The Dolphin Dive
March, 2021
Returning to In-Person Learning Survey
Dear Parents/Guardians of Virtual Pre-K & Elementary Students,
This week we shared a survey for returning to in-person learning. We ask that you please fill out this survey by the end of the day Friday, March 19, as we need as much time as possible to analyze the data and carefully examine if each grade-level classroom can safely distance between learners.
If you have already filled out the survey, thank you!
Dear Parents/Guardians of Virtual Pre-K & Elementary Students,
As I shared in my letter to you on March 11, 2021, IDPH and ISBE, in an effort to allow more students to return to in-person learning, have updated their guidance. As a result, we are reaching out to determine if you want your pre-k or elementary student to return to full time in-person learning during the remainder of the 2020-21 school year knowing that the distance between students will be no less than 3 feet.
We need to hear from each interested family so building principals and teachers can carefully examine if each grade-level classroom can safely distance all students wishing to return with a minimum of three feet of physical distance between learners. Upon review of the data, we will determine the extent to which we approve requests to return students to in-person learning.
You do NOT need to fill out this survey if your child is in Pre -K - 6th grade and already attends IN-PERSON learning.
As I hope you can imagine, this is no easy feat (pun intended). We are working diligently to welcome students back between Monday, April 12 - 19. We have carefully chosen this date as it allows for roughly two weeks following the second dose of vaccinations for many of our staff members.
Staffing Implications
As you know, we hired over 40 teachers to create Virtual Learning Classrooms for elementary students that wanted or needed to learn from home this year. If your child is presently an ALL virtual student (not streaming into a classroom for concurrent learning) there is a higher possibility that your child’s teacher (and therapist team) could change if you are requesting in-person learning for the remainder of the school year.
Therefore, we ask you to carefully weigh the pros and cons and keep in mind the possibility of change when making your decision.
Transportation Implications
Bus capacity maximums have not been increased based on revised guidance. Even with reduced bus capacity, we have had to quarantine a number of students due to being deemed close contacts on the bus, so keeping our bus capacities as low as possible truly matters.
Increasing the number of students that may need to be transported as a result of more families potentially wanting their child to return to in-person learning may cause us to have to look at doubling routes to and from school.
Therefore, as we did this fall, we again ask families who do not truly need transportation to please consider declining it. This will greatly reduce the risk of your child having to quarantine due to exposure.
Lunch Implications
Per the guidance, strict adherence to social distancing must be maintained when face masks
are removed in limited situations and monitored by school staff. We will ensure that 6 feet of distance is maintained when eating. Students will be assigned a spot to eat and supervised by staff. All areas will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between groups.
Again, we need to hear from each interested family so our building principals can carefully examine classroom capacity maximums. We are working hard to ensure each classroom can safely distance all students wishing to return with a minimum of three feet of physical distance between learners. Please fill out this survey to share your decision with us.
Sincerely,
Dr. Laurie Heinz
Superintendent
Important - Parent 5E Survey - We want and need to hear from you
This is a reminder to participate in the parent survey supplement, part of the Illinois 5Essentials Survey administration. We guarantee that the survey response will never be connected to the identity of you or your child. School reports will only present aggregated information of how parents and students responded as a whole. You may complete the 5 Essentials Survey until March 5.
This year, the 5 Essentials Survey asks parents to enter their email address to access the survey. This allows the 5 Essentials staff to send thank you notifications that provide a clear signal that the survey information was properly submitted. This lack of a clear notification had been a source of confusion during past administrations. Including an email address also allows the 5 Essentials team to better track participation and ensure that only unique submissions are counted. Please know that providing an email address is not required at this time.
A parent survey report will be generated if at least 20 percent of households completed the survey. Your participation in the parent survey will schools understand how parents view the conditions at your child’s school. Again, your identity and individual survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
Teachers and 4th through 8th graders in District 15 are also taking the 5Essentials Survey.
Please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/ to take the parent survey. to take the parent survey.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact 5Essentials Customer Support at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Daly
VL Principal
Calendar Dates
March 22 - March 26 SPRING BREAK - No School
Monday, March 29 - Schools Reopen
Friday, April 2 - No School - Student Nonattendance Day/Staff Nonattendance Day
Contact our Office!
Please call ahead or email with any questions. Thank you for your patience as we navigate our school office during COVID times.
Office Hours 8:00am - 4:15pm
Main Office: 847-963-7100
- Diane Crouch crouchd@ccsd15.net
- Rosie Fink finkr@ccsd15.net
- Bilingual Liasion: Gloria Perez: perezg@ccsd15.net
Administration
- Principal, Stephanie Daly: dalys@ccsd15.net - 847-963-7105
- Assistant Principal, Ali Friedman: friedmaa@ccsd15.net - 847-963-7104
- Assistant Principal, Jason Christ: christj@ccsd15.net 847-963- 7121
Virginia Lake Elementary School
Website: www.ccsd15.net/VL
Location: 925 North Glenn Drive, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-7100