As if touring schools wasn’t stressful enough, now we need to consider what Covid-19 protocols are in place. Although most requirements are mandated by the Education Commission in each school’s district, it’s good to understand what you’re getting into as a parent. Hopefully, this won’t be a concern in the near future, but better to be prepared.

Decide from the list below what matters to you and your family, and bring it up in your conversations!

•    Are parents allowed onto campus? What is the process?
•    Do students wear masks all day? At lunch? What is the process if a student will not wear a mask?
•    How often do students need to get nucleic acid testing?
•    What temperature is too high at your school?
•    What is the process if a child shows a high temperature or other potential signs of Covid-19?
•    What happens when a child is sick with a cold or other illness that is not Covid-related?
•    What is the process for children to take the bus?
•    What precautions are taken when children enter the school?
  •    Temperatures taken?
  •    Sanitizer?
  •    Disinfecting?
•    How do students eat lunch?
•    How often is the cafeteria cleaned? Between lunch sessions?
•    How often are classrooms cleaned?
•    How are students kept socially distanced in the classroom?
•    How are students kept socially distanced on the playground?
•    Who is in charge of the enforcing of rules?
•     Are children allowed to leave Beijing (these rules change as needed)?
•    If parents or other household members need to leave Beijing for work, how does that affect the attendance of school?
•    What is the vaccination policy for teachers and staff?
•    What happens if a student at the school is found to be positive?
•    What are the communication channels used in the case of an emergency at the school?
  

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KEEP READING: The 2021-2022 School Choice Guide is Out!

Images: Pexels

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 January issue

Among the many adjustments schools made in 2020 so they could continue to function, some admissions and marketing officers created virtual school tours for parents. In a normal year, you would contact the admissions department and schedule a time to tour the campus. But with so many prospective families outside of the country, and with strict pandemic protocols that don’t allow visitors to enter the campus in place, pivoting to virtual school tours makes good sense.

Of course, with any media that is planned, filmed, and edited, the director only shows you what they want you to see. Don’t be afraid to ask for more information on a classroom or a common area and request more photos or explanations if needed.

Beanstalk International Bilingual School (BIBS):
BIBS Shunyi Campus: https://720yun.com/t/08vkumqe5fe?scene_id=42142240
BIBS Changying Campus: https://720yun.com/t/67vkumqe5fy?scene_id=42142291
BIBS Upper East Side Campus: https://720yun.com/t/f0vkumqe5fw?scene_id=42142360
BIBS Haidian Academy: https://720yun.com/t/69vku7fhr1e?scene_id=41071875

Beijing World Youth Academy (BWYA): www.ibwya.net/schooltour/

The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi: www.nordangliaeducation.com/en/our-schools/beijing/shunyi/our-school/virtual-tour

Dulwich College Beijing (DCB): https://beijing.dulwich.org/admissions
In addition, DCB regularly offers virtual open days. Parents can find out dates from DCB’s website and its official WeChat account “DulwichBeijing.”

Harrow Beijing (HBJ) : www.harrowbeijing.cn/admissions/360virtual-tour

HD Beijing School: https://pan.baidu.com/s/1BX0kb8U-yPE5MfdJvwyvlw  Password: bx8q

Western Academy of Beijing (WAB): www.wab.edu/join/admissions/360-video-tours

Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing): www.ycis-bj.com/en/admissions/visit-our-school

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Photos: Canva