Dear Kildeer Families,
The extra days this past weekend felt like a gift. We hope you were able to spend them as a family and enjoy your time together. With the nicer weather and flowers starting to bloom, spring is truly here! We are truly thrilled to have our in-person learners return full-time next week. There is no better feeling than to walk the halls of our school and see the incredible faces and “smiling eyes” of our students!
As always, our school team is here to support your family. If your child is struggling with the transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out and we will partner together to ensure a smooth welcome back to school. For our students that are remaining “zoomies” for the remainder of the year, we are here for you, too!
Let’s make these last eight weeks of school the best yet!
**NEW** Return to full in-person learning
As many of our students return to in-person learning five days a week, there may be an adjustment period for students. A few helpful hints are listed below to consider discussing with your child.
- Review expectations regarding mask-wearing and social distancing with your child before he/she returns on Monday.
- Please ensure that your child’s mask fits his or her face, covering both the mouth and nose without sliding down for long periods of time. Practice wearing a mask for longer time chunks if your child is not used to wearing a mask for the school day.
- Review possible regulation strategies such as deep breathing or asking for a break.
- Have a conversation with your child about change and feelings that can accompany change. Provide opportunities for your child to ask questions.
- Consider family adjustments to schedules that may take place with full in-person learning.
We will have supports available in school for those who may need assistance. Your child’s classroom teacher will be checking in regularly with all students regularly.
If you or your child have any questions or would like someone to speak to assist in the transition please reach out to the BUILDING SOCIAL WORKER, [email protected] or the BUILDING PSYCHOLOGIST, [email protected].
*NEW*Spring Assessments
The standardized assessment window is quickly approaching. Because many of the required assessments must be taken in person, families who selected remote learning for the rest of the year received a survey earlier today to outline their options and determine if their children will come to the buildings to take the assessments. Students who are in-person will take the assessments with one of their teachers.
Remote and in-person students will be kept separate during the administration of the assessments. Specific dates for each assessment will be determined once the results of the survey are collected, but you can find general time frames below.
- NWEA MAP: Students at all grades participate in one assessment for English language arts and one assessment for math over two days. The data we receive from the MAP assessments provides valuable information regarding intervention and acceleration needs. The window for the NWEA MAP assessment is May 3 - May 14 with more specific dates within the window to come.
- ACCESS: Students that are identified as not yet English proficient participate in four assessments in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The Illinois State Board of Education requires ACCESS to be administered in person. Students who are in-person are being scheduled by building-level personnel.
- Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR): Students in grades 3-8 participate in assessments for both literacy and math over three days. The Illinois State Board of Education requires IAR to be administered in person. The window for the IAR is May 17 - May 28 with more specific dates within the window to come.
- Illinois Science Assessment (ISA): Students in grades 5 and 8 participate in three assessments in science. The Illinois State Board of Education requires ISA to be administered in person. ISA will be administered on Friday, June 11 for those families who wish to participate. We will be sending out a separate survey to fifth and eighth-grade families later in May to find out who would like to participate in ISA.
*Repeat* Attendance Procedures for In-Person Students
With the change to five days of in-person learning for all students beginning April 12th, the expectation is that students will attend in-person unless the student is under quarantine/isolation or is home ill. If for some reason your child needs to attend school remotely instead of in-person on a given day, attendance procedures are changing to state that the child’s parent/guardian will need to contact the school office prior to the start of the school day.
Repeat *UPDATED Population Screening Schedule CHANGE*
Grades 1-2 will have a new drop-off schedule for their population screening. Grades 3-5 will maintain their current schedule.
- Kildeer- Wednesday- drop-off for grade 1-2
- 3rd-5th graders will continue to collect the samples at school
Repeat* Keeping Students (and siblings) Home Due to Symptoms
Per the IDPH COVID-19 School Exclusion Guidance, if any household member is showing any one of the symptoms listed below, ALL SIBLINGS must stay home from school. Please let the school office know when calling for attendance if your child is staying home due to illness, even if the student is participating remotely.
The symptoms in which a student must stay home due to COVID-19 protocols are: fever (100.4°F or higher), new onset of moderate to severe headache, shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, new loss of sense of taste or smell, fatigue from unknown cause, muscle or body aches from unknown cause.
*Repeat* 2021–22 KCSD96 REGISTRATION FEE CHARGES ON CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS
After successfully submitting your student’s 2021–22 registration, you will receive an itemized receipt by email promptly that lists the total charge, including required fees and optional donations, if any, that you chose to make.
IMPORTANT:
Please do not refute the charge. It will result in a chargeback fee for your family.
If you select the credit card payment option when paying 2021–22 registration fees, look for either of the following identifying description labels on your credit card statement: POWERSCHOOL MD 512375–4514 or PB POWERSCHOOL. District 96 registration charges are not described with the District or school name.
Also, be advised that some banks code this transaction as a donation.
If you have questions, please refer to your registration receipt and/or contact the public info coordinator [email protected]
Repeat *2021–22 REGISTRATION EMAILS WERE SENT AGAIN MAR. 31*
On Mar. 31, District 96 parents/guardians of returning and pre-registered new students were again sent registration email(s) for the upcoming 2021–22 school year (From: [email protected] Subject Line: Register Your District 96 Student for the 2021–2022 School Year). All returning and new students must be registered. Each registration email (one per D96 student) will include a link and a unique “snapcode” needed to access that individual’s online form. Register by Apr. 15 to save. After Apr. 15, required registration fees increase by $20 per student for all returning students.
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.
PROCEDURES
PRIOR to Arrival: Questions for parents to consider-
- Have you filled out the DAILY self-certification to ensure your child is symptom-free?
- Does your child have their mask on?
- Does your child have their lanyard on? (Handed out on the first day of their in-person learning, must be worn upon entry to Kildeer every day after that.)
- Does your child have a lunch and water bottle?
- If you need a lunch, you MUST pre-order. Call the office with questions!
- 1st/2nd Graders ONLY: Is it their day to drop-off a saliva sample? Last Name A-L: Tuesdays, Last Name M-Z: Thursdays *Please note this will change to *WEDNESDAYS* for ALL 1st and 2nd graders starting the week of April 12th
Arrival
All students should wear a mask upon arrival. Morning drop-off will start at 8:10 by the doors to the small gym, instead of the front entrance. Please pull your vehicle up to a cone and let your child out along the sidewalk. Thank you for waiting patiently in the vehicle line.
If you would like to walk your child up to the school on the first day, please park your car in the side lot and utilize the crosswalk when there are no other cars driving. Once you reach the sidewalk, your child will independently enter through the small gym doors. Thank you for maintaining 6 feet of social distancing and wearing a mask.
For first and second graders, bus tags will be attached to their backpacks. For any students that are returning in-person for the first time, ID badges with attached lanyards will be passed out. These MUST be worn upon entry to school. The barcode will allow us to scan your child’s information and ensure the daily certification screener has been completed by the parents.
First and second graders need to bring their saliva samples on their designated day. Please see the specific information above as a reminder.
Adults will be placed strategically around the school to support social distancing. Once your child has been scanned and confirmed there are no symptoms, he or she should go immediately to the classroom where the teacher will be eagerly waiting! We will not be utilizing lockers to avoid hallway congestion.
Lunch
Each grade at Kildeer will have a designated lunch space, taking place outside of the classroom. Disinfecting hand wipes will be readily available and all tables and seats will be disinfected according to the guidelines. Students may bring a lunch from home or preorder.
In-Person Lunch Preordering Info
Parents of in-person learners only, please check for an email sent this afternoon, March 19, 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]
After School
Students may be picked up outside the small gym, the same location used in the morning arrival procedure. As you park by a cone, please hold up a sign with your student's full name to show the adults helping at parent pick-up. Our staff will work collaboratively to get your children out to you!
BUS INFORMATION
Bus routing information will come by email to families over spring break. Please anticipate that busses may be running late. If you have any bus route questions, please call the office. Our arrival and dismissal routines within the school building have been designed to maintain social distancing. *FIRST STUDENT will be creating assigned seats for students moving forward. If you have any questions, please contact the bus company. As a reminder, the new guidelines allow up to 50 students on a bus*. Siblings may sit together. Please prepare your child for this routine to sit where the driver or school assigns and to always stay seated in their seat. As a reminder, complete the daily self-certification before your child gets on the bus or comes to the school by parent drop-off. All children coming to school must wear masks on district transportation as well as in the school building.
CHANGE IN AFTER SCHOOL PICK-UP FOR YOUR CHILD
If you have any changes for after-school plans, please call the front office or email Mrs. Hagen, Mrs. Wright, and your child’s classroom teacher on the same email. This will ensure that someone sees this change. If you need to communicate past 2:00 p.m., please call the office!
General Safety Protocols
Throughout the building, hand sanitizing stations, stand spots, disinfectant wipes, 6-foot indicators, etc. are prominently displayed. All staff will consistently work with our students and each other to ensure we are following the 3 W's with fidelity: Wear a mask, wash your hands, watch your distance!
Student Materials for In-Person
Your child’s homeroom teacher will communicate the expectation for which materials to bring to school. Please see this document from our specials team.
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.
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.
Repeat *Safety Drills*
All schools are required to hold fire/evacuation, severe weather, and lockdown drills. We recognize some content could potentially be frightening for students. Please be assured that presentations to students are developmentally appropriate. Teachers and support staff are attentive to students’ emotions during instruction and drills. Specific drill dates are not shared with parents. At school, we conduct drills at unknown times so that students and staff can respond authentically as would be needed in an actual emergency. You can expect lockdown education to be provided to your child when we come back from break followed shortly after by a drill. We will maintain our social distancing requirements throughout all drills. Please let me know if you have any questions.
*Repeat* Calendar Reminders
Revised March–June 2021 Calendar
Please refer to this REVISED March–June 2021 Calendar (1-page), reflecting in-person learning schedule changes announced in Superintendent Julie Schmidt's Mar. 17 message.
Repeat *Parent Input for 2021-2022 Class Placement Survey*
Creating Balanced Class Lists - Parent Input for Class Placement
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 at Kildeer School 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, the principal, 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 at grades 2-5. Willow Grove creates the class lists for our incoming 1st graders. Our 5th-grade team provides data to Woodlawn 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 requests will not be honored.
If you'd like to share your input, please take the following survey: Kildeer Class Placement Survey for 21-22.
NEW *VAPL Book Talks*
Take some time in APRIL to see some new recommendations by the Vernon Area Public Library. You won't want to miss this!
1st grade: 1st-grade favorites
2nd grade: 2nd-grade favorites
3rd grade: 3rd-grade favorites
4th and 5th grade: 4th and 5th-grade favorites
For more book talk recommendations, please visit our Book Talk Help Guide at https://guides.vapld.info/booktalks
*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.
*** PTO News ***
- Join us for a fundraising restaurant night at Culvers on Thursday, April 15th! Kildeer will earn 25% of the money back.
- The scholastic virtual book fair starts next week! Check out the blog for more information!
Check out the blog! CLICK HERE!
I want to give a shout-out to Ms. Jones and honor her for National School Librarian's Day that was earlier this week. We are so fortunate to have you at the helm and putting good books in our students' hands!
Also, did you know it was Assistant Principal's week? We celebrated Mr. Higgins in the office with a delicious cake. Thanks to you Mr. Higgins for your fabulous jokes each week and all you do for kids.
Lastly, you might be wondering why my picture this week is a coffee cup? Well, I need to shout out to our incredible PTO for continuing to take care of us. Behind the scenes, they've been working really hard to bring joy for our staff with treats in the lounge and most recently, an amazing coffee and tea bar! Also, they are planning and coordinating things like the virtual book fair, events for 5th graders, etc. I continue to be humbled by these amazing volunteers and feel beyond fortunate for this community!
With that, let's kick off next week with some school spirit! Please check out the information below to see how your child can participate.
Fondly,
Mrs. Vail Kieser
Principal