Superintendent Update: Jan 29, 2021
from USD116 Superintendent Dr. Ivory-Tatum
To view past superintendent updates, please click here. To view weekly updates online, please visit our District Updates archive on our website.
Greetings USD116 Friends and Family,
Each February, we set aside a special time to observe Black History Month. As educators and citizens, this is yet another opportunity to celebrate Black American culture and honor those who have made significant contributions to our country and our world. When we examine our culture and history, we’re given an opportunity to learn from the past and not repeat its mistakes. In so doing, we can learn to appreciate the struggles and accomplishments of others.
The Poet Maya Angelou wrote that: ...diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. If we embrace the similarities and differences that make up our American tapestry, we can build a better future together. Each of us can weave something important into the fabric of our country. Our students and young people are more aware and better equipped to understand the ongoing conversations about race and social injustices. Let’s engage them in discussions on these topics now and year-round to learn more about the Black American heroes who have helped make our diverse nation great. Make a special effort to learn from the lives, courage, perseverance, and wisdom of many Black Americans from our past, present, and future. When we learn more about each other, we find that we have many things in common. Why? Because together, we all make America and our communities strong. #UrbanaBetterTogether
The start of February also means that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Normally, this is a day that many students and staff look forward to. However, due to the abundance of restrictions and safety protocols that continue to be in place, unfortunately, we cannot host classroom parties or exchange treats or Valentine cards in person with classmates this year. I know this will be a disappointment to many, but I am sure you understand why and agree that safety comes first. Some schools or teachers may be organizing other virtual activities or ecard ideas at either the classroom or building level. To recognize the day for our students, we will have a district-wide Spirit Day on Thursday, February 11. Students and staff are encouraged to wear red, pink, or show their Tiger pride in-person or virtually. More information will be shared on ways everyone can join in on the fun!
As we enter the month of February, we anticipate that there will be more severe winter weather yet to come. Should we experience inclement weather that would prompt the District to close our schools, we will no longer utilize a snow day. The Board of Education approved the District’s E-Learning Plan on December 15, 2020. To view the full plan, follow the link provided here: E-Learning Plan. In the event of a school closure, the District will plan to have students and teachers pivot to remote learning instead of closing school. If we need to quickly transition to remote learning, we will notify families through a Skylert email, text, and/or voice call. Please make sure your phone numbers and email addresses are updated in Skyward’s Family Access to be sure you receive our messages. All messages will also be posted on our website and social media.
As we close out our second week of in-person learning, we are encouraged by the many District initiatives and programs in place and their proven efforts to keep our students and staff safe. Our contact tracing efforts continue to help us mitigate positive transmissions that may arise. Drive-thru COVID testing for staff started this week and has already shown to be a success! We are very excited to be able to host our own Vaccination Clinic and provide USD116 staff their vaccinations in-District. We will be sharing a scheduling link and the consent form from the Champaign Public Health District very soon. Please continue to check your email and social media for more information!
As always, I wish you the best of health!
Stay safe and be well,
Dr. Ivory-Tatum,
Superintendent
LATEST NEWS
UHS Senior Leads FEMA Series
Looking for information about closing the spread of COVID-19? UHS Senior and Co-Chair of the FEMA National Youth Preparedness Council, Banan Garada, is leading the Safety Matters Bi-Monthly Webinar Series on February 1st at 6pm and she wants to see you there! The upcoming webinar will feature a speaker from the CDC addressing ways that we can continue to slow the spread and follow local and national health guidelines. To register for this webinar, please click here!
The Laramie Project at UHS
UHS drama has been hard at work putting together their next show: The Laramie Project. This production has included approximately 30 students and has taken 3 months to put together. We have decided that all donations and some of our proceeds will go to a charity that helps support LGBTQ youth. The show will run from Feb. 4th-6th @ 7pm and on the 7th at 2pm. The tickets can be found here!
2021 Meal Distribution Changes
Starting Wednesday, January 20, there will be a change in meal distribution: Meals will be available for all children 18 and under on Wednesdays! Any family with children 18 and under can attend a meal distribution at any USD116 elementary building or UMS on Wednesdays from 1130- 12:30 to receive free meals. Families can pick up a total of 7 days worth of meals and breakfasts. To contact food service for information, call 217-384-3501. To view the full flyer, click here.
Urbana Free Library News
2021 NAAPID in USD116
On Monday, February 8, Urbana School District #116 school will be hosting several virtual events to celebrate National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) with our community. NAAPID is a day for parents to visit their children’s schools, see what their children experience daily at school, and support their children’s educational futures. Retired educator and former principal, Joe Dulin, created NAAPID in 1995 as a Call to Action in the African American community. Mr. Dulin believes parents are among a school’s most important assets. For information on NAAPID activities, please click here.
Urbana School District #116
Email: contactus@usd116.org
Website: usd116.org
Location: 205 North Race Street, Urbana, IL, USA
Phone: 2173843600
Facebook: facebook.com/usd116
Twitter: @urbana116