83. Summer Updates – COVID, vaccine data, and strategic plan

Dear Faculty and Staff,

My heart is filled with gratitude at the outpouring of encouragement, well-wishes, and support from you all. Thank you. I have been home from the hospital for several days now and am on a steady route to recovery. For those who asked, the specifics of my injury is a compression fracture of the L1 (back) and takes about 6 weeks to repair itself. I am lucky to have great care and all the accommodation devices I need. I’m also delighted to say that Gerry has arrived safely to Ho Chi Minh City and has only a little over a week left in quarantine.

The government is continuing to work diligently to keep the COVID transmission at bay. As you are aware, Ho Chi Minh City has extended the lockdown for another two weeks. I know we are all dealing with this in our own ways. And I encourage you to make use of any of these resources or virtual solutions such as the Truman Group if you feel you are struggling. It’s wonderful to see you banding together to keep each other’s spirits up, whether in quiz nights, conversations, or bike rides. The School is most happy to sponsor faculty/staff events that support your wellbeing and are open for everyone to participate in (virtual or physical, depending on the restrictions).

Yesterday, Wai Mun shared the COVID 19 Vaccination Survey (EN/VN) with you. Although we do not yet have a date for vaccine availability, completing this form will ensure that we are prepared and ready when the time comes. Don’t forget to complete the form by Monday, June 21 so that we can assimilate the data and respond to any questions or concerns.

Earlier this week, we held our annual year-end SLT retreat (virtually). We were excited to work through the strategic plan and the community data. It’s great to see how much our parents support and appreciate the work that you do, thank you.  In light of the ongoing challenging times we are living through, we will limit the areas of strategic focus for the school year. And as mentioned previously, the first quarter of the 2021-22 school year will focus on starting up school, maintaining programs, and onboarding new teachers. We are very mindful of the potential extra strain on faculty and staff due to quarantines, potential lockdowns, etc., and the need for reasonable expectations during the opening of school.

You can expect me to periodically update you on the situation in Vietnam, HCMC, and the school during the summer. In the meantime, please stay safe, well, and connected to each other.

All good wishes,

Catriona