District 96 Community,
I hope each of you and your students are well. I appreciate your time to read all of this message, to be prepared for the week ahead.
Update on Remote Learning Plans
In my Apr. 1 message to you, I outlined some adjustments that would be made to our Remote Learning Plan effective Mon., Apr. 6. Below are some specific updates. Please review them as we begin the week.
We have also updated the Remote Learning FAQs, linked HERE. This information answers many questions about the remote learning plan, expectations, flexibility, grading, and more.
The most important message that I want you to hear is that–while we are making every effort to meet the vastly different needs of our students and families–we want to emphasize FLEXIBILITY in how you navigate remote learning in your own home.
Elementary Remote Learning Plan Update
- Your child’s classroom teacher will send a Google Slideshow to your email by 5 p.m. on the day preceding instruction. Monday's instruction will be emailed no later than 5 p.m. on Sunday, but could come earlier. Please remember the email includes lessons intended for Monday. Teachers will be available for support on Monday, but not during the weekend.
- The slideshow includes all the work and the instructions embedded for all content areas.
- The slideshow will also be available to students through SeeSaw or Schoology, which your children can access from their iPads.
- We are pleased to offer learning in this new format. We have made every effort to create these slides to be student friendly, so our students can navigate their remote learning more independently. Once acclimated, they will find the slides provide guided structure for them.
- We acknowledge this structure may be new for some of your children. For this reason, we are asking you to spend the first day or two ensuring they understand how to manage the slide presentation. For example, many slides include links to video or audio sound clips. Your child might need some support determining how and when to "click" certain links. After some initial support, most students should be able to navigate the slideshows independently.
Middle School Remote Learning Plan Update
Your child’s teachers will use Schoology to send directly to your child all instructions and work. You will not receive a daily instruction email from middle school teachers.
Remote Learning Planning Days for Teachers
Apr. 13 and Apr. 24 are remote learning planning days for teachers. On these dates, instruction will be planned by instructional coaches, who will provide learning experiences for students to engage in on these dates. Any questions specific to those learning experiences will be answered by the instructional coaching team. Their contact information will be included in the learning information for that day.
Let’s Take Time for Some KCSD96 Community Fun
(Responsibly, from home, while observing social distance)
All together, sing loud and perform proud from your front porch, front door, or your window on Tues., Apr. 7, at 2 p.m. Listen for your neighbors to join in and applaud our first-ever KCSD96 Community Porch Concert!
Our amazing KCSD96 music team has provided us all with the lyrics and the music for vocal, band, and orchestra instruments. They chose Lean On Me by Bill Withers–the perfect song to express that we are all in this together, helping each other.
Warm up your singing voices, tune up your instruments, and bring your talent and School District 96 spirit to the community from your porch, front door, or window on Tues. at 2 p.m.
INFO | LISTEN | LYRICS | BAND INSTRUMENT MUSIC | ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENT MUSIC
More Messaging Through Your Doors and Windows
Send an encouraging message and an important reminder for safety from your household to the community. Download and print these signs and post them in your window(s) or on your front door.
- Observing Social Distancing in KCSD96 (1-page pdf)
- All In Illinois (multipage pdf–choose the version(s) you prefer)
These times require patience, understanding, and flexibility. We will get through this together....
Thinking of you all and wishing you well,
–Julie Schmidt, District 96 Superintendent of Schools