Half Day E-Notice
Half Day School - October 1, 2020
Welcome In-Person Learners! (A Letter from Principal Mau)
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We at Half Day School have been eagerly awaiting the return of our students to In-Person learning! We are thrilled to be welcoming our students back to the classroom. We have been busy preparing the building and our staff to what learning will look like upon our collective return to the school! Together we will create a learning environment that will be coupled with safety and positivity while we learn and grow together.
Your child’s homeroom teacher will be in contact with you and your student regarding the specific items to return to school with during the week of October 5th. It will be important to gather and secure the items necessary to bring back to school so that we are able to continue on with our learning in a seamless fashion! Thank you in advance for helping your child to carefully collect the items to return to school, preferably in the Half Day blue bag in which you picked up your school materials! :0)
We ask for our parents' partnership during this unprecedented time. For the safety of our students and staff, we ask that parents review the COVID-19 symptom checklist prior to coming to school DAILY. If your child has any of the symptoms of COVID-19, your child must remain home from school. When students arrive at school, they will have their temperature taken. Any student with a fever of 100.4 or higher, or demonstrating any one of the COVID-19 symptoms, will be sent home from school. The school nurse will advise parents of exclusion steps required based on the Illinois Department of Public Health Interim Exclusion Guidance. We also ask that parents have children practice wearing masks, social distance, and develop hand washing routines so that they are prepared for these same expectations while at school. Please send your child to school with plenty of masks to last throughout the course of the school day. Additionally, supplying your child with their own hand sanitizer to have at their desk would be another added layer of protection while at school.
Students will have a 30 minute lunch and 30 minute recess between 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. NEW: Quest Food Service will provide each student a free lunch through a federal grant! This will begin on Wednesday, October 7. Our fifth-grade students will need to pack a lunch and drink for their first two days of school! More correspondence to follow regarding this exciting news. Lunch will be eaten in the classroom. Students will be able to remove their masks and utilize the protective shield that will be placed on their desk while eating. Students will have recess daily that is socially distanced. Students will be able to use the blacktop and field areas outdoors.
In the event of indoor recess, we ask that parents help their child pack a bag of individual toys in a gallon size ziploc bag to leave at school. Items in the bag can include, but are not limited to crafts, legos, books, stuffed animals, dolls, anything that can be used for single use play. Please do not send any electronic games to school. When outside, students can take off their masks and play group games like Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, and other games where students can socially distance and still be active. Students can also bring their bag of crafts, books, and Legos, outside for use. At this time, the playground equipment will not be open for student use.
Students will have opportunities throughout the day to take masks breaks. These supervised breaks can occur multiple times throughout the day. Students might be taking walks, engaging in curriculum outside, or doing a staff led activity.
The Half Day School office will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, however only students and staff will be permitted inside the building. If a parent needs to speak with an office staff member, they can be reached at 847-634-6463. Parents can drop off and pick up materials in the front vestibule. If you are leaving materials for your child, please make sure to label items with the students name, grade, and teacher.
We also ask that students bring a filled/refillable water bottle to school with them daily. Students will be able to keep their water bottles in a safe area within their assigned classroom space and they will also be able to use our water bottle filling stations throughout the school. Having a filled water bottle will eliminate the need to use the hallways as we are trying to limit multiple students in the hallways at a time.
Please be sure that your child’s iPad is charged and ready for use prior to coming to school each day. Please also provide a reliable set of headphones for your child to use at school. The iPad and headphones will continue to be critical components in our learning environment.
For students who will be using transportation, the routes are currently being developed and will be accessible through your PowerSchool account.
The Half Day School hours are from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. If you are dropping your child at school, please adhere to the following procedures.
Morning Drop Off Procedures:
Morning drop off begins at 8:40 a.m. The safety of our students is our top priority and your cooperation is greatly appreciated with the following safety procedures.
PULL FORWARD: When dropping off, please pull forward as far as possible, and do not stop at the front door. There may not be cars behind you when you arrive, but a line can form quickly.
EXIT CURBSIDE: All students should EXIT CURBSIDE for safety reasons. Cars can be passing through on your left as you are dropping off. If your student is unable to exit curbside, you should PARK in the parking lot and walk your child to the sidewalk in the front of the school.
SIDEWALK: Students can safely exit the car curbside when you have reached the front sidewalk. Do not exit earlier.
ENTRY: Third-grade students should enter the main entrance - Door A and walk straight to their classrooms. Fourth- and fifth-grade students should enter through Door B, also accessible by the front sidewalk, and walk straight to their classrooms.
Afternoon Pick Up Procedures:
Pick up begins at 3:30 p.m.
If you are picking up your child after school, please enter the front drive and join the carpool line by following the designated traffic flow pattern on the traffic flow diagram below.
Please stay in your car for pickup and follow the direction of teachers and staff outside during this time.
Please remember not to use your cell phone in our school zones; all cell phone use is prohibited while driving in a school zone.
If you choose to park, please park in one of the school parking lots or across the street and cross at the crosswalk. If parking at the church, you must park in the paved lot only. Please do not park on the grass. Parking is also allowed at the Vernon Area Public Library.
We are anxiously awaiting the return of our students to Half Day School and look forward to partnering together for the education, safety and well being of all of our students, staff and families! Time to be a HAWK!
Warmly,
Jill Mau
Principal of Half Day School
Events from the PTO
Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt Competition
Get creative and have fun by creating a scary or silly scarecrow to enter into the D103 PTO competition. Use items you already have around the home to create something truly unique. Show your D103 pride with spirit wear and school colors! Please register on the PTO MembershipToolkit site.
Each family who registers an entry will receive a fall craft for their student(s). The top three scarecrows from each school receiving the most votes, will receive a $20.00 gift card to Liquid Fusion, Culvers, or Einstien Bagles.
Fifth-Grade Health Night
The PTO is offering Health Night for boys at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 and girls at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 These virtual events are focused on educating students about their physical and emotional changes during puberty. The PTO sponsored programs develop students' skills to increase their comfort in discussing their changing bodies. The deadline to register is Oct. 14. Please register on the PTO's Membership Toolkit site.
Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive and Survive in a COVID World
In a virtual presentation, Devorah Heitner will discuss with parents at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 how to navigate the world of technology during the COVID19 pandemic. Register now for this free PTO Parent Education event.
Understand how to find a healthy balance with technology during this time:
• How to coach your child's technology use rather than to control it
• How parents and caregivers can support their children’s uses of technology to
connect, create and learn
• What digital platforms and apps are appropriate (or not) for elementary and middle
school kids
• Navigating the news cycle
Community Events
5K Race
Join in the Lincolnshire Community 5K Run and Walk
Stevenson Move-A-Thon
Join in the fun with the Stevenson Move-A-Thon.
Junior Rush Soccer
Junior Rush soccer club offers after school soccer at North Park for Grades K-3.
Upcoming Events
Half Day School
Assistant Principal Laura Delagrange
Email: ask103@d103.org
Website: www.d103.org/halfday
Location: 239 Olde Half Day Road Lincolnshire, IL 60069
Phone: 847-634-6463
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HalfDaySchool/?ref=bookmarks