Extra Mask for Backpack For each student attending in person, we ask that you please keep a spare mask in the backpack. For those times when a mask is damaged, forgotten, or uncomfortable, having an extra mask on-hand is invaluable! Thanks for your help Attention all Fully Remote Learners Exciting News! You can checkout books from the Patton LMC! Watch for instructions in your Seesaw (K-2) or Google Classroom (grades 3-5) on how to put a book on hold in Destiny (LMC book catalogue), which we will then pull and put outside the office for your pick up. Questions or issues? Feel free to email Mrs. Melamed: [email protected] Pick up and Drop Off Procedures We want to thank all the parents for being patient with us and our PTA Traffic Volunteers as we all navigate the changes that are on-going this school year. Here are the traffic guidelines and procedures, to date, for the 2020-2021 school year: AM K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade
A very big THANK YOU to our PTA Traffic Team for their continued support and assistance with traffic. We ask that you abide by their directions while picking up and dropping off as their top priority is student safety. School staff will begin supervising students at 8:50am each morning out on the blacktop. Online Forms for Signing Students In, Out, or Absent The Patton Website has been updated to make it even easier to sign your child out for all or part of a day. Once you open the website, you will click on "Attendance" in the blue bar at the top of the page. You will then have the choice of clicking on
A Note From Your Social Worker The cold weather is upon us! Please reach out to me (my voicemail and email are both confidential), if your child(ren) are in need of winter boots, coats, and/or gloves. If your family is experiencing other needs at this time, please let me know. I would be happy to help look for community resources. Barb Donahue, Patton School Social Worker 847-398-4288 x5927 or [email protected] MAP Testing MAP Testing will begin for students in grades 3-5 on Monday, 10/26. Our goal is to complete all testing by November 13th. For students attending school on T/TH or W/F, testing will occur when they are at school. Classroom teachers will share specific schedules. For remote learners, specific testing information was shared via email. Please contact Mrs. Kelly Vignocchi (Assistant Principal) at [email protected] if you have any further questions. Students will be testing on their school-issued devices. Please check to make sure they are fully charged before coming to school on a testing day or before logging in to Zoom for a remote testing session. A good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast will also help students perform at their best on these days. Thank you in advance for your support and flexibility! From the Health Office: Dear Patton Families, I wanted to send a quick reminder about some health related items to keep in mind as we continue with Hybrid Learning. If your Patton student or another family member is ill, please contact me. I will go through Illinois Department of Public Health Covid-19 guidelines with you to determine whether or not your student needs to stay home from school. The IDPH also has specific documentation required for returning to school after illness. Should your student or your family have a situation which requires quarantine, isolation, or Covid testing I will be in contact with you. The sooner you notify me of the situation, the better I can monitor and advise you on the next steps. When reporting an absence, please include any symptoms your child (or a family member in the household) may be experiencing. If your student should be in person, but is having a “Remote” day instead, please indicate as to why (illness, sports, family obligation, etc.). This will really help me to track illness in our school and keep everyone safe. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Sarah Klancnik Patton School Nurse [email protected] Fifth Grade Candor Health Programs - Parent Overview November 10 On Tuesday, November 10, at 7:00pm, all fifth grade parents and guardians are invited to participate in a live, virtual overview for Candor Health Education's Puberty and Life Begins programs. The parent overview will be 90 minutes long and provide a detailed description of the three programs that will be offered to fifth graders in the spring.
If you have any questions, please email Melanie Zenisek, District 25's Science & Social Studies Coordinator: [email protected]. To join the overview, click on the Zoom link below at 7:00pm on November 10th.
Cleaning and Sanitizing an iPad
Gather supplies:
Grades 2, 3, and 4 Students We are looking forward to having students from grades 2 - 4 begin at Patton next week! Mondays will continue to be remote for all students. Students with last names A-K will begin Tuesday and L-Z will begin Wednesday. For information about drop off/pick up, lining up, and more, please go to the October 11th Weekend Update. For additional details, please check out:
Updated Pick Up Procedures Below is an image to help everyone know where to stand at the end of the day. We have identified an area along the grass and blacktop where we would like family members to stand while waiting for their children whom they are walking home with. Please note the area in red, which is the area near the bike racks. This is a congested area and we are asking that if you are picking up a walker that you not wait in this location. For those picking up their children in the car line, the area outlined in orange is where your students will be standing as they look for their vehicle. As a reminder, students are expected to wear their masks while waiting for their family and parents should be wearing a mask while on campus as well. Signing In/Out of Building If you need to pick up or drop off a student during the school day - including for lunch - you will use the "QR" code that is posted on the school doors. Here is the procedure:
Indoor Recess The weather forecast shows a chance of rain for several days in the upcoming week. Should indoor recess need to occur, we have a plan to accommodate students indoors. They will be socially distanced in the classroom hallways. Since students will be unable to share indoor recess supplies, they are encouraged to assemble a personal bag of items from home that they could use during an indoor recess time period to keep them occupied. If you could work with your children to pack a Ziplock gallon-sized bag of items this weekend that could be kept in their backpacks to be used as-needed, that would be great! Some ideas for items to pack include books, small toys, activity books, etc. Thank you in advance for your help! Spring 2020 IAR Score Reports Last Spring, students in third, fourth, and fifth grades at Patton were scheduled to take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) for English Language Arts/Literacy and Math. Prior to the school closure order issued, students who were in attendance in grades three and five on scheduled testing days did complete the math portion of the IAR. They were unable to complete the English Language Arts/Literacy portion of the assessment. Fourth graders did not complete any of the assessments. The State has shared Math Score Reports for third and fifth graders who tested. On October 22nd and 23rd, those score reports will be sent home via backpack mail for in-person learners. Remote learners' score reports will be mailed home. There is no need for worry if your children did not test or receive complete score reports. We will continue to follow the State's guidance regarding IAR as the school year progresses. Traffic Volunteers Needed
The Patton Panther PTA Traffic Team offers assistance with traffic flow onto the school grounds, opens doors for students to exit and enter vehicles safely, and makes sure that the parking lot is a safe zone. The morning shift runs from 8:45-9:10AM and afternoon shift runs 3:25-3:50PM. We are still in need of volunteers for all shifts in order to keep traffic team going! Please consider helping for one or more shifts per week. It is a great way to offer assistance to the Patton community, meet other parents, and work with our students! Please fill out this form to let us know your availability. Contact Julie Kozlik or Cora Chicca at [email protected] with any questions. From Our Nurse Before school every morning, the District 25 self-screener questions must be answered for every student. By bringing your child to school you are certifying that the answers to the self screener are all “no.” If you answer “yes” to any of the screening questions, your child must stay home. If this is an in-person day and your child is able to participate in class remotely, we encourage you to let your child’s teacher know he/she will be remote. If your child is sick and unable to participate in the day remotely, please contact the school office to report the absence or fill out our online attendance form. Students are welcome to keep hand sanitizer, lotion, and chapstick in their backpacks for their personal use. Students will not be able to come to the nurse for lotion or chapstick. A water bottle is recommended, and can be refilled at school. Water bottles can be filled at the filling stations located by our water fountains, however, the drinking station at the water fountains are turned off. Water bottles are to be taken home each day and cleaned. Below are three short videos our nurse, Sarah Klancnik, recommends you watch with your children before in-person learning begins next week. If you have any health questions, email [email protected] or call 847-398-4288, ext 2.
Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures - Car Riders In the image, you will see that the Drop Off & Pick Up Zone begins after the crosswalk, and continues up and around to the left. To ensure a smooth and safe drop off and pick up, please be sure to pull all the way forward before your child(ren) exit/enter the vehicle. Once children exit their vehicles, they should proceed directly to their class line (see image in the "Where Do We Line Up" section). There will be signs and staff to support children so they know where to go. For students being picked up in the Drop Off & Pick Up Zone at the end of the day, they will be released from school at 3:35. While waiting for their vehicles, students should be standing on the orange dots (not pictured) to the right (north) of the black chain link fence that divides the sidewalk and black top. When a student see their vehicle, they may leave their dot and walk to the vehicle. There will be staff supporting students through this new process. Students are required to wear masks while waiting to get picked up. Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures - Walkers & Bicycle Riders A student is defined as a "walker" if they are walking off the campus to their house, or if they are walking off campus to meet someone who might be picking them up in a vehicle off site. If you are walking your child to school, we kindly request that once your student has found his/her line that you leave the property to help us with maintaining proper social distancing for everyone. Additionally, if you are picking your child up and walking home with them, we will be releasing those who walk at 3:30 pm. It is important that once you meet your child, that you leave the campus to make room for the children who are being picked up by vehicle in the drop off/pick up lane. If you have an older child who is walking that you might be picking up at school, we suggest identifying an area they could meet you at beyond the campus. Where Do We Line Up? Below is an image of where students will be lining up in the morning. (Students are required to wear their masks in the morning while on campus.) Additionally, you will see the location of their entry into the building. We are taking every effort to help ensure a safe entry into school and be thoughtful about the process and order in which students enter the building. As we test out these new procedures, we may make adjustments over time. We realize that next week, kindergarten, first, and fifth grade are attending school, but we thought it would be good for our second, third, and fourth grade friends to see where they are lining up as well. Student Supplies/Backpacks Student supplies will need to stay with each student and not be left at school. This means backpacks will need to contain all of a student's personal school supplies, workbooks, etc., and will go home with the student at the end of each school day. Desks must remain clean and empty. Students should have an additional mask in their backpack in the event the one they are wearing breaks or something happens to it. When we have indoor recess on inclement weather days it would be helpful for your child if you packed a gallon sized zip lock bag with various activities your child could do independently, such as coloring/drawing books, activity books, legos, toy trinkets, cards, etc. Because shared supplies/games are no longer an option, this will help provide your child with an activity during indoor lunch recess time. Students should also bring their District 25 issued device (fully charged), along with their headphones, and power charger to school each day. Going Home For Lunch? If you are taking your child home for lunch, please follow the procedures outlined in our Parent Hybrid Procedure document. We are requesting that if a family takes their child home for lunch, that they remain home for the duration of the lunch hour (12:15-1:15), and return at the end of lunch. If a child is going home for lunch and is being picked up by a different family, we need written documentation (an email is acceptable) stating a different parent will be taking home that child. (i.e. Mrs. Robinson would need to write an email to the office staff indicating permission is being given for Mrs. Smith to take the Robinson child home for lunch.) Without permission being given, students will not be released to another family during the lunch hour. Masks Please follow this link for D25 approved masks. It is important to note that gaiter necks, bandanas, and masks with vents are not permitted. If a student is struggling with their mask we will provide assistance. Students will not be allowed to attend school if they refuse to wear their masks. Asynchronous Time We want draw your attention to page 11 of the District 25 Step 3 Plan, where it states, "While remote, students will see an increased amount of asynchronous work, especially on Mondays. Asynchronous time on Mondays will be utilized by our teachers and staff to collaborate, with the goal of making our instruction the best it can be for on-site and at-home learners." Beginning on Monday, your child will notice their teacher is not going to be live (synchronous) as much as they have been accustomed to. Additionally, in these first few weeks of hybrid, students who are not on site will experience additional asynchronous time as we train our students on our new procedures and safety measures. This process will take time, and families should anticipate more asynchronous times for the days students are working remotely. Asynchronous time may also increase when in-person students take mask breaks outside, or have recess time. Tips for Hybrid from Mrs. Donahue Dear Parents: As returning to school in a hybrid format is upon us, I’d like to share some thoughts about how to help your child(ren) adjust. I’ve compiled some ‘tips’ and ideas from a variety of sources for you to keep in mind throughout the upcoming weeks. Stay Calm - Anxiety is becoming more and more prevalent in our society and at younger and younger ages. Our kids inherit things (brown eyes, blond hair) from their parents, but they also pick up on emotions and emotional reactions in general. According to Dr. Neha Sharma (Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Tufts Medical Center) “I think parental calmness is paramount,” Sharma said. “The kids know that the world is safe by looking at their parents.” *Complete article Stay Safe - Review guidelines for in person learning at school. It will help your child tremendously to have heard from you what the expectations at school are. Take a few moments to troubleshoot with your child, as they may have questions (What if my mask breaks or gets dirty in the middle of the day?) Structure - Not many homes have the same structure as at school, but bringing some of the aspects from the in person days into your home would benefit your child. Encourage your child to keep a similar schedule each day of the week including wake up time, meal times, etc. Try to organize a work space that is comfortable and as similar as possible to the space your child has in class. Ask your child’s teacher for visuals (for their schedule, but also for helping maintain attention and focus). Breaks - Make the most of any and all breaks, especially if it means getting away from the screen! Get a few minutes of fresh air and Vitamin D by stepping into the front or back yard, taking some deep breaths or maybe a short walk. And as colder weather approaches you might want to look into some Go Noodle activities that interest your child. Socialization - Typically much of a child’s social interactions happen at school, but during COVID, school needs to look different and social opportunities may be limited. Try reaching out to neighbors (of all ages) for some creative and safe ways and times to socialize! When the weather gets chillier, maybe some Zoom Game Nights with friends and classmates to get that peer time in! Sincerely, Barb Donahue, LCSW -- Patton School Social Worker --[email protected] Where to Find Details Two very detailed resources for hybrid/return-to-school information are:
Traffic Volunteers Needed The Patton Panther PTA Traffic Team is back and we need your help! Not familiar with what a traffic volunteer does? We offer assistance with traffic flow onto the school grounds, opening doors for students to exit and enter vehicles safely, and making sure that the parking lot is a safe zone for our students and drivers. You will be required to wear a mask, gloves and traffic vest. The morning shift runs from 8:45-9:10 am and afternoon shift runs 3:25-3:50 pm. We are still in need of volunteers for all shifts in order to keep traffic team going! Please consider helping for one or more shifts per week. It is a great way to offer assistance to the Patton community, meet other parents, and work with our students! Please fill out this form to let us know your availability. Contact Julie Kozlik or Cora Chicca at [email protected] with any questions. BoxTops My name is Julie Gartrell and I am the Box Tops Coordinator for our school. For over 20 years, Box Tops for Education has given families an easy and free way to earn cash for their school, with products they already buy. Here’s how to earn money for our school, simply:
Twice a year, our school will receive a check and can use that cash to buy whatever it needs! It is just that easy. I’ve gotten into the habit of scanning all my grocery receipts and the app will automatically catch any eligible Box Tops. You can also send in your online order receipts - just follow those instructions on the app. If you have any questions or comments – please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your participation! Birthday Books! Celebrate your child's birthday by sharing the gift of reading - donate a new book to the LMC in his or her honor! Find out how at this link: Birthday Books. Mrs. Melamed will read or discuss each student's donated book in their LMC classes and as always we put a donation sticker in the books! For much more LMC information and resources, please check out the the Patton LMC website. Q&A Webinar Below you will find the video link to the Patton Hybrid Q&A Webinar for those who would like to view it. Spirit Day! Patton Hybrid and Upcoming Q&A Webinar On Friday, all families received an email outlining our hybrid procedures. (They are also linked here for your convenience.) We encourage all families to carefully review these procedures and talk with your child(ren) about them so they are aware as well. Additionally, we will be hosting a Patton Q&A Webinar with Mr. Larson, Mrs. Vignocchi, and Mrs. Klancnik for any families who have questions on Wednesday evening (10/7) from 6:45-7:30pm, right before the PTA meeting which begins at 7:30. The link to this webinar will be provided early next week. Spirit Day - 10/7 The Patton Student Council has scheduled our first Patton Spirit Day: Wednesday, October 7th! Everyone is welcome to wear your favorite Patton gear or something blue. Let's show our Panther pride! Medication for This School Year As we are set to begin Hybrid In-Person Learning, it is important to note that all medication requests must be renewed each school year. All medication administered at school (including over-the-counter medication) requires a completed Medication Administration Form with physician and parent signature. We cannot accept medication without an updated medication form. Asthma Inhalers All inhaler requests require a parent signature and a photocopy of the prescription label from the inhaler box placed on the Asthma Inhaler Permission Form. In addition, legislation directs school districts to request an Asthma Action Plan for all students with asthma. Food Allergy Emergency Medication All food allergy emergency medication requests (epinephrine and antihistamines) must be renewed each school year. Required forms include Illinois Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan, Lunch Table Preference Form, and the Annual Severe Allergy Survey. Please provide medication as ordered by your physician (i.e. if the provider orders liquid, provide liquid form) and please check expiration dates of medication. No expired medication will be accepted. Please submit all medication(s) for this school year and completed form(s) to the school nurse the week of October 5th - October 9th, anytime from 8:15-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:45pm. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Klancnik, our nurse, at 847-398-4288. 2020-2021 Yearbook Ordering The Patton PTA, which coordinates the production and distribution of Patton yearbooks, is currently working with TreeRing (the yearbook vendor) on yearbook ordering for this school year. TreeRing unexpectedly sent out emails to parents before this year's classes and teachers had been uploaded. All parents will be receive another email from TreeRing once the site has been updated. If you have already ordered a yearbook you don't need to do anything else, your order has been accepted. If you have any questions please email [email protected] No Student Attendance - 10/8 and 10/9
Originally, these were our parent teacher conference days, however, with the changes to the school calendar that were recently approved by the school board October 8 and 9 are now remote planning days for staff. Parent teacher conferences have been rescheduled for November 19 and 20. |
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