At YISS, the administration, faculty, and staff want to make moving to a new school in a new country as easy as possible for families, so every year, the school hosts a New Student and Parent Orientation before the first day of classes. This year, new families were welcomed on August 5-6. The goal was to provide families with an opportunity to meet teachers, learn more about YISS, find classrooms, drop off supplies, and meet other new students.

Since orientation was the first time many families visited the YISS campus, the YISS team made sure that they felt welcomed. Staff from different offices within YISS participated in the orientation, allowing the new families to submit forms, finalize bus transportation, and pick up vehicle decals to allow them on campus. As the new parents visited tables offering various services, they also had a chance to mingle with staff and other parents.

Parents went back to school as well as they learned about Schoology, the online learning management system, and signed up for accounts to be able to see what is happening on campus, check assignments and grades, and communicate with teachers.

Each division met with families to introduce staff and explained what being a YISS student looks like. All of our 6th grade students returning and new had the chance to come and get to know their classmates at the WEB “Where Everybody Belongs” Orientation. Parent Teacher Organization members also helped answer questions, point them in the right direction for classrooms and in general make everyone feel welcome to our community. Overall, the orientation was a huge success in helping families make connections to their new home away from home.