an ever-improving vaccination rate among those who are 18 and over, helped us avoid distance learning.
Although we can’t guarantee that this Operational plan will be as successful going forward, we can assure you that it will need to change and adapt based on the advice of medical experts.
In June of last year, we finished the school year with 150 students and 20 faculty members. Today, we have 163 students and 24 staff members. Hopefully, with our educational program remaining firmly in place, and our confidence that “we got this” as a community, our student population will also continue to grow.
“Necessity is the mother of invention” – and it is clear that the COVID Operational Manual we are using this year will help all of our students change and adapt to our new reality.
A final note … last year as we held 173 physical days here at the International School of Ouagadougou, we had several encouraging emails from various organizations like “Middle States” that visited us in October with an accreditation team, the IB (whose authorization visit was in January), AISA (African International School Association) and several parents who are no longer part of our community, but followed us on our updated website page www.iso.bf.
I would like to thank you, on behalf of our school community, for all of your support and your unwavering belief that we will prevail — and we will keep our doors open as long as it is deemed safe to do so!
For parents who will be returning soon, please take a moment to contact our Community Relations Office at cro@iso.bf
Let’s have a great week, right here at ISO.
Jeff
Upcoming Dates:
Board Pre-Training: 10/13 Role of Governance in Fiduciary responsibility to the school.
ISO Vaccine Drive in Collaboration with the PTO. 10/16 9:00 – 10:30: Basketball Court.
Board Training, on site with Chris Muller: Friday, Saturday 10/15 & 10/16
