I think it is an understatement to say that the last couple of months have been a whirlwind.
And as I reflect on these uncertain times, I am struck by our (people in general and the FIS Community’s) ability to be so resilient, adaptable, and creative. We have been able to find ways to support and connect with each other here and abroad that didn’t seem previously possible.
Now that we are able to start slowly emerging from our quarantine bubbles, it is so wonderful to see familiar faces again and get back into some sort of school routine.
But looking forward, as this new normal likely won’t feel normal for a while, I’m wondering how we can maintain our strong FIS community in times when we won’t be able to physically come together and have had to cancel so many community events? How do we continue to build a greater sense of community at the FIS during these times? Short answer…I’m not sure… but I know digging deep into our collective wells of resilience, adaptability, and creativity will help. I’m also confident that we can continue the work that we started at the beginning of the school year. In addition, we are going to need to rely more heavily on new and innovative ways to stay connected. If you have ideas, please send them to .
Or better yet, join the conversation on Slack! PTO has been testing a new app, Slack, for communication with parents and we are excited to give it a go for the whole community. Slack offers a way of communication with all members of the FIS community in an instant and effective way and will also help make the work of the PTO transparent and accessible to all. Ths is an opportunity for sharing information/experiences/advice/successes regarding school and the school community through sending messages in a private chat room (private channels) with other parents within your child’s grade. In addition, we have public chat groups (these are called channels) for different relevant topics:
- #staying-connected-during-coronavirus – a place to share ideas about navigating these unprecedented times.
- #latest-news – PTO updates.
- #ask-fis – while we always encourage parents to go directly to the school with questions, we are offering parents a chance to share questions especially if they are not sure who at the school to get in touch with. It is also helpful for parents to see what types of questions other parents are asking.
Please follow this link to join the conversation and be part of this new format.
Step 1: Follow the link above to join Slack FIS workspace.
Step 2: We have chat groups for each grade. We will add you to the right grade channel. Sometimes we don’t know which grade you belong to, so you can save us a step by sending @Alexis Casey or @NicPlischke a direct message with the grade or grades of your children. If not, we will contact you in Slack.
Step 3: Join the conversation. Look at the channels along the left side of your screen. Channels with # are public and open to anyone. Channels with locks are private.
We would like all parents to join Slack as we would like to move away from less effective means of group communications like WhatsApp for example. Stay tuned for information about upcoming, short training sessions that we will be offering.
Alexis Casey
PTO President
