We have an extended weekend thanks to the MLK holiday. I selected a quote from one of the many memorable quotes he is known for as he led the struggle for equal rights for all during his life. The quote certainly applies during this period of time in our country.

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

—"I Have A Dream" speech, Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963

For many of us, the pandemic continues to be a big stressor at home. We are certainly doing our best to ensure we have the safest protocols and environment possible to minimize risk and exposure for students and staff. It was wonderful to see a few of the preschool students who chose to come back to school this week. We had not seen students in the school since last March so it brought a smile to those of us who have been working in the school at this time. Obviously, it’s not the same having a handful of students return to school compared to the anticipated 150 plus students returning in a few weeks.

Monday, January 18, 2021:

• No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Share homeroom assignments and in-person instruction days with families (via student emails no later than January 19th)

Monday, January 25, 2021:

• K-8 Staff Return to work in preparation for February 1st return date for students

Friday, January 29, 2021:

• K-8 teachers share with families: an introductory letter, overview of student daily schedules, and communication plan for in-person and remote students
  

February 1, 2021: Current Return Date for K-8 Hybrid Students

Please note that January 25th through the 29th will have shortened remote learning hours. This was put in place by CPS to facilitate staff planning for students returning on February 1st.

Stay Well,

Principal Gutierrez

Counselor's Corner

Henry Attendance Update

PAC Meeting Thursday, January 21, 2021

Henry Hawk Weekly Update Video

Family Remote Learning Support

35th Ward Information

Hello Henry Families,

Last week was a challenging time for ourselves and many of our students. I’m sure seeing the events and violence in our nation’s capital was very hard and confusing for many students. Also, even if you child is talking to you about what happened, especially our older students, chances are they have seen at least something about it. While it is important to talk to our students about these events, it can be very difficult as well. Here are some tips for how to have these conversations:

· Regardless of your child’s age, it is important to reassure them that they are healthy, safe and loved. If you’re stumped for a response, repeat these phrases.

· Depending on the situation, kids may not need all of the specifics. Answer questions or address concerns that pertain to the child directly.

· Remember, your children rely on you, but you do not rely on them. Find another adult, a friend or a support group to help you process difficult emotions.

· There’s no perfect way or perfect time to have the conversation. It is important to just start the dialogue.

Here is an article to read that discusses how to have these difficult conversations broken into different age groups:

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-difficult-subjects#:~:text=Ask%20your%20kids%20what%20they,discuss%20%2D%2D%20even%20for%20adults.

As a reminder, I want to make sure this information is meeting your needs, so please complete this survey as soon as you can:

https://forms.gle/prcQxhWfVn8Kojqi6

If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. The best way to reach me is by email: mgarfinkel@cps.edu

Have a great weekend,

Mrs. Garfinkel

Henry School Overall Attendance: 94.03%. (Goal is to be above 95%)

Attendance by Grades as of 1/17/20

Kindergarten: 92.09%

1st Grade: 93.37%

2nd Grade: 93.86%

3rd Grade: 95.59%

5th Grade: 91.30%

6th Grade: 96.01%

7th Grade: 93.82%

8th Grade: 92.86%

Congratulations to our 4th Grade Students who have the highest attendance percentage to date!

Attendance for the Week 17: Overall 93.81%

Kindergarten: 94.89%

1st Grade: 92.44%

2nd Grade: 93.04%

3rd Grade: 95.85%

4th Grade: 96.51%

5th Grade: 91.84%

6th Grade: 94.55%

7th Grade: 94.12%

8th Grade: 90.00%

Congratulations to our 4th Grade Students who have the highest attendance percentage for week 17!

Please remember to be online everyday during Remote Learning.

Every year, each Alderman receives $1.3 million for ward infrastructure improvements. This is the sole source of funding made available to Aldermen to repave streets, resurface alleys, and make critically needed infrastructure improvements.

In the 35th Ward, Alderman Ramirez-Rosa empowers residents to decide how to spend $1 million in improving their neighborhood – whether it be fixing specific curbs, resurfacing certain streets, or installing bike lanes – through participatory budgeting (PB).

Voting for our 2021 infrastructure projects starts this Monday, January 11th and will go through February 5th! In order to vote, you must be at least 14 years old and a resident of the 35th Ward. You can register to vote online for PB at our PB 2021 Voter Registration form. Once your age and address have been verified, you will receive a code and link to cast your ballot. Please do not share your code with anyone else; your code is unique and may be used only once. A sample ballot can be found here.

We encourage you to vote online to limit in-person interactions, however in-person voting will be made available to residents on Friday, January 22 from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM and Friday, January 29, 2021, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at the 35th Ward Office or by appointment only.

This year residents will be able to choose how they would like to allocate $1 million in public funding by selecting funding amounts for four categories developed by our PB Committee. Categories are: alley resurfacing, street resurfacing, sidewalk repairs, and special projects near some of our schools. The budget will have a maximum value of $1 million that can be allocated across all selected categories. Categories include projects across all five neighborhoods in our 35th Ward – Hermosa, Logan Square, Avondale, Irving Park, and Albany Park.

Winners will be announced in mid-February after the votes have been tallied. Implementation of projects will occur in the Spring and Summer of 2021.

Thank you to our 2020 PB Committee members for helping to put together our ballot and working with us to gather and investigate ideas submitted to our office!

In conjunction with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Irving Park Food Pantry is now using a different registration system for clients. Link2Feed requires additional demographic information about people in the household. The enrollment forms are networked throughout the GCFD’s pantries, so clients need to enroll only once no matter which pantry they first visit. All clients will have to provide this information prior to receiving food during their next visit. To make receiving food quicker and easier, clients can go online to the GCFD enrollment page to register in advance: https://gcfd.link2feed.com/

Join 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and 33rd Ward Alderman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez alongside the Illinois Department of Public Health and Heartland Health Centers for FREE COVID-19 testing, FREE HIV Testing, and FREE opioid overdose prevention training and kits. Stay tuned for more information soon!