Country Meadows Families,
This week Country Meadows Cubs celebrated Valentine’s Day with parties that were a great success. We are so grateful and want to extend a big thank you to our PTO and parent volunteers for providing our students with such a fun afternoon!
I would also like to personally thank you for the kind words of encouragement and congratulations on being appointed the Director of Teaching and Learning for District 96 next year. While I am so honored and excited for this new phase of D96 leadership, I am also sad to be leaving Country Meadows - my home for 10 of my 12 years in District 96. I am so thankful for the relationships and support the CM community has provided me along the way, and I find comfort in knowing that the work I will be leading will continue to directly impact the daily learning and experiences of our CM Cubs. Until then, I am excited to enjoy every bit of this 2021-2022 school year as we move forward together as a community.
Warm Regards,
Meghan Bird - Principal
*NEW Calendar Reminders*
Monday, 2/21: No School
Tuesday, 2/22: Early Release (students dismissed at 2:00)
NEW *SPRING COLLABORATIVE CONFERENCES*
The collaborative conference dates are Monday, March 14th from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM and Tuesday, March 15th from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
We will be using Meet the Teacher as an electronic sign up for collaborative conferences. A School Messenger email will be sent to families on Thursday, February 24th at 6:00PM with a link to sign up for conferences.
Collaborative conferences will be held over zoom unless parents request an in-person conference using the instructions below. To support easy location of Zoom meeting links, a single document with ALL the staff zoom links will be sent out on Friday, March 11th.
REQUESTING AN IN-PERSON CONFERENCE
After selecting the teachers you wish to meet with and choosing a time for each conference, Meet the Teacher will prompt you to save the appointment and ask if you want to add a message for the teacher.
If you want to have an in-person conference with the teachers, you must notify the teachers via this messaging feature (see picture below).
NEW *5 Essentials Survey for Parents/Guardians Coming Up*
Share your thoughts about how your child’s school is doing on the 5Essentials for school success. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. District 96 will participate in the statewide 2020–21 5Essentials Survey to meet state legislation and the Board’s mandate. District 96 parents may voluntarily participate to complete the survey. Please select the Parent Survey and begin.
Beginning in February and through Apr. 2, students and teachers will complete their surveys to help identify strengths and weaknesses in their school’s learning environment. In District 96, students in grades 4–8 will complete their surveys on Mar. 19.
This survey is designed to help school and district leaders better understand the parent/school relationship. All responses are anonymous. Parents are asked to complete a survey for each student attending a Kildeer Countryside District 96 school. The survey will be open through Apr. 2, 2021. Questions? See Frequently Asked Questions and/or contact 5Essentials Client Services, 866.440.1874.
NEW *Masking Information*
As communicated today in Julie Schmidt’s Superintendent Message, on February 15th the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) blocked the reissuance of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) emergency rules for Covid protocols that were implemented by JCAR on September 17, 2021 and that were renewed on February 14.
Last evening, the 4th District Appellate Court of Illinois dismissed the appeal of an earlier Circuit Court order on Covid related emergency rules issued by two state agencies and Covid related measures in the Governor’s Executive Orders. The Governor’s Executive Order regarding masking in schools remains the subject of continuing litigation as the recent circuit court ruling was on a temporary restraining order (TRO).
All decision making and educating regarding masking will be left up to individual families. We strongly encourage families to make and discuss their family decision to mask or unmask with their children. Please know that staff will not be monitoring or enforcing compliance with family decisions. Our role as educators will be to ensure that all students understand that whether they are masked or unmasked, they are safe, respected, and welcome. Below you will find a list of talking points that have been created and provided to staff by our administrative team to use with students as needed. Please feel free to review them with your children at home if you prefer. As always, if you have any questions please contact your building principal.
Staff will be diligent in monitoring student interactions and report any concerning language/behavior if continuous or intentional. Moving forward bullying/disrespect will be addressed consistent with our current district policy.
Addressing the Change in Rules:
- Rules have changed recently and masks are optional for students and staff in our schools. We know this may seem like a big change to people, especially since it is what we have all been doing for such a long time now.
- We’ve been wearing masks for a while now, so this change may seem strange to some people. It’s ok if you’re not quite ready to go “maskless.” Masking is optional to people now. If you along with your parents feel more comfortable wearing your mask, it is ok to do so. It is also ok if some people do not want to wear their masks anymore. It is your family choice but we do want you to talk with your parents about what is most comfortable for you.
Maintaining Safety & Routine in School:
- The adults in this school are all here to make sure that everyone can safely learn in school. School is, and will remain, a safe place for all.
- Our school nurses, principals, maintenance staff and every adult in the building does their very best to make sure everyone is safe in school. Even though some people may not be wearing a mask, and others are, all students are safe in school.
- Practicing good hygiene at all times is important to be healthy. We will still be washing our hands, monitoring our space when around others and in big groups, and we will always encourage those who are sick to stay home until they feel better.
- Anyone who tests positive for COVID will still need to isolate at home.
- You are following the school rules whether you are masked or unmasked.
- If there are things that make you nervous or anxious, there are lots of people in school to help you navigate those feelings. Make sure you talk to a trusted adult (teacher, parent, social worker, coach, etc) if you are experiencing stress or anxiety.
Respecting Everyone’s Personal Choice:
- We must be kind to one another no matter a classmate’s mask choice. We are all members of this school community, and we rely on each other to create a great environment to learn in.
- It is ok for other students and families to make a different choice than you and your family. We appreciate the difference in thought and opinion. However, if you disagree with someone’s decision on masking, it is not ok to make fun of them, argue with them, or be disrespectful to them in any way.
- It is not appropriate to encourage or coax other students to make a choice about masking that you believe is right. Each person and family should make that choice themselves.
- Families and teachers can make their own decisions based on what they feel most comfortable with at this time. Each family has its own set of circumstances that they need to consider when making a decision about masking.
- It is important to be understanding of others’ choices, even if they are different than our own. If someone wears a mask, that is ok. It is also ok to not wear a mask.
- Every person has a different level of comfort about personal space. If someone asks for some extra space because they are uncomfortable in a situation, it is kind and respectful to give them that space.
- Disrespectful behavior towards others based on their choice to or not to mask will not be tolerated. It is expected that you are kind and inclusive to all of your classmates.
- Disrespectful comments and actions towards others are not expected behaviors in our school. This includes comments and actions related to mask wearing and mask choice.
NEW *Cultural Arts Assembly*
We are thrilled that our PTO will be sponsoring our first Cultural Arts Assembly on Friday, 2/25, in honor of Black History Month. In order to ensure students are distanced appropriately, we will be using the gym for the grade level presentations. This means that on 2/25, students will be participating in an "extra recess" outside on the playground with their PE teachers (weather permitting). We are so grateful and excited for this opportunity!
NEW *Golden Paws*
This year we have introduced the exciting GOLDEN PAW. Golden paws are earned when an entire class is seen exhibiting PRO (People Respecting Others) behavior that is respectful, responsible, or peaceful. For example, a class may earn a Golden Paw for being respectful to a substitute the day a teacher is absent, listening and adhering to lunch room expectations, or walking quietly/peacefully in the hallways.
This weeks Golden Paws winners include:
- Alt
- Diaz
- Thompson
- Hanes
- Larson
- Mason
- Levy
Keep up the great work, Country Meadows PROs!
NEW *PTO Update*
Please take a moment to visit the PTO Blog this week!
Teacher Conference Meal
It’s always fun to let our teachers know how much we appreciate them, one way we do this is by providing a meal during teacher conferences. Please help us make this event a success by signing up to bring drinks and snacks or by going to Membership Toolkit to make a monetary donation.
Membership Toolkit (scroll to the bottom once signing in)
Spirit Wear
It may be cold outside, but you can stay warm with Country Meadows Cubs spirit wear! Jackets on sale now! All items ship directly to your home. Shop here!
Yearbook
The PTO is currently seeking a parent volunteer to chair the Yearbook Committee for the 2022-2023 school year. We are seeking to fulfill this position early to allow for training time on use of the software. Please reach out to us at [email protected] to express your interest.
Upcoming PTO Events
- 3/14-15 Teacher Conference Meal
REPEATING *5Essentials Survey Information*
Parents and guardians: Over the next few weeks, your child will be participating in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, which asks students about their experiences, attitudes and activities in school ~ with the goal of helping schools to improve. This is the 10th year of the survey, which also solicits input from teachers and parents on how their schools may be improved.
The survey is for students in 4th grade and higher. District 96 middle school students take the 25-minute survey the week of February 14. Elementary school students will take the survey the week of February 28.
This online survey is administered by UChicago Impact on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education. This survey is based on the Five Essentials for School Success, an evidence-based framework developed by the University of Chicago. This framework identifies how school performance on five factors or “essentials” can lead to important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains.
Twenty years of research at the University of Chicago in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of the 5Essentials were 10 times more likely to make substantial gains in improving student reading and math than schools that were weak on three or more of the Essentials.
Those 5Essentials are:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environment
- Ambitious Instruction
For more information or to view previous years’ Reports, visit https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois (choose “Select a Public Survey” dropdown menu). If you have questions about the survey, contact 5Essentials Customer Support at 1-866-440-1874 or [email protected].
REPEATING *Kids Heart Challenge*
We are excited to let you know that we will be participating in the American Red Cross Kids Heart Challenge this year. This is completely optional, and students can participate as much or as little as they would like. We will be doing a kick off presentation Monday the 14th, and the fundraising portion will end March 11th. During the week of March 8th, we will be doing a celebration/wrap up of the challenge. Attached is information regarding the challenge and fundraising, and students will receive information in PE on February 14th in class. If you have any questions please reach out to Mr. Loessl or Ms. Almdale.
REPEATING *Covid Metrics*
To stay up-to-date this school year on local metrics, please visit the COVID DASHBOARD for District 96. Our priority remains to keep our students safe and follow guidance from the CDC. If your student is identified as a "close contact", you will be notified individually through the contact tracing process.