Good afternoon!  We hope everyone is doing well.  As we wait on further guidance from the district on what the fall will look like, we wanted to reach out to our families to give an opportunity to reflect on your experiences with remote learning and provide insight into your thinking about the fall.  We encourage you to complete this survey to help us further reflect and guide planning for next year.  As always, we so appreciate your partnership and perspective.


The survey is available at the above link or at:  https://forms.gle/PjLp7kxtx5gvDWLt8.

If possible, please complete the survey by Thursday, July 23.


Have a wonderful day,
Katie & Derrick

Dear Skinner North Community:

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Single Story-Facilitated Workshops on race and racism, the Game Night in support of local, Black-owned restaurants, and/or the White Fragility Workshop. 


We are working towards forming a SEED cohort for our community in the coming school year. (SEED, which stands for Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity, is a series of facilitated monthly seminars designed to help participants create, develop, and implement strategies that foster respect for all people.) In continuation of our 'pre-work' for the SEED seminars, the next sessions in the Diversity Committee's Summer Workshop series are:


Beyond Black & White: Asian-Americans and Racial Justice
Tuesday, July 14th
6:30-8:00pm
If you haven't done so already, sign up here by July 12th to join a facilitated discussion about Asian-American experiences in the United States and the relationship of the Asian-American community to the current movement for anti-Black racial justice. (Attendance at previous or subsequent workshop sessions is welcome but not required.) 

Workshop Goals:

• Asian American parents are able to share their experiences of racism
• Participants have a historical and contemporary context for anti-Asian racism
• Participants understand the importance of focusing on anti-Black racism 
• Participants are aware of current work being done to address racism and anti-Black racism and ways they can be involved

Book Club: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Dates TBD: 3 sessions from late July through August
We will be reading and discussing Stamped - a remix by Jason Reynolds of the National Book Award-winning book by Ibram X. Kendi.  Our Skinner North teachers will be reading the book in parallel, and many of our kids will be reading it in the fall.  We want to ensure everyone has access to the book, so please register here by July 12th and let us know if you are interested in getting a copy of the book from the Diversity Committee.
In order to create a space for learning, the summer workshop sessions are for grown-ups only.  We do invite all Skinner North parents and community members - including alumni and friends - to join any of these sessions.  You do not have to be White to discuss White Fragility. You do not have to identify as Asian-American to seek to better understand how members of that community might be experiencing recent events.  And we can all benefit from filling in the gaps in our knowledge of American history and how we got to the current moment.

Our school and others across the country are increasingly putting race and racism back into the curriculum from which it had been erased.  Because some of us have not had a chance to grapple with these topics in our formative years, we may feel ill-equipped to support our kids in their learning.  Our goal in this work continues to be supporting parents and other family members in preparing our kids to better understand the world around them and to become members of a diverse, global community.

If you have additional input or have another topic you would like to see us address, please reach out to us at sndiversity@gmail.com.

​

Good morning, 

I hope everyone is doing well.  Please see below for information regarding two upcoming LSC meetings.

Have a wonderful day,
Katie

----------------------------------------------

Skinner North LSC Principal Evaluation Feedback - This is a closed session meeting for LSC members on Tue, Jun 30, 2020 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (CDT).  Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.  https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/725917365.  You can also dial in using your phone. (For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)United States: +1 (224) 501-3412, - One-touch: tel:+12245013412,,725917365#, Access Code: 725-917-365Join from a video-conferencing room or system. 
Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com 
Meeting ID: 725 917 365 
Or dial directly: 725917365@67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##725917365
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/725917365


Skinner North LSC Organizational Meeting - This meeting is an open and virtual meeting on Thu, Jul 2, 2020 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (CDT).  Please see attached for the agenda and below for login information.  
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/173968973


You can also dial in using your phone. 
(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)
United States: +1 (669) 224-3412 
- One-touch: tel:+16692243412,,173968973#
Access Code: 173-968-973
Join from a video-conferencing room or system. 
Dial in or type: 67.217.95.2 or inroomlink.goto.com 
Meeting ID: 173 968 973 
Or dial directly: 173968973@67.217.95.2 or 67.217.95.2##173968973


New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/173968973

Good afternoon!  I can't believe this school year is now over.  It has been an interesting one and I am so grateful to be a part of a community who showed such flexibility and support for one another during many difficult times.  Thank you to our students, families and teachers for working together and adjusting during difficult times.  We hope everyone is able to have time to relax this summer.  We will keep you updated as we receive information about the coming school year.  Please keep an eye out for our emails with updates this summer.  Listed below are a few updates and reminders.

Have a wonderful day,
Katie & Derrick
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student Item Retrieval - If you were unable to pick up your student's supplies, we will hold onto them and have alternative days when you can come pick up or or you can pick up next school year.  Contact Mr. Kimbrough (dkimbrough@cps.edu) with any questions.

Action Requested if  your student is transferring (Reminder) - Please let us know as soon as possible if your student will not return for the coming school year by completing this survey https://forms.gle/ZfcRAhzvA5V7KUf39. 
School Supply Orders - Each spring/summer, Friends of Skinner North (FoSN) promotes an opportunity for Skinner North families to purchase the upcoming year's school supplies with a few clicks and reduced costs due to bulk ordering. Your student's customized pre-packed teacher-approved school supplies are ready to order at https://www.educationalproducts.com/ShopPacks/ using school ID SKI015.  Once on the site be sure to look for your child's grade and in some cases a starting letter for their last name, and don't forget the Specials supplies!

The sale lasts until July 7. Orders will be shipped directly to Skinner North in late August.  Generally, supplies are delivered directly to classrooms, but there may be modifications to this process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any questions about the ordering process please contact Liz at fosnservice@gmail.com.




Diversity Committee Workshops (Reminder) - As a follow up to our parent workshops about race, racism and racial justice, the Diversity Committee is organizing the following workshops this summer.  Please use this link to sign up to receive more information: https://forms.gle/PasMkUPVjpoS6JVy7

White Fragility (Register by end of day, Wednesday, June 24)
Thursday, June 25
6:30-8:00pm
Please watch this 1-hour webinar on White Fragility (based on the current #1 best selling book) and join us as we discuss and unpack the concept.  https://youtu.be/neV_GlvUGn4

Beyond Black & White: Asian-Americans and Racial Justice
Date (TBD: Early July)
6:30-8:00pm
We will have a facilitated discussion of Asian-American experiences in the United States and the relationship of the Asian-American community to the current movement for racial justice

Book Club: Stamped
TBD: 3 sessions from late July through August
We will be reading and discussing Stamped - a remix by Jason Reynolds of the National Book Award winning book by Ibram X. Kendi.  Our Skinner North teachers will be reading the book in parallel and many of our kids will be reading it in the fall.  We want to ensure everyone has access to the book - so please let us know if you are interested in getting a copy of the book from the Diversity Committee. 



Yearbook Purchasing Update (Reminder) - We had a large number of individuals interested in purchasing the extra yearbooks we ordered.  (We have approximately 20.)  Based on this, we want to be fair in determining who will receive.  To assist us with this, please complete this form (https://forms.gle/3YBoEvK5ECYpLASd7) if you did not purchase a yearbook, but would like one for a fee of $20.  If more individuals than the number of yearbooks available want to purchase, we will do a random selection of those who submitted the form and let you know who was selected.  This form will close on Wednesday, July 1st.  (We will coordinate pick up times with you.)  


Summer Office Hours - Please see below for our summer office hours.  You can call in if you have any questions.  As always, feel free to email Derrick (dkimbrough@cps.edu) or Katie (kmagnuson@cps.edu).  Tuesdays - 8:30-9:30AM and 1:30-2:30PM
Wednesdays - 8:30-9:30AM
Thursdays - 1:30-2:30PM




Connect using the following directions:   


Digital Office Hours:  Join digital office hours through Google Hangouts Meet at:  meet.google.com/tcs-pwur-qgh, Meeting ID meet.google.com/tcs-pwur-qgh, or via Phone at (‪US‬)‪+1 609-429-5796‬ PIN: ‪678 085 736#‬
 

Non-Digital Office Hours: We will have a staff member available by phone during above stated office hours.  Call via phone at (‪US‬)‪+1 609-429-5796‬ PIN: ‪678 085 736#‬. Students or parents can call this number to ask any questions they have for school staff.
From CPS Central Office -
Please continue to keep your child engaged this summer.
As we all experienced firsthand this year, learning is not limited to the classroom. Keeping your child engaged over the summer is critical to ensuring he or she continues learning and is prepared for the next school year. We are fortunate to have community partners and educators from across the city working to ensure your child has access to free and fun online enrichment learning opportunities all summer long. You can take virtual field trips to Chicago’s most iconic museums and cultural institutions, attend a virtual online summer camp, and build stories through the Chicago Public Library's Summer Learning Challenge.
 
Grab-and-go meal sites will remain open this summer.
As a reminder, our summer grab-and-go meal sites will be open Monday, June 22 through Friday, August 28, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. every weekday. Find the most up-to-date list of meal sites near you at cps.edu/mealsites. Please note that meal sites will be closed on Friday, June 19 due to a scheduled day off for staff. ​

Good morning,

I hope everyone is doing well.  I can't believe next week will be our last week of school for students.  It has been an interesting year that pushed our creativity and flexibility.  I so appreciate everyone working together to support our students.  Please read below for a few updates.

Have a great day,
Katie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Talking with Kids About Race Presentation and Resources - Please see attached for the powerpoint and a list of resources from our discussion last night that was facilitated Single Story, Inc.
Virtual Game Night - The Diversity Committee would like to invite you to connect with other Skinner North families while supporting Black-owned restaurants in our communities on June 19 from 6 to 7:30 pm.  We're planning a game night where small groups can use the app called Houseparty to play some games.

To participate:
1) Sign up here;  2)  Download the Houseparty App to a computer or device;  
3)  On June 19, order in or prepare dinner (We suggest ordering in from a Black-owned restaurant near you) and join the fun.
We hope you sign up and invite others.Yearbook and Pictures - Pictures and yearbooks are now in.  Pre-ordered yearbooks and pictures will be placed in your students bag for item retrieval, so you will get when you pick up the items.  We have 20 extra copies of yearbooks, they will be available on a first come first serve basis.  We will set up days in the summer where people can come and purchase them.  The cost is $20.
Special's Grading Reminder - As Quarter 4 draws to a close, the specials teachers would like to remind students to please submit assignments to earn a grade. Assignment for each class can be submitted through that class's google form. Students who do not submit any assignments will receive an Incomplete for Quarter 4. This will not impact their final grade for the year. Only students who complete the assignments will be able to earn an A for 4th Quarter. Please check Aspen to see what grade you have for Specials classes. If you have a letter grade listed, that is the grade you will earn for 4th quarter. If you DO NOT have a grade listed and it is blank, you will have an incomplete unless you submit an assignment by June 10. Please contact the subject teacher if you have a specific question about assignments or have completed alternate related activities that you would like to be considered for a grade. Below are links to both contact information and the google forms. Thank you for your continued hard work during this challenging time and please reach out to teachers if you need anything.
PE Participation Form
Jonathan Popowich jrpopowich@cps.edu  PE K, 2, 4, 6, Middle School Elective
Amanda Gleason amgleason@cps.edu PE 1, 3, 4, 5, Middle School Elective
Remote Learning Music Form for June 1 - 5  
Maggie Fahey mkfahey@cps.edu Music musicatskinnernorth.weebly.com/
Art Google Form
Sarah Willett swglynn1@cps.edu Art skinnernorthart.weebly.com
Spanish - Submit a picture of assignment by email
Vianna Walkowski vjwalkowski@cps.edu Spanish


LSC Principal's Report -  Please see attached for my report to the LSC from today's meeting.

Item Retrieval Reminder - 
Dear Skinner North Parents and Families, 

The last few months have been a huge transition for all of us, and we want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through details and adjust to remote learning. Because our building will be closed for the rest of the school year, we have developed a plan––in accordance with clear guidance from the district––that will allow you to collect your child’s personal items from school as safely as possible. 

Our school will be following the below schedule for item retrieval.  In order to retrieve your items, we are asking that you enter the building through door 3, which is located near the school auditorium.  If you are unable to collect your child’s items during the designated times, please contact Derrick Kimbrough, Assistant Principal at dkimbrough@cps.edu.

Grade Level 
Date and Time
Location in School

Kindergarten
Monday, June 15th 
Last Name:
A -K:  9 - 10:30 AM
L - Z:  10:45 AM - 12:15  PM
Main entrance of the building

1st Grade 
Monday, June 15th 
Last Name:
A -K:  12:30 - 1:45 PM
L - Z:  2:00 - 3:30 PM
Gymnasium 

2nd Grade 
Tuesday, June 16th
Last Name:
A -K:  9 - 10:30 AM
L - Z:  10:45 AM - 12:15  PM
Gymnasium

3rd Grade
Tuesday, June 16th 
Last Name:
A -K:  12:30 - 1:45 PM
L - Z:  2:00 - 3:30 PM
Gymnasium

4th Grade
Wednesday, June 17th 
Last Name:
A -K:  9 - 10:30 AM
L - Z:  10:45 AM - 12:15  PM
Gymnasium

5th Grade
Wednesday, June 17th 
Last Name:
A -K:  12:30 - 1:45 PM
L - Z:  2:00 - 3:30 PM
Gymnasium

6th Grade
Thursday, June 18th 
Last Name:
A -K:  9 - 10:30 AM
L - Z:  10:45 AM - 12:15  PM



Gymnasium

7th Grade
Thursday, June 18th 
Last Name:
A -K:  12:30 - 1:45 PM
L - Z:  2:00 - 3:30 PM
Gymnasium


8th Grade

*Only for 8th grade:  We will have a place for families to take individual photos of their graduate.  The student’s gown and cap will be given to them on that day or delivered earlier.
Friday, June 12th 
Last Name:
A -K:  9:00 AM - 11:30 PM
L - Z:  12:30 PM - 3:00  PM
Gymnasium

All members of our school community must follow these guidelines while retrieving personal items:

• Only one person may enter the building to retrieve your child’s belongings, and we recommend it is a parent or guardian. You must maintain at least six feet of space from others in order to practice proper social distancing while on school property.
  
  • Children should not be left unattended on school property. If your child is with you, he or she should wait outside or in the car with another adult family member.
    
• You must bring a cloth face covering to wear while inside the school.
  
• You must wash your hands or use hand sanitizer provided by the school when you enter and exit the building. 
  
• You may not enter the building under the following circumstances:
  
  • You are ill.
    
  • You have been ill with COVID-19 and your symptoms first appeared less than 10 days ago.
    
  • You have been ill with COVID-19 and have had a fever or respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) within the last 72 hours.
    
  • You are awaiting COVID-19 test results. 
    
  • You have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 calendar days.
    
    
    

In respect of everyone’s safety, we ask that when you pick up your child’s items, please remember to maintain social distancing and not prolong your time inside the building. 

Before you arrive at the school to pick up your child’s belongings, school staff will have collected your child’s personal items from their desk or locker (if applicable) and placed them in a bag labeled with your child’s name. Any visible, perishable food items will be discarded. All bags will be organized by grade level and classroom in alphabetical order and will be located in the school gymnasium.  When you arrive at school, please enter the building entrance 3, which is near the school auditorium. 

If your child is graduating from eighth grade or transferring schools and received a device from our school for remote learning, please return the device while retrieving your child’s personal items. You may give the device to any staff onsite assisting you.

We are committed to making this process as safe as possible and, as always, we are here to support you, your child, and our Skinner North community in any way we can. 

Sincerely,
Katie and Derrick ​

​Greetings Skinner North Families
Please be mindful of all announcements (and attachments) below
·         Single Story Parent Session #2 – Tuesday, June 9th
·         LSC Principal Evaluation Meeting – Monday June 8th
·         LSC Meeting – Wednesday, June 10th (new membership update information)
·         Student Item Retrieval Information
·         Skinner North J @School Weekly Greeting
As we approach the end of this school year, please know that you are truly missed.  Learning to navigate remote learning during this pandemic, while challenging, has hopefully allowed us to develop a stronger sense of self and family. 
Recent events and the current state of the world, while emotional for me, have also strengthened my sense of self and those around me.  As an African-American male and a school leader, I share that with you to say that we will continue to find ways to encourage our school community to learn and engage with cultures and people who differ.  As a school, our team is committed to launching additional programming to challenge our students to find common ground around similarities while confronting and discussing differences.  Please be on the lookout for opportunities to join us on this journey. 
A great opportunity to start those conversations are with the parent discussions that are being held in conjunction with Single Story.  For those who could not attend last night’s session, you missed a treat.  Never fear, you can join on this Tuesday evening for session #2.  If you did not attend the first session, you can still join us.  We also ask that you do not bring children to the session.  The log-in information is listed below
·         Single Story Parent Session #2:
Topic: "How to talk to kids about race and racism" Skinner North Parent Conversation
Time: Jun 9, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83992250289?pwd=N2V1RXdjdE4vaGRDSzNPQlR5dG9qQT09
Password: 950921
 
·         LSC Principal Evaluation Committee Meeting:  Please see the attached agenda for the June 8 @ 5PM Principal Evaluation Committee meeting.  Virtual log-in  information is included on the agenda. 
 
·         LSC Agenda and update on new membership: Due to the school closures, LSC elections have been rescheduled for November of 2020, with a new term starting in January. Much of our current LSC will be extending their term an additional six months. However, we have two parent representatives whose children are graduating from Skinner North this year, and will no longer be eligible to serve on the LSC. At this Wednesday’s meeting, the LSC will be selecting two additional parent representatives for the next six months. If you wish to be considered for this, please email me at conor.sullivan@gmail.com or skinnernorthlsc@gmail.com by Monday, June 8 at 9AM. You can include a candidate statement that will be distributed to the rest of the LSC, and prepare a 3 minute introduction if you are able to join the meeting virtually. See attached agenda with meeting information.
 
·         Student Item Retrieval Information:  Attached is a detailed letter highlighting the retrieval of student items.  Along with picking up student items, there will be an area where you can return books, sports uniforms and any other school items.  Please reach out to me at dkimbrough@cps.edu if you have any questions around student retrieval.  
 
·         Skinner North J@School Weekly Greeting: 
It’s the Skinner North J@School team here again with another video we would love for you to check out. We hope everyone has been able to stay safe and sound during what has been a heavy week of events across the nation. Let us know what you think and how you're doing if you can, we all miss you very much.
 
Stephen Hartwell
J@School Recess and Aftercare Site Leader
Skinner North Classical School

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MEPtuLN8uwigF8lzVTCmPXB6m-9fU5gp/view?usp=sharing


Have a great weekend and be safe.


Derrick

Good afternoon,


There is so much to process this year as individuals let alone as parents and educators who are seeking to help guide and support student understanding during this difficult time. First, a global pandemic and now we must work to help them navigate, understand and confront compex racial issues in our country. As a white woman, who works to understand and recognize my own privilege, I understand that I will never fully understand, but I stand with our families of color. Hearing and reflecting on each other's experiences is so vital. I am grateful to our Diversity committee for helping support this dialogue and pushing our school forward in this direction.


We are a school that has students coming from all parts of the city. Students are facing different levels of challenge and destruction in their neighborhoods. Please remember we are here if your family needs support. We encourage students to reach out to teachers, our counselor, our admin team or other staff they feel connected to if they need someone to talk to.


Please also see below for a message from the Skinner North Diversity Committee and ways to engage. I strongly encourage people to join our discussions on June 4th and June 9th (see more details below.)


Have a wonderful day, Katie

“Certain conditions continue to exist in our society, which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, The Other America, 1967

We recognize that this has been a challenging and often overwhelming year for many of our Skinner North families.  It’s ok to not feel ok.  

We are heartbroken for the killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and for the lack of accountability for their deaths.  We believe that Black Lives Matter.  

We recognize that both the peaceful and the violent protests we are witnessing are not just a response to these most recent killings but also the result of a long history of systemic racial injustice.   Dr. King’s quote is as relevant today as when he first said it in 1967.  We know that staying silent will not bring about the progress we need as a community and as a country.  We are committed to becoming more actively anti-racist instead of merely non-racist.  

Thank you to all the Skinner North teachers who are already holding space in their virtual classrooms for conversations about race, racism and racial justice.  

The Diversity Committee is offering the following resources to support our school community in processing, discussing, and responding to these recent events:

1. At the end of this message are the resources Dr. Magnuson sent out last week to support families in talking to students about race.  In addition, here is a link to a Good Morning America segment about how to talk to kids about race and privilege amid the George Floyd protests.  As this segment explains, while these conversations may be difficult and uncomfortable for many, it is our responsibility to help our kids understand their world.  Color blindness doesn’t work.  It’s never too early to start the conversation about race.    
   

1. To further support these conversations, we are working with the school to set up virtual parent workshops with Single Story, the Diversity Integration consultants that have been supporting our teachers and faculty throughout the year.  
   

Session 1:   "What is Happening?" 
Together, processing our thoughts and feelings about what is going on in America as it relates to race and racism: A facilitated conversation 
Thursday, June 4, 6:30 - 8pm CST
Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87258987722?pwd=T3lPbFhYRXVzNjZTM0pFdzV0RU9qUT09
Password: 479986

Session 2: "How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism" 
Unpacking how parents are talking to their children about race and racism and exploring best practices when talking to children about race and racism: A facilitated conversation 
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30 - 8pm CST
Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83992250289?pwd=N2V1RXdjdE4vaGRDSzNPQlR5dG9qQT09
Password: 950921

1. In the longer term, we are continuing to work with the school and with our community to work towards integrating race, racism, and racial justice into the K-8 curriculum.   
   

Many thanks to all the parents who have already reached out to offer their ideas and support.  If you would like to be involved in these efforts or have other suggestions, please reach out to us at sndiversity@gmail.com.

Danit Schleman and Ismael El-Amin
Diversity Committee Co-Chairs

------------------------------------------------------------

Talking with Students about Race - We are a multicultural and multi-racial school, which is a wonderful strength.  Our goal is to have students develop strong relationships with one another and learn with and from each other.  Part of this is learning empathy and increasing our understanding of one another and individual experiences.  To do this, we have to be introspective and open to dialogue that can be difficult.  The current news and divisions in our society, speak to this.  Talking about race and its impacts is essential to building student understanding and empathy of the world around them.  As a parent these conversations may come easily to you or may be difficult to know where to begin, so I wanted to provide resources to assist any parents who wish to explore and have these important conversations at home.


Talking Race with Young Students 
Your Kids aren't too Young to talk about Race - Resource Round Up
Age by Age Guide to Talking to Kids about Race


Book Recommendations to Read with Students-
Questions to Accompany New Kid by Jerry Craft  (This book is available for the next five weeks. You can access it by visiting the CPS Libraries website.  To log in, click on “Students,” and type the username: cps and the password: cps. (Age Level 8-13)
Something Happened In Our Town:  A Child's Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard (Age Range 4-8)
Not My Idea:  A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham (Age Range 8-12)

(sGood afternoon,

I hope everyone is doing well.  Please read below for a few updates and resources.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Katie
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talking with Students about Race - We are a multicultural and multi-racial school, which is a wonderful strength.  Our goal is to have students develop strong relationships with one another and learn with and from each other.  Part of this is learning empathy and increasing our understanding of one another and individual experiences.  To do this, we have to be introspective and open to dialogue that can be difficult.  The current news and divisions in our society, speak to this.  Talking about race and its impacts is essential to building student understanding and empathy of the world around them.  As a parent these conversations may come easily to you or may be difficult to know where to begin, so I wanted to provide resources to assist any parents who wish to explore and have these important conversations at home.

Talking Race with Young Students 

Your Kids aren't too Young to talk about Race - Resource Round Up
Age by Age Guide to Talking to Kids about Race

Book Recommendations to Read with Students-
Questions to Accompany New Kid by Jerry Craft  (This book is available for the next five weeks. You can access it by visiting the CPS Libraries website.  To log in, click on “Students,” and type the username: cps and the password: cps. (Age Level 8-13)
Something Happened In Our Town:  A Child's Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard (Age Range 4-8)
Not My Idea:  A Book About Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham (Age Range 8-12)

Debate Finals Update -  Congratulations to our Debate students! Three teams made it to the State Championships: Mina W. - Triniti W (6th Grade), Ingrid P. - Clara S. (6th Grade) and Sean C. - Sinan H. (7th Grade).  Sean and Sinan made it to the quarter finals.  They have been debating the issue of selling arms to Ukraine, Taiwan, or Saudi Arabia.  Well done on your hard work, preparation and debating skills!  
 

Principal Evaluation Committee Meeting - Please see attached for the agenda for the upcoming Principal Evaluation meeting.  The majority of the meeting is closed session, but public participation components are included.  The meeting is Monday, June 1 at 5PM.  Login information is included on the agenda.

CIWP Committee Agenda - Please see attached for the CIWP committee agenda.  The meeting is Thursday, June 4 at 8AM.  Login information is included on the agenda.

Skinner North Virtual Talent Show - We are so excited to share this.https://youtu.be/p_4Ap8dHbPM  
Positive Parenting During a Pandemic - Ms. Jacobson will be hosting a parenting workshop "Positive Parenting During a Pandemic" on Wednesday, June 3rd at 7:00 pm.  The workshop will cover topics and strategies from Positive Discipline, for which Ms. Jacobson is a Certified Parent Educator.   If you are looking for some new way to engage with your child and/or are struggling with your discipline strategies during this difficult time, please register for this workshop.  You can  register for the meeting here, and a Zoom link will be sent to you once you have registered.  


Message from J@School - Mr. Stephen here. Its been a couple of months since our worlds have changed and we truly miss the opportunities we've had this year to interact with you and your wonderful children throughout what became one of the most interesting school years in Chicago Public Schools history. There is no replacement for the time we got to spend at Skinner North with everyone this year, but to help us try and maintain that connection we built with you all this year the J@School Skinner North is back with another video for you and your families.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QEEql22dK3822MDk1M-FXoyy--mzO6Zd/view?usp=sharing  
We hope you take the time to take this small peek into our lives, listen to some stories and poetry, participate in an arts and crafts activity, and in what is the most important use of the internet in our opinion, check out some really sweet dogs. We'll be doing our best to get a weekly video out to everyone as the virtual school year winds down and can't wait to be able to see you all in person again.  Until then we hope you stay healthy, safe, and happy!

From the Wellness Committee - (See image file)
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