Before applying for a placement at Hui Xin campus it is important you make an informed choice, become familiar with the mission statement, goals and vision of the campus and read through the program descriptions presented on this website. Upon interview and registration, you will be informed about basic campus rules and asked to sign an acknowledgement agreement.
Physically, even though your child has never had a cough or a cold, when starting pre-school, he/she will get sick more often. It is an unfortunate certainty of kindergarten and later school life, where children spend most of their time together in a group. However, it is also a reality of growing up and is a prerequisite in developing the proper immune defense system. In the future, we do not get to choose whether or not we want to be around new people, so choosing to keep a child at home for longer periods than necessary at this age is putting them behind their physical development and will extend the period of development of the upper and lower respiratory system.
An average 2-4 year old will catch a cold/the flu up to 8 times per year in their first 2 years, after that it should go down to 4-6 episodes per year. For children who start pre-school before the age of 2, there will be a higher risk. The first few months of kindergarten are the roughest because children have not been exposed to considerable amounts of germs before. Lack of exposure maintains an immature immune system.
The time of year, where schools experience most absence due to illness is during the winter months. Most believe that children get sick due to cold weather and changes in weather, which is only a partial truth when applied to schools and kindergartens. The main reason why more children get sick in the cold/wet periods are because children spend more time inside, in a group, more exposed to the germs of the group when unable to go outside for fresh air. At Hui Xin campus we use PM2.5 and VOC air-purifiers in the class-rooms which can circulate, clean and exchange all the air inside a class-room 4 times per hour. We also have a policy of being outside as much as possible; Raincoats and rain boots are part of the uniform standard and will be used to teach children awareness of the elements, how to dress properly and to let them have the freshest and cleanest air, which for Suzhou, often happens on days with rain as the PM2.5 particles drop dramatically. If you wish to dress your child in more layers during the cold months, please buy thermal underwear for your child to wear underneath the Newton uniform, not outside.
Additionally, be informed that the school's menu is diverse and aims to represent both popular Western and Asian foods equally with daily choices of fruit, juice, warm/cold drinks and salads. For children's development the menu is rich in protein, grains, fruits/vegetables and dairy. Fresh and solid foods help against allergies, but we kindly remind parents to inform teachers of any identified allergens such as lactose and fructose intolerance which can cause digestive problems.
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