Country Meadows Families,
The extra days this past weekend felt like a gift. We hope you were able to spend them as a family and enjoy your time together. With the nicer weather and flowers starting to bloom, spring is truly here! We are truly thrilled to have our in-person learners return full time next week. There is no better feeling than to walk the halls of our school and see the incredible faces and “smiling eyes” of our students!
As always, our school team is here to support your family. If your child is struggling with the transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out and we will partner together to ensure a smooth welcome back to school. For our students that are remaining “zoomies” for the remainder of the year, we are here for you, too!
Let’s make these last eight weeks of school the best yet!
Sincerely,
Jason Williams - Assistant Principal
NEW: *Calendar Reminders*
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Starting Monday, April 12, All In-Person Students begin attending all days
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Grades 1 & 2 bring Saliva Samples on Mondays each week
NEW: *Daily Self Certification Reminder*
Daily self certification should be completed at home each morning before in person students come to school. We have seen an increase in the number of students who arrive without having completed this requirement. Since all in person students will be attending every day, we ask that families build the completion of this screening into their morning routines. With the amount of students who will be arriving each morning increasing starting on Monday, we need your partnership to help keep our entry procedures efficient and safe for our students. If you are having trouble completing the self-certification questions, please contact our office for assistance.
NEW: *Materials Pick-Up and Return*
We have additional art materials for students to use during our final trimester this year. We will also begin collecting literacy materials that have been distributed that are no longer needed for instruction. Please review the grade level document for your child to see what materials we need returned:
Remote Students: Art materials may be picked up on Thursday 4/15 and Friday 4/16 from 9:00am - 4pm. There will be boxes labeled by teacher for you to return your student’s literacy materials as well. Please cross your student’s name off the list after you return the materials.
In-Person Students: Art materials will be distributed during art class. Students may bring their literacy materials back starting on Monday 4/12 and give them to their teacher.
NEW: *Spring Assessments*
The standardized assessment window is quickly approaching. Because many of the required assessments must be taken in-person, families who selected remote learning for the rest of the year received a survey earlier today to outline their options and determine if their children will come to the buildings to take the assessments. Students who are in-person will take the assessments with one of their teachers.
Remote and in-person students will be kept separate during the administration of the assessments. Specific dates for each assessment will be determined once the results of the survey are collected, but you can find general time frames below.
NWEA MAP: Students at all grades participate in one assessment for English language arts and one assessment for math over two days. The data we receive from the MAP assessments provides valuable information regarding intervention and acceleration needs. The window for the NWEA MAP assessment is May 3 - May 14 with more specific dates within the window to come.
ACCESS: Students that are identified as not yet English proficient participate in four assessments in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Illinois State Board of Education requires ACCESS to be administered in-person. Students who are in-person are being scheduled by building level personnel.
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR): Students in grades 3-8 participate in assessments for both literacy and math over three days. The Illinois State Board of Education requires IAR to be administered in-person. The window for the IAR is May 17 - May 28 with more specific dates within the window to come.
Illinois Science Assessment (ISA): Students in grades 5 and 8 participate in three assessments in science. The Illinois State Board of Education requires ISA to be administered in-person. ISA will be administered on Friday, June 11 for those families who wish to participate. We will be sending out a separate survey to fifth and eighth grade families later in May to find out who would like to participate in ISA.
NEW: *Return to Full In-Person Learning*
As many of our students return to in-person learning five days a week, there may be an adjustment period for students. A few helpful hints are listed below to consider discussing with your child.
- Review expectations regarding mask wearing and social distancing with your child before he/she returns on Monday.
- Please ensure that your child’s mask fits his or her face, covering both the mouth and nose without sliding down for long periods of time. Practice wearing a mask for longer time chunks if your child is not used to wearing a mask for the school day.
- Review possible regulation strategies such as deep breathing or asking for a break.
- Have a conversation with your child about change and feelings that can accompany change. Provide opportunities for your child to ask questions.
- Consider family adjustments to schedules that may take place with full in-person learning.
We will have supports available in school for those who may need assistance. Your child’s classroom teacher will be checking in regularly with all students regularly.
If you or your child have any questions or would like someone to speak to assist in the transition please reach out to our social worker Kara Johnson at [email protected].
NEW: *April Artistic Challenge*
Please check out this month's Earth Day themed artistic challenge for students!
NEW: *PTO Blog*
If you are interested in being a part of our incredible Country Meadows, PTO Executive Board, please click here to show interest. Please take a moment to read this week's PTO Blog.
REPEATING: *Attendance Procedures for In-Person Students*
With the change to five days of in-person learning for all students beginning April 12th, the expectation is that students will attend in-person unless the student is under quarantine/isolation or is home ill. If for some reason your child needs to attend school remotely instead of in-person on a given day, attendance procedures are changing to state that the child’s parent/guardian will need to contact the school office prior to the start of the school day.
REPEATING: *Keeping Students (and Siblings) Home Due to Symptoms*
Per the IDPH COVID-19 School Exclusion Guidance, if any household member is showing any one of the symptoms listed below, ALL SIBLINGS must stay home from school. Please let the school office know when calling for attendance if your child is staying home due to illness, even if the student is participating remotely.
The symptoms in which a student must stay home due to COVID-19 protocols are: fever (100.4°F or higher), new onset of moderate to severe headache, shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, new loss of sense of taste or smell, fatigue from unknown cause, muscle or body aches from unknown cause.
REPEATING: *2021-22 KCSD96 Registration Fee Charges on Credit Card Statements*
After successfully submitting your student’s 2021–22 registration, you will receive an itemized receipt by email promptly that lists the total charge, including required fees and optional donations, if any, that you chose to make.
IMPORTANT:
Please do not refute the charge. It will result in a chargeback fee for your family.
If you select the credit card payment option when paying 2021–22 registration fees, look for either of the following identifying description labels on your credit card statement: POWERSCHOOL MD 512375–4514 or PB POWERSCHOOL. District 96 registration charges are not described with the District or school name.
Also, be advised that some banks code this transaction as a donation.
If you have questions, please refer to your registration receipt and/or contact the public info coordinator [email protected]
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CARGO DE LA CUOTA DE INSCRIPCIÓN KCSD96 2021–22 EN LOS ESTADOS DE CUENTA DE LA TARJETA DE CRÉDITO
Después de enviar con éxito la inscripción de su estudiante para el ciclo escolar 2021–22, usted inmediatamente recibirá un recibo detallado con el cargo total por correo electrónico, incluyendo las cuotas requeridas y las donaciones opcionales, si las hubiera, que usted eligió hacer.
IMPORTANTE:
Por favor, no rechace el cargo. Eso resultará en un cobro de devolución para su familia.
Si usted elige la opción de pago con tarjeta de crédito al pagar las cuotas de inscripción de 2021–22, busque cualquiera de los siguientes términos descriptivos en su estado de cuenta: POWERSCHOOL MD 512375–4514 o PB POWERSCHOOL. Los cargos de inscripción del Distrito 96 no son descritos con el Distrito ni con el nombre de la escuela.
Además, tenga en cuenta que algunos bancos codifican esta transacción como una donación.
Si tiene preguntas, por favor consulte su recibo de inscripción y/o contacte a la coordinadora de información pública [email protected]
REPEATING: *2021-22 Registration Emails Were Sent Again Mar. 31*
On Mar. 31, District 96 parents/guardians of returning and pre-registered new students were again sent registration email(s) for the upcoming 2021–22 school year (From: [email protected] Subject Line: Register Your District 96 Student for the 2021–2022 School Year). All returning and new students must be registered. Each registration email (one per D96 student) will include a link and a unique “snapcode” needed to access that individual’s online form. Register by Apr. 15 to save. After Apr. 15, required registration fees increase by $20 per student for all returning students.
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El 31 de marzo se volvió a enviar correos electrónicos a los padres/tutores del Distrito 96 de los estudiantes que regresan y de los nuevos estudiantes preinscritos para el ciclo escolar 2021–22 (De parte de: [email protected] Tema: Inscriba a su Estudiante del Distrito 96 para el Ciclo Escolar 2021–2022). Todos los estudiantes que regresan y los estudiantes nuevos deben ser inscritos. Cada correo de inscripción (uno por estudiante del D96) incluye un enlace y un código único (snapcode) que va a necesitar para ingresar al formulario en línea. Inscríbase para el 15 de abril y ahorre. Después del 15 de abril, las cuotas de inscripción aumentan $20 por estudiante para todos los estudiantes que regresan.
REPEATING: *Parent Input for 2021-2022 Class Placement Survey*
Creating balanced class lists that meet the needs of all students is a tremendously difficult job that takes many hours of thoughtful dialogue between classroom teachers, administrators, and specialists. We take this process very seriously. The process for class list creation is as follows:
Teachers think about the social and academic needs of each of their current students while recording pertinent information to assist in the decision-making process.
Grade level teachers, principals, specials area teachers, and specialists meet together to form class lists that are balanced in terms of academic, social, and emotional needs as well as considering friendships. This team of educators considers each child’s personality, academic needs, friendship patterns, etc. as they make a match for each individual child.
This team of educators creates a draft set of class lists taking into consideration parent input. Class lists are then revised in August with summer changes for students who move in or out of the district. Class rosters are never final until they are released to families in August.
This process happens for grades 2-5. Willow Grove creates the class lists for our incoming 1st graders. Our 5th-grade team actively works with Woodlawn to provide data and input related to placement decisions at the middle school level.
We welcome input from parents regarding your child’s strengths, needs, and learning style through our 2021-2022 Parent Class Placement Input Survey. This information remains confidential between parents and school administration. We will take into consideration pertinent information received on or before FRIDAY, APRIL 30th. Please remember, while we welcome your input, specific teacher or friend placement requests will not be honored.
REPEATING: *Returning to In-Person Learning Information*
We are very excited to have additional students joining us in-person after spring break. Below is some information you need to know for a successful transition from remote to in-person learning.
Masks for In-Person Learners
Send your student to school with a comfortable mask that complies with CDC/ISBE guidelines, ensuring that the face-covering fully covers the mouth and nose and that the covering fits snugly against the sides of the face with no gaps.
Medications
If your child needs to take medication at school please bring the medication to the school nurse’s office in its original container along with this Medication Authorization Form.
Materials
Please look for specific information from your child's classroom teacher regarding materials he or she will need to bring to class on days he/she reports. Here is the updated Specials Materials List. Please reach out to your child's classroom teacher or specific specials teachers with any questions.
Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
All students reporting in person will enter through the main school entrance. Once entering the building, students will approach one of our two scanning stations to ensure their self certification has been completed that morning. Our 1st/2nd graders will walk through one hallway to their classrooms while our 3rd/4th/5th graders will walk through another to limit the number of students in a hallway at all times. Breakfast is available for students who would like to eat at school in the morning, and socially distanced seating (similar to lunch) will be used. We will have staff outside to help guide students from both the buses and parent pick up into the building.
Bus Information
Bus routing information will come by email to families over spring break. Please anticipate that busses may be running late. If you have any bus route questions, please call the office. Our arrival and dismissal routines within the school building have been designed to maintain social distancing. For purposes of social distancing and to maintain order on the bus, all students will be directed to sit in an assigned seat separated from peers. Siblings may sit together. Please prepare your child for this routine to sit where the driver or school assigns and to always stay seated in their seat. As a reminder, complete the daily self-certification before your child gets on the bus or comes to the school by parent drop-off. All children coming to school must wear masks on district transportation as well as in the school building.
Change in After School Pick-up For Your Child
If your child will not be taking the bus home after school, please send a note or call the office to let us know. Please DO NOT send emails of this nature, as we cannot guarantee that an email will be seen prior to school dismissal.
Additional Items of Note
- It is still chilly! We may go outside for short breaks so please ensure that your child has the proper outerwear.
- Children will be bringing iPads and Logitech iPad "crayons" between home and school daily. Please develop a routine of charging both every night and putting them in their backpack each morning. A helpful tip is to post a sign at child eye level on the door where your child will exit in the morning. You can make a picture checklist of this and anything else to support your child to develop independence with morning routines.
- Children may bring individual water bottles to school. They should not be glass and should have a spill-proof top. Please label your child's water bottle with his/her name.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: Parents must do the DAILY self-certification for their child. Parents must submit a daily self-certification prior to their student being allowed to attend in person. Parents will need to download the TeacherEase app if they haven't already in order to access the daily self-certification form. Please see this video for further instruction.
Commitment to Partnership
We are confident that the District 96 community will rise to the occasion and partner with us to ensure the safety and success of our hybrid learning plan. Please think carefully about your commitment to our partnership before sending your child to school. Please review our In-Person Learning Protocols.
REPEATING: *Safety Drills*
All schools are required to hold fire/evacuation, severe weather, and lockdown drills. We recognize some content could potentially be frightening for students. Please be assured that presentations to students are developmentally appropriate. Teachers and support staff are attentive to students’ emotions during instruction and drills. Specific drill dates are not shared with parents. At school, we conduct drills at unknown times so that students and staff can respond authentically as would be needed in an actual emergency. You can expect lockdown education to be provided to your child when we come back from break followed shortly after by a drill. We will maintain our social distancing requirements throughout all drills. Please let me know if you have any questions.
REPEATING *NURSE HOURS and IDPH DECISION TREE*
Our District 96 nurses are closely following the Illinois Department of Public Health school exclusion decision tree to determine when students are eligible to return to turn school. Thank you for your patience with students who have had to isolate or quarantine due to illness, household, illness, positive COVID-19, and/or close contact status. The building nurse will request appropriate documentation for students to return to school. While you may receive this documentation outside of school hours, the nurse will contact families regarding a return date upon receipt during the next school day.
If you would like to be in touch with one of the District 96 nurses, please note the hours that they are available:
Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, Prairie, Willow Grove: 8:00-3:15
Twin Groves, Woodlawn 7:30-2:45
REPEATING: Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Parents Dental Screening Reminder
The Illinois School Code requires all children in kindergarten, second and sixth grades to have a dental examination by May 15th of each year in compliance with the rules adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health. If you have not already done so, please submit your 2nd-grade child’s dental exam form to our building nurse. To see a complete list of the health forms required for students, please visit our Student Health Section of our Web page.
REPEATING *Obtaining Free Meals*
Preorder free meals for in-person students by 6 PM on Thursday for the week ahead. Order at onlineordering.linq.com only for your student's in-person days.
Pick up meal supplies for 5 days for remote students on Wednesdays from 11 AM– 2 PM at Twin Groves or Woodlawn. No preordering needed.
Please direct questions to the public info coordinator [email protected].
REPEATING *Family Tradition Survey*
Last year, families filled out a form to share their family traditions with us. We shared those traditions in a daily slideshow for students and the kids absolutely loved reading about themselves and other students in the school. We would love for you to participate again this year!
Read more about how you can share your family traditions this year. It will show you a QR code and a link you can use to participate.