Monday Morning Memo: Monday Morning Memo 10/11/21

Did you know that October is...

Thanks to Ryan Hochman, Matthew Shannon, Jill Becmer, Michelle Burgess, Betty Cwiak, and Al (the custodian) for being "patients" for my 7th grade STEM class to practice taking case notes and diagnosing illnesses.

-From Tim Yoder

Thank you to Nicole Mild for going above and beyond to help a colleague, substitute teacher and Kinder family! You are truly the definition of One Team...All In.

and
Thank you to the entire 4th grade team for being flexible this week when we needed extra assistance for coverage.
Thank you to Mike Fefferman for helping us out in a bus monitor bind. You can always be counted on!

and
Thank you to Loren Redding for communicating so closely with a family to ensure the student had what they needed at school to be successful.

and
Happy Instructional Coach's Day to Erica Barraza this week!

-From Natalie Udstuen

A HUGE thank you to all of my hardworking para friends for helping me remove the books

from the library bookshelves. Jamie, Kathleen, Bryan, Oner, Bobby, Ashley and Samantha,

I appreciate you all more than you know! Best team ever!

-From Betty Cwiak

Huge shout out to the Stanton ROCKSTARS in the office that copied an entire

ARC manual for me Friday afternoon! You're the BEST!!

and

Stephanie Kaye, I'm not sure what Fred and I would have done without you as we

muddled through ARC on Friday. Your guidance and help was super

appreciated!

and

Katy, Fred, Ana, Scott, Lemar, Chris, Kendra, Grant, Jessica, Molly, Lynn, Rachelle,

Jeff, Lora, Michele and Jill -- I thank you for ALL your efforts, as exhausting as they

were, as we did the best we could to help a struggling student in 6th grade.

-From Lisa Shannon

Al G for spending his Saturday at Stanton with the carpet crew so the library and STEM Space

is ready for the furniture delivery.

and

The 5th grade team and Fred and Lisa for spending their day on Friday preparing to rollout the

ARC program in their ELA classes.

and

Mary Taylor for overseeing all the major projects at Stanton.

-From Jeff Sefcik

A huge thank you goes out to Jamie Smeigh and Oner Medrano for all of your help retrieving

purchased PBIS items every week and all of the wonderful work you both do with our young

artists every day.

and

To Renee Kanari, I want to thank you so much for helping maintain an organized art room and

being actively aware of students' emotional regulation opportunities. Your presence is truly

appreciated.

and

A great thanks goes to Betty Cwiak for collaborating with me and students to continue

“Readingwith Foxes” from this past summer, bridging relationships between Stanton and

Lotus. It’s going to be an exciting year showcasing our students' growth reading and

performing for the next generation of Foxes!

-From Lemar Wilson

A huge thank you to the fabulous Lotus Kitchen team! Your festive Halloween attire, your

smiling faces and the delicious food was much appreciated on Institute Day.

And

Thank you to Lynn Smolen and the resource teachers for the training on Friday. It was great

to all collaborate afterwards. We rarely get to meet as a sped team and the time together was

invaluable.

And

Thanks to Cortnee Snell for always taking the time to answer all of my questions about her

former students. You are welcoming and kind.

And

Thanks to Morgan Figel for driving me to and from work when my car was being repaired.

It was great catching up with you!

And

Thank you to Joan Kantenwein and Lisa Werner for collaborating with me individually and as a

group to best support our students. You two have a wealth of knowledge and truly understand

some of the challenges that our students face.

-From Mary Santi

Thanks to Kim VanHoorelbeke for getting another grant--this one for more than $7,000 for

digital resources.

and

To everyone who helps make the mandated testing work. I know there are strong feelings about

this whole thing, and I really appreciate those who make it as efficient as possible.

and

To Tim Douglas, Al Giondonato, and Norm Fischer for going above and beyond this weekend to

make sure the Stanton Library carpet/furniture install went smoothly.

-From Heather

Please send me KUDOS to give shout outs to colleagues! I LOVE to put them in the Monday Memo! 🎉

Bus Updates

We are in the midst of reviewing all the bus routes, and we believe that we'll be able to reduce our total number of routes to streamline everything and increase our flexibility--should be ready to launch by the end of the month. Huge thank you's to Char and John for driving for us for so long to keep us running!

Vaccines/Boosters

The Regional Office of Education will be hosting a vaccination clinic for ages 12 and older at our office on Saturday October 30, 2021 from 9 am - 1 pm. Pfizer, Moderna, J & J shots will be available. Booster shots will also be available to those who meet the requirement. Here are the flyers if you could share with your stakeholders.

English Flyer 103021 Flyer Spanish 1030

I have also been told that Walgreens is now offering the booster for all healthcare workers/teachers/those who are 65+.

Wellness Screenings

Empower Health Services will be at Lotus this Friday, October 15, 2021 from 6:30 - 9:30AM

The wellness screenings will consist of three components:

The Core-Screening package (see attached for more information)
Seasonal Flu Shot
Additional Test Options

Registration is now open! Please follow these steps to sign up:

Visit the Empower Health website by clicking here.
Returning Participants: Enter your Member Login information in the left box. If you forgot your username and/or password, click "Forgot your login"
New Participants: In the New Program Registration box, create an account by entering our Client Code: foxlake114

Furniture--Planning Ahead

We are planning for the move out of our old furniture and the move in of the new furniture at both sites over Winter Break. As you can imagine, this will be a BIG task and we'll need some help!

When: Monday, December 20

Time: 7:00AM-appx 3:00 PM

Our fabulous custodial crew will be onsite, but if you're willing to be part of this effort, we will pay $15/hour to those who are willing to help make the plan happen.

Let me know if you are interested!

Also:

*Staff will have paid time to take things out of desks/get ready for the move out.

*Staff have get paid time to set rooms back up.

*Paraprofessionals can request time for room set up to be reviewed by principals and allowed by principal approval.

*Supply money deadlines will be extended through the furniture installation in case you need new stuff for your rooms with the new set ups.

*Details on all the above will be finalized once we have a confirmed final plan for the furniture move.

Suggestions and questions are welcome!

COVID Updates (copy from email sent 10/3/21)

In an attempt to answer questions and clarify/update procedures, please review the following information:

1. Please find linked here the updated guidance on school decision-making related to all things COVID. Note the updated symptom list (cut/paste from the linked document). This is what our nurses follow when making decisions related to each student/staff situation:

HOWEVER, please know that our nurses use their clinical judgement on exclusion decisions based on observed trends in our community. The symptom list is not hard and fast, and Sharon and Lora do an outstanding job applying all the information they have to make the best decisions possible.

2. As Jeff and Matt shared on Friday at my request, please follow the updated lounge procedures, which we know are more restrictive. This is to keep everyone as safe as possible. Thank you in advance for following these directions as well as making sure to WEAR YOUR MASK PROPERLY, monitor your distance from each other, and wash hands frequently.

3. "Test to stay" can ONLY be used when masks have been worn consistently and properly at all times in the school setting. "Test to Stay" applies to SCHOOL-BASED close contacts ONLY. We will ALWAYS notify you directly and immediately if you are identified as a close contact.

If you are identified as a classroom/school based close contact and:

*You are not vaccinated, you MAY access "test to stay" to monitor your status following the timelines set by LCHD, which require Binex testing on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after exposure. DUE TO THE ISSUES WITH BINEX AVAILABILITY, WE CANNOT TEST MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THIS MOVING FORWARD. Please do not ask Sharon or Lora to do so. If you do not wish to participate in "test to stay", you must quarantine, and Sharon/Lora will provide timelines for this.

*You are vaccinated or unvaccinated and test positive for COVID, you must isolate. Sharon/Lora will provide timelines for this.

*You are vaccinated or unvaccinated and have COVID symptoms, you must quarantine. Sharon/Lora will provide timelines for this.

*You are vaccinated with no symptoms, you are fine to stay. You MAY also access "test to stay" to monitor your status following the timelines set by LCHD, which require Binex testing on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after exposure. DUE TO THE ISSUES WITH BINEX AVAILABILITY, WE CANNOT TEST MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THIS MOVING FORWARD. Please do not ask Sharon or Lora to do so.

4. Any symptomatic individual can request a Binex test to monitor their status and so we can, as needed, respond as quickly as possible. Please do not make this request lightly, as a shortage on Binex tests still remains AND we are offering weekly surveillance testing with O'Hare Labs.

5. If you would like to opt in to surveillance testing at ANY point, you may do so using this link.

6. We work in partnership with the Lake County Health Department (LCHD) when cases or situations are complex. We follow their direction while making the most consistent decisions we can given the most current guidance.

7. A positive test is a positive test. We cannot overrule a positive test, even when a negative result may be found later. This is in full alignment with our direction from LCHD.

Please direct any questions on this to me so that Sharon, Lora, and I can partner to respond.

Thanks---I know this is super stressful and scary, so it's important that we stay connected, support each other, and remember that we are ALL figuring this out as we go.

Heather

Surveillance Testing Logistics

If you are opting in for testing but have tested COVID+ in the last 90 days, you may want to consider NOT testing at this time, as results may still indicate the presence of COVID-19. If you are a mandated tester, you still must test but, if needed, we will partner with you to review prior positive results with the Health Department to see what next steps will be.

Students

Students are given their pre-labeled kit each Tuesday.
Students return the samples on Wednesday upon arrival.

Staff

Staff come to the Nurse’s Office to pick up their kit and label by the end of the day each Tuesday.
Staff can leave their sample on Tuesday or can take it home and return it on Wednesday. NOTE: a few staff members have requested spit tests instead of swab tests. We have met these requests, and the nurses know who has requested the saliva test. WE CAN NO LONGER MEET REQUESTS FOR SALIVA TESTS.
Any employee who must test and who doesn’t pick up their label and kit OR provide an outside negative test will be contacted individually by the nurses to remind them to test each Tuesday at the end of the day.
If any unvaccinated employee (mandated tester) don’t submit a sample time/negative test by the time the samples are picked up on Wednesday (appx 12:00 PM), the nurse notifies Maddie Mercado and she will follow up with the employee individually to notify them that they must take a Binex test OR submit an outside test result by that Friday (or the last attendance day of that same school week) at the end of the day.
If any employee does not comply, due process will be followed and disciplinary action may be taken in compliance with the EAFL/D114 contract.

Thank you in advance for making this process as smooth as possible.

Current Local COVID Data
10/11/21--Click here for Daily D114 COVID data.

CDC thresholds and local data for Lake County
Indicator
Low Transmission
Moderate Transmission
Substantial Transmission
High Transmission
Current Status

Incidence Rate:
Total new cases per 100K persons in the last 7 days
0-9
10-49
50-99
100 or greater
109.26
7 Day Average Test Positivity Rate
Less than 5%
5.0%-7.9%
8.0%-9.9%
Greater than 10%
1.95

D114 Local Zip Codes Data from Northwestern University COVID Dashboard--ALL DATA INCLUDES ACTUAL AND PROBABLE CASES!
Indicator
Low Transmission
Moderate Transmission
Substantial Transmission
High Transmission
Current Status

Incidence Rate:
Total new cases per 100K persons in the last 7 days
0-9
10-49
50-99
100 or greater
151.1
7 Day Average Test Positivity Rate
Less than 5%
5.0%-7.9%
8.0%-9.9%
Greater than 10%
2.97%

Teaching & Learning

-October iReady Goals

We’ve completed the Diagnostic! This is the first step to understanding our students better and using the information to address unfinished learning. As you begin reviewing your data, please do the following:

Use this Data Analysis Guide to help you interpret and use the data.
Reference the tips and tools in this Kit: Delivering Differentiated Instruction to help you plan strategic instruction.
Have data chats with students to help them understand their results and set meaningful goals.

We’ll discuss further and plan next steps in upcoming meetings. Please reach out with any questions.

-Formative Assessment (updated bi-weekly)

One Minute Paper: learning and teaching strategy where the learners are asked one or two quick but deep questions on the material covered.

Video

More Info.

Relationships Matter

-This Week’s Tip:

Practice Constructive Discipline

Correcting behavior can be an opportunity to strengthen relationships with your students. The number one rule when it comes to discipline is to be respectful. Losing your temper and reacting with sarcasm, scolding, or anger can harm your relationship with a student. Instead, take a deep breath and administer a consequence that is fair and meaningful. Show that you respect and care for the student and communicate in a way that preserves the student’s dignity.

Be mindful of equity in your discipline and corrective behavior. Research shows that students of color receive significantly higher rates of disciplinary action. Take steps to reduce unconscious bias and make sure all students are being treated fairly. Here is a quick tip sheet to help you begin this process.

-Community Builder:

Hey, Me Too!

This game shows kids how much they have in common with one another. Before the game begins, have students make “auction paddles” by drawing emoji faces on paper plates and attaching them to popsicle sticks. The teacher calls out a trait, such as curly hair or freckles, and everyone with that trait raises their paddle. Give students a few seconds to look around and take note. Play continues as above.

-Weekly Cheer/Silly Sport/Brain Break:

If you did not receive your
IEA/NEA membership card, please let Maureen know as soon as possible. We want to make sure that you have access to the benefits of being part of the IEA.

Now that you have your card, it is simpler to access the member benefits page for discounts! Be sure to check it out!

Not sure how to access the IEA Members Only section?

Go to www.ieanea.org, and click on the Members Only link (above the red banner in the upper right corner.)
Login or register on the following page.
If you need your IEA number, registration, or login information, use IEA Connect located in the lower right hand corner of every screen.

For a little bit of fun...Looking for pumpkin carving ideas?

IEA's got you covered! Check out our templates for #Halloween2021. Carve pumpkins for your classroom or home. Then, take a photo and tag us on Facebook and Instagram! Download pumpkin templates ⇒

Lotus Updates!

* KINDNESS is definitely an act of being respectful.

* Thanks to all the paras & teachers for picking up PBIS prizes in the library and distributing.

Stanton Updates!

A big shout out to all of Stanton’s staff for buying into the positive influence PBIS has on our students. All staff delivered points throughout September!!! Leading the way were Dani, Ryan, Bobby, Jamie, Scott, and Rich all having awarded more than 470 points. Our largest opportunity is to reward students for safety. This could be a result of wearing masks properly, attending class on time, reacting to peer comments in productive ways, or simply cleaning up after oneself. Continue to look for positive behaviors in the moment in effort to develop consistent and productive behaviors throughout each week. Thank you all.