News from Sundling Junior High
September 4, 2020
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Letter from the Principal
Hello Sundling Families,
Happy September! We are wrapping up our second full week of virtual learning at Sundling, and gearing up for a well timed three day weekend! Happy Labor Day! I hope that you are able to get outside and enjoy time with family and friends.
I would like to acknowledge the tremendous effort and care that our parents, students, and staff have put forth to make the start of this school year as smooth as possible. We are all being challenged in different ways, but I have found great energy in the conversations (email, phone, and in person) I've had with parents and staff over the last few weeks. Care and concern for our students is at the focus of our conversations and our work, and I continue to be so proud of the Sundling Community during these challenging times. Your feedback has been vital to our work so far, and will continue to be as we move ahead. Thank you for your flexibility, patience, and support!
There are several resources within this newsletter to support families. Please continue to reach out to me, Mr. Rice, or your child's classroom teacher with ways we can support you and your child.
Thanks for all of your continued support of our school! It’s a Great Day to be a Paladin! #sundlingstrong
Take care and stay well,
Jason Dietz
Principal
Annual Notice of MAP Test and Testing Windows
Every year District 15 students in grades 2 to 8 take a test called the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). The MAP is a test used to measure a student’s achievement in reading and math. Most students complete the MAP in less than 40 minutes. This test provides our staff with valuable information and helps to plan instruction and track student growth. Students take the MAP once in September and once in the spring (during parts of April and May). Please visit our District Assessment Calendar on the District 15 website if you would like more information about the MAP test. This year, the September MAP will be administered remotely. This means that we will have students take the September MAP test during the school day while on their Chromebook at home. Sundling will be testing all students in the morning hours on Monday, September 14th and Tuesday, September 15th. This year, there will not be any make-up test dates or test retakes.
Students may use the MAP practice test to see what it is like: http://bit.ly/PracticeMAPTest.
The MAP test helps school staff determine our students’ reading and math skill levels and helps our schools pinpoint specific areas to focus on during instruction. School staff also use the MAP to monitor each child’s academic growth. All MAP test results from the September and spring testing periods will be available to parents via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
If you are interested in more information about the MAP test, please contact me, your child’s teacher, or download the MAP Parent Toolkit at https://www.nwea.org/parent-toolkit/
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND VIRTUAL LEARNING
This year’s distance learning is more structured and interactive than what students experienced in the spring. Improved structure, minimum direct instruction time requirements, academic schedules, assignments, and grading all make distance learning more similar to the regular school routines.
Attendance requirements during distance learning are also similar to the requirements of regular school. Students must log in and be present at the scheduled start of each school day and attend each subject’s or class’ live teaching that day. Teachers take attendance and record students that are not present during the live teaching portions of the student’s schedule. Although students are required to attend the live teaching portions of the day, students may elect to complete independent school work or assignments during any part of the day.
If your child will be absent, the child’s parents are required to call the school’s absence line and notify the school that their child will be absent. If your student is marked absent and a parent has not reported the absence to the school, an automated attendance call and text will be generated.
Regular attendance is essential and District 15 schools are required to follow their attendance and truancy procedures. If your child is unable to participate in live teaching due to technology problems, parents should contact the school’s attendance line so that your child’s absence can be marked as an excused absence.
TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
For assistance with technology, parents or students should call or email the teacher or the school’s office. The school office can assist with troubleshooting or, if necessary, can replace a broken device with a loaner.
From the PTA President, Gretchen Elzer
Hello Sundling Families! We are in our third week of virtual learning and I hope your Paladin is settling in. 2020 has brought several unexpected changes for all of us as parents, students, employees and families.
As we looked ahead to the 2020-2021 school year, it became obvious that many of the offerings that the PTA consistently provided would not be feasible in a virtual environment. Many of our committee chairs are working hard behind the scenes to determine how we can continue to support the Sundling families during virtual learning.
To continue to provide programming and activities we need to both budget for this year while keeping the future in mind as our fundraising opportunities in 2020 may be limited. As the PTA committee chairs determine how to provide consistent quality of programming and events in the virtual space, there are things that we need your support with immediately.
First and foremost, we ask that you consider becoming a member of the PTA. We have the ability to accept online memberships via https://sundlingpta.new.memberhub.store/store There is a Memberhub service change of 75¢ (Individual) and 92¢ (Household) to join online.) -OR-
· Return the form (attached to the email) to the school office in an envelope marked “PTA MEMBERSHIP” along with exact cash or check (payable to: “Sundling PTA”) Sundling Jr. High will be open during school hours or you can mail to: Sundling Jr. High 1100 N. Smith Rd. Palatine, IL 60067
OR feel free to drop off at the PTA Table at Stan’s Donut event next Saturday the 12th. The PTA will be there to meet and greet and answer any questions you may have.
While membership is not a true fundraising event, your support and participation can only help to make our PTA stronger and more resourceful during these times.
Second, we ask that you join our PTA meetings to hear firsthand what is going on at Sundling, District 15 and important PTA news. Our next meeting will be September 16th at 7:00 PM via- Zoom. Information will be on the Memberhub calendar and posted on our FB page.
The benefits of the PTA exist both in and outside of the classrooms. In order for Sundling PTA to serve our families better, we’d love to hear from you. Please take few minutes to complete a short survey, click on the link. https://forms.gle/chT8rKPLDe5VtV4s8
We do know we will be looking for ways to celebrate our teachers and staff throughout the school year, ensure there are opportunities for dine and share nights, and other fundraising that helps us maintain our ability to support the students.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at our Stan’s Donuts event!
Gretchen Elzer PTA President
Elsa Hall PTA President Elect
WRS PTA Membership
Sign up online at: https://sundlingpta.new.memberhub.store/store (There is a MemberHub service change of 75¢ (Individual) and 92¢ (Household) to join online.) -OR-
Return the form (attached to the email) to the school office in an envelope marked “PTA MEMBERSHIP” along with exact cash or check (payable to: “Sundling PTA”) Sundling Jr. High will be open during school hours or you can mail to:
Sundling Jr. High 1100 N. Smith Rd. Palatine, IL 60067
Membership Questions can be directed to Karen Salata and Amy Stojkovich at SundlingPTAMembership@gmail.com.
Stan's Van is coming to Sundling!!
When:The van will be here on September 12, from 9 AM - 12 PM
Where: Sundling Jr. High, 1100 N Smith St, Palatine, IL 60067 (Main Parking Lot)
Stan's will be slinging 12 different kinds of individually wrapped donuts, as well as half & full dozens. Our “Van Special” will be available, which includes three of each of the following donuts for $19.99: ❖ Vanilla sprinkled cake ❖ Chocolate sprinkled cake ❖ Glazed ❖ Strawberry glazed If you post on social during the event and tag us (@stansdonutschicago), you will have the chance to win a $25 app credit. We are excited to share our delicious donuts outside our delivery area, meet some new #StansFans, and benefit the community!
Please RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/stans-van-heads-to-palatine/612648982972132/
WRS PTA Reflections
I hope your student got a jump start this summer on what the Reflections theme means to them. The 2020-2021 Reflections theme is I Matter Because… Fill in the blank and let us know either through something written with words or expressed through dance or music or show us with photography or artwork.
The Reflections arts contest is a National PTA program supporting the arts in education. Please email me for the registration form or any of the rules. The categories are: Dance choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. Submissions are due October 28, 2020.
Jeanette Harris
Sundling PTA Reflections Chair
DISTRICT 15 HELPLINE AVAILABLE
Do you need help and are not sure who to contact? Do you have concerns or worries about yourself or others? The District 15 helpline is only a call or text away Monday-Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Our student services staff are available during these stressful times. Call or text:
English: 847-460-2099
Spanish: 847-460-2129
Calls or texts received outside of these hours will be answered the following workday. You can reach out about multiple topics, including but not limited to:
Social or emotional concerns;
Resources such as food, housing and transportation; or
Ideas on how to support your child
Here is some information from the CDC of how to help your child during this challenging time.
Internet Service Provider Assistance Programs
Community Consolidated School District 15 recognizes that providing internet at home may represent a financial hardship for some families. Internet providers recognize this need as well and have programs in place for qualifying families:
To locate additional companies that offer low-cost internet, please visit:
Our community also offers free Wi-Fi at various locations. Find links to locations in our community and surrounding areas that offer free Wi-Fi:
Walter R. Sundling Junior High School
Website: www.ccsd15.net/WRS
Location: 1100 North Smith Street, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3700
Twitter: @SundlingJH