Superintendent's Corner
Avoca District 37 - September 19, 2021
In this issue...
- Our Fall Reopening and COVID reminders
- Community Engagement Dates & Strategic Planning - Mark Your Calendars
- Science Olympiad 2021-2022 Updates
- National Hispanic Heritage Month
- Reminder: Calendar Change Related to Spring Break 2022
Our Fall Reopening and COVID
Our COVID numbers remain low: As of September 17, we had two positive cases, both in the same household. Of the 5 determined close contacts, all were part of the "Test to Stay" program. Each close contact took a Rapid Antigen Test on 3 dates over 10 days prior to the start of the school day. A negative test means the students can stay in school. From all 5 close contacts, every one tested negative on three successive test dates.
Lunch at Avoca West has staggered seating more than in the opening week, just to ensure social distancing at lunch time. Marie Murphy continues to utilize outdoors and the gym as much as possible. We continue to need lunch supervisors at both schools, so if you are able to help out. These can be paid positions.
I daily monitor the following website, where COVID data is posted based on IDPH reporting. Click here and you can review data by zip code. The data is consistently better than regional and state numbers and indicates it is safe to hold in person learning. I also weekly monitor the county website where I can see vaccination rates by zipcode.
Finally, each of us is the most impactful variable in the equation of keeping us safe. Vaccinations, masking, staying home when we are sick, avoiding situations outside of school that could be unsafe. These are the steps we need to take to make our community and schools safer until a vaccination (and boosters) are available to all of us. Additionally, this year more than ever, make sure your child has completed their standard vaccinations required to attend school and get a flu shot, as this could be a more volatile flu season than in the past.
Community Engagement Dates
A Strategic Planning Committee of twenty staff members, parents, and guardians will help shape community engagement presentations, follow up survey questions and focus group questions as a first step in a nearly year-long process to develop a strategic plan for Avoca.
The Committee will review presentations and follow up survey and focus group questions in preparation for two Town Hall meetings that will include parents/guardians, staff, and community members. Please mark your calendars for:
October 20 and November 17 at 7 p.m.
These town hall meetings are planned to be held in-person, but in the gym at Marie Murphy and in such a way as to maximize social distancing. If local COVID number increase to a level too high to ensure public safety, these meetings will be conducted online. Immediately following each presentation, participants will be given an online survey to complete then be asked to participate in small in-person focus groups on site.
Additionally, the presentations will be recorded, so any unable to attend can still watch, then complete the surveys.
That survey data and focus group responses will inform the Needs Assessment report and additional work to be conducted by the Strategic Planning Committee.
Science Olympiad at Marie Murphy Updates
After much personal reflection and dialogue, Mr. Persino and Mr. Gravagna at Marie Murphy have decided to return to coach Science Olympiad for the 2021-2022 school year.
Needless to say, the respective SciOly parents, myself, and the Board of Education are grateful to have Mr. Gravagna and Mr. Persino leading this year. If your child was thinking of participating, please stay tuned for announcements in the coming weeks about tryouts and other program details.
Additionally, the program is in need of parents with relevant backgrounds to coach events, which can require up to 3 hours per week of planning and coaching, in addition to attendance at events. If you think you have a background in the sciences and you are able to coach, please c contact Mr. Persino at persinod@avoca37.org. Parent volunteers are a part of the program that must be in place for the program to be sustainable.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
This is a "National" event because our most prominent national cultural institutions - The Library of Congress, National Archives, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, and Smithsonian, among others - are explicitly paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
Here is a link to the National Website where you can learn more and dive deeper into learning about the generations of contributions made to our country by Hispanic Americans.
Additionally, by clicking on this link, you can watch one or more of the episodes from the groundbreaking documentary Latino Americans, produced by Public Broadcasting Service.
Our own community includes many families who identify as Hispanic or Latino and recognizing these contributions to enriching our lives is part of what makes our community special.
Reminder - Calendar Change Related to Spring Break 2022
What stays the same?
- March 23 and 24 are Parent/Guardian/Teacher Conferences
- March 25 is a non-attendance day for students
What changes?
- March 25 is a non-attendance day for certified staff
- April 4 (Monday after Spring Break) is a non-attendance day for students
- April 4 is an Institute Day for certified staff
- April 5 is the first day of student attendance after Spring Break
I apologize for this change coming at this time, but I do believe it will result in a better Spring Break for students and staff and a better return from Spring Break too.
Contact Us
Email: osburnk@avoca37.org
Website: www.avoca37.org
Location: 2921 Illinois Road, Wilmette, IL, USA
Phone: 847-728-4128
Facebook: www.facebook.com/avoca.schools37
Twitter: @AvocaOsburn