The Royal Decree
February 2019 Newsletter
Teddy Bear Drive
February 6, 2019 is Global School Play Day
In 2015, a small group of six educators took action and created Global School Play Day because of their concern that adults and technology were encroaching on playtime for children. Schools are eliminating recess. Teachers were assigning more and more homework. Parents scheduled every waking minute for their kids. Young children with addicted to their devices.
The GSPD team was Inspired to take action by Dr. Peter Gray in his TEDx talk where he argues the case that today's kids do not grow up playing, which has led to an increase in childhood depression, stress related issues, and the highest suicide rates in history. On February 4, 2015, over 65,000 children participated in the first ever Global School Play Day after only four weeks of social media promotion from those six educators.
Last year, the fourth annual Global School Play Day for students continued to spread around the world. Over 285,000 young people from 51 nations were registered by their administrators or teachers to participate. Schools from around the world stood together to say, “Unstructured play is a vital part of proper child development!”
Global School Play Day is for public schools, private schools, and homeschool families! Many are helping to spread the word about the benefits of play. Why has this movement been so well-received? Because kids have started forgetting how to play and so many educators are seeing those negative impacts and want to turn things around!
Dunlap Grade will again participate this year. Stay tuned for information from your child's teacher on how their classroom will be observing this special day!
Valentine's Day Classroom Parties
Kindergarten Registration
To register for Kindergarten, you must have:
1. Three proofs of residency within Dunlap. You can view valid forms by clicking HERE
2. Birth Certificate
To begin school in August, all incoming Kindergartners must have:
1. Updated shot record
2. Physical
3. Eye Exam
4. Dental Exam
The first day of school is August 14, 2019
Winter Playground Information
Students will have outdoor recess if the weather Real Feel is above 15 degrees Fahrenheit. I use the AccuWeather app to determine the temperature, so if you are unsure, you can check that as well.
- If students are going to play in the snow, have the following:
K-3: Snow Boots and Snow Pants to play in the grass or woodchips/playground area, Blacktop only if they have shoes
4-5 Snow Boots to play in the grass or woodchips/playground area, Blacktop only if they have shoes
Winter Weather Reminders
Tis the season to prepare for winter weather. Please read this email that will detail information about winter dress and school closings.
Students should come to school prepared to go outside for recess. This would include a warm coat, hat, mittens, and scarf. We strongly urge you to write your name and phone number on all winter clothing so that it can be returned in the event your child loses it. We understand the importance of getting students outdoors, even during the winter months. We will likely send students outdoors if the temperature is above 15 degrees. We do take into consideration wind chill and precipitation or snowy conditions. We also will limit the time outside if the conditions warrant it. In the event of snow, students must have snow boots and snow pants to play in the snow. If your family or child is in need of winter coats or warm clothing, please let us know and we can assist you.
School emergency closings could happen at any time of the year. Parents need to arrange plans with their children (a neighbor, child care, employer, etc.) on what is expected should an emergency closing occur. Decisions for closure, delayed start or to dismiss school early are always a judgment call; however, we do use some general criteria in making such decisions. School procedures call for an emergency school closing announcement to be given over local radio and television media. When listed, please look for Dunlap Community School District or Dunlap #323 in determining if your school is closed or delayed. Below are some of the criteria and examples of what would impact a decision to cancel school, delay start or dismiss school early.
Delayed Start:
There may be times when the weather is such that delaying the start of school by two hours would provide for a safer environment for our students and staff This decision will be announced no later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of the delayed start via School Messenger system as well as local TV stations. On these days, buses will run and morning pick up times will be two hours later than normal. Classes will begin two hours later than their regularly scheduled time. There will be no morning Early Childhood or Bright Futures classes, but the afternoon classes will run at the normal time. School will still dismiss at the regular time. If the district decides to implement a delayed start for the school day, all notifications will be sent in the same manner as the closing of school.
Weather Forecasts: Weather conditions and events are very unpredictable. We generally do not cancel school or dismiss school early solely on a weather forecast. Weather events must be occurring and deteriorating for school to be cancelled or for us to dismiss early.
- Snow: Generally speaking, snow is not a primary reason for closing school. As long as roads are not drifting shut, it’s possible we would have school even with a sizable snowfall.
- Road Conditions: As referenced above, road conditions dictate many of our decisions. Due to the fact the district is widely spread out, we have an early morning process (before 5:00 a.m.) of checking our rural and city roads.
- Cold: We will look at wind chill and air temperature (also road conditions) when making a decision relating to cold weather. Please remember that we do live in central Illinois so below 0-degree weather is not uncommon.
When are decisions made? A decision to cancel school may occur between 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. the night before school. In most instances, no later than 6:30 a.m. the next day. In an extreme emergency, we may have to announce early dismissal during the school day.
School closings will be communicated in the following ways:
School Messenger Phone/Email System
TV Stations – Channels 19, 25, and 31
Local Radio Stations - All local stations
Dunlap School District Voicemail System
Notification on www.dunlapcusd.net
Dunlap Facebook page - www.facebook.com/CUSD323
Further information regarding our weather related procedures can be found at http://www.dunlapcusd.net/Distri…/…/SchoolClosingPolicy.aspx
Head Lice Reminders
Please read the information below from our District Nurse Regarding Head Lice
Head lice (Pediculosis) are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that live close to the human scalp. Knowing the definition doesn’t make us feel any better. However, I do want to reassure you that, although these insects may be pesky, they are not harmful. Dunlap School District follows the evidenced based mindset of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). We support a “No Live Lice” protocol.
Head Lice Facts.
- Anyone can get head lice
- Cleanliness is not a factor
- Lice do not jump or fly
- Head lice are mostly spread by direct head-to-head contact—for example, slumber parties, sport activities and camp
- Lice and nits (silver to dark gray colored eggs attached to the hair shaft) are visible to the naked eye.
- Nits which are further than ¼ inch from the scalp are not considered viable.
Please routinely check your child’s hair throughout the school year.
What are the signs and symptoms of having head lice?
- Tickling feeling on the scalp or hair.
- Itching (caused by the bites of the louse) especially behind the ears
and at the nape of the neck.
- Sores on the head from scratching.
- Presence of nits that are less than ¼” from the scalp or live lice in the hair.
Procedures if your student is found to have head lice while at school.
- Parents will be notified and encouraged to pick their child up and begin head lice treatment.
- If parents are unable to come then the student may return to class. Immediate removal of child is unnecessary. This is supported by the AAP, CDC and NASN.
- Your child may return to school after initial application of lice shampoo/ treatment.
- Your child will be rechecked upon arrival to school and then again 5-7 days after initial treatment.
- Whole classroom head checks have not been proven to be effective in ridding schools of lice. No school is EVER lice free. We encourage you to be proactive and routinely check your child’s hair. *Remember lice can be acquired anywhere close contact occurs. This could be at home, at school or within the community.
- Staff will maintain the privacy of students identified as being infected with head lice.
What to do if my child gets head lice?
- It warrants repeating....In order to provide safe and effective treatment please follow the Package Directions!
- Apply lice shampoo/treatment according to directions. There are a number of over the counter treatment options or prescription medication available.
- Wash all bed linens, recently worn clothing articles, towels in very hot water. Items that are not washable may be sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
- Dry items on high heat for at least 20 minutes.
- Personal items such as combs, brushes, hair clips, should be soaked in very hot water and sanitized or thrown away.
- Vacuum the floors and furniture.
- All household members and other close contacts should be checked and those with evidence of head lice should be treated at the same time.
- Call your family doctor if you have any questions. A prescription treatment may be recommended.
When to Keep Your Child Home from School
FEVER
A temperature of 100 or over is a sure sign to keep your child home. The child must be 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication before returning to school. Giving a fever reducer and sending them to school will almost guarantee a call from school when the medicine wears off, as well as exposing other students to your child’s illness.
VOMITING/DIARRHEA
If your child has been vomiting or having diarrhea during the previous evening, please keep them home. Consult your doctor if symptoms continue more than 48 hours or worsen instead of improving.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
If your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as strep, impetigo or pink eye they should be on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
RASH
A rash is a characteristic symptom of infectious diseases. If your child has a rapidly spreading rash or any rash with fever, signs of other illness or behavioral change they need to be evaluated by a physician.
NASAL DISCHARGE/COUGH
Keep your child home if they have heavy nasal congestion and/or frequent cough. They probably feel miserable and will not be focused on school work, as well as sharing
their illness with others.
RED, RUNNY EYES
If your child has crusty, red or weepy eyes with thick or sticky eye drainage please keep home until evaluated by a medical provider. Prescription medication may be needed depending on the diagnosis.
LICE
We have a “No Live Lice” policy. Keep your child home until after the first treatment is administered.
MALAISE
Any illness that prevents your child from participating comfortably in class or school activities.
Parent's Club Corner
Royals In Paradise Carnival
It’s that time of year! The Parents’ Club will be hosting the fun and exciting Royals In
Paradise Carnival on Saturday, February 24, from 4 to 8 PM! Check out the carnival web
page for all the amazing businesses that have already provided donations or sponsored
activities for our carnival. More fun prizes are added each week! We are always looking for
any families or businesses who would like to make a monetary or in-kind donation to our
biggest fundraiser of the year. All funds raised benefit the educational and recreational
needs of the DGS Royal Students and Staff! If you have any questions about donating,
please contact me at 3president@dunlapgradeparentsclub.com. Donations can be mailed
to DGS or dropped off in the school office.
Please plan to join us on Saturday, February 23, for our Royals In Paradise Carnival at
Dunlap Grade School for delicious food, fresh new carnival games (and old favorites), a
NEW Light Action Arena Inflatable, balloons, face painting, and more, including our big
raffle prizes, general raffle prizes, silent auction, and classroom baskets!!! Raffle tickets and
more details will be sent home next Friday, February 1, after our Carnival Kickoff on Friday
morning.
We Need You!
Get to know other parents, your child's teacher, and the entire staff at DGS by volunteering
with the Parents’ Club. In order to make our carnival a success, we depend upon
volunteers. Please consider volunteering for a shift before or during the carnival! Please
follow the Sign Up Genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49aca722a6fa7-dunlap
Needed: Baked Goods for Cake Walk Game
We are looking for volunteers to provide baked goods for this year's Cake Walk game.
Items can be HOMEMADE or STORE BOUGHT such as whole cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and bars. If you are able to provide a baked item, please follow the Sign Up Genius
link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4AA9A82FA7F58-baked This game was a
BIG hit with the kids last year, thanks for your help in making it a success!
Spring GRAND Book Fair - Save the Date!
The Spring Book Fair will take place on Friday, May 3 with dino-mite activities throughout
the week. This fair will be our annual GRAND Event (G-Grandparents/R-Relatives/A-Aunts
& Uncles/N-Neighbors/D-Devoted Caregivers) which offers a unique opportunity for
GRANDS to join their student for lunch and then shop at the fair afterwards. More details
will be forthcoming!
Family Night Out
Skip the dishes and join us for dinner at Famous Daves. This month our Family Night Out
is on 2 nights - February 12 and 13 from 5-9pm.
Switch to AmazonSmile and support DGS!
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide
selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.
The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile
Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable
organizations selected by customers.
When you visit https://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-3124099 to shop AmazonSmile, your
shopping will support the Dunlap Grade School Parents' Club!
Do you shop at Kroger? If so, you can help DGS earn extra cash!
The Kroger Community Rewards program makes earning money for DGS as easy as
swiping your Kroger Plus Card at checkout!
Current rewards members please note that our school account number has been updated.
Our new number is: XX752
To enroll your Kroger Plus card to Dunlap Grade School's account
visit www.kroger.com/communityrewards and follow the directions on screen.
You can only link one organization at a time to your Kroger Plus Card and you must re-
enroll each April. This means if you have not re-enrolled since April 1st, 2018, you will need
to do so NOW so that DGS can continue to receive your rewards!
Please see our Kroger Community Rewards webpage to learn more about this program!
Jr. NBA Skills Competition
Dunlap Valley Middle School and Heart of Illinois Basketball have joined together to host the Jr. NBA Skills Competition. Winners in each age division advance to Regionals in Chicago area on Sunday, April 28 - Winners of Regionals advance to Championships held at/during NBA Finals weekend.
Date: Friday, February 8th
Time: Registration starts at 6:00pm
Location: Dunlap Valley Middle School
Gender: Boys & Girls
Ages: 11U and 13U age divisions (birth certificate or age verification required)
Age Divisions are determine by the participants age as of August 31, 2019
Jr. NBA: www.jrnba.com/skillschallenge
Virtual Backpack
Which Test...ACT or SAT?1/22/2019
New Year Happenings at Pearce1/25/2019
FREE Play Lacrosse Day Jan 27th1/27/2019
Bullying Parent Workshop1/30/2019
Dunlap Lacrosse Winter Warm-up Clinics2/3/2019
2019 SAT/ACT Review2/5/2019
SAT Test Prep Course2/14/2019
2019 DHS Mini Cheeer Camp2/16/2019
HS - Give Rugby a Try4/15/2019
MS - Give Rugby A Try4/15/2019
Jump Start Gymnastics Class Flyer5/25/2019
Dunlap Grade School
Email: mellis@dunlapcusd.net
Website: www.dunlapcusd.net/dgs
Location: 301 1st Street, Dunlap, IL, United States
Phone: 309-243-7772
Facebook: facebook.com/dunlapgrade
Twitter: @dgsroyals