Good afternoon,

I hope everyone is able to have a long and relaxing weekend.  Please read below for a few updates and reminders.  

Please remember that Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and there is no school to commemorate Dr. King's legacy. 


Have a great day,
Katie and Derrick

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Resources for MLK Day - On Monday, January 17th, we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  This year's theme, which was developed by the MLK Day Student Planning Committee is “Daring to Dream: The Radical Imagination of a New Generation.”  As a school, let’s embrace this theme by empowering our youth to be reflective of the actions while continuing to embrace our #compassioninaction.  
If Dr. King were alive today, his focus would more than likely be centered around social justice and community service.  While this is a day away from school, let’s do something safe, yet centered around this theme and his work.  A few resources to support you these can be found here:  

• https://www.teachforamerica.org/one-day/ideas-and-solutions/19-resources-and-ideas-to-celebrate-the-mlk-day-of-service
  
• https://mlkcelebration.indiana.edu/tool-kit/index.html
  

AM Line Up -  Tuesday is expected to be warmer, but the remainder of the week below freezing.  Based on this, we will continue to let students in the building starting at 8:20.  They will go directly outside of their classrooms to wait for class to start at 8:30.  

COVID Testing on Tuesday - We will have COVID testing at the school on Tuesday, Jan. 17.  If you have not signed your student up, but would like to.  You can use the following link to sign up:  https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=tf-ski-610534-students.  


Principal's Report - We had our LSC meeting on Wednesday.  Please see this link for the principal report.  
LSC Elections -  Please see Letter 1 for more information about Local School Council elections and ways to run.  You can also find information on this flier.  LSCs will not have a student representative (grade 6 or above).  Learn more about this on this flier.  

COVID Reminders

• Remember to ask yourself the daily screener questions regarding your student.  You can view them at Self-Screening Health Questions for Parents (English).pdf.
  
• If your child tests positive or has a close contact, remember you must self report at https://chicagopsprod.service-now.com/health?id=cps_self_report.  
  
• Remember students who are fully vaccinated (2 weeks after second shot) and showing no symptoms are able to come even if the rest of their  class is directed to quarantine.  (Students need to have a vaccination card on file. You can bring a copy to the main office or email our nurse, Courtney Blissitt at  cdblissitt@cps.edu.)
  
• Per CPS, only students who are in a OSHW or CDPH quarantine due to a positive COVID tested or unvaccinated exposure are able to access remote learning. If your student is sick for another reason or you choose to keep your vaccinated student home, access to remote learning is not provided.
  
• We have not yet received student KN95 masks. When they are received, we will let you know and distribute them to students. ​
  

​Dear Skinner North Community,
 
Based on the expected staffing levels at our school on Tuesday, Jan. 11, classes will be canceled for our students.  We hope to be able to welcome our students back to our school as soon as possible.  Remember we have in person COVID testing tomorrow.  You are welcome to bring your student to test anytime between 9 and 3.  Details are in the updates at the end of this email.  Sign up for testing at  https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=tf-ski-610534-students.  (You only have to sign up once.) 
 
As a reminder, there are many resources that families can take advantage of while our school is closed:

• Take-home breakfasts and lunches will continue to be available at our school from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for all students.
• Independent Learning Projects are available for all students. (Elementary School | High School) 
• Students have IXL and/or Freckle access (Chromebooks were sent home on Tuesday with students.)
• The Safe Haven Sites listed here are available for childcare. Sites will be open from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Registration is available on site and a parent or guardian must be present with the child at the time of registration. 
• Community-based organizations throughout the city are offering daytime programs for students.  A list of programs can be found here. This list will be updated as new programs are identified. For more information about programs and how to register, please reach out to the contact or visit the website listed.
• Chicago Park District field houses will be open during normal operating hours. These facilities will be available to CPS students ages six and older. All Chicago Park District programs will take place as scheduled. For more information on park locations and hours of operation, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com. 
• Chicago Public Library locations are open during normal hours (children must be accompanied by an adult and can’t be left at the library unattended). Libraries will have grab-and-go kits with activities for children to do in the library or to take home.

I am extremely grateful for your continued patience and support during this challenging situation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our school directly. 
 
I have also received a variety of questions from parents and felt it would be helpful to share responses.  Please see this FAQ document. 
 
Other Updates
On Site COVID Testing Tomorrow -   We will host our regularly COVID testing tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 11).  You are welcome to bring your student to test between the hours of 9:00 and 3:00. Please come to the main entrance and use the buzzer.  Office staff will direct you from there. 
 
LSC Agenda – Please see this link for Wednesday’s LSC meeting agenda.  It is a 5:30 meeting.  You can attend virtually using the link on the agenda. 
 
Diverse Needs Committee Update
Routines + Tough Topics
Last June (2021), the Skinner North community heard advice from The Nora Project for families in uncertain and unstructured times. Dr. Janie Avant's presentation focused on ways to handle the lack of structure for summer months and strategies to support children as they cope with big events happening in the world. We thought it would be helpful to recirculate this now. Find the slide deck and links to specific resources here. Know of a resource that has been helpful to your family? Tell us about your experience here! We are working to compile tips from our Skinner North Community on the website.
 
Committee Meeting Notes
Catch up on the discussion from our January 6 meeting with notes posted at the Diverse Needs Website. Please join us to plan for upcoming events, including transition to High School, Autism Acceptance Month, and more at our next meeting, on Zoom, February 3, 2022, 9:15am. Zoom link to follow.
 
Diverse Learners Parent Meet-up
We will follow the lead of the school’s mode for student instruction for the meet up later this month. This is a casual meetup to be connected with other parents and to share experiences and questions regarding our childrens’ diverse learning needs. Stay tuned for updates as the pandemic conditions evolve, and look for additional meet-up dates in the future. If you have any questions, email Boyoung bh785@nyu.edu.
Tentatively Friday, January 21, 2022, 9:00-10:00am
Capital One Cafe (located in Newcity)
1538 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60610
 
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Here are our upcoming events:
 
Diverse Needs Committee Parent Meet up: Friday, January 21, 2022, from 9:00-10:00am
Diverse Needs Committee Meeting: Thursday, February 3, 2022, at 9:15am
 
 
 
Have a good night,
Katie

Dear Skinner North Parents and Families, 

 
Based on the expected staffing levels at our school Monday, January 10, classes will be canceled for our students. (Please note:  This may be subject to change based on negotiations between CPS and CTU.  CPS will keep us updated on any developments.)  We hope to be able to welcome our students back to our school as soon as possible and will provide a daily plan each day next week until we fully return.   
 
Some schools in the district are able to offer in person activities; however, this is based on staffing capacity.  We do not currently have the staffing capacity to host students.  I am working through a few scenarios to help us offer programming next week if work stoppage continues.  That being said, please complete this survey to help guide our future planning. 
As a reminder, there are many resources that families can take advantage of while our school is closed:

• Take-home breakfasts and lunches will continue to be available at our school on week days from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for all students.
• Independent Learning Projects are available for all students. Elementary School | High School) 
• Students have IXL and/or Freckle access (Chromebooks were sent home on Tuesday with students.)
• The Safe Haven Sites listed here are available for childcare. Sites will be open from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Registration is available on site and a parent or guardian must be present with the child at the time of registration. 
• Community-based organizations throughout the city are offering daytime programs for students.  A list of programs can be found here. This list will be updated as new programs are identified. For more information about programs and how to register, please reach out to the contact or visit the website listed.
• Chicago Park District field houses will be open during normal operating hours. These facilities will be available to CPS students ages six and older. All Chicago Park District programs will take place as scheduled. For more information on park locations and hours of operation, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com. 
• Chicago Public Library locations are open during normal hours (children must be accompanied by an adult and can’t be left at the library unattended). Libraries will have grab-and-go kits with activities for children to do in the library or to take home.

You can expect to receive a message by 4:00 p.m. Monday, January 10, regarding our school’s plan for Tuesday, January 11. I am extremely grateful for your continued patience and support during this challenging situation.  I wish I could tell you exactly what next week will look like as I know it is stressful to not know.   I will communicate any updates as quickly as I can.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our school directly. 


Sincerely,

Katie

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Other Updates
COVID Testing - We will still host our covid testing for students on Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 9:00-3:00.  If we are not back in person, you are welcome to bring your student to the school to test during those hours.

CPS SCORE! - All CPS SCORE! athletic practices and games are on pause through the weekend.
 Family Income Information Forms (Reminder) - The FIIF (English/Spanish) is critical in determining the allocation of Supplemental Aid (SA) and Title I funds to our school for FY23.  Additionally, it is frequently used as a needs-based data metric for eligibility or priority with other resources or funding.  It is also used to screen for healthcare (Medicaid) and SNAP benefit eligibility for families. Our school is currently at 79.5% completion rate.  If you have not already done so, we would appreciate your help in getting these forms in.  Please complete the form and return to the school by Jan. 10 (the deadline was extended from November.)  You do not have to list your income, but the form helps inform school funding. You need to include the student name, your signature and date.  Submit by sending electronically to Gloria, our clerk, gqmorales@cps.edu, drop off at the school, or mail to the school. 

​Dear Skinner North Parents and Families, 
 
Based on the expected staffing levels at our school tomorrow, Friday, January 7, classes will be canceled for our students. We hope to be able to welcome our students back to our school as soon as possible and will provide an update on our school’s plan for next week sometime tomorrow. 
 
I highly encourage families to sign students up to get tested weekly at https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=tf-ski-610534-students and also get them vaccinated.  You can find out more about accessing vaccines at https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/covid-19-resources/covid-19-vaccination/.  Currently, we have 55% of students fully vaccinated.  We have nearly 100% of our staff vaccinated.  All of our teaching staff is vaccinated.  (The student metrics may be higher as not all families have submitted their vaccination cards to the school.  If your student is vaccinated, but you haven’t submitted proof of vaccination, you can do so by bringing your student’s vaccination card to the main office or sending a copy via email to me (kmagnuson@cps.edu).  Our nurse will input into your student’s record.)
 
As a reminder, there are many resources that families can take advantage of while our school is closed:

• Take-home breakfasts and lunches will continue to be available at our school from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for all students.
• Independent Learning Projects are available for all students. (Elementary School | High School) 
• Students have IXL and/or Freckle access (Chromebooks were sent home on Tuesday with students.)
• The Safe Haven Sites listed here are available for childcare. Sites will be open from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Registration is available on site and a parent or guardian must be present with the child at the time of registration. 
• Community-based organizations throughout the city are offering daytime programs for students.  A list of programs can be found here. This list will be updated as new programs are identified. For more information about programs and how to register, please reach out to the contact or visit the website listed.
• Chicago Park District field houses will be open during normal operating hours. These facilities will be available to CPS students ages six and older. All Chicago Park District programs will take place as scheduled. For more information on park locations and hours of operation, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com. 
• Chicago Public Library locations are open during normal hours (children must be accompanied by an adult and can’t be left at the library unattended). Libraries will have grab-and-go kits with activities for children to do in the library or to take home.

You can expect to receive a message by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, January 7, regarding our school’s plan for Monday, January 10. I am extremely grateful for your continued patience and support during this challenging situation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our school directly. 
 
Sincerely,
 
Katie

Good evening,


I wanted to first say thank you for your patience in this difficult time.  I understand how challenging the past few days have been with the uncertainty of school closures.  It is not easy for families.   


Unfortunately classes will be canceled again tomorrow, January 6th. This includes both in-person and remote classes. At this time we have no update about the plan for moving forward but I would tentatively plan on classes being canceled again on Friday.  (You can see the communication from the district at http://www.skinnernorth.org/latest-news/message-from-cps in case you missed it.)  We will be working tomorrow to see what options we can potentially offer for families.  I will continue to update you as these plans progress. 


As we await further direction, I highly encourage all families to sign-up for school-based Covid testing. We have a little over 50% of the student population testing weekly.  We need more students to opt in to ensure we have a firm grasp of the prevalence of the virus in our school. This is an easy step in our efforts of collective responsibility.


Sign up for testing at https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=tf-ski-610534-students.  Once signed up, you are opted into weekly testing.  You do not have to sign up every week.


Have a wonderful day,
Katie

​Good afternoon!  I hope everyone is doing well.  I wanted to send a quick note regarding technology.  As we return from break and see an increase in COVID cases, we want to be prepared and supportive to families.  Today, we are going to start sending Chromebooks home with students.  This allows us to have devices in student hands if we do have to flip a classroom or student to remote.  As we are testing this out, we ask that students bring their devices to school each day.  Thanks for your help on this.
 
Have a wonderful day,
Katie

Dear Skinner North Families,

Happy New Year! I hope that you have been enjoying the winter break, and that your students are excited to return to their classrooms this Monday, January 3. 

I understand the stress that many of you are feeling as you try to keep your children safe during this most recent surge of COVID-19, and I want you to know that their health and wellbeing remains a top priority. Research has shown that with the protections we’ve put in place, school is one of the safest places for your children to be. Research has also shown that the most important thing to do for their health and safety is to get children vaccinated. 

The vaccine is effective in two crucial ways — it helps to prevent infection and helps prevent severe symptoms if you do contract COVID-19. The rate of hospitalizations for vaccinated Chicagoans remains low, while we are seeing an increase in hospitalizations among the unvaccinated. Visit www.cps.edu/vaccinations to make an appointment or find more information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children and teens.

Please know that while CPS has encouraged COVID testing prior to January 3, students are not required to test before returning to school on Monday. However, if your student is not feeling well on Monday or is showing any symptoms of COVID-19, please keep them at home.
 
Families with unvaccinated students should also pay careful attention to the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) travel advisory guidance. Additionally, students who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should get tested on Day 5 after exposure. Unvaccinated students must stay home and quarantine for 10 days from their last exposure, regardless of negative testing, while vaccinated students may attend school as long as they are not experiencing symptoms.

We know from experience that children do better academically, socially, and emotionally when they're in the classroom versus at home learning on a computer. We also know families do better when they have certainty that their children will be in school instead of having to scramble to find childcare. And we know that remote learning is particularly hard on working families and students that have limited access to the internet. So while we will temporarily transition individual classes to remote learning as needed, there are no plans to transition the entire district to remote learning.

Please visit cps.edu/covidfaq for an FAQ that will help you get your questions answered as you prepare for a safe return to school. 

I thank you for your continued partnership and look forward to welcoming your children back to class on Monday, January 3 for a healthy and safe start to 2022.


(Remember school testing happens on Tuesdays.  If you have not signed your student up for weekly testing, you can do so at https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=tf-ski-610534-students.) 
Sincerely,

Katie