Dear Families,
Can you believe we are three weeks into the school year? Even with a shorter week, we were full steam ahead with learning. 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 class-building.
The quote from Brene Brown rings true in our current reality: "I am a traveler, not a mapmaker. I am going down this path the 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,
Bob Hanrahan
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 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. Be on the lookout for more information from your child’s homeroom teacher.
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 *Materials Pick Up*
On Monday, September 14, from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm, Ivy Hall will be having a second materials pick up. The materials pick up will be conducted by drive-thru in the east parking lot (front lot) of Ivy Hall. The entrance to that parking lot is accessible via Ivy Hall Lane. You will enter the parking lot on the north side, drive southbound to gather necessary supplies, and exit the parking lot onto Clohessy Drive. Due to the volume of items, the materials are best transported via a vehicle. If you choose to walk up, it is highly recommended that you use something similar to a wagon to transport the items. This pick-up is structured as a rolling car pick-up, but we will accommodate walk-ups. All walk-ups must maintain social distancing and wear a mask. Some of the items included in materials pick up are equipment for physical education, items for music, art kits, iPad keyboards, math manipulatives, and additional literacy materials. If you are unable to pick up materials during pick, they can be obtained after Wednesday, September 16, 2020, by stopping by the Ivy Hall office between the hours of 7:30 am-4:00 pm. Please remember that Monday, September 28, 2020, is not an attendance day.
REPEAT *Instructional Interruptions*
We are so appreciative of our supportive families and the 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 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.
REPEAT *MAP Testing*
Families:
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 the 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 the 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 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
REPEAT *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.
REPEAT *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.
REPEAT *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.
*** Questions contact your local school (Ivy Hall).