The Royal Decree
February 2020 Newsletter
On the Docket for January
- National School Counseling Week Begins
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
- Parent's Club Meeting 7pm in the Royal Cafe
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
- PLC Dismissal 2:15pm
- Happy Birthday Mrs. Andrews
Thursday, February 6, 2020
- Happy Birthday Mrs. Weber
- Band and Orchestra Practice at DVMS 2:45pm-4pm
Friday, February 7, 2020
- Global School Play Day
- Progress Reports issued as needed
- STAR Parent Reports sent home
Monday, February 10, 2020
- COGAT Testing Begins for 2nd and 4th Grade
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
- DHS Cookies Sales $1.00
- Band and Orchestra Practice at DVMS 2:45pm-4pm
- 2nd and 3rd Grade Music Program 6:30pm
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
- 2:15pm PLC Dismissal
- DGS Night at Potbelly's
Thursday, February 13, 2020
- 5th Grade Bowling Field trip
Friday, February 14, 2020
- Teacher Institute NO SCHOOL
Monday, February 17, 2020
- No School
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
- 4th Grade Field Trip to the HULT Center
Wednesday February 19, 2020
- Board of Education Meeting DHS 6pm
Thursday, February 20, 2020
- Band and Orchestra Concert at DVMS 6:30pm
Sunday, February 22, 2020
- Royals in Candyland Carnival 3pm-7pm
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
- Kindergarten Registration (Information Listed Below)
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
- 2:15pm PLC Dismissal
Classroom Spelling Bee Finalists
School Spelling Bee Winner and Runner-Up
2nd and 4th Grade COGAT
Global School Play Day February 7, 2020
In 2015, a small group of six educators took action and created Global School Play Day because of their concern that adults and technology were encroaching on playtime for children. Schools are eliminating recess. Teachers were assigning more and more homework. Parents scheduled every waking minute for their kids. Young children with addicted to their devices.
The GSPD team was Inspired to take action by Dr. Peter Gray in his TEDx talk where he argues the case that today's kids do not grow up playing, which has led to an increase in childhood depression, stress related issues, and the highest suicide rates in history. On February 4, 2015, over 65,000 children participated in the first ever Global School Play Day after only four weeks of social media promotion from those six educators.
Last year, the fifth annual Global School Play Day for students continued to spread around the world. Over 285,000 young people from 51 nations were registered by their administrators or teachers to participate. Schools from around the world stood together to say, “Unstructured play is a vital part of proper child development!”
Global School Play Day is for public schools, private schools, and homeschool families! Many are helping to spread the word about the benefits of play. Why has this movement been so well-received? Because kids have started forgetting how to play and so many educators are seeing those negative impacts and want to turn things around!
Dunlap Grade will again participate this year. Stay tuned for information from your child's teacher on how their classroom will be observing this special day!
Valentine's Day Classroom Parties
Valentine's Parties this year will be teacher led and facilitated. Classrooms will be observing the day with kindness and friendship. Your child's teacher will communicate directly with the classroom their plans. We will not need parent volunteers on this day.
New Kindergarten Registration is Tuesday, February 25, 2020 3:30-5:30pm
Kindergarten & New Student Registration Requirements
For either Kindergarten or New Student Registration, you will need the following information:
- Original, certified copy of your child’s birth certificate (no photocopies will be accepted)
- Three Proofs of Residency
- A current Illinois physical, dental, and vision exam (by the first day of school)
- Students entering from out of state need a current Illinois physical and dental and vision exam
- Kindergarten students must be born on or before September 1st of 2015 to enroll in Kindergarten.
Kindergarten Registration: Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 3:30-5:30 @ home buildings
Returning and 1st-5th grade NEW Student Registration opens online on Thursday, March 12
Additional Information
Tardy Policies
Punctuality has always been an important trait to develop. All tardiesare considered unexcused unless a student is returning from a medical and/or dental appointment, or the child was ill. A student is considered tardy if they are not present by 7:39 a.m. Tardies are documented on student attendance records. Students are not marked tardy if district transportation is delayed.
Any student that arrives after 7:39 a.m. will be required to be escorted into the building and checked into the office by an adult. If you need to pick up your child early, you will need to come into the office to sign them out.
Winter Weather
Tis the season to prepare for winter weather. Please read this email that will detail information about winter dress and school closings.
Students should come to school prepared to go outside for recess. This would include a warm coat, hat, mittens, and scarf. We strongly urge you to write your name and phone number on all winter clothing so that it can be returned in the event your child loses it. We understand the importance of getting students outdoors, even during the winter months. We will likely send students outdoors if the temperature is above 15 degrees. We do take into consideration wind chill and precipitation or snowy conditions. We also will limit the time outside if the conditions warrant it. In the event of snow, students must have snow boots and snow pants to play in the snow. If your family or child is in need of winter coats or warm clothing, please let us know and we can assist you.
If students are going to play in the snow, have the following:
K-3: Snow Boots and Snow Pants to play in the grass or woodchips/playground area, Blacktop only if they have shoes
4-5 Snow Boots to play in the grass or woodchips/playground area, Blacktop only if they have shoes
School emergency closings could happen at any time of the year. Parents need to arrange plans with their children (a neighbor, child care, employer, etc.) on what is expected should an emergency closing occur. Decisions for closure, delayed start or to dismiss school early are always a judgment call; however, we do use some general criteria in making such decisions. School procedures call for an emergency school closing announcement to be given over local radio and television media. When listed, please look for Dunlap Community School District or Dunlap #323 in determining if your school is closed or delayed. Below are some of the criteria and examples of what would impact a decision to cancel school, delay start or dismiss school early.
Delayed Start:
There may be times when the weather is such that delaying the start of school by two hours would provide for a safer environment for our students and staff This decision will be announced no later than 6:30 a.m. on the day of the delayed start via School Messenger system as well as local TV stations. On these days, buses will run and morning pick up times will be two hours later than normal. Classes will begin two hours later than their regularly scheduled time. There will be no morning Early Childhood or Bright Futures classes, but the afternoon classes will run at the normal time. School will still dismiss at the regular time. If the district decides to implement a delayed start for the school day, all notifications will be sent in the same manner as the closing of school.
Weather Forecasts: Weather conditions and events are very unpredictable. We generally do not cancel school or dismiss school early solely on a weather forecast. Weather events must be occurring and deteriorating for school to be cancelled or for us to dismiss early.
- Snow: Generally speaking, snow is not a primary reason for closing school. As long as roads are not drifting shut, it’s possible we would have school even with a sizable snowfall.
- Road Conditions: As referenced above, road conditions dictate many of our decisions. Due to the fact the district is widely spread out, we have an early morning process (before 5:00 a.m.) of checking our rural and city roads.
- Cold: We will look at wind chill and air temperature (also road conditions) when making a decision relating to cold weather. Please remember that we do live in central Illinois so below 0-degree weather is not uncommon.
When are decisions made? A decision to cancel school may occur between 6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. the night before school. In most instances, no later than 6:30 a.m. the next day. In an extreme emergency, we may have to announce early dismissal during the school day.
School closings will be communicated in the following ways:
School Messenger Phone/Email System
TV Stations – Channels 19, 25, and 31
Local Radio Stations - All local stations
Dunlap School District Voicemail System
Notification on www.dunlapcusd.net
Dunlap Facebook page - www.facebook.com/CUSD323
Further information regarding our weather related procedures can be found at http://www.dunlapcusd.net/Distri…/…/SchoolClosingPolicy.aspx
Head Lice Information
Please read the information below from our District Nurse Regarding Head Lice
Head lice (Pediculosis) are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that live close to the human scalp. Knowing the definition doesn’t make us feel any better. However, I do want to reassure you that, although these insects may be pesky, they are not harmful. Dunlap School District follows the evidenced based mindset of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). We support a “No Live Lice” protocol.
Head Lice Facts.
- Anyone can get head lice
- Cleanliness is not a factor
- Lice do not jump or fly
- Head lice are mostly spread by direct head-to-head contact—for example, slumber parties, sport activities and camp
- Lice and nits (silver to dark gray colored eggs attached to the hair shaft) are visible to the naked eye.
- Nits which are further than ¼ inch from the scalp are not considered viable.
Please routinely check your child’s hair throughout the school year.
What are the signs and symptoms of having head lice?
- Tickling feeling on the scalp or hair.
- Itching (caused by the bites of the louse) especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
- Sores on the head from scratching.
- Presence of nits that are less than ¼” from the scalp or live lice in the hair.
Procedures if your student is found to have head lice while at school.
- Parents will be notified and encouraged to pick their child up and begin head lice treatment.
- If parents are unable to come then the student may return to class. Immediate removal of child is unnecessary. This is supported by the AAP, CDC and NASN.
- Your child may return to school after initial application of lice shampoo/ treatment.
- Your child will be rechecked upon arrival to school and then again 5-7 days after initial treatment.
- Whole classroom head checks have not been proven to be effective in ridding schools of lice. No school is EVER lice free. We encourage you to be proactive and routinely check your child’s hair. *Remember lice can be acquired anywhere close contact occurs. This could be at home, at school or within the community.
- Staff will maintain the privacy of students identified as being infected with head lice.
What to do if my child gets head lice?
- It warrants repeating....In order to provide safe and effective treatment please follow the Package Directions!
- Apply lice shampoo/treatment according to directions. There are a number of over the counter treatment options or prescription medication available.
- Wash all bed linens, recently worn clothing articles, towels in very hot water. Items that are not washable may be sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
- Dry items on high heat for at least 20 minutes.
- Personal items such as combs, brushes, hair clips, should be soaked in very hot water and sanitized or thrown away.
- Vacuum the floors and furniture.
- All household members and other close contacts should be checked and those with evidence of head lice should be treated at the same time.
- Call your family doctor if you have any questions. A prescription treatment may be recommended.
When to Keep Your Child Home from School
FEVER
A temperature of 100 or over is a sure sign to keep your child home. The child must be 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication before returning to school. Giving a fever reducer and sending them to school will almost guarantee a call from school when the medicine wears off, as well as exposing other students to your child’s illness.
VOMITING/DIARRHEA
If your child has been vomiting or having diarrhea during the previous evening, please keep them home. Consult your doctor if symptoms continue more than 48 hours or worsen instead of improving.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
If your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as strep, impetigo or pink eye they should be on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
RASH
A rash is a characteristic symptom of infectious diseases. If your child has a rapidly spreading rash or any rash with fever, signs of other illness or behavioral change they need to be evaluated by a physician.
NASAL DISCHARGE/COUGH
Keep your child home if they have heavy nasal congestion and/or frequent cough. They probably feel miserable and will not be focused on school work, as well as sharing
their illness with others.
RED, RUNNY EYES
If your child has crusty, red or weepy eyes with thick or sticky eye drainage please keep home until evaluated by a medical provider. Prescription medication may be needed depending on the diagnosis.
LICE
We have a “No Live Lice” policy. Keep your child home until after the first treatment is administered.
MALAISE
Any illness that prevents your child from participating comfortably in class or school activities.
Parent's Club Corner
Royals in Candyland Carnival
It’s that time of year! The Parents’ Club will be hosting the fun and exciting Royals In
Candyland Carnival on Saturday, February 22, from 3 to 7 PM! Please note the time change
this year. We will be starting and ending 1 hour earlier than in past years. Check out the
carnival web page for all the amazing businesses that have already provided donations or
sponsored activities for our carnival. More fun prizes are added each week! We are always
looking for any families or businesses who would like to make a monetary or in-kind
donation to our biggest fundraiser of the year. All funds raised benefit the educational and
recreational needs of the DGS Royal Students and Staff! If you have any questions about
donating, please contact me at president@dunlapgradeparentsclub.com. Donations can be
mailed to DGS or dropped off in the school office.
Please plan to join us on Saturday, February 22, for our Royals In Candyland Carnival at
Dunlap Grade School for delicious food, fresh new carnival games (and old favorites), a
Light Action Arena Inflatable, balloons, face painting, and more, including our big raffle
prizes, general raffle prizes, silent auction, and grade level baskets!!! Raffle tickets and
more details will be sent home next Friday, January 24th, after our Carnival Kickoff on
Friday morning.
We Need You!
Get to know other parents, your child's teacher, and the entire staff at DGS by volunteering
with the Parents’ Club. In order to make our carnival a success, we depend upon
volunteers. Please consider volunteering for a shift before or during the carnival! Please
follow the Sign Up Genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49aca722a6fa7-dunlap1
Needed: Baked Goods for Cake Walk Game
We are looking for volunteers to provide baked goods for this year's Cake Walk game at our Royals in Candyland Carnival on Saturday, Feb. 22. Items can be HOMEMADE or
STORE BOUGHT such as whole cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, candy bouquets, and
bars. If you are able to provide a baked item, please follow the Sign Up Genius
link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4AA9A82FA7F58-baked1 This game was a BIG hit with the kids last year, thanks for your help in making it a success!
Spring GRAND Book Fair - Save the Date!
The Spring Book Fair will take place on Friday, May 1 with Jungle Theme activities
throughout the week. This fair will be our annual GRAND Event (G-Grandparents/R-
Relatives/A-Aunts & Uncles/Neighbors/D-Devoted Caregivers) which offers a unique
opportunity for GRANDS to join their student for lunch and then shop at the fair afterwards.
More details will be forthcoming!
Family Night Out
The February family night out event will be at Potbelly’s on Wednesday, February 12th from
5-8pm. Skip the mess in the kitchen and come join us!
February Meeting
The next Parents Club meeting will be on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020 at 7 PM in the DGS
Café. All parents and guardians of DGS Royals and DGS staff are welcome! We hope you
can join us!
Other events to watch for will be additional Restaurant Nights Out, the Spring Scholastic
Book Fair with the very popular Grand Event, Muffins for Moms, and more!
We hope all our DGS Royal families have a safe and wonderful holiday season with their
families!
Happy Holidays,
Annalee Huntington
DGS Parents’ Club President
Virtual Backpack
Dunlap Grade School
Email: mellis@dunlapcusd.net
Website: www.dunlapcusd.net/dgs
Location: 301 1st Street, Dunlap, IL, United States
Phone: 309-243-7772
Facebook: facebook.com/dunlapgrade
Twitter: @dgsroyals