Welcome back to the blog! The year is 2020 and I can see clearly now. Break felt great and the students were amazing here this week. Tune up the snow plow, get your salt ready for the car, turn on the fireplace and get ready for the weekend. There are a bunch of items in the blog this week.
Woodlawn Named Illinois State Winner in National STEM Competition from Samsung
(The group involved needs you to fill out the market research survey at the bottom!)
A group of 8th grade students at Woodlawn participated in a challenge to use STEM thinking to improve the quality of the lives of others by solving a problem within the community. Once students determined an idea, they submitted their proposal in the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Competition. This is a nationwide contest that is “designed to boost interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and MATH (STEM), and challenges public school teachers and students in grades 6-12 to show how STEM can be applied to help improve their local community.” During Flex time, with the help of Adam Swerdlow (Instructional Aide) and Nicole McRee (Science Coach), students worked together to identify a problem and design a solution.
As a state winner, Woodlawn was awarded $15,000 and a video kit! The student group will be submitting a video proposal at the end of February to enter the next phase to compete against 100 other schools from around the country for a chance to be one of the top 20 finalists.
Project details:
In the Midwest and throughout the country, communities are susceptible to facing cold, snowy, and unforgiving conditions during the winter months. This leads to icy surfaces and accidental slips and falls that cause bodily injury to some in our community. The goal of the project is to reduce this phenomena by developing ice melting commercial mats with a distinct feature of being battery powered and linked to a cell phone app. The project also includes sensors that are strategically placed on the mat to turn the heat on preventing snow/ice from accumulating in that particular area.
A survey has been created to conduct market research on a larger scale and determine if this product has a market to sell in. The students would appreciate if you took a few minutes to fill out this market research survey.
Please congratulate the following students and wish them luck in the next round!
Rafeek Cheradi, Naomi George, Thomas Edat, Kashyap Rajesh, Yash Ravipati, Lanie Lee, Abijai Ginne, Sanjith Bala, and Alex Pollard
Please visit the PTO Monthly Blog
Information on Erin’s Law
Dear Parent/Guardians:
Erin’s Law, House Bill 6193 was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on January 24, 2013. This law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention curriculum for grades pre-K through 12. Erin’s Law was developed in honor of Erin Merryn, a brave young woman who has crossed the country advocating for laws that will increase awareness of this crime against children.
One of the requirements of this law is that schools provide an age appropriate curriculum to all students relating to sexual abuse prevention. To this end, Erin Merryn herself will present to District 96 middle school students on Thursday, January 16th. We are thrilled to have her here to share her story and to provide students tools needed for personal safety.
Nationwide, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be the victim of child sexual abuse by the age of 18. Through this program aimed at educating and empowering students, we want to provide your student with the knowledge and skills to use if ever affected by sexual violence. District 96 believes that all of our students will benefit from participating in this program.
If you have any questions about the content of the program or if you wish to inquire about opting out, please feel free to contact your school principal.
Respectfully,
Amy Gluck
D96 Director of Educational Services
Estimados Padres/Tutores:
La Ley de Erin, fue firmada por el Gobernador Pat Quinn el 24 de Enero, 2013. Esta ley requiere que las escuelas lleven a cabo un plan de estudio de edad apropiada que crea conciencia sobre la prevención del abuso sexual para los estudiantes en los grados de pre- kinder hasta 12. La Ley de Erin se desarrolló en honor a Erin Merryn, una mujer valiente que ha cruzado el país defendiendo las leyes que incrementará la conciencia de este delito en contra de los niños.
Uno de los requisitos de esta ley es que las escuelas implementen un programa de edad apropiada a todos los estudiantes sobre el abuso infantil orientado a la prevención. Por eso, Erin Merryn se presentará en las escuelas intermedias del Distrito 96 el jueves, 16 de enero. Estamos encantados de tenerla aquí para que comparta su historia y para que pueda ofrecerles a los estudiantes las herramientas necesarias para su propia seguridad.
1 de cada 3 niñas y 1 de cada 6 niños serán víctimas del abuso sexual antes de los 18 años a nivel nacional. A través de este programa, dirigido hacia la educación y el empoderamiento de los estudiantes, queremos que su estudiante tenga el conocimiento y las habilidades necesarias que pueda usar en caso de que se vea afectado por la violencia sexual. El Distrito 96 cree que todos los estudiantes se beneficiarán con la participación en este programa.
Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre el contenido del programa o si desea saber cómo puede excluir a su estudiante de este programa, puede contactar al director de su escuela.
Respetuosamente,
Amy Gluck
D96 Directora de Servicios Educativos
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KCSD96 Offers a Dual Language Opportunity
Parents are invited to consider the Dual Language Program for their incoming Willow Grove kindergartner. The program’s purpose is to give children the opportunity to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. Fifty percent of the academic day instruction is delivered in Spanish and 50 percent in English. Following their kindergarten year at Willow Grove, Dual Language participants continue at Country Meadows for Grades 2–5 and transition to Woodlawn for Grades 6–8.
To be included in the public lottery that will be used to select the 2020–21 Dual Language kindergarten class, an Interest Form (ENGLISH or SPANISH) is due to the Willow Grove Early Learning Center office by 3 p.m. on Mar. 18.
LEARN MORE about the KCSD96 Dual Language program and attend a Parent Education Evening on Feb. 12 or Mar. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Willow Grove Early Learning Center to hear a presentation from District faculty/administrators and ask questions.
SPANISH TRANSLATION:
KCSD96 Ofrece una Oportunidad de Lenguaje Dual
Invitamos a los padres a que consideren el Programa de Lenguaje Dual para los estudiantes que entrarán al kindergarten de Willow Grove. El propósito de este programa es darle la oportunidad a los niños para que desarrollen una capacidad académica profunda en dos idiomas. Cincuenta por ciento de la enseñanza académica se implementará en Español y 50 por ciento en Inglés. Después de kindergarten en Willow Grove, los participantes continuarán en en Programa de Lenguaje Dual en Country Meadows para los grados 2–5 y pasarán a Woodlawn para los grados 6–8.
Para poder ser incluido en la lotería pública que se usará para seleccionar la clase de kindergarten de Lenguaje Dual del año escolar 2020–21, debe completar el Formulario de Interés y entregarlo en la oficina de Willow Grove Early Learning Center para el 18 de marzo a las 3 p.m.
APRENDA MÁS sobre el programa de Lenguaje Dual de KCSD96 y asista a la Noche de Educación para Padres el 12 de febrero o el 16 de marzo a las 6:30 p.m. en Willow Grove Early Learning Center para la presentación de los profesores/administradores y para hacer preguntas.
PARENT NETWORK CONVERSATION – On Vaping
All interested parents are invited to the Woodlawn Middle School Learning Center this Tues., Jan. 14, at 10 AM, for a Parent Network Conversation with guest expert Susan Sirota, MD, FAAP. Dr Sirota will discuss vaping, Juuling, and the link with cannabis.
The discussion will address vaping and e-cigarettes, risks associated with teen vaping, how marketing targets youth, and the relationship with tobacco and marijuana use.
Please contact District 96 Community Parent Liaison Lubna Andrabi with questions, 847.459.4260, ext. 8136.
Notice of 5Essentials Student Survey Administration
We are writing to inform you about a student survey for 4th–8th graders that will be administered at your child’s school.
Elementary students will take the survey during the week of January 13-17th and middle school students will take the survey on January 17th.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is based on 20 years of research at the University of Chicago. The survey asks students about their experiences in school, giving school leaders critical student input to help develop school improvement plans.
Students will be required to log in using their student ID and birth date in order to complete the survey. Students’ identities will be completely confidential. Teachers or administrators will never see individual responses to survey questions. Instead, they will receive only aggregated information, such as the total percentage of students who agree homework assignments help them learn the course material, for example.
Please be aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights Act. 20 U.S.C. Section 1232(c) (1) (A), you have the right to review a copy of the questions your student(s) are asked. Find survey questions on the Illinois 5Essentials website (https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois).
If you do not want your son or daughter to participate, please contact your child’s principal.
Country Meadows Elementary School: Meghan Bird, [email protected]
Ivy Hall Elementary School: Robert Hanrahan, [email protected]
Kildeer Elementary School: Vail Kieser, [email protected]
Prairie Elementary School: Christine Pfaff, [email protected]
Woodlawn Middle School: Greg Grana, [email protected]
Twin Groves Middle School: Jessica Barnes, [email protected]
Finally, there are words that simply crack me up. Often, teachers will ask me to put something in my blog and I ask them to write up a blurb. I could say paragraph, but blurb is way more fun to say. Shenanigans has long been a favorite of mine because I tend to be someone who enjoys messing around. Ruckus has become a favorite of mine. I was rooming with a friend of mine on a trip and I tripped over something in the middle of the night. He woke up and said, “What’s all the ruckus?” Gold. Another favorite is doofus. Doofus is a great word to use with family or friends. Do you have any words that pop into your mind?