Covid-19 Information (updated 31August)
Message from the Principal
Throughout the pandemic, OIS has been in contact with Associação de Estabelecimentos de Ensino Particular e Cooperativo who have offered guidance based on their communications with the government. Our plan for the school year 2022-23 is largely based on their advice and on the experience of other international schools both here and overseas.
The latest information will always be posted here and via our Facebook and Instagram page. We are looking forward to continuing teaching and learning, and we aim to do so in the safest way possible. We know there are risks involved, but with good practice and sensible precautions, we believe we can manage them.
I ask parents to play their part in keeping our community safe by following the government guidance and observing the school instructions. Of course, it is absolutely critical that you, your children, or members of your household, do not come to school if you have any symptoms and that you inform us of any Covid-19-related medical matters. Working together we can be safe and continue to learn at school.
Robert Tomalin
Vaccination and Testing
We strongly urge all members of the OIS community to vaccinate if possible. Almost 100% of teaching and administrative staff are vaccinated (booster shot) and already a significant number of students are vaccinated too. We believe this is the best way to protect each other. For our records, we would appreciate it if you could inform the school nurse when your children have been vaccinated. As a preventative measure, if your child develops any symptoms, the school recommends that they do a self-test before they come to school.
After School/Co-curricular Activities & After School Sports
OIS will have ASA, music lessons, co-curricular and after school sports. Masks won’t be required in any of these activities.
PPE and Hygiene
Although masks are no longer compulsory, any student/staff member or visitor is free to wear them in any situation inside or outside the school buildings. OIS will not accept any form of pressure or bullying from any member of our community or anyone else for their decision to wear a mask or not. Hands must be washed frequently. We have regular cleaning of high contact surfaces throughout the day, and of all areas in the evening. High usage rooms and surfaces will be disinfected through the day. Each room has sanitizer and an equipment cleaning kit.
Suspect Covid?
If you have any doubt or concern about the health of your children, PLEASE DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL. Contact SNS for advice on where to get tested and please inform us of the outcome. If we suspect Covid during the school day you must be available to come to school to collect your child immediately.
Starting School
School buses will run and drop students in the playground where they will remain until school starts at 08.15. Arrivals by car should ‘kiss and drop’ with absolutely no waiting as this will cause congestion. OIS has a parking lot on the oposite side of the green gate (main entrance) . Please use it to avoid traffic disruption at the entrance. Students enter via the front door and then after checks, proceed to their classes. Student cards should be swipped at the entrance. Lockers are available and should be used by all students.
Break and Lunch
In secondary, the café will be open for break and lunch. Microwaves will be available to secondary students during lunch time. We encourage students to go outside if the weather allows it. School lunch will continue be served on a different timetable (PYP students and Secondary ones). A packed lunch from home, enjoyed as a picnic outside in our beautiful grounds, would always seem a very good option.
End of School
Due to potential issues with traffic we are staggering the end time of the school day. It is critical that parents adhere as closely as possible to their allocated collection time (given below). If you have children in different year groups, collect at 4pm. The PYP students will wait for their siblings at the Playground being supervised by Miss Cassilda.
ALL STUDENTS NOT ENROLLED IN ASA or After School Sports MUST BE COLLECTED AT 4pm. When your arrival to school is imminent, please call your child so that they can make their way to the front of school for collection. We will have staff on hand in the collection area to radio students in the holding area to try to make this operation as smooth as possible.
- Year 5 & 6 students should be collected at 3.25 – 3.40pm.
- All other years at 4pm.
- School buses depart at the normal place and time (4pm).
- Second bus depart at 5.30 (priority given to ASA/After School Sports students), when the ASA re-start.
- Siblings leave at the time and place of the oldest (4pm)
School Buses
Our bus partners will ensure cleaning of buses between trips. Buses will leave at the normal time, so students should go to the bus area immediately as school ends. The second bus will depart at 5.30 for students with ASA.
Parents and Visitors
The school will allow access to the school sites all the prospective parents or any external visitors who don’t belong to the OIS community, by invitation only.
This information was updated on the 31st of August 2022 in accordance with the latest Decree Law which you can consult here, and will be reviewed frequently.