Dear Families,
We’ve had another successful week of hybrid learning, and we hope everyone is ready for the snowy three day weekend ahead. We look forward to seeing students back for more learning on Tuesday, February 16th! As always, I am humbled to work with such an incredible school community that is always willing to put the needs of our students first. The resilience of our students continues to amaze me, and I am grateful for the staff and families who ensure students are able to make the most of the learning opportunities presented to them.
Regards,
Bob Hanrahan
New: No School Monday, February 15th
This is a friendly reminder that there is no school on Monday, February 15th. We look forward to resuming our hybrid learning on Tuesday, February 16th.
New: Illinois 5Essentials Survey
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 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: Spring Parent/Educator Conferences
Spring Parent/Educator Conferences are right around the corner! The conference will take place on Thursday, March 11th from 5 PM to 8:30 PM and Friday, March 12th from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM. These conferences will be 15 minutes in length and held remotely over Zoom. We will continue using Meet the Teacher as an electronic sign up for conferences.
Please know that the sign-up link will be sent out in a separate communication on Friday, February 19th at 7:00pm.
Meet The Teacher does not require that multiple conferences be made, but it does default to every teacher a student works with being checked. These individuals include classroom teachers, specials teachers, related service staff, and interventionists that students work with. Please see the picture below for directions on how to uncheck a teacher/interventionist if you do not need to meet with during conferences.
New: Recorders in Grades 3-5
Due to COVID restrictions, a district decision has been made that all students (grades 3-5) cannot yet begin an organized recorder unit in music. Once restrictions are lifted, elementary schools can move forward with re-starting the recorder programs and distributing the necessary materials. Students will continue to develop musical skills using other instruments and media, and we hope to give students the recorder experience soon!
New: 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.
New *PTO Blog*
As always, please check out our PTO blog for updates. You can visit this blog by clicking the link here.
LINK: https://www.kcsd96.org/ih/pto/blog
Repeat *February 26 Final Photo Day*
Please review the available slots for Ivy Hall photo retake day and click on the button to sign up. If you missed our first photo day in the fall or simply need to have your child's photo taken again, please sign up for each child. Select one slot per student. Please do not select more than one slot per student. (e.g. If you have two students you need two slots).
SignUp Genius Link: HERE
This photo event will take place in the cafeteria/red gym. You will receive a notification on the day of the event (February 26, 2021) to self-certify your student. Staff will be present to verify completed health certification and direct your child to the photographers. Please drive up to the back (parent pickup/dropoff) cafeteria gym door, have your student exit and come into the building and pull forward in your car to wait. Your child will walk back out to you when they are finished. For safety purposes, all pertinent COVID-19 mitigation protocols will be observed. Masks are required for entry.
*** If you are unable to get your photo taken at this time, we will have a “send your own photo” option coming soon. This will be for the yearbook only. You will not be able to order photo packages if you submit your own photo.
Repeat *Ordering Photos*
If you wish to review and purchase photos, you can do so by visiting our new photography companies website. That website can be found HERE.
Online Order Code: 51298H
Repeat *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].
Repeat *Dual Language Parent Night for 21–22 Kindergarten Parents*
District 96 Director of Language and Early Literacy Kathryn Sheridan will present a live virtual program for parents interested in the Spanish/English Dual Language program opportunity for their incoming 2021–22 kindergartners.
REGISTER HERE to receive the link to attend the live virtual informational program for parents of incoming kindergartners Wed., Mar. 3, at 6:30 PM.
See the District website to LEARN MORE about the District's optional Spanish/English Dual Language program.
Repeat *ERIN’S LAW*
An Illinois law known as Erin’s Law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness/prevention curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 researched and observed best practices and programs for delivering this instruction, selecting Victor Pacini to present Be Seen & Heard ©.
The focus of this developmentally appropriate and interactive program is to teach children skills to keep them safe from danger or abuse. Concepts discussed will include distinguishing safe from unsafe touches, safety rules at home and school, saying NO, safe/unsafe secrets, and telling a trusted adult, as well as reinforcing that an adult’s touching him or her is not the child’s fault. For more information about this presentation please go to www.victorpacini.com/peace-of-mind-2
The presentation to Ivy Hall students will be during the school day on February 19, 2021,
If you prefer that your child does not attend this prevention education session, please submit your written request - or your questions - to me at [email protected]
Repeat *Classroom/Specials Classes Materials Needed*
Please remember to check the IVY HALL MATERIALS SHEET to see which materials your child will need for class. If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate teacher.
Repeat*IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR PARENTS OF IN-PERSON LEARNERS*
Parents who have children coming in must do their daily self-certification. It significantly slows down our arrival procedures when students don't have this.
Likewise, parents whose students do not bring their saliva samples will be called to come to the school and bring their student’s sample collection vial, barcode label, and plastic baggie and assist their student in collecting the sample.
Please remember that completing the daily self-certification and providing the weekly saliva sample is a commitment you made for your child to attend in-person. If there are repeat incidences for the daily self-certification and/or saliva collection, the student may need to go back to remote learning. Please set alarm reminders for yourself. I do not want anyone to have to move back to remote learning for this reason.
The schedule for saliva sample collection for EC–Grade 2 is as follows:
- Monday: Ivy Hall Grades 1-2 (Last names A-L)
- Thursday: Ivy Hall Grades 1-2 (Last names M-Z)
See MORE INFO regarding saliva samples and collecting them.
To access the required Daily Self-Certification Form, you need to log into TeacherEase each day your student will attend in person to submit self-certification.
This VIDEO gives instructions, including how to access the daily self-certification form using your cell phone (iOS or Android).
If you will be using your home computer to send daily self-certification, we suggest that you bookmark the TeacherEase website. The link is: https://www.teacherease.com/common/login.aspx
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.