Marseilles Elementary Newsletter
February 8, 2022
Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, February 8th- Early Dismissal @ 2:25pm
- Tuesday, February 8th- Midterms sent home
- Thursday, February 10th - Winter Athletic/Band/Club Pictures
Thursday, February 10th- Wrestling at Seneca with Herscher @ 4:30
Thursday, February 10th- 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade Volleyball @ Marquette - 5:00pm
Friday, February 11th - 6th Grade Volleyball at Peru Parkside Tournament 6:15pm
- Saturday, February 12th- Wrestling at Peotone Quad w/ Manhattan @9:00am
- Saturday, February 12th- 6th Grade Volleyball at Peru Parkside Tournament TBA
- Monday, February 14-23rd- STAR360 Testing Spring Benchmark Window
- Monday, February 14th- Valentine's Parties (K-5)
- Monday, February 14th- 7th & 8th Grade Volleyball VGSC Conference Tournament at Marquette TBA
- Tuesday, February 15th- Early Dismissal @ 2:25pm
- Tuesday, February 15th- Wrestling at Dee-Mack with Eureka @ 5:00pm
- Tuesday, February 15th- 7th & 8th Grade Volleyball VGSC Conference Tournament at Marquette TBA
- Wednesday, February 16th- 7th & 8th Grade Volleyball VGSC Conference Tournament at Marquette TBA
- Thursday, February 17th- 7th & 8th Grade Volleyball VGSC Conference Tournament at Marquette TBA
- Thursday, February 17th- Wrestling vs. El Paso-Gridley with Princeton Logan @5:00pm
- Friday, February 18th- 11:30am Dismissal School Improvement Day
- Saturday, February 19th- 7th & 8th Grade Volleyball VGSC Conference Shoot-out @ MES
Notes from the Office
Valentine's Day is Monday, February 14th. Classes may be having parties. Unfortunately, we will still not be having room parents in classes. Please note, you are welcome to send in valentine's with your child, but because we are a food free building, candy/treats can not accompany the valentine. Thank you for understanding.
As a reminder, parents/guardians should sign student(s) into the building when you arrive after the start of the school day. One of our secretaries will get your student a pass to class. Also, please make sure you are communicating any transportation changes with the school by 12pm of that day. This allows us a chance to make sure staff are notified.
The snow and cold temperatures are here! Please make sure students are prepared to go outside as we will be outside when the feel like temperature (the temperature with the wind chill) is 10 degrees or higher. Coats, hats and gloves/mittens are recommended with the cold weather. If your child is in need of a coat, please communicate with the school. We will make sure your child has a winter coat.
If your child has received his/her vaccination, please make sure the school has a copy of the card. We use this information for contact tracing as it changes the process for exclusion and/or test to stay.
COVID Mitigations Input Survey
Dental Clinic is Coming to MES!
In addition to the form going home, it is also linked to the school website.
E-Learning Remote Learning Plan
Should we ever need to utilize another e-learning day, please be sure to review the e-learning plan. We will try to make sure devices go home the day prior when we know a winter storm is coming. Click on the link to see the entire plan, or images are also included below (when you click on them, they do show larger).
In the event of an e-learning day, please contact Terrie in the kitchen via email if you are in need of meals tspicer@mes150.org or send a message on our text-for-help line at 815.277.1848.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15vwhitqueE4cEfScpx73p-o39kn8DjdHxPQA9CEQV80/edit?usp=sharing
Important Information Regarding COVID, Lunch, Test to Stay and Extracurricular Activities
COVID AND MASKING
Even though guidance has changed and is allowing positive and close contacts to return after 5 days, please make sure masks are being worn appropriately (covering nose and under the chin). IDPH/ISBE has stressed that it is essential for everyone to properly wear their masks-- especially those returning from quarantine. Students not properly wearing their masks during the 10-day period could face being sent home to remote learning, with a return to school on day 11. We are asking parents to help reinforce the importance of wearing masks over the nose and under the chin.
LUNCH
Students returning to school from quarantine but under 10 days from isolation will be required to eat lunch in an alternate location in order to socially distance at least 6 feet from others. They will return to their regular lunch spot on Day 11. While in an alternate location, as soon as they finish eating, they will be able to go back into the lunchroom, fully masked, and sit with their peers until it is time to go to recess. We know this is not ideal, but are looking to keep students appropriately distanced while masks are removed for the safety of others.
TEST TO STAY
MES does offer Test to Stay for exposures in the school setting, pending the identified close contact is wearing his/her mask appropriately. Close contacts will now test two times- when they are identified as a close contact and between days 5 and 7. Per guidance, we will no longer allow students who are identified as a close contact during extracurriculars to test to stay. Please see additional information in the extracurricular activities information below.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Moving forward, any student athlete identified as a close contact during his/her extracurricular activity will not be eligible for Test-to-Stay and will need to be excluded from school for 5 days. After those 5 days, testing is recommended, but not required. If a student is exposed at school and participates in an extracurricular, they will be allowed to test. These students will be able to practice, but will not be eligible to compete for at least 5 days from date of exposure. After the 5 days, all close contacts will resume practice as well as competition, pending no symptoms.
We have received many questions as it relates to athletics with recent changes. Please note the images below with guidance from IDPH and our local health department regarding Test to Stay Procedures. Here is the link to the entire document: https://dph.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idph/covid19/guidance/school/School%20Guidance%20Rapid%20POC%20Testing%20Update_20220112.pdf
If there are any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Donahue, Superintendent, at bdonahue@mes150.org, Ms. Dvorak, Principal, at cdvorak@mes150.org, Mrs. Mason, Nurse, at kmason@mes150.org or Mrs. Miskell, Health Aide, at cmiskell@mes150.org. You can always call the office at 815-795-2428 to speak to any of us.
Test To Stay Consent Form Now Electronic!
Please click on the link below to complete the form. If you have already returned a signed copy, we do have it on file, but you are welcome to still complete the form.
5 Essentials Survey is Open-- Please Give Us Your Feedback!
Parents- we need your input on the 5Essentials Survey! This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. Please take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey!
To take the survey please visit Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
Select “Start Here”
County: La Salle (a space is needed between La and Salle)
School: Marseilles Elementary
On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
· Effective Leaders
· Collaborative Teachers
· Involved Families
· Supportive Environments
· Ambitious Instruction
All teachers and 4th through 12th grade students will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in May and will also be included in the State School Report Card.
Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey for parents, students and teachers will be conducted January 11, 2022 and closes March 11, 2022.YMCA Still Has Space for Students After School at MES!
Times: Monday-Friday After School-5:30pm
Where Held at: Marseilles Elementary School (library)
Snacks will be provided
Registration Fees: $35 per child
Weekly and Daily rates will apply
Weekly attendance must be done the Friday before attending
For more information out scholarships or the program in general, please reach out to Guylene Strange @ the YMCA 815-433-2395 or guylenestrange@ottawaymca.org.
Lunch Menu for Next Week- Please note changes below!
COVID Informational Letters
COVID Updates
In order to keep our students and staff safe, we plan to align our protocols and procedures with the most recent guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, who developed their guidance with the CDC and IDPH.
If your child or anyone in the home is experiencing any COVID-like symptoms, please keep your child (and any siblings) home until you speak with our nurse. If any student(s) are in quarantine and would still like lunches and breakfasts, please email Terrie Spicer by 9:30am at tspicer@mes150.org.
Please call the attendance line to report the absence at 815-795-8795.
Symptoms include:
- Fever (100.4°F or higher),
- New onset of moderate to severe headache
- Shortness of breath
- New cough
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Body Aches
- Fatigue
- Loss of Taste and/or Smell
- Runny Nose or Stuffy Nose
Please see the information below regarding testing locations for COVID. The document indicates where to test if you are symptomatic, asymptomatic or if you need to test for any other reasons. The document can also be found on the district website. If you are having any issues with testing, please reach out to the office at MES.
The CDC has updated guidance regarding COVID at school to align more with the general public as it relates to isolation and quarantine. Please see the flowchart below:
Marseilles Elementary School
Attendance line: 815-795-8795. Please indicate names of students and why they are out.
Main office: 815-795-2428
Email addresses (with link) can be found on the district website.
Please make sure you visit the MES website (https://mes150.org) for the most up-to-date information. Newsletters will be sent to you through TeacherEase as well as posted on the website. If you have not yet liked our Facebook page, check it out- Marseilles Elementary School District #150. Information is shared here as well as communicated through Class Dojo.
Email: cdvorak@mes150.org
Website: https://mes150.org
Location: 201 Chicago Street, Marseilles, IL, USA
Phone: 815-795-2428