Waterbury Roar
Volume 1, Issue 29, March 26th, 2021
A Roar from our Principal, Dr. Jon Pokora
Waterbury Community,
We look forward to welcoming back to in-person full day learning almost all of our students on Monday, April 5!!
For our students who received an approval for their Medical Exemption, please be looking for communication from the classroom teacher as to what the day will look like. Your child will be taught concurrently (at the same time) as the students in the room. This is a return to full day instruction, so the instructional day begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 3:20 PM. On Wednesdays the instructional day begins at 8:30 AM, but ends at 2:30 PM. For more guidance, the classroom teacher should reach out and explain the day as each grade level will have nuances to their day.
All students must complete a Health Certification Card daily. Current in-person students should have brought a card home today. Parents of “new” in-person students and remote students, you should receive in the mail the weekly Self-Certification card. The self-certification card asks three questions:
The self-certification card asks three questions:
- Does your child have any illness symptoms? There are many symptoms listed, please consult with our school nurse, Lisa Montiel, to differentiate between, for example, seasonal allergies and possible COVID symptoms.
- Has anyone in the home been exposed to COVID?
- Has anyone in the home traveled in the last 14 days?
It is critical that you answer these honestly and daily. While the guidance for safely coming back to schools, founded on researched studies, has said that students may sit as close as 3 feet to the next child, the guidance for an exposure remains 6 feet. If your child does have any symptoms, please consult with Lisa Montiel or your child’s pediatric doctor. A child must remain home for 3 days or produce a doctor’s note before coming back to school.
The other biggest component of a parent/guardian’s day is drop off and pick up. Protocols are explained in the videos posted on our Return to Learn webpage, please adhere to the following:
Beyond the Return to Learn video that is posted on our website, please adhere to the following:
- Switch any child’s car seat so that they may exit directly onto the sidewalk. Please make sure your child can successfully put on their seat belt and take them off.
- The island remains a drop off/pick up space for all 3-5th grade students. Please do not park on the island.
- The opposite parking spaces will be allocated back to staff members. This was done to avoid parents pulling into traffic.
- Parking is limited to the immediate spaces by the dumpster. This is on a First Come, First Serve basis.
- If you are on the school grounds, please mask up. We will ask you to wear a mask or if unable, to return to your car. You may remain off the grounds as well.
- You may walk with your child to school. Please have a mask, if you choose to accompany your child up toward the building.
- Please leave your dogs or pets at home. There are no dogs or pets allowed on the grounds while children are present.
- Each grade has an entry door. We will begin entry into each classroom at 8:20 AM. Please stay beyond any Wildcat paws.
- No parents are allowed near the doors.
- Each child will access the assigned door by accessing the nearest Wildcat Paw. The Wildcat Paws are 6 feet apart. Parents/guardians, please stay beyond any Wildcat paws.
Thanks and have a great Spring Break.
Dr. Jon Pokora
5Essentials Survey
- Just a reminder to share your feedback on the annual Parent/Guardian 5Essential Survey to help make improvements to your school. The survey is open until April 2.
New information
Ms. Stalzer's GOOD NEWS!
There are a lot of emails coming your way before we return from break, so make sure you are checking those. Have a wonderful break everyone!
Social work
Click on Ms. Rasinski's bitmoji to take you to SEL Read alouds for elementary age students
If you need assistance from Ms. Rasinski, please reach out to her via email at jrasinski@esd20.org
Lunches from Home
As we are approaching the return to full day in-person learning, please help your child be able to open the items in their lunchbox. The more they can open independently, the less other people will need to touch their lunch items.
Youth Art Month
The Council for Art Education encourages support for school art programs and administers the Youth Art Month in March annually. The national theme this year is "Art Connects Us" which is especially relevant for us all during the pandemic. Art in school helps with problem solving skills, creativity, observation and communication. Plus it's fun!
ESD20 is recognizing Youth Art Month by celebrating artwork created by our students across the district. Throughout March, we will share masterpieces created by students in grades K-8 in the #esd20creates gallery and on social media.
Please help us to honor our talented students by using the hashtag #esd20creates and appreciating their work!
We are off and running with our Kids Heart Challenge!
Students are doing a great job with learning about their heart and different ways to keep our heart and body healthy!
Along with participating in the Kids Heart Challenge in P.E. class, there is an optional part of the program to collect donations for the American Heart Association and earn different prizes. The prizes include our Heart Hero keychains and other miscellaneous items that are related to our Kids Heart Challenge.
Again, collecting donations is completely optional. Donations can be cash or collected online. If students collect cash donations, they can use the Kids Heart Challenge form I sent home last week to collect the money and turn it in to me when they are done collecting. Students can also collect donations online through our special Waterbury homepage (http://www2.heart.org/goto/waterburyelementary)
All donations will be due by March 26th, the day before spring break. Please look at the attached flier that shows exactly how to sign-up online. If you have any questions at all, you can email me at mcolaianne@esd20.org.
Have a great day!
Mike Colaianne
Physical Education Teacher
Waterbury Elementary School
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Travel Reminder
District 20 will continue to follow CDC, IDPH, ISBE and DCHD recommendations for travelers. All students and staff that travel internationally will be required to quarantine at home for 7 days if they complete a COVID test that has a negative result prior to re-entry into the US. For those that chose not to test, quarantine must be completed for 10 days. This information can be found on CDC’s Travel Page
Medication and Health Forms
Please remember to turn in all applicable documents that pertain to your child’s health while in school. This includes asthma action plans, allergy plans, seizure plans and any other health related concerns that your student may have during their school day. Please bring medication and applicable forms to the school health office as soon as possible.
Policies and required forms can be found on the district website at: https://www.esd20.org/district/student-services/d20-health-services/district-health-forms
Water while in school
Please remember to have your student bring a clean bottle for water each day. Water fountains will be unavailable, but the dispenser to fill the bottles will be on. As an extra effort for our students’ health, have your student practice lifting his/her mask from the bottom up while drinking.
Thank you, have a wonderful break!
PTO Paw Print
Attention 5th Grade Parents! The SWMS Spirit Wear Spring 2021 sale is now active!
Springwood Middle School Spirit Wear is on sale!
https://springwoodms.itemorder.com/sale
The sale will be active from today 3/17 thru 4/11.
Upcoming Dine to Donate Nights!
The week after Spring Break we will have 2 Dine to Donate Nights!
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 11:00am-9:00pm Dine to Donate at Cofelo's Corner!
Friday, April 9, 2021 3:00-9:00pm Celebrate WATERBURY WILDCATS first week back in school with ICE CREAM TREATS!
FOR QUESTIONS Please contact Tonia Ventrella (847) 401-7347 Tventrella80@gmail.com
Lunch Program Info and Flyers
Free Meals will continue to be distributed daily to in-person students (elementary & middle school). Multi-day packs will no longer be given to in-person students, but families can get meal packs at Greenbrook for weekends and holidays. Remote Students can continue to pick-up breakfast and lunch at Greenbrook or Waterbury on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at schedule times. See the March Schedule & Menus, including special pick-up schedules for the upcoming remote learning day and spring break.
All In-Person Students will be provided with free meals when being dismissed from class each day. Please be sure to check your child's backpack as there may be food & drink that need to be refrigerated.
All Remote Students can pick-up meals from any of the D20 schools, during the assigned times below. This includes all students who are learning remotely during an adaptive pause. We will no longer have bus delivery of meals when hybrid/in-person is in session. Meals for multiple days will be given on each pick-up day, including to cover Saturday and Sunday (i.e., Monday pick-up for Monday + Tuesday, Wednesday pick-up for Wednesday + Thursday).
PICK-UP DAYS: MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS
GREENBROOK 7AM - 10:45AM & 11:30AM - 1PM
WATERBURY 7AM - 8AM
SPRING WOOD 7AM - 8AM
BULK MEAL PICK-UP:
If you are picking-up meals for more than 5 children at one time, we ask that you please complete the BULK MEAL SIGN-UP form before 2pm on the day before you will be picking up the meals, so that we can have your food ready for you on the date(s) and location you request.
Openings Available in the Childcare Program through the Roselle Park District
Tech help will be offered on a drop-thru basis.
Pull up to door 1
WB: 8:45 - 9:45
Shut Down your Chromebooks Properly Each Night
COOL COMMUNITY OFFERINGS
Circus Arts Dance Class
Literacy through the Arts ... Circus Arts Dance Class This co-ed class for ages 6-11 is a perfect interdisciplinary experience for any level dancer. Children will learn circus skills, such as tumbling, juggling, and clowning. Additionally, they will learn a dance featuring their newly acquired skills, perform as their own circus character, and create their own costume pieces for a big Circus performance at the end of the eight-week series. Please complete this form FOR EACH child you are registering.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpQSw1AP2ZbCWMIGm0tVl3dmGmDj6kuwvmzXY_DHzjqtOWaw/viewform
Clase de danza de artes circenses.. Esta clase es para niños de 6 a 11 años. Es una experiencia interdisciplinaria perfecta para bailarines de cualquier nivel. Los niños aprenderán habilidades circenses, como dar vueltas, hacer malabarismos y hacer payasadas. Además, aprenderán un baile con sus habilidades recién adquiridas, actuarán como su propio personaje de circo y crearán sus propias piezas de vestuario para una gran actuación de circo al final de la serie de ocho semanas.
Se inscribe aquí. Una inscripción para cada niño:.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd40rdg8BqGBiM0-35twsudCcOKyvsnR2eDVGqPfvHsB5F91w/viewform
Thank you very much and hope to see you cartwheel over to class!
Spring Break Camp
The Roselle Park District will be offering our Spring Break Camp from March 29-April 2! If you are looking for childcare during that week, this is a fun and entertaining option for the kids! We offer full day or half day options, as well as both AM and PM care options. Attached is the flyer with more information, but if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Missing anything? Please contact Mrs. Carone or Mrs. Cronin if you believe your student has misplaced an item.
Future Important Dates
March 26th, 2021: Last day to DROP OFF MEDICATIONS AND REQUIRED DOCUMATION TO THE SCHOOL HEALTH OFFICE
March 29th, 2021-April 3rd, 2021: No School-Spring Break
April 6th, 2021: Supply Pick Up 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
April 7, 2021: Dine to Donate Night! Cofelo's Corner in Roselle!
April 12, 2021: Dine to Donate Night! Dini's Ice Cream 3-9pm
April 22, 2021: Waterbury WOW Factor performance 6 pm
Check out the 2021-2022 School Year Calendar here!
Market Day is everyday. Be sure to place your order for home delivery here