Welcome

Kindergarten
8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. (Full Day)
8:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m. (Small World Half Day)

Primary Division 
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. every Wednesday)

Secondary Division 
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. every Wednesday)

Explorers Program
- Kindergarten: 3:30–5:30 p.m.
- Primary Division: 4:00–5:30 p.m. (3:00–5:00 p.m. every Wednesday)
- Secondary Division: 4:00–5:30 p.m. (3:00–5:00 p.m. every Wednesday)

Communications and Systems
Avenues is committed to quality and timely communications that ensure every member of our community is well informed and engaged in campus life. We use a few different tools to communicate with families. In the upcoming weeks, you will soon be receiving user account information to access important forms and resources to complete your checklist.

WeChat & Parent Portal
Avenues utilizes WeCom as our primary communication tool. Parents can use WeChat to receive school notifications, submit forms, view the school calendar, and connect to our parent portal. Please expect an invitation to join the Avenues School on your WeChat in July or August.

Digital Portfolio
Seesaw–Kindergarten
Each week, your child’s teachers will post regular updates within our digital portfolio tool. Seesaw is a platform for teachers to share photos and information about what students are learning, the projects they are working on and other relevant classroom information. As a tool for student engagement, it’s simple to get student work in one place to share with families so we strongly advise installing the Seesaw app on your mobile device so you can receive this important information.

The Tech Team will soon send an email from SeeSaw with instructions on how to join your child's class online. Please follow the instructions to log in. If you need help with that or prefer to do it with our assistance, you can stop by the Tech booth during Drop-in Day to get help.

Seesaw–Primary Division 
Seesaw for Primary Division is used mainly for students to manage their own learning at school and for teachers to monitor their progress.

The Tech Team will soon send an email from SeeSaw with instructions on how to join your child's class online. Please follow the instructions to log in. If you need help with that or prefer to do it with our assistance, you can stop by the Tech booth during Drop-in Day to get help.

Canvas–Secondary Division 
Secondary Division utilizes Canvas as a learning management system. Most student work will be assigned on Canvas and students can receive feedback and assessment outcomes.

Families can expect to receive log in instructions before your first day. A more in-depth training for parents who wish to know more about the system will be provided a few weeks after the start of school.

For support, please send an email to: tech-sz@avenues.org.

Weekly Bulletins
The division will send out a weekly bulletin, typically each Sunday evening. Please be sure to read them for important information for the week ahead.

You will receive weekly bulletins, letters from the head of school, faculty messages, and other important information.

Monthly Curriculum Highlights
For Kindergarten and Primary Division, you can expect a monthly newsletter from your associate division head which will focus on grade-level curriculum highlights.

For the Secondary Division, teachers will send a curriculum introduction prior to each unit.

Text Messages
In the event of an emergency or other urgent announcement, text messages may be used to contact parents. Be sure that we have your updated emergency contact information that was completed in the checklist.

If you have any questions or feel you may be missing communications, please contact communications-sz@avenueschina.cn.

As you begin preparing for the start of the 2023–24 academic year, we are excited to share that our extensions program has a new look and name: Explorers. Inspired by the childhoods of some of the world’s greatest inventors, artists, athletes, scientists, and other changemakers, the new name captures the combination of curiosity and purpose that characterizes how children pursue their interests through enrolling in the various after-school activities that Avenues offers. Explorers sometimes pursue variety, driven by their curiosity to venture into new, unknown territory. Other times explorers focus on a unique area of interest, driven by their desire to reach the summit. Among the after-school options for this year many familiar favorites are returning, joined by exciting new additions to fuel your child’s curiosity and interests. We invite you to view our program page where you will find all the ways for your child to become an Avenues Explorer.

Click Here to View Explorer Program Page

If you have any questions or would like more information about Avenues Explorers program, please email the explorers SZ team at explorers-sz@avenueschina.cn.

Avenues Shenzhen is pleased to offer a bus transportation option to students in nursery through 12th grade. Busing is the safest and most environmentally conscious way for children to travel to and from school. As our Shenzhen campus grows, we look forward to being able to expand our bus routes to serve more families.

Click Here to Review Routes & Timetables

Sign Up 
The updated bus route information will be sent out to all of the families by mid-August and you can determine the needs of your family by then.  

Contacts 
Please email: transportation-sz@avenueschina.cn for school bus related inquiries.

Students are required to follow our style guide which is detailed below.

Avenues Shenzhen has partnered with Untold Horizons, our New York-based school-style partner, to develop a set of school uniforms for our campus. We’ve followed the same styles and colors that we offer students in New York but have selected lighter fabrics for Shenzhen. We will still offer a selection of warmer clothing for the cooler months.

Uniforms are available at the Untold Horizons WeChat store (scan the QR code below). Orders will be shipped directly to your home. Untold Horizons will be on site to sell uniforms during our drop-in days before school starts. They will have a full range of sizes on hand for your child to try on.

Kindergarten/Primary Division

Students are expected to be in uniform every day. All other clothing must conform to our style guide including:

• Clothing must be solid-colored white, gray or black
• Only the Avenues logo is allowed.
• White items of clothing should be true white: not cream, beige, silver
• Clothing must not be overly-embellished: no patterns, stripes, glitter, sequins, etc.
• Clothing should not be ripped or torn
• Shoes must not have wheels or lights
• Shoes must fasten around the heel. Flip flops are not allowed

Secondary Division

Our style guide builds a sense of belonging by making our students easily recognizable to each other and other members of our community. It also reinforces that school is a place for purposeful, active, and collaborative endeavor, and our students pledge to dress in accordance with these goals. Accordingly, students should not wear clothes that are excessively short, sheer or ripped. We also encourage students to avoid wearing excessively expensive items, which are not conducive to an inclusive and welcoming environment. We ask students to take pride in their appearance as representatives of the Avenues community. School administration, including deans, will address students, and their parents as necessary, when student clothing choices show a pattern of running counter to these guidelines.

Avenues students will enforce the following style guide expectations:

At Avenues, the meals we serve each day are nutrient-rich, delicious and culturally diverse. We want all students to develop agency in their meal decisions while developing a positive relationship with food. We create balanced menus that are low in added sugars, preservative-free, and meet the unique needs of students ranging from age two to 18.

Safety is always our top priority and our food program has been developed to ensure that our students get nutritious and safe foods. All of our food is prepared from scratch on site using ingredients that have been carefully sourced. Our supply chain is transparent and traceable, which means that we understand where all of our food has come from and we can be certain that it was handled correctly on delivery. At this time, all of our food with the exception of oat milk is provided by Metro.

As one school with many campuses, we strive to expose students to global cuisine. We serve a variety of international dishes using culturally appropriate ingredients and techniques which honor those traditions. We also aim to minimize our ecological impact and carbon footprint by choosing local and seasonal produce, where feasible.

Lunch

You can review the monthly menu on the WeChat parent portal. Each day, students and colleagues are offered a protein-based entrée with a minimum of two coordinating side dishes, one of which is a starch and the other a vegetable. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options are also available.

Each Wednesday, special cuisine representing food culture in different countries will be provided. Students learn about global cultures while enjoying their meal. Each Friday, Primary and Secondary students will be provided with an extra special option, such as beef rice noodles or poke bowl.

Snack

Each student from Kindergarten through 5th grade receives two snacks per day—one hand fruit and one other option, such as homemade bread. Students in grades 6–12 receive one snack per day, and students have a choice between a hand fruit or another option.

Allergies

Our food program seeks to minimize the risk of allergic reaction by avoiding some ingredients and clearly communicating when others are used. We prepare individually wrapped plates for students in the Kindergarten who have documented food allergies.

In order to provide the safest possible environment for students with severe allergies, we do not allow outside food on campus. Please ensure that you have provided a complete record of any allergies that your student may have in the Student Health Information form in OpenApply (for new students). If you have any questions about allergies, please contact the school nurse.

Sustainability

Our program is designed to minimize ecological impact and to support Avenues’ Zero Waste initiative. Leftover food is re-used or donated to local partners. Where possible, foods will be local, seasonal and organic. Our flatware, bowls, plates and containers are either biodegradable or recyclable. We also encourage students and employees to bring in their own reusable water bottle.

Avenues is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment in which everyone embraces and models our community values of welcome, safety and respect. School leadership, faculty, staff, parents, students and partners are all essential parts of a safe community.

Access to the Building

All main exterior doors will be locked and secure at all times, except during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. When health and safety conditions allow and visitors can enter campus while following the visitor entry registration procedures. Each faculty, staff member (whether campus employee or partner organization), parent and Secondary student is required to wear a lanyard with their ID badge while on the school property at all times. Wearing the lanyard will ensure that all students and colleagues on campus know that you are a safe person and are part of our Avenues community. 

School employees and partner staff will have black lanyards, and visitors will have a different colored lanyard for the day. Please note that all students in the Secondary Division (light blue for upper grades and dark blue for middle grades) will need to carry their Avenues ID at all times, and are expected to badge in and out of the building. 

Authorized Persons

The foundation of our safety is ensuring that only authorized people are able to access the campus.  

As part of the enrollment process, you will be asked to register all persons authorized to pick up your student, including parents, grandparents, relatives, caregivers, drivers, and anyone else who will visit, drop off or pick up your children. All of these people will need to obtain Avenues ID badges. 

Anyone who is not authorized will not be allowed on campus. 

While on campus, parents and caregivers are required to wear their electronic ID badge at all times. Those without badges will be stopped by the security team at the main entrance at the gate house. 

Each badge needs to be associated with a photo of its holder before it is active. There is a station in the lobby of the A12 welcome center where you may obtain your badge and get your photo taken. Badges may be obtained by providing a government issued ID to the security team.  

If there is a change in your household and a person must be unauthorized (i.e. a driver that no longer works for your family) or a new person added, please notify the division office.    

Finally, if you lose your badge, please notify the security team as soon as possible. We will disable your badge and issue you a new one. 

Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures

All arriving students will be received and greeted during drop-off by Avenues staff and dismissed by Avenues staff in an organized process. Students who are picked up from campus will only be dismissed to a parent or authorized caregiver or pick-up person. Pick-up and drop-off procedures occur at designated entrances of the school building and at arrival and dismissal times. All areas related to drop-off and pick-up will be staffed for student safety as well as for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Specific procedures will be developed for each type of vehicular drop-off—private vehicle or bus. 

Emergency Planning/Response

Avenues Shenzhen will organize and maintain an incident management team led by the director of security and consisting of up to ten people employed by the school. Avenues Shenzhen will conduct safety training for all teachers and staff before the school year begins as required by the Education Bureau. In addition, we will conduct safety drills as directed by the primary incident commander throughout the school year, including but not limited to fire and lockdown drills. 

Communication

In the event of an emergency, Avenues Shenzhen will proactively communicate before, during and after with local and regional emergency personnel. Internal communication will occur through WeCom, text message, email, as well as through two-way radios and over the emergency public address system; external communication to our families and caregivers will occur via WeChat, texts, email, and phone calls.

Avenues recognizes the power of technology in the learning experience. We want technology to facilitate creativity, innovation, collaboration and communication among all our students, faculty and staff across the globe. 

The technology team works in partnership with our entire community to ensure the success of the technology program. We value the leadership potential of all of our students. As we know, with leadership comes responsibility. Below we have summarized some key points in our technology program. 

Classroom Technology Integration

• The technology team collaborates with classroom teachers and students to integrate the use of innovative technology into curriculum to enhance learning and teaching.  
• Students in grades K–5 are issued an iPad with all necessary accessories and AppleCare Protection.  
• Students in grades K–5 have access to shared MacBook Air computers.   
• Students in grades 6–12 receive a MacBook, an iPad and the Apple Pencil Kit, with all necessary accessories and AppleCare Protection.  
• The Apple Classroom App will be installed on iPads in grades K–5 to allow teachers to manage students’ iPads and guide learning. 

File Storage and Backup

• All students receive an Office365 account which allows them to conveniently store documents and files in the cloud. No additional backup is needed.  
• If files or documents are stored on a local drive instead of OneDrive, the school’s responsibility for lost files is limited to reloading the school’s standard software suite on the equipment.  

Handling of Equipment 

• All school-issued equipment should be used in a careful and proper manner. Students need to keep their equipment in good operating condition. 
• No personal stickers or writing are allowed on the equipment. 
• All MacBook Airs and iPads must have a protective case at all times. A protective case is provided when the equipment is issued to the student. 
• On school days all school-issued equipment must be on campus. When it is not being used, the equipment must be secured in a locker, backpack or other locked and secure location. Equipment should not be stored on the floor or in places where it may be easily damaged or broken. 
• Students are responsible for keeping their equipment charged and it is recommended that they bring their charger with them to school as needed. If equipment is taken home, students are responsible for charging the equipment at home before it is brought back to school. 

Damaged/Lost/Stolen Equipment 

• The student should immediately notify the technology department if the equipment is not in good operating condition, is determined to be lost or is in need of repair. 
• Parents/guardians will be responsible for paying any fees related to the loss of or damage to the iPad and MacBook Air, chargers, cords and/or cases. 
• Minor repairs for the iPad that are covered with AppleCare+ will be charged at the current AppleCare+ deductible rate. 
• MacBook Air repairs that are not covered by AppleCare and/or warranty will be charged at the current Apple repair rates. 

Please Note: In cases of misuse, abuse/loss of the iPad/MacBook, the parents/guardians will be financially responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement of the iPad/MacBook. 

Use of Equipment: The primary use of the equipment by the student is for the student’s educational programs. The student/parent shall abide by the school’s Acceptable Use and Responsible Use policies.

Digital Citizenship  

• The tech team collaborates with classroom teachers and students to integrate technology topics into curriculum to develop students’ digital literacy and computational thinking skills. The topics include creative computing, multimedia learning and digital citizenship.  
• Avenues has partnered with Common Sense Media as a part of their Supporter School Program. 
• Throughout the school year, students will participate in digital citizenship activities and discussions. Our curriculum is based on the Common Sense Media curriculum and complemented by other professional resources. We encourage you to explore the Common Sense Media website, which contains a wealth of resources on the use of media and technology: Family Tips on Digital Life from Common Sense Media. 
• Parents should discuss individual family values and expectations regarding technology use at home.

App/Software 

• All students will be issued an Apple ID for the purposes of app deployment for school use only. 
• Students, parents and guardians should not associate or link any credit card or gift cards to the school-issued Apple ID. The Apple ID is managed by the technology department. 
• Software that was not issued by the technology department but is found on a device will be removed. 
• Personal, non-school-issued Apple IDs should not be applied to Avenues-owned equipment. 

Email 

• Avenues Shenzhen is a Microsoft 365 institution. Microsoft 365 is a suite of tools used to communicate and collaborate among students and faculty. 
• All students will be issued a school Microsoft 365 account limited to instructional and school-related activities only. 

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at tech-sz@avenues.org. We look forward to a wonderful year facilitating creativity, innovation, collaboration and communication at Avenues.