The Crosby Chronicle
Weekly Newsletter ~ February 15-19, 2021
GREETINGS FROM PRINCIPAL FERGUSON!
I hope you all are staying warm and safe. As we are gradually bringing students back into the building, I will continue to update everyone on the latest developments through this newsletter. There are many moving parts as we work through this planning process, and I want to be sure we are doing things safely. All families will have the option to remain remote if they choose. All surveys have been sent out, and we look forward to your responses so we may confirm the details of our return for students.
KINDERGARTEN - UPDATE
Thank you to our kindergarten families for your excellent response to the preliminary survey. Your responses are helpful as we plan to have kindergarten students return to the building on Monday, February 22. Please click on this link to complete the FINAL survey which will confirm your choice for your child's instruction.
PLEASE SUBMIT BY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16.
https://forms.gle/a1VFtsxMB8EwpzdGA
FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GRADE - UPDATE
First graders are invited to return to in-person instruction on March 1, 2021. Second and third graders are invited to start in-person instruction on March 8, 2021. All students in grades 1, 2, and 3 will be split into two groups: Group A and Group B. This A/B hybrid schedule will allow us to bring students back to the building slowly and carefully. You will be notified of your student’s group by Monday, February 22.
It will be vital for us to know if you would like to send your child to the building so we can design the classroom to maximize distancing of students. Please fill out the initial Preliminary Crosby Return Survey (Grades 1, 2, and 3) by February 16. Your response to this survey is not final. You will receive a second, final survey on February 19, 2021.
PRELIMINARY CROSBY RETURN SURVEY (GRADES 1, 2, AND 3)
WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAYS?
All students will continue to be remote on Wednesdays. Students will attend their classroom morning meeting from 8:00-8:30 am, and attendance will be recorded.
This is a new morning meeting time that will begin February 22, for all students.
Stay healthy and safe. We are here for you, and enjoy hearing from you when you have questions. We will all work together and do our best to make this a smooth process. Thank you for your support, and I am so excited to see our students again!
Sincerely,
Kathleen Ferguson
Principal
NO SCHOOL ~ FEBRUARY 15, 2021 ~ PRESIDENT'S DAY
CHANGE IN SCHOOL HOURS - STARTING FEBRUARY 22
These hours are 8:00 am - 3:00 pm each day. Students will ALL be learning remotely on Wednesdays.
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
Beginning Monday, February 22, Crosby Elementary School’s hours of instruction for all students will be from 8:00 am - 12:30 pm and again from 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Wednesdays will continue to be fully remote with a class meeting at 8:00 am.
Week of February 22
New hours of instruction begin:
(Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday)8:00 am - 12:30 pm
2:00-3:00 pm
Kindergarten students return to building
All students work remotely on Wednesdays
Week of March 1
Kindergarten students follow the same schedule from the previous week
1st graders return to building in “A/B” groups
Monday/Tuesday, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm – Group A in person
Thursday/Friday, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm – Group B in person
Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 2:00 - 3:00 pm – one hour of remote instruction for all students
All students work remotely on Wednesdays
Week of March 8
Kindergarten students follow the same schedule from the previous week
1st graders follow the same A/B hybrid schedule from the previous week
2nd and 3rd graders return to building in “A/B” groups
Monday/Tuesday, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm – Group A in person
Thursday/Friday, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm – Group B in person
Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 2:00 - 3:00 pm – all students have one hour of remote instruction
All students work remotely on Wednesdays
Week of March 15 - End of School Year
(dependent upon COVID-19 guidelines)
All in-person students in the building Monday/Tuesday
and Thursday/Friday
8:00 am - 12:30 pm – in person
2:00 - 3:00 pm – one hour of remote instruction
Remote students continue remote instruction through Zoom
All students work remotely on Wednesdays
KINDERGARTEN RETURN TO SCHOOL ~ SUPPLY LIST
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BZoQ1t6dMjUboRWK5PlzygqlQnejhaMABHbHWksSdC4/edit?usp=sharing
ATTENTION ALL CAR RIDERS!!
For the safety of our students, parents or authorized adults picking up a student must have the car rider tag hanging from their rearview mirror. Additional car rider tags are available in the office. Families may request 2 car rider tags to be assigned to them for multiple vehicles.
If a parent does not have a tag they will be asked to park and go to the office to show identification, and sign the student out.
Only individuals listed as emergency contacts or custodial parents may pick up students from the car rider line, unless there has been an arrangement made with permission for another adult, who is not listed, to pick up the student. Please contact the main office to make arrangements if you have a change in your authorized pick up person.
It is very important that we have these car riders tags distributed to you before the first day your child comes to school. Kindergarten families will need these by February 22.
If you plan for your child in grades K-3 to be a car rider, please come to the school to pick up your car rider placard during the following times:
Tuesday, February 16 - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, February 17 - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday, February 18 - 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Friday, February 19 - 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
CROSBY ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
ARRIVAL
- Adult supervision begins at 7:50 am.
- Students should not arrive before 7:50 am.
- There is no supervision available before 7:50 am.
- Upon arrival CAR RIDERS and BUS students will enter the building through the following doors:
First Grade - DOOR 2
Second & Third Grade - DOOR 1 (main doors)
School staff will be assigned to arrival duties in order to receive students off the bus or from their car, and safely assist them to the correct door and their classroom.
School staff will assist students and manage traffic.
Please be patient and kind with arrival and dismissal employees. They are doing their best to maintain safety.
WALKERS
- Walkers may enter through Door 12 which will be open until 8:05 am.
- After 8:05 am, walkers must enter Door 1, and check in at the office.
CAR RIDERS - DROP OFF IN THE MORNING
Cars will drive through the parking lot and pull around to the front of the school to enter the car rider line.
Cars will be directed to pull as close as possible to DOOR 2 where students will be dropped off.
For everyone's safety, students will not be allowed to get out of the car until the car has moved past the crosswalk.
Cars will not be allowed to stop in front of DOOR 13 OR DOOR 1 to drop off students.
Staff will be present on the sidewalk to receive students and escort them to DOOR 13, DOOR 2 AND DOOR 1.
For the safety of everyone and flow of traffic, drivers must remain in their cars at all times.
If your student needs assistance getting out of the car, please park in the parking lot and walk with your student across the crosswalk, following the crossing guard to the sidewalk.
BUS RIDERS - DROP OFF IN THE MORNING
Staff will greet students as they arrive off of the bus and escort students to DOOR 13, DOOR 1, OR DOOR 2. (following grade level assigned doors)
Students will be greeted by additional staff when entering their assigned doors.
Students will receive a breakfast bag as they enter the building, and they will walk to their classroom. Students will have breakfast in their classroom.
DISMISSAL
For the safety of all students, we will dismiss students in an organized manner. Please be patient as you wait for your child in the car rider line. They may still be walking from their classroom to the dismissal location.
- Please call the office with any dismissal changes prior to 11:30 am so we can be sure to notify the classroom teacher of the transportation change for that day. We understand that emergencies happen, and this may not always be possible, but it is best if we know in advance so we are able to have your child in the right place for pick up.
- It is best to notify your child's classroom teacher as well if there is a change for that day.
- Office Pick Up: Parents picking up students prior to 12:00 pm will park in the parking lot and enter the main office to sign students out. This is used for early pick up when appointments occur. There will be no office pickups unless it is before 12:00pm and the office has been notified by the parent/guardian beforehand. In case of an emergency, please be sure to contact the office.
- The 3 ways for your child to be dismissed from school: Walker/Car Rider/Bus Rider
WALKERS
- Staff will escort walkers from the building at Door 12 to the north end of the bus loading zone, and students will be supervised until the end of the Crosby sidewalk.
- Students will be dismissed at 12:30 pm.
CAR RIDERS
Car riders in grades K-2 will be released from DOOR 2 when staff calls students by radio.
Car riders in grade 3, with their younger aged siblings, will be released from DOOR 7 when staff calls students by radio.
There will be no office pickups unless it is before 12:00pm and the office has been notified by the parent/guardian beforehand.
Please park in the parking lot if you are picking your child up before the 12:30pm dismissal time.
Cars must pull all the way up to the end of the sidewalk in front of the school, or as far as they can if other cars are in front of them. There will be staff present to direct the flow of traffic.
As cars pull up, they must have the numbered placard visible (ex. hanging from the rearview mirror).
Students will be released according to the car placard and their matching car tag attached to their backpack.
Students will be released as cars move past the crosswalk and not before.
Staff will escort students to their car after all cars have come to a stop.
Students should not cross the yellow line on the sidewalk at any time while cars are still moving.
All car riders will be held indoors until their driver approaches the front of the car line and the student is called by radio.
Parents must remain in cars when picking up students.
Parents will not be permitted to walk up to the door to pick up their student. They will be directed to the office to sign students out as an office pick up if they come to the door.
BUS RIDERS
Staff will walk students to their bus and help supervise until all students are loaded safely onto the bus.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Expectations for all students and staff:
Masks are to be worn at all times in the building.
Breakfast will be provided when students arrive.
Lunch will be provided for students to bring home.
Attendance will be taken for in-person and remote.
Parents MUST call the office to report a student’s absence.
Return to school updates for Crosby Elementary School.
Please use this link to find the return to school update documents.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION INFORMATION 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2021 BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 1, 2021
Do you have a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2021?
Do you know a neighbor with a child coming to kindergarten in the fall?
If so, please share this information!
Kindergarten Registration for the 2021-2022 school year will be done online this year through PowerSchool starting February 1.
For more information, visit www.cusd50.org/kindergarten.
SCHOLASTIC ONLINE BOOK FAIR ~ FEBRUARY 8-21, 2021
We are working hard to keep kids reading and to raise critical funds for our school with our Scholastic Online-Only Book Fair from February 8-21.
The Book Fair will connect your kids to notable books and inspiring characters — helping them become lifelong readers. And you’ll love the new option to shop for Book Fair exclusives directly from the interactive booklist.
Plus, enjoy these special online shopping features:
• Access to over 6,000 products
• All orders ship direct to home
• FREE shipping on book-only orders over $25
• All purchases support our school and earn 25% in rewards
Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with online shopping: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/richardcrosbyelementary1
Thank you for continuing to support our school.
Happy reading!
Ms. Belena Garza
Crosby Elementary School Librarian
THE "SOCIAL BUZZ" ~ MS. LORENA VILLAGOMEZ
Hello Crosby Families,
Parents and teachers are faced with the challenge of discussing the evolving COVID-19 virus outbreak with children. Although these are difficult conversations to have, they are also important. There is not a “right” or “wrong” way to talk with children about this. With the possibility of students returning to school we want to share a few suggestions that might help ease the conversation:
- Create a welcoming environment for children to ask questions. Children often have questions and might not know how to ask them. Be patient as they try to come up with ways to ask you about it.
- Answer questions as honestly and accurately as you can. Gather information from the CDC and WHO websites that will help you answer their questions.
- Use language that children will understand. Explain in terms in which the child will understand based on their age and developmental level.
- It’s okay to repeat information. Children will probably ask the same question multiple times as a way to feel reassured.
- Acknowledge and validate the child’s thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Show that you think their questions and concerns are important.
- Remember that children tend to personalize situations. For example, they may worry about their own safety and the safety of family and friends.
- Reassure children that many people are helping those being affected by COVID-19.
- Show children how they can be safe during this time. Practice wearing a mask, washing their hands, and staying socially distant.
We understand that this is a difficult conversation to have, and we are here to help. Crosby’s school social workers and counselors are professionals who are trained to have such conversations with children. Please reach out if you have any questions. Remember to not force a child to talk when they are not ready.
Websites:
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
We cannot wait to have children back in our buildings!
As always you can contact me through my email lvillagomez@cusd50.org if I can assist you in any way.
RESOURCES:
McHenry County Crisis Line number 800.892.8900.
You can also visit https://www.mc708.org/resources/ for more mental health resources.
Mobile food pantries: https://solvehungertoday.org/get-help/distributions/
Harvard Community Food Pantry: Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 am and from 1:30-5:00 pm. Located on 6817 Harvard Hills Rd, Harvard IL 60033. You will need an ID to receive assistance.
Please call or email me if you have any questions or if you need assistance finding these resources.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lorena Villagomez
School Social Worker
THE "COUNSELING CORNER" ~ MRS. SPAULDING & MRS. ALTMANN
Happy February, Crosby Families!
Over the past several weeks, Crosby students have been celebrating the importance of spreading kindness. A beautiful book that discusses the concept of spreading kindness is titled Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.
To revisit that story, click here for English, or here for Spanish.
In this book, the concept of being a “bucket filler” is discussed by explaining that “everyone has an “invisible bucket that holds their happy thoughts and feelings.” We love to encourage the children to engage in kind acts in order to “fill each other’s buckets.” A friendly smile, wave, kind note, and a listening ear when someone is going through a difficult time are all ways in which we can spread kindness throughout our communities and world.
Did you know that an important part of spreading kindness is being kind to ourselves? According to Dr. Kristin Neft, an associate professor of Educational Psychology at University of Texas, self-compassion is having compassion for yourself when you are “having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself,”--just as you would when you see someone else suffering. Self-compassion enables us to comfort ourselves in difficult times such as moments of doubt and uncertainty. As humans, we can often be hard on ourselves when we make mistakes or when we do not meet an expectation. Failing to meet those expectations can result in feelings of self-doubt.
Have you ever said to yourself, “I’m a failure,” “I can’t do anything right,” “Everyone else can do it except me,” or “I’ll never be successful?”
When we doubt ourselves we often find ourselves using words of discouragement toward ourselves rather than compassionate words of encouragement. It is important that we model self-compassion because our children and students watch what we do and say. If we treat ourselves with kindness, our children will learn to be kind to themselves, as well.
This week we encourage everyone to make sure to “fill their own bucket” by using kind and encouraging words with one’s self. When we make a mistake (and we all do because we are all human), we can use words like, “It’s okay. I learned from this situation and will use this to help me in the future.” as well as offer up forgiveness toward ourselves.
We look forward to sharing more concepts of self-compassion in future weeks. Have a wonderful week and remember--an important part of spreading kindness is making sure to be kind to YOU! Have a beautiful week!
(Ideas cited from https://betterkids.education/blog/how-to-strengthen-your-childs-self-confidence-with-self-compassion).
Wishing you a healthy and happy February!
Your School Counselors,
Allison Altmann and Kortni Spaulding
PARENT COMMUNITY LIASION ~ MRS. VANIA DEALMEIDA
IMPORTANT DATES ~
Monday, February 15 - NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day
Tuesday, February 16-19 - Student Supply Drop Off & Car Rider Tag Distribution
Wednesday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL for Students
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY
School Board Meeting @ 7:00 pm
Monday, February 22 - WELCOME KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS
Wednesday, February 24 - Early Dismissal/Staff Development
RICHARD D. CROSBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Principal - Mrs. Kathleen Ferguson kferguson@cusd50.org
Asst. Principal - Mr. Paul Brass pbrass@cusd50.org
Social Worker - Mr. Brandon Barry bbarry@cusd50.org
Social Worker - Ms. Lorena Villagomez lvillagomez@cusd50.org
Parent Community Liaison - Mrs. Vania DeAlmeida vdealmeida@cusd50.org
School Counselor - Mrs. Kortni Spaulding kspaulding@cusd50.org
School Counselor - Mrs. Allison Altmann aaltmann@cusd50.org
Email: kferguson@cusd50.org
Website: https://www.cusd50.org/crosby/
Phone: 815-943-6125