November 13, 2020

In this issue.…

• Full Remote Starts Monday

• SIP Day / Fall Break

• COVID-19 Screening Information Session

• PRAT Update

• Covid Dashboard

• Veterans Day

• Seal of Biliteracy

• Opt in for Text Messages

• Get the D41 App

Starting on Monday, November 16, all District 41 students and staff will move to the full remote model. The District is at the point where we are not able to cover classes across the school district due to staff being out for sickness, quarantine or testing positive. The community transmission and the need for both students and staff to be on quarantine continues to increase. We have seen an increase in the number of positive cases identified in our students and staff as well as in the numbers of students and staff on quarantine.

Full Remote Starts on Monday, November 16

• All students will keep their current teachers

• Students currently on quarantine will be assigned back to the original teacher on 11/16

• Teachers will let in-person students know how to connect online starting Monday.

• No disruption to the school calendar

If you have any questions, please reach out to your school principal.

Although District 41 will be fully remote starting on Monday, November 16, the school calendar will not change.

Friday, November 20 is a scheduled SIP Day in District 41. There is no Pre-K, Early Childhood or Kindergarten student attendance on this SIP Day. Students in grades 1-8 who attend the AM session will NOT attend school on November 20th. Students in grades 1-8 who are in the PM session WILL have school from 1:00-3:30.

Then District 41 schools will be closed for Fall Break beginning Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27. Click for the official school calendar HERE

At the Board of Education meeting earlier this week, the Board approved an agreement with SafeGuard Surveillance,LLC for a voluntary COVID-19 saliva-based surveillance screening program for in person students and staff in District 41. The District will present a virtual information session on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 at 6:30 P.M. During the session, detailed information about the screening process as well as the process for giving consent will be provided.

Click here for more information and a link to the information session.

The District 41 Pandemic Response Advisory Team (PRAT) provides weekly updates to the District 41 community.

Please Stay Safe D41: Wear a mask, watch your distance, avoid crowds, wash your hands, get your flu shot, and stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone else who has COVID-19.

Metrics Summary - Week 44 (10/25-10/31)

Notable data from this week:

• Region 8 (DuPage and Kane Counties) will be moved to Tier 2 mitigation 11/11 (does not affect schools)
• Beginning 11/6 IDPH began including “probable cases” in their totals. A probable case meets clinical criteria and is epidemiologically linked, or has a positive antigen test.

For more detailed information, please view this week's PRAT full State of the Metrics Report

Important Covid-Related Resources:

• Holiday Season Safety Tips from IDPH

• IDPH DuPage County COVID-19 Drive-Thru Mobile Testing Sites

• IDPH Small Social Gatherings Safety Tips:

• Free Influenza vaccine voucher program for low income and uninsured DuPage County residents

• Community Face Mask Project by the DuPage Health Coalition for those who want to donate or are in need of masks

District 41 has created a dashboard as a way for the public to monitor both the number of positive covid cases reported for both students and staff as well as the number of people quarantined in the district due to a close contact with someone has tested positive. The dashboard will be updated every Friday at the end of the day. CLICK HERE for the covid dashboard.

Wednesday, November 11, was Veterans Day. The proud District 41 tradition of Veterans Day school assemblies couldn't happen this year, but please click the links below to check out some of the presentations our students and staff have put together to honor veterans on this special day. Across the district, teachers and students also discussed Veterans Day and shared their stories.

• Abraham Lincoln School
• Ben Franklin School
• Churchill School
• Hadley Junior High

District 41 recognizes the multiple benefits of learning a new language. As a result, all District 41 students are language learners. Multilingual students are learning English; FLES students are learning Spanish, Dual Language students are learning English and Spanish, and at Hadley, students are learning, English, Spanish, or French. Because of District 41’s language learning opportunities, many students will qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy in high school. A Seal of Biliteracy is a verification of high levels of English and another language. Students who earn a Seal are able to provide official evidence of their language abilities to potential employers. Also, many universities now offer 12 FREE language course credits for students who have earned the Seal. For more information about the Seal of Biliteracy, please review this communication, which contains links to websites and a video with more detailed information.

District 41 will use text messaging to share timely information and emergency communications. You can now opt in to receive these important text messages from District 41. Text Y or Yes to 67587.

CLIC PARA ESPANOL

Stay connected with District 41 by downloading our app! Download the app on Android or iPhone. Make sure to enable the notifications feature to receive the most up to date information.