ELC A–Z Guide

Each month, you can expect to receive via WeChat a newsletter from the head of school. These messages will focus on school level campus updates. 

Family Bulletins 

Each Friday, you can expect to receive via WeChat a weekly Division Head Bulletin, which will provide highlights from the previous week and a look at what’s ahead division-wide. It is important to read these each week to remain informed. 

Class Posts 

Teachers will post regular updates on Seesaw with information and photos about what students are learning, the projects they are working on and other relevant classroom information. Whole class reminders, notices and official school communications will be sent to your WeChat “School Notifications”. Parents are strongly advised to install the WeChat and Seesaw Family app on your phone so you can receive this important information. If you take some time and look at the posts with your child, you will be surprised as to how much information your child will share. Please also share important information with your caregivers. 

Class WeChat Group  

Teachers will share messages about the class, such as key learning experience, home learning resources, reminders/highlights for the special activities and other related information via class WeChat group. Parents are strongly advised to read this information. Parents are expected to strictly adhere to the above regulations. 

Avenues Community Connections 

The school will regularly hold Avenues Community Connections (ACCs) .  The purpose of these meetings will be to talk about your children’s social, physical, emotional and cognitive development, topics that are determined in advance, such as literacy, math, and second-language development, and school-related matters. These meetings will be led by members of the Shenzhen administrative team, other invited key faculty and guests and are an opportunity for parents to ask questions and share ideas. 

Parent School Cooperation 

1. Avenues Parent Association

The Avenues Parent Association (APA) is established for the purposes set forth below:   

• To support Avenues Shenzhen in its efforts to provide high-quality education;      

• To build a strong sense of community within Avenues Shenzhen among the students, their families and the school;    

• To facilitate communication and foster partnership among parents, the faculty and the school management;    

• To support Avenues Shenzhen in its efforts to realize the Avenues mission and vision;    

• To provide a forum for the expression of views of general interest to the parents and the school;    

• To support new families as they enter Avenues Shenzhen.  

All parents and guardians of students currently enrolled in the School shall be considered to be members of the APA. The APA members shall conduct an annual election for membership on the General Committee, which is responsible for the governance of APA and its work in support of the Avenues Shenzhen community. Subcommittees have been established and all interested APA members are welcome and encouraged to join any such subcommittees by contacting the appropriate Chair, Co-Chairs, if any. 

2. Class Parents

In ELC, each classroom will have 2 class parents. Class parents facilitate dialogue and strengthen collaboration among parents, teachers, administrators and the Avenues Parent Association. Class parents are appointed by and serve at the discretion of the head of the division. Class parents support their teachers and strive to maintain and balance the best interests and needs of all parties. They are ambassadors of inclusiveness, responsiveness, cooperation and community within their classrooms, as well as within the Avenues community at large. Class parents are not responsible for discussing or resolving personal matters or academic issues. 

At Avenues Shenzhen, the day begins with time for children to play in different areas of the school to socialize and interact with peers. Students may arrive on campus between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m.

We cannot stress enough the importance of bringing your child to school on time. Arriving on time is a good habit for all their future years in school, and it sends a clear message from you that you think school is important. Children need playtime each day and arriving on time will ensure they get the time they need. 

2. Buses and Curbside Drop-Off

Teachers greet the bus children in the morning. They will be at the gate by 8:00 a.m. to greet/escort children to our early morning play areas. 

Curbside drop-off is available to families who drive to school. It can be used on an as-needed basis. Curbside drop-off is available to parents beginning at 8:00 a.m. 

When cars pull into the drop-off lane for curbside drop-off, parents/caregivers take their child(ren) out of the car. Please ensure that your child is seated on the left side of the car so that the car door may be opened onto the sidewalk and not into traffic. A teacher or staff member will then escort children to our early morning play areas. In order to maintain a regular flow of traffic, we ask that parents and caregivers immediately return to their car and exit the drop-off lane.  

Students will line up outside of the building. They will then have their temperature checked. 

*Arrival times: 

3. Dismissal

Half-day Small World sessions end at 12:15 p.m. Full-day Small World and nursery school ends at 3:15 p.m. Pre-K and K ends at 3:30 p.m. For Wednesday, dismissal time is different due to teacher professional development arrangemens, N, Prek and K will be dismissed from 3:00. 

Children are dismissed from the campus front gate to a parent or person authorized to pick up their child. Authorized pickup adult must bring their Avenues ID Badge. Children are never dismissed to a person who is not on their authorized list (this includes caregivers of other students) or not confirmed by the teachers. If there is a temporary pick up person, please submit the request via WeChat 微信 - School Notification 学校通知 - School Apps 学校应用 - Dismissal Form 离校. If an unauthorized person arrives to pick up a child, a parent will be contacted before the child is released to that person and that person must present valid government-issued identification. 

For all children who take the bus, the teachers and bus monitors will escort children to their buses. 

For children who are scheduled to attend our after-school program, a classroom teacher will bring them to their after-school classes. 

*Dismissal time:

4. Changing A Child’s Dismissal

If your child is going home a different way than their default, please notify teachers via WeChat. You may go to "School Notifications 学校通知", select "School Apps 学校应用" at the bottom, fill out and submit an "Dismissal Form 离校".  

5. Early Dismissal

There will be times during the school year where a child will need to be picked up during the school day. We ask that families notify the school by 1:30 p.m. on the day by going to "School Notifications 学校通知", select "School Apps 学校应用" at the bottom, fill out and submit an "Dismissal Form 离校".  Please make sure that this individual is on your family’s authorized pick up list and will bring his/her Avenues badge for pick-up. 

6. Late Pick-Up

Any child not picked up by 3:45 p.m. will be supervised by our faculty. Your child’s teacher will notify you to get a sense of who will be picking up the child and at what time. The pick-up time should be no later than 4:30 p.m. 

7. Parent Pick-Up Notification

To improve pick-up arrangements at the dismissal peak times, we have added a new function for parent arrival notification for each class on the WeChat parent portal. You can go to "School Notifications 学校通知" on WeChat, click on "School Apps 学校应用" in the bottom left menu bar and you will find the "Pick Up 接娃" button of your child's class. Please press the button to submit the notification form when you or your pick-up person arrive(s) at school and are/is ready to pick up your child. Upon receiving the information confirming the parent/pick-up person's arrival, teachers will help your child to get prepared. 

We will invite the authorized pick-up persons to the school's WeChat home-school directory based on the information you submitted before the start of the school year. Once the authorized pick-up person accepts the invitation, they will be able to use the above arrival notification function by going to the "School Notifications" on WeChat, clicking on the "School Apps" in the bottom left menu and accessing the corresponding "Pick Up" button. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to a member of the ELC Leadership team. 

8. Sibling Pick and drop off 

If you have children attending both the  ELC and Primary at Avenues, you may apply to pick up your Primary Division child at the A19 entrance of the Primary building for your convenience. (Normally, Primary Division students are escorted by their teachers to the A8 Lishui Road entrance of the Secondary Division for dismissal.) 

With this arrangement, after picking up your ELC child and waiting briefly, you can then proceed directly to pick up your Primary Division child. 

Our Operations team will reach out to you before school starts to gather your needs.

9. Authorized Pick-up List 

During the school year there may be someone other than yourself picking up your child from school, we ask that you include these people in your household profile on WeChat parent portal and give them permission/authorization to pick your child up from school. You may go to WeChat "School Notifications 学校通知", select "School Apps 学校应用" at the bottom, fill out and submit an "Pick-Up Person 接送人员" form to add or delete an authorized pick-up person. 

Class Placement 
Nursery classes are typically grouped according to the balance of genders and birthdays. 

For pre-K and kindergarten, we mix returning children with others from their nursery classes and add students new to Avenues to build on their previous relationships and expand social connections. In the best interest of twins, we will place them in separate classes. 

We try to balance the genders as best we can depending on the incoming class. Once children progress to the following grade, the partner classes will be mixed so that children have some familiar faces, while they expand their social contact with their partner class. The teachers know the children in both classes very well. Avenues makes every effort to maintain balanced sections and we ask that parents not request specific teachers or sections. 

A rest mat and sleeping bag will be provided for each child. If your child is taking a nap longer than one hour, you should begin to adjust their sleep schedule by gradually shortening the naptime and moving the bedtime earlier. Children can be tired at the start of school, and it will help their adjustment if you shift their sleep schedule prior to the first day. 

Rest time is important for children, especially our youngest ones. After lunch, lights are turned off and each student is given a sleeping mat. Soft music may be put on the smartboard. Nursery children may bring a soft toy or snuggly for rest. Pre-K and kindergarten children can listen to soft, calming music. We discourage children from bringing in toys during rest time.

Bathrooms and Toileting 
Two-year-olds can start toilet training based on individual readiness and 3-year-olds should start school toilet-trained. Training includes proper hand washing, wiping and managing clothing. Starting school and toilet training at once can be difficult for children. We hope the process is completed or well underway as your child begins school. Our school bathrooms are equipped with child-sized toilets (not changing tables) and sinks, and bathroom time is part of the school day. A labeled change of clothing, several pairs of underwear, and diapers/Pull-ups (if necessary) should be sent to school in case of accidents. Please let your child’s teachers know if your child is in the process of training.  

Teachers supervise children in bathrooms. Teachers of children under 3.5 may assist children as they are learning how to wipe themselves. In the case of a bathroom accident, teacher assistance may be required. Teachers of children 3.5 and older should not be wiping children, but instructing them in technique if needed.  

Adjustment and Separation 
A child’s school experience necessarily imposes a separation between parent and child. Starting school is one of the early steps of separation, a lifelong process that must be handled with sensitivity. Our goals are to ensure each child and parent has time to develop the trust needed for successful separation and to help the child make the transition from home to school. Once this begins, children are well on their way to seeing themselves as competent and independent individuals. Each child will respond differently to the newness and unfamiliarity of school. Some will feel uncomfortable and hold back, while others will run right into the classroom. Some parents and children say goodbye with ease, while others find it difficult. All of these responses are normal. 

To encourage a relaxed, secure adjustment to school, a phase-in schedule for Small World, nursery and pre-K allows time for children to adjust to school. Although some children may seem ready from the beginning, it is advantageous for the whole class to begin this way. You will receive the phase-in schedule for your child prior to the start of the school year. The phase-in schedule will be 7 days for Small World, 5days for nursery. Establishing regular daily routines and having plenty of sleep will help this transition. 

A parent or caregiver needs to be available for this phase-in period. If your child needs to see you, the teachers will bring them to you. If your child is clingy and won’t let go, try to relax, as your child will surely sense your nervousness. It will take time for some children to trust their new teachers. Children know they are coming to “school,” but they may have little or no concept of what school is. Remember, the teachers will help you with any separation difficulty you may encounter and will work with you to formulate an individual plan, if needed. Be patient. We will be there to support you and your child. We encourage all parents to attend the separation/adjustment to school workshops scheduled at the beginning of the school year. 

Helpful Hints about Saying Goodbye 

• Once you say goodbye, don’t hesitate; say goodbye quickly and tell your child you will see them later. A prolonged goodbye is hard for most children.

• Always say goodbye to your child but don’t expect a goodbye back. 

• Don’t ask your child for permission to leave—a definite “I’m leaving now” is most helpful to your child and lets them know you’ll be back or see them later.  

• Prior to and at the start of school, speak positively to your child about school and read books about starting school. 

• Giving your child a transitional object (something from home) can be helpful. 

• Smile and relax. 

Fire/Lockdown Drills 
Fire and Lockdown drills are required by law and Kindergarten children become very adept at exiting the building quickly and quietly and learning our safety requirements. 

Lost and Found 
Lost and found is located outside of the security guard room of A18. The lost and found is cleaned several times throughout the semester. Please make sure all of your child’s belongings are labeled so that we can return any lost item back to you.  

Health Policy 

DAILY TEMPERATURE CHECK

Each day, students will be given a temperature check and an oral examination as they enter the building. Any student who has a fever above 37.3 or exhibits signs of throat infection will be suggested to rest at home or go to the hospital.

Please do not send your child to school if he or she is not feeling well. If your child shows any of the symptoms below, we ask you to keep the child home. 

• Fever above 37.7 in the previous 24 hours

• Diarrhea or vomiting

• Seems very tired and needs bed rest

• Heavy nasal discharge from a cold

• Persistent cough

• Becomes short of breath or wheezing

• Has distracting pain from earache, headache, sore throat or recent injury

• Has yellow or green drainage from eye(s) 

• Breaks out in a rash; not all rashes require that a child stay home from school so check with your child’s doctor page 1 of 2

• Cranky or atypical behavior

• Reddened eyes with discharge and/or crusty lashes 

Parents are asked to keep their child home until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours from any of these symptoms, without the aid of fever-reducing medications.

Examples:  

Fever 
Symptom Disappears Monday → home Tuesday and Wednesday → return Thursday 

Respiratory symptom 
Symptom Monday and Tuesday → home Tuesday → return Thursday 
Symptom Sunday → home Monday → return Tuesday 

Digestive disorders with no fever 
Diarrhoea/non-physiological vomiting Monday → home Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday → return Friday 

Children returning to school after an illness should be well enough to participate in all activities. Children too sick to go outside should not be in school. 

If your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease such as COVID-19, influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, herpes pharyngitis, chicken pox, etc., please notify the health office at and let us know your child needs to take a sick leave. 

There are rules regarding when a sick child can return to school. The health office will inform parents when the child is ready to return to school while tracking the wellness of the child. If you have any questions, please contact the health office.

If there is anything you would like teachers to pay attention to after the student returns to school, please notify the health office, teachers and the associate division head with appropriate doctor’s notes. 

Sensitives and Allergies

Any child with food allergies must provide documentation from a doctor. Nurses will then meet with the kitchen staff and make plans for an alternative lunch if needed. 

Outside food is not permitted in the ELC building, nor in children’s backpacks. Many of our children have life-threatening food allergies.

Birthday Policy
We are happy to celebrate each child’s birthday in school, and parents (no other family members, including Avenues siblings) are invited to school for a brief celebration. It is not always possible to celebrate on the day of the child’s birthday because of scheduling conflicts. In order to plan appropriately, please confer with the teachers prior to the occasion to choose a mutually agreeable date. The time of day will depend on each classroom’s schedule.  

Celebrations on campus are kept as simple as possible, with no food or treats. Parents are invited to read a favorite book and join in the class singing to the birthday child. 

Children with birthdays in June, July and August are known as summer birthdays and are celebrated all together near the end of the year. Classroom teachers will organize and reach out to summer birthday parents closer to the event. 

Style Guide 

Children are required to follow the Avenues Style Guide guidelines. We ask that everyone adheres to these guidelines throughout the year. 

Additionally, to encourage growing independence, we ask that parents dress children in clothes that they can easily manage in the bathroom. Pants, shorts, and skirts with elastic waistbands (no buttons or zippers) and slip-on or hook-and-loop closure shoes are best. Sneakers are required as they allow for safety and ease of movement when playing. Sandals, Crocs, and ballet flats are not permitted. 

Toys, electronic devices and other high value possessions

Please do not allow your child to come to school with toys or precious items that may cause sharing difficulties or a crisis if lost. We cannot be responsible for keeping track of little treasures from home, and even the most well-intentioned child may not be able to share a special toy.  Additionally, toys from home can be a distraction and may get in the way of a child’s learning. Toy guns or weapons, action figures, money and jewelry are never appropriate in school. 

Biting Policy 

Some children just on the verge of fluent language may bite when angry or frustrated. They find the impulse to bite a natural defense, not having mastered more refined ways of communicating their needs, wants and feelings. We recognize that biting, while not acceptable, is a typical developmental process for very young children. Parents of both children are notified of the incident without naming the other child involved. If biting persists, a meeting with teachers, ADH and parents is set up to make a plan.