K-2 Literacy selection team
Thank you to everyone who has been part of the K-2 literacy resource selection process!!!! Your time and expertise is sincerely appreciated! SO excited to start slooooowww and focus with the new materials!
and
Huge shout outs to everyone who attended and make possible the Remote Teaching Institute last week. We were at max capacity in the gym and the focus on learning was truly awesome.
and
To everyone who took a moment to send me TLC last week. It was one of most difficult weeks of my professional career so far, and your support means the WORLD to me.
-From Heather
To Mike Fefferman--Thank you so much for stepping up this week and helping me with summer school while I was injured. (Your handwriting isn’t that bad :-)) We are lucky to have you at Lotus.
and
Thank you to the summer school staff and students who participated in the summer 2020 election. We had 48 participants! The results are in: favorite color is blue, favorite animal is shark, favorite season is summer, favorite ice cream is chocolate, favorite art supply for coloring is markers, and favorite super power is to become invisible. If you would like to show your students the results; they are posted by the office. Thank you from Ms. Sherry’s class.
-From Sherry Tietjen
FALL PLANNING UPDATE
While I know none of would have picked a full remote plan, I continue to feel confident that it's the best and safest way to open this school year. Thanks to the planning teams at Lotus and Stanton who immediately dug in on how to make it work--you are SO AWESOME! We are full steam ahead in making plans that are clear, consistent, and as not-overwhelming as possible.
If you'd like to view the presentation I gave to the Board, please click here to view.
I've also developed this FAST FACTS FOR REMOTE LEARNING document to share with families. It will a living document to add to as we get clearer on details and revise as/when we need to. Please review and let me know if you have suggestions!!!!
Ways you can help:
Complete this Essential Apps form to help us make a "best of the best" starting list based on what you have used and loved. As with everything right now, I want us to all focus on doing a few things really, really well. This is best for the kids, our families trying to implement and support our plans, and for us, too!
Brainstorm learning needs for Institute Week. Email me what you'd like to see learning developed around. We are building it from the ground up, and your input is KEY.
Keep a positive perspective! I truly believe that we will come through and out of this stronger than EVER before.
Know that parts are moving quickly and decisions are being made daily. If there is ever a miscommunication or a question that gets answered more slowly that you really want, please know that it's not intentional. We are all doing our very best. 💖
My current mantras to help me in planning and perspective...
If you'd like to view the presentation I gave to the Board, please click here to view.
I've also developed this FAST FACTS FOR REMOTE LEARNING document to share with families. It will a living document to add to as we get clearer on details and revise as/when we need to. Please review and let me know if you have suggestions!!!!
Ways you can help:
Complete this Essential Apps form to help us make a "best of the best" starting list based on what you have used and loved. As with everything right now, I want us to all focus on doing a few things really, really well. This is best for the kids, our families trying to implement and support our plans, and for us, too!
Brainstorm learning needs for Institute Week. Email me what you'd like to see learning developed around. We are building it from the ground up, and your input is KEY.
Keep a positive perspective! I truly believe that we will come through and out of this stronger than EVER before.
Know that parts are moving quickly and decisions are being made daily. If there is ever a miscommunication or a question that gets answered more slowly that you really want, please know that it's not intentional. We are all doing our very best. 💖
My current mantras to help me in planning and perspective...
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
For students...
Please review your supply lists to make sure they reflect remote learning needs and are really prioritized. When needs arise as the year goes on, we'll make sure you/students have what is needed.
For you...
If you are opting to turn in receipts for approval, you'll do so using a Check Request and attach the receipts. Principals will review for approval.
If you are using Amazon, orders MUST be shipped to school. This is part of how we keep prices/shipping low. We'll alert you when items arrive.
If you have a special request for consideration now that we have shifted to Remote Learning, please reach out to your principal and me so we can discuss.
CLASSROOM SET UPS
Please know that you are welcome onsite AT ANY TIME (as long as you are healthy and follow safety guidelines, of course)! However, we are setting up rooms to be ready for 6ft distance between learners in hopes of getting back onsite ASAP. This means that you can't set up like you always have. It also means that, per guidelines, all soft surfaces will be removed and that LOTS of shelving and other furniture will have to be moved to create space. All items will be labeled and safely stored for you. I'm sorry to have to do this, but this is just the reality. Let me know if you have questions or if I can support you in any way.
INNOVATION LEARNING PROGRAM DETAILS
As I emailed last week, I'm thrilled to share that Innovation Learning can provide on site supervision/remote learning support to K-8 students as needed for staff and our families. Here is information for the programming planned for the Full Remote Plan:
Registration is now open. Please know that 15 must be enrolled for the program to "go". They are updating me weekly on the count so we can monitor status.
As I emailed last week, I'm thrilled to share that Innovation Learning can provide on site supervision/remote learning support to K-8 students as needed for staff and our families. Here is information for the programming planned for the Full Remote Plan:
Registration is now open. Please know that 15 must be enrolled for the program to "go". They are updating me weekly on the count so we can monitor status.
FLASH BACK...FLASH FORWARD TO SUMMER CURRICULUM WORK!
THANKS to everyone for your work to complete the FLASH BACK reflection to help us know where our students' gaps exist!!!!
The FIRST priority for any summer curriculum work is to use the FLASH BACK information to better understand what kids need. This then should be used to help plan starting the year. The tools you need are linked below:
LINKS:
PreK-8 Flash Back Standards
Exploratories Flash Back Standards
Case Manager Flash Back Reflections
THANKS to everyone for your work to complete the FLASH BACK reflection to help us know where our students' gaps exist!!!!
The FIRST priority for any summer curriculum work is to use the FLASH BACK information to better understand what kids need. This then should be used to help plan starting the year. The tools you need are linked below:
LINKS:
PreK-8 Flash Back Standards
Exploratories Flash Back Standards
Case Manager Flash Back Reflections
COVID-19 SAFETY PROCEDURES--UPDATED!
If you are concerned that you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to COVID-19 and have been or are scheduled to be onsite, please let your principal, Maddie Espinoza, and/or me know immediately so we can partner with you for your safety and for the safety of others. You can trust that we will keep all this information confidential, balancing staff privacy and system safety needs. All staff MUST wear masks AT ALL TIMES when onsite and in public spaces.
If you are working in an office/classroom with the door closed, you may remove your mask. It must be worn when anyone enters that space with you.
In addition, the steps below (from the CDC website) MUST be taken if you have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19:
COMING ONSITE:
If you come onsite, you are self-certifying and verifying that:
- You are not experiencing any known symptoms of COVID-19, including, a fever (100.4 or higher), cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, fatigue, muscle and body aches, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other COVID-19 symptoms identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
- Within the last 14 days, you have not tested positive for COVID-19 and do not suspect you have COVID-19.
- Within the last 14 days, you have not had close contact with someone who has tested positive for or is suspected of having COVID-19. For COVID-19, the CDC defines a “close contact” as “any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.”
- Within the last 14 days, you have not traveled internationally.
As you all know, we are working through many unknowns to start the 2020-2021 school year. Throughout all the changes and uncertainty, District 114 and the Education Association of Fox Lake have been collaborating to ensure a smooth start to the school year. We have put together a running document to help staff stay up-to-date on the agreements being made. There are a lot of moving parts so we will continue to add to the document and update staff as we learn more information and decisions are made. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out!
Melissa Jakstas, President
Maureen DeVoss, Vice President for Certified Staff
Chris Brown, Vice President for Non-Certified Staff
Katy Gardner, Treasurer
Betty Cwiak, Secretary
Cathy Jawnyj, Region Representative
Michelle Serini, Stanton School Representative
Tiffany Tardio Weber, Lotus School Representative
*check here for documents most frequently used/requested
Please let Heather know of suggestions for any documents to add to this
folder!
Blue Cross Blue Shield:
SEL Pacing Guides
Tuesday, August 11--Board of Education meeting--details TBD
Thursday, August 13--New Staff Welcome Day--details coming this week
Monday, August 17--First day for all staff!!! WELCOME WEEK!
Monday, August 24--First day of school for K-8 students (full day)
