Dear Skinner North Parents and Families, 
We believe in student voice and we want our students to engage in meaningful conversations with their teachers and peers, even when issues are sensitive. 
Late last month, 13-year-old Adam Toledo, a student at Gary Elementary School, was shot by Chicago police and his death has shaken our CPS family.  The loss of a CPS student and the continuation of violence that occurs toward our BIPOC communities affects us all. We all have the right to be sad, angry, frustrated, tired, confused etc.  Please ensure you are allowing yourself time to process and finding ways to have self-care.
 To ensure our students have an outlet for their questions and emotions, CPS has developed a collection of professional and mental health resources for our educators to use in their classrooms.
I encourage you to review these materials so you understand how this situation will potentially be discussed at school and to assist you with conversations at home. 
 On another note, we are looking forward to welcoming more students back on Monday and we were happy to see many of you at our presentation on Wednesday.  If your student is returning, please review protocols and procedures with them using the link to our presentation or our Reopening Guide.
Thank you to everyone for your teamwork in supporting our students.  Read below for a few updates and reminders.
 
Have a wonderful day,
Katie and Derrick
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After School Registration Quarter 4 - Please click the link below to access the registration form for Q4 after-school programs. Registration is due on Wednesday, April 21st, acceptance emails will go out on the 23rd, and programs will start on the 26th. All programs will still be held virtually and are free of charge!  
Q4 After School Registration Form
 
Transferring Out  - If you are transferring out of the school for the 2021-2022 school year, we appreciate you letting us know in advance as this helps us plan for our upcoming selections processes.  Please complete this form if you are transferring out of Skinner North.   
Key Reminders For In Person Return - 
Technology - Students must use CPS devices at school.  If they do not already have a school issued Chromebook they will receive it on their first day back.  Their school issued devices should go home and come back every day.  Please make sure to charge them.
 
Daily Health Screener - You must complete a daily health screener for your student.  You can access the daily screener at cps.edu/healthscreener or opt into text message reminders (see reopening guide for further directions on this.)
 
Entry - Entry begins at 8:30. There is signage to assist with social distancing and line up areas. Students must have their screener complete and get a temperature check. Entry doors are as follows:
o Drop off for Kindergarten and First grade (Door 1-West side of building) 
o Drop off for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades (Door 2 - Main entrance) 
o Drop off for 5th through 8th grades (Door 9 - Recess / playground entrance) 
o Bussers will enter through Door 3 (Auditorium)
 
Pick Up - Students will be dismissed outside on a staggered schedule at the same doors they enter through in the AM.
 
·  Students will start preparing for dismissal at 3:05 p.m.
·  Teachers will escort each classroom down for dismissal. 
·  Kindergarten and 1st will dismiss at Door 1 (west door) at 3:15 p.m.
·  2nd Grade will dismiss at 3:15 p.m. at Door 2 (main entrance)
·  3rd Grade will dismiss at 3:20 p.m. at Door 2
·  4th Grade will dismiss at 3:25 p.m. at Door 2
·  5th Grade will dismiss at 3:15 p.m. at Door 9 (recess entrance)
·  6th Grade will dismiss at 3:20 p.m. at Door 9
·  7th Grade dismiss at 3:25 p.m. at Door 9
·  8th Grade dismiss at 3:30 p.m. at Door 9
*If you do not plan on picking up your student and want them to be released by the teacher on their own,  please write a note letting us know this.
4 Days A Week In Person Question - Thank you to everyone who completed our logistics survey.  A question in the survey asked about 4 day a week attendance.  However, this would be dependent on numbers of students and various factors in a building.  Based on our numbers returning and limitations on pod size, we are not able to offer 4 days a week attendance to students except in specific instances (i.e. students of CPS employees as this was a specific agreement between CPS and CTU for return to in person learning).  Our goal is to ensure student safety and adhering to the pod structure helps ensure this.
​

Good afternoon,


I hope everyone is doing well and has a chance to enjoy today's sunshine.  Please see below for a few updates and reminders.

Have a great day,
Katie
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Reminder:  Skinner North 4th Quarter Opt-In Information Session  - At 8am, tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14th we will hold the Skinner North 4th Quarter Opt-In Information Session.  This presentation is targeted for parents who have students who are returning to the building for the 4th quarter.  We will highlight key information, logistics and reminders for a successful return to in person school.  Contact Katie (kmagnuson@cps.edu) for the link.  Here is the link to the presentation.  In addition, please also feel free to review our Reopening Guide.


Daily Health Screener - The Health Screener needs to be completed daily for in person students on the days of their in person attendance.  This applies even if your student is going to be absent.  The screener asks if they will be attending.  If the student is not attending on a given day, parents should answer no and then you will receive questions i.e. if it is covid-19 related or another reason.  This helps immensely with contract tracing and attendance.  (Please note, parents still need to call or submit a signed note to the office for us to excuse the absence.)     

Drop Off - Please remember that parents need to park in the lot across the street or at Target during drop off.  Please do not stop on the street to drop off.  This creates hazards for students crossing the street as cars try to go around those who park and it also impacts our buses.  We appreciate your help on this.


My Voice, My School Parent Survey - The 2021 My Voice, My School Parent/Guardian Survey is now open. Parents/Guardian have until April 30 to participate in the survey. Considering the current circumstances, the Parent Survey is taking place 100% online this school year. The link is available on the Parent Survey information page. A direct link to the survey can be found here.
Diverse Need Committee - Do you have questions about diverse learning experiences during hybrid learning? The Diverse Needs Committee has assembled a team of families, educators, and staff that can share their experiences and provide helpful tips for a successful return to in-person learning. Send your questions to sndiverseneeds@gmail.com and we’ll put you in touch with a member of our team.


Interested in learning more or joining the committee? 
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday April 21 at noon.
Meeting Link: meet.google.com/yur-ayrd-raj

​Good morning!  Please see this link for the LSC meeting agenda for this week.  This virtual meeting is Wednesday, April 14 at 6:30PM.  Login information is available on the agenda.


Have a great day,
Katie

Good afternoon!  Please see below for our April Diversity Discussion note.  It focuses on our impact at home and talking to kids about racism.  Thank you to the diversity committee for putting these resources together.

Also, remember that there is a virtual workshop entitled Anti-Asian American Racism Listening Session scheduled this Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30 pm for 6th-8th grade students and grownups of students in ALL grades (see the information below).  The session will be led by an external facilitator and accessible via this link, https://zoom.us/j/5252634982. 

Have a great day,
Katie​The key takeaway from this University of Michigan’s health blog, Raising Race-Conscious Children: How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism is to not ignore our differences. When race comes up, use it as an opportunity to promote diversity and how it helps make the world better. Parenting actions suggested in the article:

• acknowledge, intentionally highlight, and value differences in a positive way
  
• with younger kids, use child-friendly language in diverse books as conversation starters
  
• for older kids, consider a book or movie club and invite people from diverse religious, racial, and cultural backgrounds
  
• safely (in person) or virtually participate in family activities that celebrate different cultures
  
• call out racism with non-confrontational statements like, “I’m uncomfortable with what you said,” or “I don’t think that’s right or nice to say”
  
• model relationships with an authentic, diverse social circle of adults
  
• talk about racial privilege with an explanation like, “Privilege doesn’t mean you’ve never struggled or had an easy life. There are people who are poor or ill or have other troubles. Privilege just means race is not one of those struggles.”
  
• encourage questions, seek answers together, and keep the family conversation about race going over time
  

Recognizing that the conversation should be age-appropriate, PBS resources like Talking About Race and Racism (hosted by Amanda Gorman) highlights the fact that children as young as 3-months old begin to notice the differences between individuals. Another great resource is Common Sense Media’s dive into How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids.

​

Good morning,

I wanted to take a moment to recognize that the pandemic has created increased racism, violence and harassment toward Asian Americans.  You may have seen this in the news or may have personal experience with this.  The recent event in Atlanta further demonstrates this heartbreaking trend.  This has affected me personally because I care about Skinner North's AAPI students and families, and because of a racist attack on the Chinese American father of my close friend.

These events reinforce the importance of our belief as a community of the imperative of inclusion, anti-racism and support for one another.  This includes actively interrupting any racist, anti-Asian, Asian American, Asian Pacific Islander and xenophobic narratives.   These narratives and attacks have a direct effect on the mental health and wellness of our students and families. We stand in support and in solidarity with our students and families who identify as Asian, Asian-American, Asian Pacific Islanders.  

We encourage you to talk to students and others about this.  Below are some resources to help this or find support.  Please reach out to me if you or your family members need support.

Sincerely,
Katie

To learn more ways to interrupt and respond to Coronavirus racism go to:  

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/how-to-respond-to-coronavirus-racism.

Learn More about the Historical Context of Anti-Asian American Racism (Resources Reshared from Diversity Committee Summer Workshops):

Asian Americans and Racial Justice: Historical Context Slides

Problematic Statements and Questions


More Allyship Resources:
For Grown-ups:
Anti-Racism Resources to Support Asian-American, Pacific Islander Community

Suggested Children's Books:

Young, Proud, and Sung-Jee: A Children's Book on Fighting Anti-Asian Racism During Covid-19 (PDF version of the book + helpful caregiver tips at the end)

The Name Jar

A Different Pond

Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story

They Called Us Enemy
American Born Chinese

Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh


Resources from the Asian American Psychological Association:
Stop AAPI Hate Reporting: https://stopaapihate.org


Asian Americans Advancing Justice Tracking Hate Stories: https://www.standagainsthatred.org/ 


National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Hate Crimes Task Force and Pro Bono Legal Resources: https://www.napaba.org/page/HateCrimeResources 


Infographics and accompanying videos for helping AAPI families talk to children and teens exposed to anti-Asian bullying and harassment (developed for COVID-19 but also relevant now): https://division45.org/division-45-task-force-on-covid-19-anti-asian-discrimination-and-xenophobia/ 


Asian American Mental Health Collective directory of APISAA therapists: https://www.asianmhc.org/apisaa 


AAPA Division on Practice list of COVID-related mental health resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GrseILJlOFiNOzeQT3X3aizokL-M4NvXp7vCP4W-jm8/edit?ts=5e88c7b1 


Free bystander intervention training to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment: https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/ 






Diversity Discussions
Our Month's Diversity Discussion Topic is Teaching Kids to be allies.  Talking about issues of race is important to do with students.  These resources help give guidance on this.  Thank you to the Diversity Committee for putting together this information.


Teaching Our Kids To Be AlliesMany of us want to be allies to our friends, neighbors, and families who are Black and Brown, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start – and what is an ally anyhow? Explained simply in this article, “An ally is someone who is willing to stand up for what is right and has your back if you’re being treated unfairly because you are different.”
While there’s a whole lot more unpacking about what goes into being an ally on all levels, this is a good place to start for kids. Aim for your book selections to reflect the diversity of our communities and be inclusive of other cultures. When doing arts and crafts, be intentional about the array of skin tone crayons, markers, and construction paper that you make available.
For more ideas about allyship, please check out the links below: 
How Kids Can Be Allies
How to Raise Kids to be Allies 
What White Children Need to Know about Race 

Good morning!  It has been wonderful welcoming students back into the building over the last week and having some of our 6-8th students back today.  We have had some individuals reach out about opting into in person learning for 4th quarter and wanted to make sure everyone saw this information sent out by the district.  Please read below for more information.

Have a great day,
Katie

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Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) - Please see attached for a document with further details to access P-EBT.  (We previously sent out information in our newsletter.)   P-EBT is a food assistance benefit for students who get free or reduced-price meals in schools under the National School Lunch Program, but – because of the pandemic – the school is not providing meals to the students at school. P-EBT benefits will help Illinois families buy food during the COVID-19 pandemic. The attachment provides further details.


4th Quarter In Person Opt In - Beginning today, all CPS families, who have not yet returned to schools in-person, will be able to opt-in for a return later this year. The opt-in window will be available to students in all grades (grades Pre-K through 12) and will remain open for two weeks. Opt-in forms will be sent directly to parents, and this will be the final opportunity to choose in-person learning this school year. 

• Opt-In for Students in Pre-K, Elementary, and Cluster Programs: As promised earlier this year, families who have not yet returned to classrooms will be able to return Monday , April 19 — the first day of the 4th-quarter. Families who are already enrolled in classroom-based learning will not need to fill out the intent form to remain in-person.
  
  
• Opt-In for High School and Academic Center Students: For the first time, families in grades 9-12, as well as students in high school academic centers, will also be asked to decide if they want to return to classrooms this year. 

The district is actively meeting with the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to establish a plan for the return of high school students and staff, and we will be engaging students and families in the days ahead. No return date has been set and the specific learning model used in high schools remains under discussion, but we hope students will be able to return to school as early as mid-April. We are asking families to tell us their learning preference now so that we can ensure we have the necessary staffing and classroom models in place to safely support all interested high school students.

Just like in our elementary schools, CPS high schools will follow a strict set of health and safety protocols, upon reopening, including required face-coverings and social distancing. Our high schools will also be provided with the air purifiers, hand sanitizer, and enhanced cleaning practices that have allowed CPS to safely reopen our elementary schools for in-person learning.

To give families additional opportunities to learn about our plans and provide input, we are scheduling two virtual parent townhalls — one for elementary and one for high school— in the next two weeks:

• High School Town Hall: Wednesday, March 10, from 5-6:30 p.m. (Register HERE)
• Elementary School Town Hall: Tuesday, March 16, from 5-6:30 p.m. (Register HERE)

We will also be engaging students in the weeks ahead to ensure their perspective is heard as our planning moves forward.

We look forward to seeing you at our town halls and thank you for your continued support as we work to provide all students with the high-quality education they deserve, no matter where they are learning.

Sincerely,

Janice K. Jackson, EdD          LaTanya D. McDade
Chief Executive Officer          Chief Education Officer
Chicago Public Schools          Chicago Public Schools