Turtle Times
Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center
A Message From Michele Barkley, Coordinator of Early Learning
Dear ELC Families,
Antioch CCSD34 is pleased to expand our blended preschool program at the Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center next school year. Blending, an inclusive practice, supports the education of both children with, and without, disabilities in the same classroom. Planning and preparation is underway to produce this exciting opportunity.
Beginning in the fall of 2021, the MKM ELC will offer 5 morning blended preschools classrooms and 5 afternoon preschool classrooms. Currently, we offer 3 morning blended preschool classrooms and 3 afternoon blended preschool classrooms. The additional blended sections will provide opportunities for more of our students to have an inclusive blended learning experience. Research shows positive benefits for all children when they are provided and supported with an inclusive environment. These benefits can include gains in educational, social and other developmental skills by incorporating best practices from special and general education.
The blended preschool program will promote learning that is child-centered, developmentally appropriate, and aligned to the Illinois Early Learning and Developmental Standards. The program will also use instructional approaches that engage play, learning and belonging, which lead to every child reaching their full potential.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of inclusive practices, I would like to invite you to explore the Understanding Inclusion series, which contains 6 topics that explore key ideas about inclusion in early childhood. The series covers a range of topics from defining inclusion to understanding the benefits to advocating for inclusion. Developed for families with family input, by Illinois Early Choices, an inclusion initiative from the Illinois State Board of Education, it is a meaningful and useful resource for families who have children from birth to 5.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
A Message from Our School Nurse, Cassandra Howes
A couple of important reminders from the health office as we enter the last month of the school year:
- If anyone in your household is displaying any symptoms of Covid-19, all of the District 34 students in your home need to stay home. If a student is sent home from school with a symptom of Covid-19, all of their siblings will be sent home as well.
- Per the Lake County Health Department, we cannot accept any rapid Covid-19 tests to allow a student back into school. If you are having your student tested, please remember that we can only accept a PCR test. These results usually take a day or two to come back.
Covid-19 Quarantine Update:
Dear Families,
Antioch CCSD 34 follows the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Lake County Health Department (LCHD) guidelines and recommendations with regard to student and staff safety. The District closely follows the IDPH Decision Tree for exclusionary guidance for schools. The Decision Tree can be found here: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IDPH-COVID19-Exclusion-Decison-Tree.pdf
Recently, the Lake County Health Department has clarified Column E in the decision tree. This would apply to an, “Asymptomatic individual who is a close contact to a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case.” According to LCHD, if an individual remains asymptomatic for 10 days from the last date of contact with a positive case, they may return to school. This guidance will be adopted for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year for individuals placed into quarantine as a result of close contact during the school day. One exception recommended by the LCHD will be for students who are identified as a close contact from intramurals/sports held on campus. At this point, those individuals will continue to be subject to a 14-day quarantine.
The term “close contact” refers to, “identified individuals who have been within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer (within a 24-hour period) of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, during the infectious period.” Antioch CCSD 34 staff initially identifies potential close contacts, completes notification, begins the quarantine, and reports all information to the Lake County Health Department. The LCHD case investigators take the case and will have final say in identifying close contacts and determining quarantine period.
If your student is identified as a close contact to a positive case and is quarantined, the school nurse will reach out to you near the end of the quarantine to ensure that your student has remained symptom free since their contact with a covid positive individual. Any symptoms or positive covid tests would need to be reported by guardians, as this could mean that your student could possibly still be contagious. Their adjusted quarantine time would then be calculated.
We certainly appreciate your understanding as we continue to navigate through these situations and any updated guidance. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child’s school for more information and/or clarification.
What does my child need in order to return to school after they have displayed any Covid-19 symptoms?
Per page two of the Decision Tree, IDPH allows for a few factors to be taken into consideration when assessing a student displaying any COVID-19 symptoms (Fever of 100.4 or higher, new onset of moderate to severe headache, shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, new loss of sense of taste or smell, fatigue from unknown cause, muscle or body aches from unknown cause). Symptomatic students are assessed on a case by case basis with these factors, along with any pre-existing condition or diagnosis a student may have being carefully considered. If a child is excluded after this process, they have three options to be cleared for return to school after their symptoms have resolved: a negative COVID-19 PCR test, a letter from their healthcare provider listing an alternative diagnosis, or to remain home for ten days from the date of symptom onset.
Illinois State Board of Education Special Education Parent Survey
Does your child have an IEP? You may have received the 2021 Special Education Parent Survey in the mail from the Illinois State Board of Education in March asking for feedback about your experiences with our Special Education teams in District 34. We encourage you to complete the survey and return the completed survey to ISBE. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your child’s case manager or school administrator.
ELC Story Walk
Dates to Remember
May 5th Material Pick-up: All remote only students
May 27th: Last day of school
Play is Learning
Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center
Email: mbarkley@antioch34.com
Website: https://www.antioch34.com/MKMELC
Location: 817 Main Street, Antioch, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 838-8901