Friday Focus
September 24, 2021
A Message from Marcie
Hello, South Park!
It was nice to be back to a 5-day week this week! On Monday, our students successfully participated in their first of three fire drills that we hold at South Park each school year. Next month, the Deerfield Fire Department will return to South Park to visit our classrooms and talk with students about fire safety in their homes. Tune in next week for more information about the various safety drills at South Park.
The chillier temperatures this week were a reminder that fall is officially here. With colder weather on the horizon, we want to remind families to please send your child to school with warm clothing for the time they will spend outdoors. For many students who eat lunch in our tents, they will be outside for nearly an hour each day during lunch and recess. Our PE classes are also frequently held outdoors. Sending an extra sweatshirt or jacket to school is a great idea, especially as the weather fluctuates between warm and cold temperatures in the early fall.
More information about the happenings at South Park can be found below! Have a great weekend!
-Marcie
Social Emotional Learning at South Park
Building students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) skills is important at South Park. As a part of the learning process, we will be asking our students to reflect on their own SEL mindsets via an online survey. The survey will be administered between October 4th and 15th, and it should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. It asks students to self-reflect on their own grit, growth mindset, self-efficacy, self-management, social awareness, and emotional regulation.
Individual student responses can provide the school and family with insight into what skills the child self-identifies as strengths and others they would like to develop. The overall data helps us (the educators) identify priorities and provide targeted learning opportunities to address the SEL needs in our classrooms.
Per policy, if you would like your child to opt out of taking the survey, please contact me no later than October 1st.
Searching for Fun Lunch Parent Volunteers!
What is Test To Stay?
This year, fewer students are needing to be quarantined if they are a close contact to a COVID-19 case, thanks to the Lake County Health Department's "Test To Stay" protocol. Click here to read more from the district about it.
Board Meeting Briefs
Last night, the DPS 109 Board of Education held their September meeting. You can read the brief recap of the meeting here, which includes a link to the full recording of the meeting. We are sending this as part of the principal's newsletter to cut down on the number of emails you receive!
Student Health Requirements 21-22 - 3rd Posting
We recognize and are mindful of the fact that many families may have had difficulty getting children in for physical, dental, and eye exams as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to routine medical care; however, at this time, all child-health related requirements for school attendance, remain in effect for children in public, private, or parochial schools, as per 105 ILCS 5/27-8.1.
Health-related examinations and immunization requirements are due no later than October 15. Please click here to be directed to our website for detailed information regarding specific requirements by grade level.
You will soon be receiving communication from our building nurse if your child is missing any of the required documentation. Students not in compliance with the health examination and immunization requirements will be excluded from school beginning Friday, October 15, 2021. Please reach out with any questions regarding these requirements as we want to partner with you to ensure compliance with these requirements. Thank you.
LOOKING TO OPT OUT OF NEXT WEEK'S SHIELD TESTING?
Fill out this Google Form prior to 7 AM on THURSDAY
*Please note that if you have consented but want to opt out of a week, you must fill out the form every week.
THE LATEST COVID INFORMATION
The district has a landing page with constantly updated COVID protocol information. Be sure to visit www.dps109.org/fall2021 to check out the latest updates on:
What do I do if my child wakes up sick? (and what happens to siblings)
Our COVID case dashboard - updated in real-time