Welcome back!!!! I hope you had the BEST break!
For the New Year, we'll continue the monthly challenges for anyone who wants to do them. Click here for the January Happiness Challenges.
And--NEW!!!--you'll earn a sticker for each challenge you complete. You can put the stickers on this Award Board! Fun, right?!?
And I have LOTS of fun ORANGE YOU GLAD IT'S 2024 things planned...be ready! 🧡
Finally, send me your completed December challenges by the end of the day this WEDNESDAY so I can announce gift card winners in the next Monday Memo!
It's that time of year again!!!! What's YOUR word for the year? Here's mine...
My word for 2024 is RUN. Literally, I plan to reach a life goal of running a marathon this year for a very special cause. Thank you to my amazing friend Geri Parscale for partnering with me in this effort: BELIEVE 4 NICHOLAS.
To learn more and even help me out, check out my journey blog:
https://heatherrunsinto2024.blogspot.com/
RUN also means RUNNING toward the people and things I love and light me up. It means RUNNING through anything that threatens to slow me down. It means RUNNING from anything that brings me down, tries to steal my shine, or is toxic.
So what's your word and why did you pick it? Like every year, I'll make a list of the words shared with me so we can all see and celebrate them.
And--if you are running the Chicago Marathon, too, and are part of a fundraising effort to do so, let me know!
THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Happiness Challenges so far! It makes my heart smile. I'll keep putting them out there...suggestions and ideas are welcome!
-From Heather 💓
Please send me your kudos for colleagues each week! I'll happily post them in this section!
Just a reminder when you think about your Personal Greetings at the Door this week:
Winter Weather Procedures
It seems that there's some weather coming our way. Please review our procedures below.
Remember, for the first maybe snow day, our three options are:
1. Regular day
2. Late start
3. Snow day, makeup on March 4 (Casimir Pulaski Day)
As always, I'll let you know any changes just as soon as I can!
Fox Lake D114 Emergency Closure Procedures
Updated 12/5/23
Canceling school is a complicated decision that affects students, families, and school staff. Providing students with a safe place to learn is a top priority for Fox Lake Grade School District 114 and is the primary consideration in making a school closing decision.
Making the Decision to Close, Shift to Remote, or Use a Late Start Day
When severe weather is expected on a school day, we examine many factors, including the following:
What are the predictions of several local weather forecasts?
What are the anticipated road conditions at the time students and staff will be traveling to school?
Will the actual temperature be -20° F or colder?
Will the wind chill temperature (“feels like”) be -35° F or colder? (Wind Chill Warning)
Are our building systems functioning properly? (e.g., power/heat/water)
Are our buses operating and do we have drivers?
Can our families and staff travel safely to school by car?
Will students be safe walking or waiting at bus stops in appropriate winter clothing?
What are the decisions of our neighboring districts?
We determine whether to use a late start, shift to remote, or close school no later than 5:30 AM. If we have enough information to make a decision the evening before, we will always try to do so.
If it becomes necessary to delay our start, shift to remote, or cancel school, we will notify parents and staff using the contact information in Skyward (e.g., home and cell phone numbers, and email addresses). If any of your information has changed, please login to Skyward and change or contact your school office.
We notify staff and families of a change via:
Email and automated phone calls
The District 114 website at www.d114.org
The District 114 Facebook and Twitter feeds
For the first closure day, we will use a “traditional” closure day and make the day up on Casimir Pulaski day, as indicated on the District calendar.
Should we use a late start schedule, the following is key information:
Late Start Schedule:
The schedule below applies to all days of the week. If a late start is called on a Wednesday, we will NOT do an Early Release and will follow the schedule below:
LOTUS:
9:00AM-2:20PM--K-4
No Morning PreK
10:15AM-2:20 PM--All day PreK
11:45AM-2:20 PM--Afternoon PreK
STANTON:
10AM-3:05PM—All students
Financial Updates
In alignment with our priorities identified for the 2020 referendum dollars, we are NOW able to move forward with securing our schools through improved vestibules. This was a focus identified by multiple stakeholder groups during our priority studies conducted in 2019. Attached to the Monday Memo email are the concept drawings for Lotus and Stanton. I'll be sharing with the Board on Tuesday night, and will put forward the Stanton plan in 3 big "chunks": the vestibule, the nurse's office, and the offices. The plan is for all vestibule work to take place this summer, along with replacement of the Lotus sloped roof. Because of this:
1. Summer school will be held starting after July 4 AT LOTUS. More plans to come after Winter Break.
2. The Stanton office will be out of commission for most of the summer.
Staff Illnesses
As you are well aware, germs and sickness continue to hit everyone. Please remember that the following guidelines are in place:
1. Each learning space, bathroom, and lounge will be DEEP CLEANED daily, much like we did during COVID. This means:
- Disinfecting spray used
- All surfaces sanitized
- All doorknobs/sink hardware sanitized
2. All staff MUST follow the same sick guidelines we apply to students. These days are counted as sick days. The guidelines are as follows (
linked here and copy/pasted below):
Sick Day Guidelines: Making the right choice!
Dear Parents: To help prevent the spread of illness, we would like to give you some guidelines to help with your decision on whether or not to send your child to school. We ask that you keep your child home if he or she:
• Has a fever of 100.4 (oral) degrees or higher
• Has cramps and or vomiting • Has a sore throat with fever (see below)
• Has a persistent cough (dry or productive)
• Has diarrhea (three or more episodes in 24 hrs)
• Has a rash or open and draining sores
• Has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as:
o Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite
o Headaches, body aches, earaches
o Severe sore throat (could be strep-throat even without fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache & stomach upset. Contact your pediatrician to assess or diagnose strep throat).
If your child has recently been ill, please be aware of the following guidelines before having your child return to school, athletic or social activities:
• They should feel fit for at least 24 hours.
• Be free of fever for at least 24 hours (without medication)
• Be free of vomiting and or diarrhea for at least 24 hours.
• If strep throat, they must be on the appropriate antibiotic for at least 24 hours.
• If conjunctivitis, they must be on the appropriate eye drops for at least 24 hours or cleared by a physician.
• Rash illnesses should be assessed by a doctor. If chicken Pox is suspected, keep home for at least 5 days after the appearance of the rash or until all blisters have scabbed over.
3. If you test positive for COVID, please let me know immediately. You may return to work as soon as you meet all the criteria above. I am not asking for a 5 or 10 day window at this point; rather, you must meet the return to school criteria listed above. You are STRONGLY encouraged to wear a mask upon your return to prevent the spread of illness to others. Please alert me as to your date of return. Any days out are sick days.
4. Masks will be available in the office for all staff who wish to wear one.
Please reach out to me with any questions, for clarification, or for support. Your safety and the safety of our students remains our utmost priority!
Reporting Absences
All employees are expected to enter all absences in Frontline, even if you text/call/email others to let them know you will be out. This is a professional responsibility!
January PTA Meeting
Thursday, January 11th at 6:00pm
Lotus Library or Virtual
Antioch Pizza Fox Lake-Battle of the Grades
Eat Out 2 Help Out EventWednesday, January 17th, 2023-All Day
*Dine In, Carry Out, Delivery, or Drive Thru
Come on out to support the D114PTA. Mention your grade level and the grade with the most money raised, receives
a pizza party!!!
Skate on Grand FUNdraiser
Sunday, February 4th 3:30-5:30pm
More information to come.
**We are looking for ANYONE interested in helping us plan our NEW event in February, Family Fun Fair!
If you are interested, please email us at pta@foxlake114.org we plan to have a meeting this month to gather some ideas!!
Monday, January 8--Back to School!!!
Monday, January 15--Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Day (Schools Closed)
Tuesday, January 16--Board of Education Meeting at Lotus--7PM
(OR GREAT STUFF WE HEARD OR SAW LAST WEEK!)
A few months ago, I was walking with a third grade class in the hallway. Passing by some windows, a student was surprised to see that it was raining. I commented that it had been raining that morning when I drove to work. The student asked, "Where do you work?"
-From Mary Santi (Special Ed Teacher at Lotus)
Please email me to share your funny stories, moments, and quotes (from kids or adults) so I can include them!!! (Ask permission first, please!)
I'm so glad to come back to work with YOU!
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