Dear Families,
I want to thank all families for your continued support and flexibility during this most challenging school year. This afternoon staff members were able to collaborate during the second half of the school day to discuss the scoring of student writing submissions. Why is this process so valuable? Teachers collaborate across buildings to calibrate and align their grading interpretations to our common rubrics. This helps to ensure equitable growth-producing feedback for students. This is done by analyzing the common rubrics and comparing the language to student writing samples. This produces equitable scoring and common growth-producing feedback for all students. Have a great weekend.
Be well,
Principal Hanrahan
NEW *Newcomer Coffee*
Has your family recently moved to the United States or are you and your student(s) new to this area?
On Monday, November 23rd at 11 am parents that are new to our area and have students at Ivy Hall Elementary, are invited to a casual conversation.
This is an opportunity for parents to meet some D96 staff, ask questions, share their thoughts, and also to meet parents that may have had similar experiences or have been in the district for a long time.
This is an informal opportunity for parents who–like their students–are experiencing our social customs and practices of teaching and learning for the first time.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://kcsd96.zoom.us/j/83698809762?pwd=OGVtK25HRWRwWHIzVm1jZVIrZzk4UT09
Meeting ID: 836 9880 9762
Passcode: 495000
NEW *The importance of reading with your child (in any language)*
With so much time at home, reading with your children is taking on even more importance. Due to the fact that we are not able to go out and have a variety of experiences with our children, reading can bring new experiences into your home. Reading with your children can expose them to new ideas and stories that they may not choose on their own. It also helps to build a bond between you and your child through closeness and exposure to your interests and thinking. Being a strong reading role model can show kids that reading is fun and an important part of their lives. Beyond the relationship aspects, it will also help children build up their vocabulary and improve their concentration. The goal is to encourage a lifelong love of reading that goes beyond the school expectations and becomes an enjoyable task, not just a homework assignment.
Check out this website for more information.
No matter what the language is at home, parents can support their children with their literacy development. If English is not the native language in the household, read to children in your native language to build upon their comprehension, vocabulary, and language skills. Building a child’s first language will only help build their English language.
More ideas to support language development at home.
NEW: *Free Meal Pickup For All Students*
More information will be coming via email on Monday, November 16, 2020, about free meal pick-up. However, here is some preliminary information. Meal pick-up will start Monday, November 23rd (the week of Thanksgiving). You may pick up meals (breakfast and lunch will be provided) for all 5 days on Monday, November 23rd between 11 am and 2 pm at either Twin Groves Middle School or Woodlawn Middle School. The normal twice-weekly meal pickup will occur starting the week of November 30, 2020, with 3 days of meals picked up on Monday and 2 days of meals picked up on Thursday. Online pre-ordering information will also be included in Monday's email.
NEW: *Gifts for Staff*
Gifts are never an expectation for our staff members, so it is with some humility that I broach this topic. Some families have started to inquire about delivering gifts to staff members. Staff may or may not be working from the building and therefore may have limited opportunities to retrieve anything left for them at the school building. If you make the decision to provide a gift, it recommended that you consider a virtual gift that can be delivered to their email. Thank you for your understanding!
NEW *Supply Pickup*
Thank you for participating in supply pick up today (Friday, November 13, 2020). For those families that were not able to make it out to pick up materials today, there will be other opportunities to obtain these curriculum materials via the front office. Please call the front office prior to making the trip out to the building to verify the building is open and any pertinent pick-up details.
NEW *PTO Blog*
PTO Blog: This is always linked in my blog post below.
NEW *Specials Materials*
Click the link here to learn what materials are needed for specials classes (Physical Education, Exploration lab, Music, Art) next week.
REPEATING *Academic Enrichment Fun Hosted By Stevenson Students*
Mark your calendar for creative learning on Sun., Nov. 15, from 1–3 PM.
Stevenson High School National Honor Society students have planned a virtual Academic Enrichment Exposition–fun Zoom activities to help students in grades 3–5 explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Engaging opportunities will include academic design challenges, coding projects, virtual field trips, scavenger hunts, and more–as well as the chance to win a $25 gift card.
REPEATING *Creative Holiday Card Design Opportunity for Grades 4 and 5*
Fourth- and fifth-grade students are invited to submit original artwork for a holiday greeting card competition sponsored by Congressman Brad Schneider, Illinois 10th District. The winning artwork will be the cover design of Congressman Schneider’s annual holiday card.
The theme this year is Winter Wonderland–favorite outdoor winter activities enjoyed on cold snowy days. No artwork entry size is specified (the winning artwork will be scaled to fit).
Submissions are due by Wed., Nov. 25, and Congressman Schneider’s staff will announce the winner in early December.
Please submit all entries electronically to Robert Perez at [email protected]
Questions? Call 847.383.4870.
REPEATING *ComEd Bill Payment Assistance Options*
ComEd has provided bill payment assistance options for families experiencing financial hardship. Please find the information HERE.
REPEATING *Updated COVID-19 Metrics*
This UPDATED COVID-19 METRICS is the information “dashboard” that maintains transparent and open communication around COVID-19 metrics. As a user of the dashboard, the District has access to COVID-19 data as recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium. We review this data daily, update the dashboard weekly, and consider this data in making many decisions.
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.
Please email [email protected] with any tech-related support needed.
REPEATING *Meals Are Available for Drive-Up Pick-Up*
Any KCSD96 family choosing to do so may pick up free breakfasts/lunches for their students weekdays from 11 AM–1 PM when District 96 students are in session. SEE DETAILS