Dear Families,
If you have not done so already please check your email as you should have received MAP testing reports via email on Wednesday, January 13, 2022. Please read this message closely as there is a lot of information regarding PCR testing, IDPH, and ISBE COVID-19 information, and ZOOM/technology support information for students that are learning remotely.
Kindly,
Christine Pfaff - Principal
NEW *UPDATE ON PCR Testing SCHEDULED FOR TODAY*
Due to a shortage of supply kits regionally and the shortened school day today, the district did not receive the number of test kits needed for all participants.
If your student received their kit and brought it home today, please have your child return the kit to school on Tuesday for testing.
If your student did not receive their kit today, kits will be sent home on Tuesday and should be returned to school on Wednesday. Specimens will be picked up on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of next week.
Thank you for your patience as our vendor O’Hare Labs works to expand its capacity to meet additional testing requests. District 96 is one of many entities that has asked to increase their PCR testing frequency. As a result, O’Hare Labs is working diligently to accommodate the unprecedented increase in the demand for testing. The typical timeline is 48 hours, however, nearly all PCR labs are seeing a spike in specimen testing requests. Therefore, the delayed delivery of results that we are experiencing is due to this spike in the demand for specimen testing. O'Hare Labs has added an additional lab this week, so we are hoping to see a faster turnaround time very soon.
Finally, as a reminder, O’Hare Labs is your point of contact regarding specimen questions for individual student lab results.
If you have any questions regarding your results (e.g. you haven’t received your results) feel free to contact O’Hare Labs by email at [email protected].
NEW *IDPH/ISBE COVID-19 INFORMATION*
On January 11, 2022, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released new COVID-19 information related to school exclusion and test-to-stay protocols. Please find all updated information on our website.
NEW *Zoom Resource & Tech Trouble*
This information will be repeated weekly for families to access as needed. It is relevant for children who are approved for remote learning due to Covid-related quarantine or in the event of a remote severe weather day for all children.
ZOOM Resource - Remote Learning & Possible Emergency Weather Day
Please review this Zoom Tutorial Video Link with your child to prepare for remote learning. This is for students who have been approved for remote learning or in the event of an emergency weather day for all children.
Tech Trouble
If you are experiencing technical trouble on the iPad, here are a few tips that can help resolve the error you are receiving.
The first step is to completely remove Zoom through the iPad settings. Deleting Zoom from the Home Screen is NOT thorough enough to resolve this issue.
Go to Settings
Scroll down to General
Go to the right column and Select iPad Storage
Scroll down to Zoom
Delete the Zoom App
Open the Self Service App and reinstall Zoom
If the issue persists after this we would recommend following the next few steps.
Reset Network Settings:
Go to Settings
General
Go to the right column and scroll down to Reset
Reset network settings: The device will restart and you will have to reconnect to your home wi-fi afterward.
Next:
Go to settings
Scroll down to Safari
Scroll down to Clear History and Website Data
If you're still seeing that error after all of these steps then you may need to troubleshoot your network next. Unplugging your modem and router from power for 60 seconds and plugging it back in can sometimes be enough.
Please email [email protected] for further tech issues or additional support. Please also let us know at the school by calling our office, so we can inform your child's teacher. Call our office at any time with any questions. We completely understand any difficulties you are having and appreciate your patience as we troubleshoot your issue.
As a reminder, remote learning via Zoom will begin on the second full day of absence and is only available for students who meet one of the following requirements.
Student is asymptomatic (no symptoms) after receiving a positive Covid test result
Student is unvaccinated, asymptomatic, and under mandatory quarantine after being identified as a close contact to a confirmed positive Covid case.
Student is unvaccinated, has traveled internationally and is under mandatory quarantine upon returning home.
NEW *Calendar Reminder - MLK Day*
Monday, January 17th is Martin Luther King Day. There is no school on this day.
NEW *Morning Greeters & Afternoon Farewell Club
There are still openings in our Morning Greeters & Afternoon Farewell Club! These students will greet students and staff as they arrive and/or leave school each day to get everyone's day of to a smiley start.
Students or parents of interested students can email Dr. Kim Yutakis. She will reach out to interested students to enroll them.
NEW *Kids Heart Challenge 2022!*
For the past 5 years, our Prairie Pumas have had the opportunity to participate in the “Kids Heart Challenge” (KHC) whose focus is on children’s total wellness-including heart as well as social-emotional health. Covid has stopped many things but keeping active and taking care of your health is always important especially now! Please consider signing your child up for the KHC this year. The website has tons of activities to keep your child and family active. Raising donations is always optional and much appreciated. To sign up your child on the Prairie KHC website click HERE. We will have a celebration event after school from 3:00-4:00 on Wednesday, February 16th. More information about that at a later date. As always, thank you for being a Heart Hero. ~ Mrs. Lehtman & Mr. Nickle.
NEW *2nd session of Puma Pals Club 2021-2022 Open to 1st-4th graders*
Puma Pals Club will be happening this year to help students build relationships with each other outside of their classroom and grade level. We will play team-building games, have discussions, and get to know each other throughout the year. We will meet on Thursdays from 3:00-3:45 pm in Room 13 in the green pod and the schedule will alternate between grades each week. (Meeting dates are below.)
If you are interested in signing up for Puma Pals, please complete this Google Form. There are a limited number of spots available, Miss Weil and Ms. McHugh will send an email confirming when the club has been filled.
Please contact Ms. McHugh or Miss Weil with any questions!
1st & 2nd Grade Dates: ⅔, 2/17, 3/3, 3/17, 4/7, 4/21
3rd & 4th Grade Dates: 2/10, 2/24, 3/10, 3/31, 4/14, 4/28
REPEAT *Cold & Snowy Weather and Recess*
Please remember to send your child to school daily with proper outerwear. Weather permitting students go outside for recess every day. In winter the temperature, wind chill, and weather conditions will be monitored throughout the morning. The weather website and playground will be checked to determine if conditions are appropriate for outdoor recess. When the temperature or wind chill is below zero degrees, students will be kept inside for recess. We weigh options when the temperature or wind chill is between zero to ten degrees, to determine if we have indoor or outdoor recess. We do try to allow the children to go outside whenever possible, so please help them to come prepared with gloves, a scarf, hat, snow pants, and snow boots. In order to play in the snow, students must have snow pants and snow boots.
REPEAT *Vaccination Cards for 5-11 yr olds*
You can provide vaccination verification after your child has received his/her full vaccination. Click HERE to complete the upload.
REPEAT *PRE-REGISTER FOR 2022–2023 KINDERGARTEN*
Please refer to the past few Principal Message blogs for full information on how to register your incoming Kindergartener.