The Crosby Chronicle
Weekly Newsletter ~ April 5-9, 2021
GREETINGS FROM PRINCIPAL FERGUSON!
I hope this newsletter finds you all doing well and staying healthy. I trust it was a relaxing and restful spring break for all, and I am excited to see our Crosby Kids back in school and on zoom classes!
This week we will begin with student instruction on Wednesdays from 8:00-12:30. Whether students are in-person or remote, there will be instruction on Wednesday mornings.
Just a reminder for all students to login to their zoom classroom from 2:00-3:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Teachers will be taking attendance at 2:00, and students will be marked absent if they are not participating.
Thank you to all of our families who have continued to support and encourage our students during this challenging time. I also want to acknowledge the amazing staff we have at Crosby, and thank them for all of their hard work as they prepare for their instruction each day. This concurrent teaching is a challenge, and I am so inspired to see the wonderful and creative teaching that our staff has been demonstrating!
Have a wonderful week!
Mrs. Ferguson
Beginning April 6: Students who wish to return may attend in-person classes, five days a week.
- Classes will meet from 8:00 am - 12:30 pm.
- All students will continue remote classes from 2:00-3:00 pm on Mondays/Tuesdays and Thursdays/Fridays.
- Students will meet in person Wednesday mornings, but there will be no remote afternoon session on Wednesdays.
As always, masks, hand-washing routines, cleaning protocols, and social distancing will
continue to be mandatory throughout all of the buildings. Families will still need to complete
their Daily Self-Guided Symptom Screening Checklist at home each day before school.
Crosby Kids enjoy being back at school!
PARENT COMMUNITY LIASION ~ MRS. VANIA DEALMEIDA
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Expectations for all students and staff:
Masks are to be worn at all times in the building.
Breakfast will be provided when students arrive.
Lunch will be provided for students to bring home.
Attendance will be taken for in-person and remote.
Parents MUST call the office to report a student’s absence.
THE "COUNSELING CORNER" ~ MRS. SPAULDING & MRS. ALTMANN
Hello, Crosby Families!
Over the past few weeks, we have been focusing on the topic of safety. The weeks before spring break we discussed listening to our intuitive “gut feelings” and paying attention to times that we feel uncomfortable.
The phrase “Don’t talk to strangers” is a concept we no longer teach because there may be times in which children DO need to get help from a stranger / someone that they do not know (For example: when they get lost at the grocery store or even at school). Instead of teaching “Do not talk to strangers,” we want to teach children to listen to their intuitive feelings, their sense of “something not feeling quite right,” and paying attention to situations in which they feel uncomfortable.
Below are a few tips on how to teach your child about the concept of safety:
-Children need to pay attention to when they feel uncomfortable with a person -- they need to be aware of a person that appears “tricky” or “unexpected. “Tricky people” can appear “nice.” They may even offer candy or toys. A “tricky person” is not necessarily a stranger (it can be someone a child knows).
- Children need to be confident and listen to their inner feelings. If something feels “wrong,” “off,” uncomfortable, or unexpected, children need to understand that it is important to listen to those intuitive feelings. It is okay to speak up, and say “NO” to an adult in this type of situation.
-Children need to understand that if they are in an uncomfortable situation, or in a situation that feels unsafe, it is important to “GO” away from the “tricky person” / “tricky situation” and to go “TELL” someone that they trust. We call this concept “NO! GO! TELL!”
-When / if children are lost at the grocery store, or public space, they should talk to a clerk at the store or look for a mother with children to help them.
-It is important for children to know their parents’ names and phone numbers. It is also important for children to know their own first and last name, as well as their address.
Click HERE for more ideas on the topic of safety.
As always, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to talk! We are here to help support our amazing Crosby Kids and their families.
Have a WONDERFUL WEEK!
Your Crosby Counselors,
Kortni Spaulding and Alli Altmann
THE "SOCIAL BUZZ" ~ MS. LORENA VILLAGOMEZ & MR. BRANDON BARRY
Happy Spring Crosby Families!
RESOURCES:
McHenry County Crisis Line number 800.892.8900.
You can also visit https://www.mc708.org/resources/ for more mental health resources.
Mobile food pantries: https://solvehungertoday.org/get-help/distributions/
Harvard Community Food Pantry: Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 am and from 1:30-5:00 pm. Located on 6817 Harvard Hills Rd, Harvard IL 60033. You will need an ID to receive assistance.
Please call or email us if you have any questions or if you need assistance finding these resources.
Ms. Lorena Villagomez
Mr. Brandon Barry
School Social Workers
ATTENTION ALL CAR RIDERS!!
For the safety of our students, parents or authorized adults picking up a student must have the car rider tag hanging from their rearview mirror. Additional car rider tags are available in the office. Families may request 2 car rider tags to be assigned to them for multiple vehicles.
If a parent does not have a tag they will be asked to park and go to the office to show identification, and sign the student out.
Only individuals listed as emergency contacts or custodial parents may pick up students from the car rider line, unless there has been an arrangement made with permission for another adult, who is not listed, to pick up the student. Please contact the main office to make arrangements if you have a change in your authorized pick up person.
For the safety of all of our students, please be sure to come to the main office during school hours to pick up a car rider tag if your child will be a car rider.
CROSBY ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
ARRIVAL
- Adult supervision begins at 7:50 am.
- Students should not arrive before 7:50 am.
- The first bell will be at 8:05 am.
- The second bell will be at 8:10 am.
- After the second bell, students will be marked tardy and will need to come to the office for a pass to class.
- If there is a late bus, the students will not be marked tardy.
- Upon arrival CAR RIDERS and BUS students will enter the building through the following doors:
First Grade - DOOR 2
Second & Third Grade - DOOR 1 (main doors)
School staff will be assigned to arrival duties in order to receive students off the bus or from their car, and safely assist them to the correct door and their classroom.
School staff will assist students and manage traffic.
Please be patient and kind with arrival and dismissal employees. They are doing their best to maintain safety.
WALKERS
- Walkers may enter through Door 12 which will be open until 8:05 am.
- After 8:05 am, walkers must enter Door 1, and check in at the office.
CAR RIDERS - DROP OFF IN THE MORNING
Cars will drive through the parking lot and pull around to the front of the school to enter the car rider line.
Cars will be directed to pull as close as possible to DOOR 2 where students will be dropped off.
For everyone's safety, students will not be allowed to get out of the car until the car has moved past the crosswalk.
Cars will not be allowed to stop in front of DOOR 13 OR DOOR 1 to drop off students.
Staff will be present on the sidewalk to receive students and escort them to DOOR 13, DOOR 2 AND DOOR 1.
For the safety of everyone and flow of traffic, drivers must remain in their cars at all times.
If your student needs assistance getting out of the car, please park in the parking lot and walk with your student across the crosswalk, following the crossing guard to the sidewalk.
BUS RIDERS - DROP OFF IN THE MORNING
Staff will greet students as they arrive off of the bus and escort students to DOOR 13, DOOR 1, OR DOOR 2. (following grade level assigned doors)
Students will be greeted by additional staff when entering their assigned doors.
Students will receive a breakfast bag as they enter the building, and they will walk to their classroom. Students will have breakfast in their classroom.
DISMISSAL
For the safety of all students, we will dismiss students in an organized manner. Please be patient as you wait for your child in the car rider line. They may still be walking from their classroom to the dismissal location.
- Please call the office with any dismissal changes prior to 11:30 am so we can be sure to notify the classroom teacher of the transportation change for that day. We understand that emergencies happen, and this may not always be possible, but it is best if we know in advance so we are able to have your child in the right place for pick up.
- It is best to notify your child's classroom teacher, as well, if there is a change for that day.
- Office Pick Up: Parents picking up students prior to 12:00 pm will park in the parking lot and enter the main office to sign students out. This is used for early pick up when appointments occur. There will be no office pickups unless it is before 12:00pm and the office has been notified by the parent/guardian beforehand. In case of an emergency, please be sure to contact the office.
- The 3 ways for your child to be dismissed from school: Walker/Car Rider/Bus Rider
WALKERS
- Staff will escort walkers from the building at Door 12 to the north end of the bus loading zone, and students will be supervised until the end of the Crosby sidewalk.
CAR RIDERS
Car riders in grades K-2 will be released from DOOR 2 when staff calls students by radio.
Car riders in grade 3, with their younger aged siblings, will be released from DOOR 7 when staff calls students by radio.
There will be no office pickups unless it is before 12:00pm and the office has been notified by the parent/guardian beforehand.
Please park in the parking lot if you are picking your child up before the 12:30pm dismissal time.
Cars must pull all the way up to the end of the sidewalk in front of the school, or as far as they can if other cars are in front of them. There will be staff present to direct the flow of traffic.
As cars pull up, they must have the numbered placard visible (ex. hanging from the rearview mirror).
Students will be released according to the car placard and their matching car tag attached to their backpack.
Students will be released as cars move past the crosswalk and not before.
Staff will escort students to their car after all cars have come to a stop.
Students should not cross the yellow line on the sidewalk at any time while cars are still moving.
All car riders will be held indoors until their driver approaches the front of the car line and the student is called by radio.
Parents must remain in cars when picking up students.
Parents will not be permitted to walk up to the door to pick up their student. They will be directed to the office to sign students out as an office pick up if they come to the door.
BUS RIDERS
Staff will walk students to their bus and help supervise until all students are loaded safely onto the bus.
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION INFORMATION 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2021 BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 1, 2021
Do you have a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2021?
Do you know a neighbor with a child coming to kindergarten in the fall?
If so, please share this information!
Kindergarten Registration for the 2021-2022 school year will be done online this year through PowerSchool.
For more information, visit www.cusd50.org/kindergarten.
RICHARD D. CROSBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Principal - Mrs. Kathleen Ferguson kferguson@cusd50.org
Asst. Principal - Mr. Paul Brass pbrass@cusd50.org
Social Worker - Mr. Brandon Barry bbarry@cusd50.org
Social Worker - Ms. Lorena Villagomez lvillagomez@cusd50.org
Parent Community Liaison - Mrs. Vania DeAlmeida vdealmeida@cusd50.org
School Counselor - Mrs. Kortni Spaulding kspaulding@cusd50.org
School Counselor - Mrs. Allison Altmann aaltmann@cusd50.org
Email: kferguson@cusd50.org
Website: https://www.cusd50.org/crosby/
Phone: 815-943-6125