Dear Families,
We are settled in with our in-person learning protocols and practices. It’s amazing how adaptable the students are to the safety protocols that are in place and how well they are doing honoring them. I continue to ask students if they are happy to be back at school in-person and they all shared back an elated “YES”! The staff is just as happy.
During my visits to classrooms, I’m so impressed with our teachers and how fluidly they are managing the remote and in-person learning environments concurrently. Students in both settings are working with each other on learning objectives and the collaboration among these students is seamless.
The weather forecast looks like we’ll be seeing a “heatwave” in the 30s some time this weekend. Enjoy the warmer temperatures on a sledding hill, perhaps, or other fun wintertime activity. Have a great weekend!
Kind Regards
Christine Pfaff - Principal
NEW *Picture Retake Day*
Friday, February 26th is an early release day. In-person students will be dismissed at 11:45 am. This day will be our picture retake day. In-person students will have their pictures taken from 10:45am - 11:45 am. Students who are not in-person on this date will have the opportunity to retake their photo from 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm.
Picture Ordering Information
- If you are having retakes done, your child must bring the picture packet from the first picture session in August.
- If this is the first time your child will be taking a picture, please go to THIS LINK to order pictures before Friday, February 26th.
Instructions for students who will have their photo taken from 12pm onward
- The parent must certify their student using TeacherEase. HERE is the video with directions.
- Upon arrival at school, your student will exit the car curbside in the Brandywyn circle drive.
- The student will enter the building without a parent and be checked in by Prairie staff. (Students without a self-certification will be returned to the car.)
- The parent will remain in their car in the circle drive.
- The student will have their photo taken.
- The student will return to the parent’s car.
***There will be several staff members present to assist students to and from cars.***
NEW *Spirit Day*
The yearbook club is hosting a spirit day on Wednesday, February 24th. We would like everybody to get dressed in their nicest zoom attire. Which means all dressed up on top, and pajamas on the bottom. We would love pictures of your child zooming in their zoom attire for the yearbook. Please email photos to [email protected] include your child’s name and classroom in the email.
NEW *Materials Pick-Up Friday, February 26th*
On Friday, February 26th, we will be having a materials pick-up for all full remote students from 12:00pm-4:00pm. Students reporting for in-person learning will receive their materials either Thursday, February 25th or Monday, March 1st. Materials will be organized by the classroom teacher. We will have items placed in the vestibule. If you have any questions, please call the office.
NEW *Half-Day Friday, February 26th*
Grades 1 - 5 students will be dismissed from school at 11:45am.
Willow Grove AM KDG/AM EC Blended are in session 8:30–11 AM; Structured are in session 8:45–11 AM. NO SCHOOL for Willow Grove PM KDG/PM EC Blended ONLY.
NEW *Wednesday, February 24th Asynchronous Day*
Grades 1-5
On February 24th, students will end the day by participating in asynchronous learning while teachers collaborate and plan with each other to determine the best way to approach future instruction. Live Zoom instruction concludes at 12:45pm.
Classroom teachers will be sure to prepare students for asynchronous learning by sending students materials and previewing expectations. If your student needs assistance during the afternoon of 2/24, there will be a Zoom session the students can attend to seek assistance. The link to this Zoom will be available to the students in the materials that are shared electronically.
As a reminder, future asynchronous dates and times are as follows:
April 1 - Live instruction concludes at 11:45 a.m. In-person learners will be bused home. Asynchronous learning opportunities provided for the afternoon.
April 30 - No in-person attendance this day. Asynchronous learning opportunities provided for the morning only.
*REPEATING* News From the Library
A message was sent to Prairie families regarding library check out for remote students. For your reference, the email was sent Tuesday, February 9th. In brief, children who learn remotely have the opportunity to check out books from the Prairie library. Students can place books on hold from home. Parents will then pick up these books on Fridays in the Prairie office. Please see the above-referenced email for more information.
REPEATING *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.
REPEATING *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.
REPEATING: 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.
REPEATING: 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.
REPEATING *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 Prairie students will be during the school day on February 23rd.
If you prefer that your child does not attend this prevention education session, please submit your written request - or your questions - to me via email.
REPEATING *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].