Dear Kildeer Families,
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! You might be wondering why on earth my photo this week is cookies? Well, given that we haven't seen each other I wanted to reminisce about the memories we hopefully all had the chance to create over the break.
Each and every family at Kildeer has traditions and special things they do with their time. For the Kieser family? We like to bake and spend time in the kitchen. Don't be fooled because I don't do this all year. It's just around these months when I have uninterrupted time with my family. A recent favorite has been these hot cocoa cookies. We also enjoy family movie nights and I "convinced" my husband to wear matching pajamas. We had pretty much only bloopers, so good thing we have lots more time for the perfect photo!
When I think of traditions I also connect back to our I AM ME...WE ARE KILDEER family celebration each year. In the first two years, we learned so much about each other in person. I got to sample foods I've never tried and learn about families in ways I never had before. Last year we went fully virtual and still had great connections over zoom.
Well this year, the night will look a little different. We won't have access to all of the food with our mitigation measures in place. However, we are still very much hoping for human connection. Our committee has been working feverishly to plan a meaningful night for YOU! We've involved our student council and we've even nominated students from each classroom to have more student voice for the planning of how we ensure we continue to learn from and about each other.
Pretty please if you haven't done so already, consider sending in some trivia. We have some tricks up our sleeves for our 4th annual family celebration and can't wait to come together. We are a little over a month away!
Be on the lookout for your child's "homework" assignment coming out on Monday, December 14th, and due directly after winter break. Please see below for how you can contribute to the trivia!
Be on the lookout in future weeks for how your family can RSVP to attend the family celebration on Thursday, January 13th.
Repeat....Yet IMPORTANT *I AM ME...WE ARE KILDEER family celebration*
It’s that time of the year where we start to get very excited about our 4th annual I AM ME...WE ARE KILDEER family celebration. Last year we pulled it off virtually. However, we’ve come to appreciate even more the importance of human connection.
We are proud to say that we will be hosting our 4th annual celebration IN PERSON at Kildeer on Thursday, January 13th from 6:00-7:30.
As always, we need YOUR HELP! This year may look a little different with the mitigation measures in place, however, we remain committed to learning from and about each other.
Want to help in an easy way? Let’s start here! One of our events for the evening will be family trivia. Where will the trivia come from? YOU! Please CLICK HERE to submit something you think other Kildeer families should know. We will use the responses to create our trivia for the night.
That is just one example of the fun things in store for our family celebration. Keep your eyes out for future blogs!
NEW *MAP TESTING*
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment. The MAP assessment is a normed referenced, computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day. Testing will take place on Monday, December 6th and Tuesday, December 7th.
Students who are quarantined during those testing days will take the MAP assessment after they return to school.
Due to the proximity of the MAP testing window to Winter Break, families will receive NWEA MAP scores on Monday, January 10th. This allows building administration enough time to complete make-up testing and for each family to receive scores at the same time.
NEW *Vaccination Cards for 5-11 year olds*
Once the district-sponsored vaccination clinics for second doses have been completed, a message will be sent out to all families. This message will include a link for vaccination cards to be uploaded. Please do not send copies of vaccination cards prior to the message going out the week of December 13.
*Student Council News*
NEW
Hello, Kildeer! After our unwanted Halloween candy drive, we got 14 boxes of candy! We truly thank you, and all this candy will go to various food pantries and shelters. We saw many kinds of candy. For example, we saw Snickers, M&M's, Skittles, Lollipops, and more. This will all go from the pantries and shelters to people who don’t have the option to get all these kinds of treats, and this candy will help greatly.
We want to thank everyone who donated and all the candy will be put to good use. We also want to thank these people that supported and helped us with the candy drive: Mr. Kenny, Mrs. Hagen, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Norman, and all the parents that are helping us donate the boxes of candy.
Thank you so much!
Student Council - Philip and Maddie
Repeat
Dear Kildeer Families,
Toys for Tots, is an organization started by the US Marine Corps reserve to give toys to children
who are less fortunate, and aren’t able to get presents for the upcoming holiday season.
We are accepting NEW, UNWRAPPED toy donations at our school! There are two bins in the entranceway of our school.
Kildeer school has been the largest donor in Lake County. Let’s try to keep this tradition up.
Ages of toys can be for infants to eighteen-year-olds. The toys must be packaged and brand new. Please do not wrap them. All toys, games, and new books are welcomed.
If the toy requires batteries, no need to include them, as Toys for Tots will provide batteries along with the toy.
Donations are accepted until Wednesday, December 17th.
All donations are very much appreciated!
Please support this very worthy cause and put smiles on faces.
Let’s help these children.
Kildeer Student Council
Repeat *Symptoms, Close contacts, and Quarantine*
If you have any questions about symptoms, close contacts or quarantining please visit the IDPH Decision Tree posted on the District 96 COVID-19 webpage.
Additionally, as winter break approaches, please note the guidelines for unvaccinated individuals and international travel posted on the District 96 COVID-19 webpage.
Repeat *Attendance at School*
Attendance is one of the most powerful predictors of academic achievement and having your student in their seat, ready to learn for the entire school day will benefit them, their classmates, and our whole school community. Let’s work together to make sure your child has great attendance and can get the most out of their learning opportunities this school year.
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
We know that there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. We promise to track attendance daily, to notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges you may face in helping your student attend school. Our parent handbook reflects legislative updates from the state and is ready for you to review.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
We miss your student when they are not at school as we value their contributions to our school community. If your student is going to be absent, please contact the school in advance. If an absence was unplanned, please contact the school office as soon as possible.
HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
- Send your child to school unless they are truly sick, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, contagious rash or showing any other COVID like symptoms.
- Avoid appointments and travel when school is in session.
- Keep track of your child’s attendance.
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine (including limiting how late your child may use any electronic devices) and finish homework and pack backpacks the night before.
- Have a backup plan for getting to school in case something comes up (this could be alternative bus routes, roads, or a plan with family members, neighbors, or other parents).
- Communicate with the school about how we can work together to support your child’s attendance.
OUR DUTIES UPON A STUDENT’S ABSENCES
- If your child has five unexcused absences we will reach out via phone and follow up with an email.
- If your child has seven unexcused absences we will schedule a conference with you and your child to create a student success plan and help continued supports.
- After 10 days of unexcused absences, and our supports and interventions haven’t helped get your student to school consistently, we are required to file a petition and you will be notified by formal letter that the case will be forwarded to the truancy department and the Lake County ROE, alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010, Illinois’s mandatory attendance law.
WHAT IS EXCUSED AND WHAT IS UNEXCUSED:
- Excused: Medical appointment, illness, quarantine, death in the family, mental health day, religious holiday
- Unexcused: Most other reasons for absence including travel/vacation, sporting event, missing the bus, sleeping in, day before a special occassion
Repeat *Covid Metrics*
To stay up-to-date this school year on local metrics, please visit the COVID DASHBOARD for District 96. Our priority remains to keep our students safe and follow guidance from the CDC. If your student is identified as a "close contact", you will be notified individually through the contact tracing process.
*Tech Hub*
KCSD96 Family Technology Hub! The District 96 Family Technology Hub is designed to guide families through technology tools.
Please email [email protected] with any tech-related support needed.
*** PTO News ***
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Toy Drive begins November 15th: we love to be able to help the community. Be on the lookout for when to send in your new, unwrapped toys to help kids in need!
Check out the blog!
Wishing you an incredible weekend. On Monday and Tuesday, our students get to show us what they know during MAP testing. I am so proud of our Kildeer students!
Fondly,
Mrs. Vail Kieser
Principal