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ISD Reopening
The Secondary School
The Elementary School
All Campus
A Word from our Director
Preparing for the upcoming school year, we are going to rely on our core
values of creativity, open-mindedness, responsibility, and excellence.
The reopening plans were developed by the International School of Dakar
Leadership Team, comprised of educational administrators, operational
administrators, school nurse, admission coordinator, and mental health
counselor, is working collaboratively with the ISD Board of Trustees, ISD
Health and Safety Committee and the ISD Online Learning Committee to
develop these reopening plans.
The Health and Safety Committee is comprised of medical and public health
officials and is facilitated by Jennifer Thermenos, ISD School Nurse, and
Suzanne Wardini, ISD Assistant Director.
The Online Learning Committee is comprised of ISD teachers and
administrators and is led by Dr. Nneka Johnson, ISD Innovation Director. The
health and safety guidelines are based on the recommendations from the
following organizations.
— Ministry of Education, Senegal
— American Pediatric Association
— Center for Disease Control
— World Health Organization
— Alan Knobloch
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe for students to wear masks for extended periods of time once we take hygeine and the climate into consideration?
The teachers are confident they will be able to work with the students. We will definitely have mask breaks throughout the day when the students can spread out safely. It would be helpful to have the children wear the masks for longer periods of time at home.
Have we considered the masks' effects on the learning ability and social interaction. How are students supposed to learn a language or interact with their classmates if they can't see the facial expressions of their classmates or teachers?
We will be using plastic shields for close contact with students where the masks can be removed. We will continue to learn how to to do this, and are confident in our teachers' ability to adapt as necessary.
Why did ISD choose an approach against the recommendations of the WHO? Are your teachers wearing masks as well?
All staff will be wearing masks. While the WHO does not recommend younger students wear masks, both the Center for Disease Control and the American Pediatric Association (APA) do recommend children about the age of two wear masks, see
Does ISD's stance reflect the wish of the majority of the other parents as well? Have you considered making a survey amongst parents regarding the obligation to wear masks? (just as you did for the question about on campus learning)
Health and safety matters are not subject to polling or preference. We have an obligation to keep all members of the community, students, parents, teachers, and staff. We are making health and safety decisions based on the best available information and in consultation with medical and public health professionals. Where there is no consensus, we have made the decision to start the year with the most conservative approach.