Country Meadows Principal's Message - September 11th

Country Meadows Principal's Message - September 11th

Country Meadows Families,

Can you believe we are three weeks into the school year? Even with a shorter week, we were full steam ahead learning and adjusting to our new routines. I had an opportunity to make virtual visits to classrooms this week, and it was incredible to see how remote learning continues to evolve. Our educators place an emphasis on high levels of student engagement as well as prioritizing time for social emotional learning and classbuilding. 

As shared during curriculum night, this quote from Brene Brown rings true in our current reality: "I am a traveler, not a mapmaker.  I am going down this path same as you and with you.” We continue to appreciate our partnership together so we can do great things for our kids! 

Let’s hope for some sunshine this weekend. Enjoy! 

Kindly,

Meghan Bird


NEW *Material Pick Up Info*

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Monday, September 14th for our second round of materials pick-up. During the hours of 11:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., please pull into the bus turn around. With all members inside the vehicle and wearing masks, hold a sign in the window with your child’s grade, name, and homeroom teacher. One of our staff members (wearing a mask and gloves) will gather your child’s materials and bring them to your trunk.

During this pick-up, your child will be given materials for literacy, math, P.E., music, art, as well as an external keyboard. Once we are able to resume school in-person, you will be asked to return the materials. We recommend leaving plenty of room in your vehicle to take the materials with you!

If you received any specific communication regarding materials from the front office or your child’s teacher, please follow those directions. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our front office! 

**We will once again have boxes for you to donate food items for the ELC! Please only bring non-perishable food items. Thank you!** 


NEW *Early Release Reminder*

This is a friendly reminder that Tuesday, September 15th is an Early Release for students. Please view the ELEMENTARY EARLY RELEASE SCHEDULE for the day. Elementary hours are 8:30-2:00. If you have any schedule specific questions, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher. 


NEW *Fall Family/Educator Conference Sign-Up*

Fall conferences are rapidly approaching!  Families will have an opportunity to sign-up the week of September 21st for a conference in October.  Please. be on the lookout for forthcoming information that week. 

As a reminder, conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, October 8th from 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Friday, October 9th from 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 

Conferences were moved to October in order to provide teachers and families the opportunity to discuss action steps for improvement before the reporting period closes.


NEW: 5th Grade Band Registration

Registration for the 5th grade beginning band is now open, and band lessons will begin soon!  Learn all about the band program and sign up.  And please feel free to contact our band director Chad Craw ([email protected]) with any questions you may have.


NEW *PTO Blog*

Please take a moment to visit the PTO on social media outlets:  PTO Blog, Facebook, and Instragram!

Please join us for our first Annual General PTO Meeting will be held on September 23rd at 9:00am!  For more info please see our website or contact our President, Debbie Sainte-Rose at [email protected].

Please take a moment to read the PTO blog this week! 


NEW *Yearbook Cover Contest*

Is your child interested having their artwork featured on the 2020-2021 yearbook cover?  Please see more information on this Yearbook Contest Flier and submit your artwork by:

  • Dropping off artwork during Materials Pick Up on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
  • Dropping off artwork in the front office by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH
  • Emailing to [email protected] by FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH.

             


REPEATING *MAP Testing Information*

Remote NWEA MAP Testing will take place over the next few weeks for your child.  Our teachers and instructional coaches will serve as test proctors and will work to build and encourage

student engagement during the test and respond to needs of students in real time.  In addition, they will be watching student engagement closely to ensure that students are working through the test in a timely and typical manner.  Students who are working too slowly or too quickly are tagged by NWEA and proctors are alerted.  

Overall, the remote test taking experience is nearly identical to its onsite counterpart, with changes mainly in proctor communication and the log-in process. However, the item bank, interface, and test management tools remain the same. From start to finish, the process is straightforward and easy to use.

See information in the box below regarding MAP growth, and this link below provides further information for families.  

Please see the important Copyright Information from NWEA MAP below:  

NWEA MAP assessments, including test questions, are copyrighted, and may not be copied or reproduced in any form, including but not limited to taking photographs, video and/or audio recordings.  Any copying or reproduction of NWEA MAP assessments constitutes copyright and/or other intellectual property infringement and is a violation of NWEA’s Master Subscription Agreement.  NWEA MAP assessments, including test questions and answers are proprietary information of NWEA

 

The schedule for Elementary Remote MAP testing is as follows:  

*All testing will take place in the morning 

**Schedules are subject to change 

September 10: 5th Grade Prairie and Kildeer 

September 11: 5th Grade Ivy Hall and Country Meadows 

September 14: All 5th Grade Students Districtwide

September 15: All 3rd and 4th Grade Students Districtwide 

September 16: All 1st and 2nd Grade Students Districtwide

September 17: All Kindergarten, 3rd and 4th Grade Students Districtwide 

September 18: All Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade Students Districtwide


REPEATING *Musician of the Week*

As you might have heard from your student, each week I will be selecting a Musician of the Week!! If your student would like to be considered, they can submit a video to the Musician of the Week assignment found on Seesaw (1st-3rd grade) and Schoology (4th-5th grade). The video could be a performance on an instrument of choice (singing included), a screen recording of an original  Specdrum or Garageband piece, or even a video explaining something that they learned in music. At the end of each week, I will select a student based on the video and weekly class participation in music. The Musician of the Week will be announced in an announcement on Seesaw/update on Schoology each week with a link to their video on my private school youtube channel. *Please note that this youtube channel is not public and can only be accessed from the link provided in the announcement on Seesaw/Schoology*.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out and contact me at [email protected]

Mrs. Murray - Music Teacher 


REPEATING *Instructional Interruptions*

We are so appreciative of our supportive families and school community.  With that being said, we ask that parents/guardians utilize the scheduled parent office hours or emails to specific staff to address questions and concerns.  Any questions or comments made during the instructional time are disruptive to student learning.  We understand that some parents may have questions while in close proximity to students engaging in Zoom sessions, but please know that you will be directed to take advantage of email and scheduled office hours if student instruction is interrupted.


REPEATING *Yearbook Photo Upload*

Be A 2020-2021 Yearbook Photographer!  As you can imagine, we will need to your help this fall to collect pictures for the Country Meadows Yearbook.  Start by uploading your child’s first day of school picture(s) through the yearbook company’s app or website.

Option 1:  Download the HJ eShare app, enter the school code: CM2021 tag and upload your pictures

Option 2: Go to www.hjeshare.com, enter the school code: CM2021, tag and upload your pictures

Option 3: Go directly to http://www.hjeshare.com/eShare/?code=CM2021 tag and upload your pictures


REPEATING *Tech Hub*

KCSD96 Family Technology Hub! The District 96 Family Technology Hub is designed to guide families through technology tools related to Enhanced Remote Learning. On this site you can find links to the recordings and the corresponding Slides decks for the parent/family informational sessions from last week. You can also find tutorials on how to use  ZOOM, Schoology, Seesaw, Clever, Notability, and other iPad essential tools for student learning. Additionally there is a link to email the technology support desk. Please save or bookmark this site. It will be updated with tools, resources, and tutorials through remote learning to better support your family.


REPEATING *Tech Support* 

As students are home with their iPad devices to access remote learning plans, we do anticipate there may be some tech needs that arise.  If you run into any difficulty with your child’s school iPad, just send us an email explaining your problem and we can support you and your device.  Please email [email protected] with any tech related support needed.

If we did not have your child’s iPad at Material Pick-Up, contact [email protected]. They will check the status of your child’s enrollment and work to provide your child’s iPad as quickly as possible.  Pick-up for all tech related items will be housed through Ivy Hall School.


REPEATING *Remember to Meet Health Form Requirements*

Health form requirements vary by grade level and for new/returning students. New to District 96 (all grade levels)? See MORE INFO regarding grade-level specific health form requirements. 

All students entering Kindergarten must have their CERTIFICATE OF CHILD HEALTH EXAMINATION/IMMUNIZATION FORM (signed by the physician) on file in the school office by October 15, 2020. 

All students entering Kindergarten must have their Vision Examination Form by October 15, 2020.

All students entering Kindergarten must have a DENTAL EXAMINATION FORM on file at their school office by May 15, 2021. 

All students entering Grade 2 must have a DENTAL EXAMINATION FORM on file at their school office by May 15, 2021. 

All students entering Grade 6 must have their CERTIFICATE OF CHILD HEALTH EXAMINATION/IMMUNIZATION FORM (signed by the physician) on file in the school office by October 15, 2020. 

Additional Grade 6 health form requirements include the DENTAL EXAMINATION FORM by May 15, 2021.