Country Meadows Families,
It has been quite a pleasure to complete another week of full in-person learning. As students become more comfortable being at school, it is important to remember that our safety guidelines are still in place. Your partnership around sustained reinforcement of social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand hygiene is a critical part of keeping our buildings open. Thank you for your attention and collaborative support in these areas. The weather next week looks like it will begin warm and then cool off. As we all eagerly wait for the arrival of summer, this is a gentle reminder to send your student(s) to school with clothing that will allow them to accommodate the changing weather. Remember that our staff is here to help. Please do not hesitate to call or email with any questions or concerns.
Kindly,
Jason Williams - Assistant Principal
NEW: *Remote Assessment Survey Change Requests*
Families of remote learners who wish to change their assessment survey answers should contact Jeanne Spiller, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, at [email protected] by Monday, 4/26. After Monday 4/26, there will be no more adjustments made.
NEW: *Transition to Middle School Program for Parents of Current 5th Graders*
Parents of all current fifth graders are invited and encouraged to attend the Transition to Middle School program presented by Middle School Principals Jessica Barnes (Twin Groves) and Greg Grana (Woodlawn). They'll discuss academics, extracurricular opportunities, and changes that middle school years bring. Current sixth-grade student panelists will also share their perspectives. The virtual presentation begins at 7 PM on Mon., May 10.
Zoom Link: https://kcsd96.zoom.us/j/88296995872?pwd=S0d6QnplZzh6S2t0dUMzYXcxSTVPZz09
Meeting ID: 882 9699 5872
Passcode: 450506
NEW: *PTO Blog & 5th Grade Car Parade*
Please take a moment to read this week's PTO Blog.
The PTO is purchasing Country Meadows Sweatshirts for all of our 5th Grade Students but we need your help!!! Please fill out this form with sizing, name of your child and teachers name. Thank you for your support and help with this end of year gift.
PLEASE RESPOND BY APRIL 30th WITH INFO OR YOUR STUDENT WILL RECIEVE AN (ADULT Small)
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NEW: *Parent Pick-Up Reminder*
If your child will not be riding the bus home, please send a written note with them to school to notify our office so that we ensure they are dismissed to the correct transportation. Thank you!
REPEAT: *April 30th Half-Day Asynchronous Attendance*
All students will have a half-day of morning asynchronous work and NO students will attend in-person on this day. The afternoon is a day off for students as teachers will be involved in professional development.
REPEAT: *Specials Materials for In-Person Learners*
Students are able to bring their art backpack and gym bag to school and leave it in the classroom and do not need to bring it back and forth from home. Students will then have their needed supplies on hand each day. Music and Exploration Lab currently do not need any additional materials.
For Remote Students, here is the updated Specials Materials List for what will be needed each day.
REPEAT: *Student Water Bottles*
With the weather starting to get warmer and in-person students participating in PE and Recess each day, we are encouraging students to bring a personal water bottle with them to school. We currently do not have drinking fountains turned on, but do have our filling stations operational. Students who do not have a water bottle will be able to use disposable cups to get a drink from the filling station.
REPEAT: *Assessment Information*
The district has finalized the dates for the MAP and IAR assessments for all students. If you have elected to have your remote learner attend in-person for these assessments, more information about attending on assessment days will be sent to your email and home mailing address prior to the assessment date.
Families of remote learners who wish to change their assessment survey answers should contact Jeanne Spiller, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, at [email protected].
MAP: Dates for In-Person and Remote Students
Monday 5/3: Grades 5 and 6
Tuesday 5/4: Grades 5 and 6
Wednesday 5/5: Kindergarten and Grades 2, 3, and 4
Thursday 5/6: Kindergarten and Grades 2, 3, and 4
Friday 5/7: Grades 1, 7, and 8
Monday 5/10: Grades 1, 7, and 8
In-person students will have the same arrival and dismissal times as they normally would and complete the assessment as a part of the typical school day.
Remote students coming to test in-person will arrive at 8:45am and dismiss at 11:35am to rejoin their classes via Zoom once they return home.
*Remote students coming to take MAP in-person who have extended time will be contacted by building staff to communicate a dismissal time.
**Remote students coming to take the MAP in-person will also take the FastBridge assessments. FastBridge is a reading fluency assessment, which is typically administered in the same window as MAP.
IAR: Dates for In-Person and Remote Students
Monday 5/24: Grades 3-8
Tuesday 5/25: Grades 3-8
Wednesday 5/26: Grades 3-8
In-person students will have the same arrival and dismissal times as they normally would and will complete the assessment as a part of the typical school day.
Remote students coming to test in-person will follow the schedule below and rejoin their classes via Zoom once they return home. The dismissal time is different on Wednesday because the third English Language Arts test is shorter.
Monday 5/24 and Tuesday 5/25
Arrival: 8:45
Dismissal: 11:55
Wednesday 5/26
Arrival: 8:45
Dismissal: 11:00
*Remote students coming to take IAR in-person who have extended time will be contacted by building staff to communicate a dismissal time.
ACCESS: Dates for In-Person and Remote Students
In-person students who take ACCESS will do so during the course of their school day.
Remote students who are coming in to take ACCESS will be contacted by school personnel to schedule the test. Students in kindergarten will have individual appointments as the test is administered one to one. Students in grade 1-8 will participate in the assessment on Thursday, May 13th and/or Friday, May 14th.
REPEAT: *STUFF THE SQUAD Food Pantry Drive*
The Buffalo Grove Police Department invites KCSD96 families to donate food and essentials to support food pantries serving our local residents. Collection via centrally located boxes in schools will be underway at all KCSD96 schools in the weeks ahead. The last day to donate to “Stuff the Squad” is May 5. SEE REQUESTED ITEMS
REPEAT: *Make Lunch Plans*
Parents, please help. With many more students learning in person in KCSD96 schools, it's essential that parents place their students' free meal preorders by 6 PM on Thursday of the week before. Find preordering instructions here. Questions? Contact [email protected].
ALSO, please remind your students of the meal choices you preordered, so the meals they request at lunchtime are the meal options that you preordered for them. Thank you!
******
Haga Planes de Almuerzo
Padres, por favor ayuden.... Con tantos estudiantes de regreso a clases presenciales en las escuelas de KCSD96, es necesario que los padres pre ordenen la comida de su estudiante para las 6 PM del jueves de la semana anterior. Puede encontrar las instrucciones para la pre orden AQUÍ. ¿Preguntas? Contacte a [email protected].
ADEMÁS, por favor recuérdele a su estudiante las opciones de comida que pre ordena, para que cuando pida la comida durante el almuerzo, sea la opción que pre ordenó. ¡Gracias!
REPEAT: *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.
REPEAT: *April Artistic Challenge*
Please check out this month's Earth Day themed artistic challenge for students!
REPEAT: *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.
REPEAT: *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.
REPEAT: *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.
REPEAT: *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
REPEAT: 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.
REPEAT: *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.