Happy Friday everyone! There is a lot of information in the blog this week! Find a time to read this at a leisurely pace. I hope that you all have a great weekend.
No School
Remember that there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 18th for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day & NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, January 19th for the State Allocated Planning Day.
Picture Day - Part 4
Retakes will be Friday, February 5th from Noon until 4p.m. Students who are doing hybrid learning will get their pictures taken during the school day and students who are staying remote can come in from 2:45-4p.m We will have more details in upcoming blogs. Thank you to everyone for your patience, who knew getting a school picture could be so challenging. If you have any questions, please contact the Woodlawn main office.
Talent Show 2021
Congratulations to all of our students who participated in the virtual talent show. I am so impressed with the creativity and skill of our Woodlawn students. The link to the show went out to students in their lunch groups so if you would like to see it, ask your Woodlawn student to show it to you!
NEW *In-Person Learning Protocols (REVISED) and Dates for Hybrid In-Person Learners to Return*
Parents whose hybrid in-person students will be learning in person, please be sure to review the Revised IN-PERSON LEARNING PROTOCOLS (https://bit.ly/3bL4Yx4) for information about health and safety protocols and expectations for families and their students who will be learning in person in our schools.
As announced in Superintendent Schmidt’s Jan. 13 SUPERINTENDENT MESSAGE (https://bit.ly/3qnUcRE), the Hybrid In-Person Return Schedule/Dates are as follows:
Mon., Jan. 18: No School in observance of Martin Luther King Day
Tues., Jan. 19: No School–State Allocated Planning Day
Wed., Jan. 20: Full remote learning for all
Thurs., Jan. 21: First day of in-person attendance for Grades EC–KDG AND First day of in-person attendance for Grades 1–2 (last names beginning M–Z)
Mon., Jan. 25: First day of in-person attendance for Grades 1–2 and 3–5 and Grade 6 (last names beginning A–L)
Thurs., Jan. 28: First day of in-person attendance for Grades 3–5 and Grade 6 (last names beginning M–Z)
Mon., Feb. 1: First day of in-person attendance for Grades 7–8 (last names beginning A–L)
Thurs., Feb. 4: First day of in-person attendance for Grades 7–8 (last names beginning M–Z)
We are all in this Together
As emphasized in Superintendent Schmidt's message, implementing a hybrid in-person learning model is and must be a partnership.
We know that some surrounding districts or schools who began their in-person learning plan have had to revert to full remote for a period of time. In many situations, this has been due to positive cases about which families were not truthful with the school or with the health department regarding symptoms and the diagnosis or with those conducting the contact tracing process.
We are confident that the District 96 community will rise to the occasion and partner with us to ensure safety and success. Please think carefully about your commitment to our partnership before sending your kids to school.
PROACTIVE POPULATION SCREENING INFO FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS ATTENDING IN-PERSON
Students learning in person will need to participate in proactive population screening, providing a saliva sample once per week on a designated schedule.
Please CLICK HERE for information about the collection process, the schedule for the weekday your student's sample will need to be provided, and a saliva sample collection demonstration video.
NEW *In-Person Learning Meals*
If your child is returning to in-person learning and you would like to take advantage of school meals, which will also be free, please pre-order only for the days that your child is in-person, NOT for remote learning days. If your child will be in-person next week on Thursday and Friday (January 21st and 22nd), please place your order online, via the Linq website, by 6:00pm Tuesday, January 19th. For future weeks, please place your orders by 6:00pm Thursday for the upcoming week. SEE MORE INFO about the process to create your account and preorder in-person meals.
Return to In Person: What will lunch look like?
- All students will have a regular 25 minute lunch.
- Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria and other large spaces near the cafeteria as needed.
- Students will eat with their grade level.
- Designated tables will be used for each grade level and cleaned thoroughly after each lunch period.
- Students will be choosing their seat on the first day of their in person lunch. This seat will be their seat until Spring Break. The assigned seats are very important for contact tracing purposes.
- Students must remain seated and socially distanced. 2-3 students per table.
- Each table has a socially distanced spot marked for the students so they know where they can sit.
Materials
- Backpacks or bags can be brought to school and carried from class to class.
- Shared objects will generally not be permitted, and when necessary, disinfected between uses. We are purchasing additional supplies & creating individualized supply kits in many instances to avoid sharing.
Supplies
- PLEASE have your child bring a fully charged iPad and Logitech Crayon to school with them everyday.
- PLEASE have your child bring headphones to school everyday.
- Students should bring a folder, a spiral notebook, writing utensils, a fully charged iPad, Logitech Crayon, and headphones with them each day.
- If other supplies are needed, the classroom teachers will communicate this.
Masks and Face Coverings
- As required by IDPH, face coverings must be worn at all times in school buildings and on the bus–even when social distance is maintained.
- Face coverings can be temporarily removed at school:
- When eating (if and when this applies)
- When taking brief structured water breaks
- When outdoors and physical distancing of at least 6 feet can be maintained
- For staff, when alone in classrooms or offices with the door closed
Bathrooms
The following protocols will be in place to avoid overcrowding in the bathrooms:
- Students will seek permission to go to the bathroom from their teacher.
- One student at a time will be allowed out of a classroom.
- Bathroom use during passing periods will be prohibited to prevent overcrowding.
- Students who need to use the restroom between classes should seek permission from the teacher they are seeing next before entering the bathroom.
- Social Distancing spots will be in the hallways by the bathrooms. If the bathrooms are occupied, students will stand on the spots until there is an available bathroom stall.
Hallways and Passing Periods
- Students will move directly from class to class with no loitering or socializing between.
- Students are not to use the bathroom or drinking fountain.
- Students will carry their items with them throughout the day without access to their lockers.
- Students will follow directional arrows and signage in the hallways.
- Staff will continue to supervise this transition.
Lockers
- No lockers will be used at this time.
- Students will be carrying their belongings from class to class.
Bus Routes and Bus Stop Times
Bus routes and bus stop times for students attending the in person hybrid model will be sent out from the district next week.
Bus Transportation
Bus ridership will be in compliance with current IDPH and CDC requirements. Students must wear masks and sit in their assigned seats to ensure appropriate social distancing. Siblings will be seated together. Please note that schedule changes and riding an unassigned route will not be permitted.
Drivers will wear PPE and perform regular hand hygiene. Students will be encouraged to perform hand hygiene when boarding the bus. Hand sanitizer will be available for all riders. Also, First Student and Septran will disinfect all buses per IDPH and CDC recommendations and frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected after each route.
PE
The PE team is working to maximize the in-person and remote experiences. In-person students may go outside, weather permitting.
- Students will not change into PE uniforms.
- No uniforms or PE locks are currently needed.
Clubs
- Clubs will continue to be remote.
- Clubs can be found on the school’s website.
- Clubs will be held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
- Students can access the zoom links for clubs on their Team Zoom Doc.
Teacher Support
- Teachers will be available via zoom from 2:30-3:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
- On days that students are in-person, they will be required to leave at 2:30 and will travel home at this time. Students will have Academic Support from 3:00-3:45 and 4:00-4:45 if needed.
Academic Support Times
- 3:00-3:45 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
- 4:00-4:45 Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
- Students can access the zoom links for academic support on their Team Zoom Doc.
Band and Orchestra Rehearsals
- In-person students will attend after school rehearsals on the days they are remote.
- Band and orchestra students will leave at 2:30.
More information regarding the in person hybrid model will be sent in a separate communication on Wednesday, January 20th. Please look out for the communication on that date!
Stevenson High School Fine Art Department Visits 8th Grade Flex
During all 8th grade Flex classes next Friday, the 8th graders will have the opportunity to view a presentation by Stevenson Fine Arts Department. Our 8th graders will have the opportunity to see the different course offerings in the area of Fine Arts. The video is fun to watch and will give students an opportunity to see the wide range of options available at SHS.
Is your current 8th-grader interested in the SHS Dance Program?
Stevenson High School students who will be freshmen in the 21–22 school year and who wish to participate in the dance program should submit videos by January 18th to determine appropriate course placement. INFO
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Finally, it is about time that I unify this community. I am about to give you something that the vast majority of you can agree upon. Where you grew up, who you hung out with, what you currently believe in as a human does not matter... simply put, most of you cannot stand the Green Bay Packers. As soon as you read the words Green Bay Packers, it elicits a tribal instinct and disgust that makes you shake your head and feel a little sick to your stomach (not in a Covid way). I get the same negative reaction consistently from certain people in this building when I mention anything about the Green Bay Packers. Denise Kaufmann(nurse extraordinaire) , Kim Miller (8th grade Social Studies) , Howard Frishman (iCoach), Eddie Benitez (Crazy Bear Fan), Pam Kupsco (Franchise), Mary Blair (PE) and Amanda Carpenter (7th Math) all despise the Green Bay Packers and do not hesitate sharing their feelings. Parents who have been in my office like Richard Dent (Super Bowl XX MVP-props), Eddie Olczyk (Blackhawks legend) and multiple other parents have rolled their eyes when they see my Green Bay Packers mini helmet in my office. So band together tomorrow at 3:30pm and cheer against my team in the name of Woodlawn UNITY! Wish bad things upon #12 (heart emoji) and know if they lose, I will be sad and you will be celebrating. If they happen to win, please feel free to send your ill will to my email for the NFC Championship game and I will list them in the blog next week. To the few teachers and families that are with me, Go Pack Go!
Send clean email comments to [email protected] and you may get published next week.
Have a great weekend!