April 23, 2021

  • Posted April 23, 2021
April 23, 2021

Dear 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,

Bob Hanrahan, 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#success
Meeting ID: 882 9699 5872
Passcode: 450506

NEW *5th Grade Vehicle Parade*

As the year comes to a close, I would like to release some preliminary information so that families can mark their calendars. The Ivy Hall PTO and Ivy Hall School are partnering to celebrate our departing 5th-grade class to give them a safe celebratory send-off to Twin Groves. Please mark May 27, 2021, at 4:00 pm as the primary date and June 2, 2021, at 4:00 pm as a rain date. Plans are being finalized and will be shared, but we will be hosting a 5th-grade parade. Families are welcome to decorate their vehicles in an appropriate celebratory fashion and join in the parade. We will ask all viewers of the parade to social distance along the route, but remember to cheer and celebrate passing 5th-grade students and families as they pass along the route. We will release more information regarding where we will begin lining up vehicles and the parade route.

NEW *5th Grade Party*

As the year comes to a close, on May 27, 2021, during school we will be hosting a virtual and in-person celebration for 5th-grade students at school. We are hosting events that can be done in-person or remotely. This event will be coordinated in partnership with the Ivy Hall PTO. The 5th-grade party will take place in lieu of the traditional 5th-grade spring fling. Plans are being finalized and will be shared. The school will manage all aspects of this event in conjunction with the PTO executive board. We respect and appreciate offers and desires for parent volunteers, however, given the school’s experience with the health and safety guidelines we will be keeping the event closed to visitors. The parade mentioned above is our way of involving families and the community in our 5th-grade recognition and celebration.

NEW *PTO Blog*

As always, please check out our PTO blog for updates. http://www.kcsd96.org/ih/pto/blog

  • Bookfair will be IN-PERSON (also virtual)
  • Yearbook Orders
  • Wildcat Bake at Home - Back by Popular Demand!
  • Ivy Hall PTO has open committees for next year. Please consider signing up via the PTO toolkit.
  • Culvers April 30, 2021 Fundraiser (No in-person school this day 1/2 AM asynchronous. All students are remote for 100% of the school day)

NEW *Ivy Hall Celebrates in a Virtual World* 

Throughout the month of April, Ivy Hall Elementary School, students, staff, and families will participate in a virtual experience to celebrate the diversity and culture in our school community. Each Friday in the principal’s message we will have multiple topics related to culture and we are asking families to submit a short video or picture using the FlipGrid platform so we can all learn about our unique differences. Take the time this week to submit at least one video to any of the following topics using the links below. Also, take the time to view your Ivy Hall friends’ videos too! 

For each video submitted a student will earn a vote to choose a costume for Mr. Hanrahan to wear during the morning announcement the following week. All responses due 5/3.

*** If you’d like to learn more about FlipGrid please check out this link. 

REPEAT* *April 30, 2021, HALF DAY IS REMOTE - NO IN-PERSON LEARNING*

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 *Collection of Literacy Materials*

Over the course of the year, we have been sending home materials with students.  At this time, we are going to begin collecting these materials. 

For Students Attending In-Person

  • Please see the attached list of materials for your child(ren) by grade level. Gather these materials and send them back with your student to give to their teacher. 

Materials lists

For Students Learning Remotely 

  • Gather the materials from the checklist below.
  • Materials that are still being used are noted in the checklist, and those can stay at home for now.
  • Starting April 19th, from 7:00 am - 4:00 pm materials can be dropped off in the front office at Ivy Hall.

Materials lists

If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s teacher. 

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* 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 follow the schedule below and rejoin their classes via Zoom once they return home.

Elementary

  • Arrival: 8:45
  • Dismissal: 11:35

*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.

Grades 3-5 - Monday 5/24 and Tuesday 5/25

  • Arrival: 8:45
  • Dismissal: 11:55

Grades 3-5 - 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 grades 1-8 will participate in the assessment on Thursday, May 13th, and/or Friday, May 14th.

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 is no easy task and often takes several meetings. 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 Twin Groves to provide data and input related to placement decisions at the middle school level.

We strongly believe that this detailed and collaborative process creates learning environments that benefit all students. It is a delicate balancing act that takes much consideration and thought by professionals who know and care about your children. Our goal is to create balanced class lists that promote the success of each child. Please know that your child is placed in a classroom for very specific reasons. The process benefits all students.  Because of the input and thought given by teachers, specialists, parents, and the principal, we are very reluctant to make changes once this process occurs, as removing or moving one child can disrupt the balance of an entire class, impacting all students.

I welcome any insight you wish to share about your child’s strengths, needs, and learning style. I 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.

I cannot express enough how important it is that your thoughts are provided through the SURVEY HERE.  As you can imagine, we receive a lot of parent input, and verbal information is impossible to track.  The information you provide in the survey will remain confidential between you and me.

REPEAT *Ivy Hall Celebrates Diversity in a Virtual World* 

Throughout the month of April, Ivy Hall Elementary School, students, staff, and families will participate in a virtual experience to celebrate the diversity and culture in our school community. Each Friday in the principal’s message we will have multiple topics related to culture and we are asking families to submit a short video or picture using the FlipGrid platform so we can all learn about our unique differences. Take the time this week to submit at least one video to any of the following topics using the links below. Also, take the time to view your Ivy Hall friends’ videos too! 

If you’d like to learn more about FlipGrid please check out this link. 

REPEAT *Returning to In-Person Learning Information*

We are very excited to have additional students joining us in-person after spring break. Below is some information you need to know for a successful transition from remote to in-person learning.

MEDICATIONS

If your child needs to take medication at school please bring the medication to the school nurse’s office in its original container along with this MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM

MATERIALS

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.

ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES 

Please arrive no earlier than 8:10 am as this is when staff is on duty to supervise students.  If your child is tardy you must enter the building to sign him/her in.

CHANGE IN AFTER SCHOOL PICK-UP FOR YOUR CHILD

If your child will not be taking the bus home after school, please send a handwritten note or call the office to let us know.  Please DO NOT send emails of this nature, as we cannot guarantee that an email will be seen prior to school dismissal

ADDITIONAL ROUTINE ITEMS OF NOTE

It is still chilly!  We may go outside for short breaks so please ensure that your child has the proper outerwear. 

Children will be bringing iPads and Logitech iPad "crayons" between home and school daily.  Please develop a routine of charging both every night and putting them in their backpack each morning.  A helpful tip is to post a sign at child eye level on the door where your child will exit in the morning.  You can make a picture checklist of this and anything else to support your child to develop independence with morning routines.

Children may bring individual water bottles to school.  They should not be glass and should have a spill-proof top.  Please label your child's water bottle with his/her name.

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

Parents must do the DAILY self-certification for their child.  Parents must submit a daily self-certification prior to their student being allowed to attend in person. Parents will need to download the TeacherEase app if they haven't already in order to access the daily self-certification form.  Please see this video for further instruction: (Dist 96: In-Person Parent Video Instruction).

COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP

We are confident that the District 96 community will rise to the occasion and partner with us to ensure the safety and success of our hybrid learning plan. Please think carefully about your commitment to our partnership before sending your child to school.  Please review our In-Person Learning Protocols

MASKS FOR IN-PERSON LEARNERS

Send your student to school with a comfortable mask that complies with CDC/ISBE guidelines, ensuring that the face-covering fully covers the mouth and nose and that the covering fits snugly against the sides of the face with no gaps.

IN-PERSON PREORDERING INFO

Parents of in-person learners only, please check for an email sent this afternoon with Subject Line: Fr Sch Dist 96: Preordering In-Person Lunches.

The email includes the required student ID # and directions to create an account and preorder in-person lunches for the week following Spring Break by the deadline of 6 PM on Mar. 28. Questions? Contact the public info coordinator [email protected]