Our school community is currently experiencing a period of significant movement. We are seeing some families return to campus, while many of our students on ordered departure continue their learning online. For those learning virtually, this may mean seeing classmates leave the online space as they transition back to Amman or to in person schooling in their home countries.

Building on our recent focus on Independent Problem Solving, we are now talking with students about Resilience. In our current environment, resilience means being able to adapt to a community that looks different today than it did yesterday.

While these transitions can be difficult, they are also a powerful opportunity to reflect on how our students have grown. Over the course of this year, your children have developed a remarkable sense of "grit." This is the ability to persist through challenges and maintain a positive outlook even when things are uncertain.

Our students have learned to:

• Pivot quickly when their learning environment or peer group changes.

• Problem-solve social hurdles across different time zones and platforms.

• Manage their own focus in various settings, from home offices in the US to new classrooms on campus.

These are not just "school skills." They are life skills that will serve them long after this year ends.

Whether your child is walking into a physical classroom or logging into a smaller virtual one, they are likely feeling the weight of these shifts. We are supporting students in three key areas:

• Processing Change: Acknowledging that it is normal to feel sad when a friend leaves the online class or nervous when meeting a new peer group on campus.

• Welcoming New Connections: Learning how to be "bridge-builders" by welcoming returning students or making space for new peers in their current groups.

• Dual Identities: Supporting students who may be balancing their ACS learning with attendance at a local school in the US or elsewhere.

When students face changes in their peer groups, they often need help labeling their feelings before they can move to a solution. If your child is struggling with a changing roster of friends, you might try these Resilience Builders:

"It can feel strange when our class looks different than it used to. What is one thing that has stayed the same in your school day?"

"Even if a close friend is not currently at our school, how can we celebrate the time you spent together?"

By validating these shifts, we help students realize that while their environment is changing, their ability to navigate it remains strong. Our ES Promises continue to be the anchor that holds us together, regardless of where in the world we are logging in.

Warmly,

The ES Admin Team

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