Information for TIS 2010-2011 School Year Start Up

Greetings TIS families! I hope you are enjoying the summer break. The following information will assist all of us in having a smooth start to the new school year.

1. There will be orientation days for grades 4-6 students on Monday, August 30th from 10:00am to 2:00pm and for JK to grade 3 students on Tuesday, August 31st from 10:00am to 2:00pm. During these times, parents and students can drop by the school to meet their new teachers and see their classrooms. This is an informal drop-in format, where parents and students can find out about their new teachers, classroom routines, and expectations. Students are not expected to be at school from 10:00am to 2:00pm and parents should not drop their children off at this time.
2. Pre-Kindergarten students will be following a staggered entry format again this year. Each Pre-K student and parent has been given an individual appointment with their teacher either on August 30th or 31st. Each child will then come to school in a small group on one of the following days: Sept. 1, 2, or 3. All families have been notified of these dates. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Atherton. All Pre-K students will then begin regular classes on Monday, September 6th.
3. Classes for students in grades 7 to 12 begin on Monday, August 30th with classes commencing at 8:25am. Students in grades 10 to 12 should drop by the school on August 26th or 27th in the afternoon to meet with the new secondary counselor, Ms. Hubert, to finalize their course selections if necessary.
4. Classes for students in grades 4-6 begin on Tuesday, August 31st with classes commencing at 8:30am.
5. Classes for students in JK to Grade 3 begin on Wednesday, September 1st with classes commencing at 8:30am.
6. If you are planning on using the bus service to transport your child to school, please contact Chong Ou Travel Agency at 28357659 as soon as possible so that the bus routes can be set before the last week of August. You can also pick up bus service registration forms in the school office. To avoid any confusion about which bus your child rides on, Kindergarten and Elementary parents should let the school office and the child’s homeroom teacher know the bus number that the child rides on. The bus
7. number should be the same for morning pick up and afternoon drop off.
8. For families living in Coloane who would like bus service, please drop by the office to register your children for the TIS bus service.
9. Kiss and Ride will begin on Monday, August 30th. If you wish to utilize the Kiss and Ride service, please drop by the school office to fill out a form. We will issue you a new Kiss and Ride visor tag and instructions on how it operates at that time. Kiss and Ride is for parents wishing to drop their children off at school without coming into the school themselves. Parents wishing to park their vehicles and enter the school should park in the parking lot adjacent to the MUST stadium. Parents/drivers should not double-park on the street in front of the school as this congests the traffic flow. Parents who used Kiss and Ride last year and wish to continue will need a new visor tag.
10. MUST entry permits – If you drive your child to school, please drop by the office to pick up a MUST entry permit. One permit will be issued and must be placed on the vehicle’s windshield to be allowed entry to the MUST campus. In the past, many people misused the TIS entry permits and parked on campus to go to work at nearby businesses. Last year, MUST changed its regulations regarding entry permits. Those who want an entry permit must pay a refundable deposit of 1000MOP for cars/vans or 500MOP for motorcycles. Parking will be limited to 2hrs. If a parent requires longer parking, they may request a special permit from the office. For full details of the new MUST policy, please drop by the school office.
11. Parents have two options for student lunches: they can buy into the Red Spot lunch plan (attached) or they can send lunch with their child in the morning. There are many insulating lunch containers available in stores that will safely store students’ lunches. Helpers will not be allowed into the school foyer at noon to drop off lunches. Take away foods (ie. McDonalds) is discouraged at the school. If you wish to treat your child, you may make arrangements to pick up your child for lunch. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
12. Uniforms can be ordered at Pan Pan in Macau. We have maps available at the school to help you find the shop. As well, parents can drop by the school office to buy hats, bags, and second hand uniforms. This year all students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 must wear a school hat when playing outside. Also, this year only TIS jackets will be allowed. There is a new PE shirt available. The original white PE shirt may still be worn.
13. Class lists and homerooms will be posted in the front foyer on August 26th. The school cannot entertain requests for specific teachers or classes.
14. A reminder that school fees can be paid using a variety of methods: You can pay at the school office using a credit card or cheque, pay over the counter at BCM, or use BCM autopay. If you have any questions about fee payments, please ask Rita or Yvonne in the office.
15. If there have been any changes to your personal information, including address, phone number, work visa, or your child’s passport or Macau ID, it is very important to get this information to the school as soon as possible. During the first week of school, we will send information update forms home with your children and ask that you update the information and return the sheet to the school so we can update your child’s records.
16. Please check the school website www.tis.edu.mo regularly as any updates and information will be posted there. As well, please be sure that the office has your updated contact information, so that we can contact you throughout the school year if necessary.
17. The school office is open all summer, so avoid the line ups at that the start of the school year and come in early to take care of all the necessary paperwork.
18. Enjoy the remainder of the summer. We look forward to working with you in the upcoming school year!

See you soon!