The Wonderful World of Woodbury
October 2020
Seeing Our Students Has Rejuvenated Our Souls!
Week 5! Cooler weather, then warmer weather...fall is here! First, let me begin by saying I am so proud of our students and families. We have endured so much in this first month! I appreciate the positive and reassuring feedback and encouragement our staff has received. Right now is the time to celebrate the victories regardless of how big or small. I hear that many families, despite challenges, are finding their groove with things. I appreciate you hanging in there with us and your support means so very much. We love hearing how things are going in addition to feedback for improvement. It is how we are growing and getting better as we reflect and collaborate through this new practice. If you experience difficulty please reach out to your child's teacher and share your feedback. We remain solution minded and have found many ways to be flexible as you navigate the tricky piece of learning from home.
As we head into October, we are monitoring remote learning and attendance more closely. We wanted to give time to get acclimated and, while we will remain flexible as mentioned above, we are also obligated to report when students are not attending school, even on remote days. We know that forgetting to check in for attendance may happen once in a while or that you may have a situation where child care means work completion may happen at a different or delayed time. That is ALL OKAY. We are not looking to penalize our families, but rather support you through these times. If your child is on a remote day and is ill and will not be able to participate, please report the absence to our office so that we are able to notify the teacher of the absence. However, when we see that students are not checking in or logging into their Chromebook to complete learning activities on a regular basis, there becomes a growing concern.
Throughout the month of October we will be focusing on the first of our 8 Keys of Excellence. This month our key will be: Speak with Good Purpose. As adults, the world right now is filled with a great deal of conflict and dissent. It can feel overwhelming and stressful. Speaking with good purpose is about always considering the intention of our words. You can read more about this first key below by clicking on the picture. We want our students to understand that what we say to others—and to ourselves—can have a significant impact.
Last, Halloween is right around the corner and we are hoping to plan for ways to enjoy the holiday with our students in a way that fits with these times and circumstances. Please watch for information from your child's teacher.
Wishing you all a joyful and cozy month ahead!
Mrs. Kern
October 8 Keys of Excellence
Student Handbook
Free and Reduce Lunch
- The carryover period for students who were receiving free/reduced lunch for the 2019-2020 school year will be until October 2, 2020. If you haven't turned in a new 2020-2021 application or received notification for approval for this school year, please re-apply! Per federal/USDA guidelines, applications for free/reduced meal service must be completed on a yearly basis. Currently, the "Free Meals for Kids Program" will run through December 31st, 2020. However, if/when the "Free Meals for Kids Program" expires, students will need to have had a completed free/reduced application in order to receive free/reduced meals when returning from winter break.
- Free/reduced lunch applications for the 2020-2021 school year are available in the office of each school or on the Sandwich School District website at https://www.sandwich430.org/parents/forms.If you have any questions contact 815-786-2187
- In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, and Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
News from the Nurse
Self-Certification
Thank you to all our families for a great start with the new daily self-certification process. Please continue to discuss with your child how they are feeling before sending them to school. If you need additional copies of the student certification forms please let your student(s) teacher know. We will send additional copies home with your student. Copies are also available in a plastic tub on the benches in front of the school.
Newest Guidance from IDPH
Sandwich CUSD #430 is following the most recent guidance from the IDPH when deciding if a student needs to be sent home from school. Students will be sent home or denied entry to school if ANY of the following symptoms are present: Fever (100.4°F or higher), new onset of moderate to severe headache, shortness of breath, new cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain from unknown cause, new congestion/runny nose, new loss of sense of taste or smell, nausea, fatigue from unknown cause, muscle or body aches. Per the IDPH, medical evaluation and testing are strongly recommended for all persons with COVID-like symptoms. Any siblings or family members of the symptomatic student that attend/work at a Sandwich school will also need to be sent home as noted in the guidance tree.
Health Plans
Health plans for certain medical conditions (ex: asthma, diabetes, seizures, food allergies, etc.) need to be updated every school year. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school nurse. REMINDER: Students who require an inhaler at school should also have a spacer/chamber available to be used with the inhaler.
Eye Exam
All Kindergarteners and any student attending school in Illinois for the first time are required to submit a State of Illinois Eye Exam or Waiver by October 15, 2020.
Flu Vaccine
Flu season is around the corner! Protect yourself and your family this season with an annual flu vaccine for everyone who is 6 months and older. Seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and last as late as May. Visit www.flu.gov for more information.
Woodbury Elementary School
Email: jkern@sandwich430.org
Website: https://ww.sandwich430.org/
Location: 322 E 3rd St, Sandwich, Illinois, USA
Phone: 815-786-6316
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwwoodburyschool/
Twitter: @Woodbury430