Mustang Minute
August 7, 2020
**First Day of School CHANGED to Monday, August 24**
**Millburn will start the year REMOTELY**
"Mistakes are proof that you are trying."
Topics
- Return Plans Update (NEW)
- School Supplies (NEW)
- iPad Distribution (NEW)
- Face Masks
- Yearbook
- EPIC News (Updated)
- Virtual Backpack
Return Plans Update
First, we revised our schedule for this year so that our in-person. This revision will allow students that are both remote and in-person to follow the same schedule. Core instruction will be provided for 4 hours. Then roughly an hour of remote/independent learning will take place. Lunch will be eaten at home and Specials class would be done remotely. Here is how it breaks down:
K-2nd
- Start Time- 8:00AM
- End Time- 12:00PM
8:00-12:00 (Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies)
12:00 Dismissal for In-Person
1:00-1:45- Remote Learning (Interventions, Specials, etc)
3rd-5th
- Start Time- 8:30AM
- End Time- 12:30PM
8:30-12:30 (Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies)
12:30 Dismissal for In-Person
1:00-1:45- Remote Learning (Interventions, Specials, etc)
We also started to redo class placements for students due to the added sections at each grade level. About 9 staff members from other programs in the building have been assigned to grade levels to help with class sizes. We are in the process of getting them ready and prepared for their new venture at their respected grade levels. We expect Powerschool to go live for parents to view class placements by the week of August 17th.
Finally, a decision was made to start all students remotely. We still intend to bring students in for in-person learning, but we need to take a "phase in" approach. Below is a transcript of Dr. Lind's email from earlier this week.
Important Changes to the Start of the School Year
Dear Millburn Community,
Thank you all for your continued support and input as we move toward the beginning of our school year. We are truly grateful that our community has been so supportive and engaged throughout this process.
It is with regret that we must announce that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we will be beginning the school year with remote learning on August 24th for ALL students. I am recommending to the Board of Education that we slow our in-person return by several weeks. All students would begin learning in a remote environment on August 24th. We will continue to develop our plans for the possibility that in-person learning for some groups of students may begin as early as the week of September 8th. This decision will only impact our families who chose in-person learning.
In-person instruction is the most desired learning environment for children. COVID-19 has forced schools across the world to shut down depending on the level of infection in their communities. Since our district released our Return to Learn Plan and the community chose between remote and in-person learning, several developments have made it impossible for us to guarantee the safest environment possible for our students and staff for in-person learning by the beginning of the school year.
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The Illinois State Board of Education has placed new requirements on schools that would be difficult for us to put in place by the beginning of the school year.
The safety guidelines and protocols from the Centers for Disease Control, Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education and other organizations have continued to change as we have developed our plans. For example:
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A 6ft distancing requirement from students has been changed from “as much as possible”, to “a hard 6ft” distancing between students.
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Changing to the “one symptom” protocol with no exceptions from a more flexible evaluation by the nursing staff. LINK
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Determining that when one student enters the classroom with any COVID symptom the students in the classroom must be moved to another classroom and the classroom must be sanitized after waiting 24 hours.
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We have been reviewing the metrics in Lake County regarding the positivity rate and the new cases per 100,000. Both of these metrics have been on the rise.
With additional challenges being placed before schools and lack of guidance and clarity on safety measures, I am recommending to the Board of Education that we slow our in-person return by several weeks. All students would begin learning in a remote environment on August 24th. We will keep working on implementing the new safety requirements and will review the status of the COVID-19 spread and positivity rate. When we have better clarity of our safety targets, and greater confidence in our ability to provide the safest environment possible for our students and staff, in-person school could begin for some groups of students as early as the week of September 8th. If new restrictions arise or if the metrics are not showing the spread of COVID-19 is under control, we will set another date to review the status of in-person learning.
I will present a detailed explanation of the metrics, challenges, and progress we are making toward starting school at the August 10th Board of Education meeting at 7:00 p.m. In the meantime, I will host additional Zoom meetings that can be joined through the following link COVID CONVERSATIONS. I will also host an outdoor meeting on Saturday, August 8th at 10:00 AM -12:00 PM at MES near the activity entrance on the north side of the building. Details can be found here: Outdoor Meeting Space 8_8_2020.pdf .
We have no doubt that our entire Millburn community will work together to create the best learning environment we can for our children. It will take all of our efforts to have a successful year. We will be working diligently to bring our students back to in-person learning as soon as is safely possible. In the meantime, please know that you can reach out at any time to ask questions or share your concerns.
Keep in touch,
Dr. Lind
School Supplies
iPad Distribution
Face Masks
There are many companies that are selling masks, but which one is right for you? It really is like choosing a pair of shoes. You want them to be comfortable and still serve the purpose. The CDC recommends face make following these guidelines:
- Face masks should fit snugly and comfortably
- They must be secured with ties or ear loops
- They should comprise multiple fabric layers
- You should be able to breathe without restriction while wearing the face mask
- You should be able to wash the face masks without causing damage or losing the face mask’s shape
We do suggest families start looking for options for their child and to have them get use to wearing it for longer periods of time. Try wearing the mask around the house in relaxed environments: watching TV, playing a family game, etc.
EPIC News
Spirit Wear: Online sale through August 8th. Shop for short and long sleeve shirts, sweat shirts, zip ups, caps and MASKS (child and adult sizes available). See the flyer in the virtual backpack for details. We will contact you via email about pick up times. Order now to get this year’s spirit wear!
Order at: https://millburn2020.itemorder.com/
Sizing information: https://www.foundersport.com/assets/1/6/1930-Spec.pdf
Questions contact: spiritwear@millburnEPIC.com
**Please note: Due to the current situation we are not anticipating having any inventory on hand.
Box Tops: Don’t forget about your Box Tops! If you would like to submit any Box Tops that you have, please email us at: boxtoplabels@millburnepic.com. We will be happy to pick them up from your porch or mailbox. Any Box Tops submitted over the summer will be saved for the 2020-2021 school year and your child will get credit for their new classroom. Don’t forget to scan your grocery receipt to earn digital Box Tops for Millburn!
Jimano’s $$: Are you ordering dinner from Jimano’s? Look on your pizza box for the ‘Piece of Education’ logo and save that tab - Jimano’s will donate back to Millburn for each one of those saved! Turn these into the school with your Box Tops. Have a lot and want to give them now? Contact us at
Coca-Cola Give: Coca-Cola Give is a new destination for donating to your school. Each bottle of Coca-Cola products has a code on the inside of the bottle cap. (Not just soda – Dasani water, Powerade, Honest, etc).
2 Ways to give us the codes:
Enter the codes online
https://us.coca-cola.com/give/ Click Donate to your Local School. Enter Millburn Middle School or Millburn Elementary School (please make sure it is for the Illinois school NOT the New Jersey one). Join or sign in when you have an account.
Or
Send us the caps: contact us at boxtoplabels@millburnepic.com. We will sent up a pick up time and we will do the work for you.
Board Elections: We are going holding elections in the fall. Open positions will be: Vice President, Secretary, Community Fundraising Director, MMS Activity Director and MES Activity Director. If you are interested in a position and would like to reach out to us please contact us at president@millburnEPIC.com.
Amazon Smile: Do you use Amazon? Consider making your orders through Amazon Smile –Millburn EPIC will get a percentage of every order done in our name. See the virtual backpack for the easy instructions.
For more information visit our website at www.millburnEPIC.com
Questions or concerns contact us at millburnepic@gmail.com
Virtual Backpack
Mrs. Kari Gedville
Email: kgedville@millburn24.net
Phone: 847-245-4910
Twitter: @KariGedville