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Remote Learning Updates from Principal Shelton

Parents,

Happy 2nd week of school! Thank you for your tireless efforts in partnering with us to get the new school year up and running in the current remote setting. Overall, students are doing a great job, and we hope our families are adjusting to the remote learning schedule.   We know some of you have encountered hiccups or frustrations. However, I am proud of the amount of grace and patience we have seen from staff, parents, and students. This is far from easy, but we are taking it one day at a time, and we will all grow one way or another from this new experience.

Not Getting School Announcements?

Sign-up for announcements using the following link: tinyurl.com/slsblasts 

Reminders:

Please use this link to pay your child’s $75 school fee. One fee per family. The school fee supports the cost of instructional materials (Scholastic Magazine, ELA, Math and Science online tools) and Tech Devices replacements for students.

Please support your school by shopping at Amazon Smile. Shop at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will  donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to our school- a charitable organization—no fees, no extra cost. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/homepage?orig=%2F So far this year $1,207.44 has been donated to our school.

Interested in Volunteering?

Volunteer activities offer parents and community members opportunities to engage with their local school and support student learning. These experiences are mutually rewarding to students, parents, partners, and schools.

We offer two different levels of volunteer involvement and commitment:

  • Examples of Level I Volunteers
    • Overnight field trip chaperones
    • Mentors
    • Tutors
    • Coaches
    • Non-supervised classroom assistants
  • Examples of Level II Volunteers
    • Day field trip chaperones
    • Assistants in schools with administrative duties
    • Other volunteer activities in contact with students while supervised

Prospective volunteers must register with Family and Community Engagement (FACE) by completing the required CPS volunteer application forms and satisfying the requirements of the applicant review process.

As part of the application process, you will receive an email asking you to complete a background check and submit the report. CPS pays the fee for the background check. Background checks are run annually for returning Level 1 volunteers.

You will also be asked to submit TB test results that are less than two years old. We will provide information about where you can be tested. CPS does not cover the cost of the TB test.

Volunteers who plan to return for the following school year must notify their school by September 25th. Returning volunteers do not need to submit new applications annually. 

For questions about the volunteer opportunities and your application, please email volunteer@cps.edu or call 773-553-1544.

Volunteer Application Resources

Instructional Material Pick up
Primary Building- Kdg- 3rd  | Middle School Building 4th-8th 

  • Kdg- 1st, 4th, 6th-8th any day between 8am – 3pm 
  • 5th grade Wednesday, September 23rd
  • 2nd-3rd Friday, September 25th

We want to send a few reminders on guidelines and best practices to ensure everyone is learning in an environment free from distraction or disruption. We know this isn’t a typical school year, but as much as possible we want students to  think of this as a normal school day with in person expectations to some extent.  

Tech Issues

Please make sure your child’s computer or technology device is functioning with a working camera, microphone and fully charged. If your child is  experiencing technology or internet issues, inform the classroom teacher using the chat room, email or contact the school for support.  If a student states their camera, microphone, or internet are not working, parents will be contacted to verify this information. We don’t want students missing out on critical instructional time, we will do all we can to support you in getting your child logged on and learning.

School issued Chromebooks that are not functioning properly (i.e. broken camera, broken microphone, does not charge, etc.) should be returned to the school for a replacement or to be repaired. Parents will be financially responsible for repairs caused by the student.  

Also as a reminder, we are not 1:1 in our grades K-4. We are doing our best to provide students in need with technology, however we do not have the means to provide a chromebook for every student. Please only request a tech device if absolutely necessary.

We are working on finding and sharing some quick tips and strategies to use for students at home who are using tablets and having issues navigating synchronous meetings and other platforms for learning at the same time.

Remote Learning Environment

Your child  and their classmates are participating in a learning environment.  The student’s computer camera and microphone (if unmuted) will capture everything that is occurring around them.  This can cause unnecessary distraction and disruption to the learning environment.

  • All students must have their computer camera on and mic muted. Please contact me if there are any circumstances for why a student cannot be on camera.
  • Review the CPS Acceptable Use Policy and internet safety pledge with your child(ren). 
  • When unmuted, your child’s classmates can overhear conversations or any other noise that may occur within your household. 
  • Other students can view anything that occurs within your child’s camera view.  As much as possible, students should have a designated learning area free of background traffic (pets, family members walking by etc.). Their designated learning area should be free of personal or private information and any inappropriate images that are within camera view. 
  • Students should not walk around the home with their computers. This does not apply to a small group of students. If they have to leave to use the restroom or go get materials they should leave the computer stationery.
  • Students should be on time to the scheduled session with cameras on, dressed appropriately for school and ready to learn.
  • Parents and or Caregivers should not interfere during live class sessions. If parents or caregivers have questions for the teacher, please use the chat option or email the teacher after class. 
  • Ensure everyone in the household  is fully dressed or out of view of the students camera. 
  • If using a bedroom as a designated learning area, students should not be lying down in the bed. A bed is not conducive to a good learning environment. Students should be sitting in a chair at a desk or table.
  • Similar to a traditional classroom, students should not be using their cell phones, listening to background music, watching television, or playing video games while engaged in remote learning instruction and activities. 
  • Recording, copying, reproducing, displaying, or distributing any of the Google Meet sessions in any manner by students or parents/guardians is prohibited.
  • South Loop School will continue to utilize the CPS Student Code of Conduct when addressing discipline issues.  Parents please familiarize yourself with this document. 

Specials Classes

Attendance to specials classes is not optional. Students must be on time and present in their specials classes daily.  4th-8th grade students must attend specials with the fine arts elective group they were assigned to. If your child(ren) do not know which fine arts elective they were assigned to, they should check with their homeroom teacher. 

Group A – Art Students
Group B- Band Students
Group C – Music Students

Students who are not in attendance for specials classes will have to watch the recorded lesson and submit a reflection sheet for the lesson to receive credit for any asynchronous assignments given during the missed class. 

ADDITIONAL CPS  RESOURCES:

How can my child log in to their CPS account?

Students should visit cps.edu/portal to log on to their CPS accounts.

If you do not remember your CPS account information, follow the steps in our password reset guide. ( Spanish | Polish | Arabic | Urdu | Chinese)

If your child does not have a CPS.edu account, click here for instructions on how to set up the account for the first time, also known as “claiming an account.”  ( Spanish | Polish | Arabic | Urdu | Chinese)

I don’t think my family qualifies for Chicago Connected. How can we get internet service at home?

More than 100,000 CPS students are eligible for Chicago Connected, so don’t assume your family does not qualify. You can check your eligibility here. If you are not eligible for this service, other low-cost internet options are available here.

ADDITIONAL ILLINOIS RESOURCES

2020 Census

Today marks just 14 days until the end of the 2020 Census response period, which will end Sept. 30. Families can take the census online at my2020census.gov, by phone at (844) 330-2020, or by sending back the form families received in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Moratorium on Evictions

Illinois has extended its moratorium on evictions—if you’re behind on rent or mortgage payments, you have until Sept. 19 to take advantage of assistance programs. Explore your options at IHDA.org.

Energy Assistance Program

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible households pay for home energy services. LIHEAP enrollment opened earlier than usual this year to ensure families stay cool now, and warm this winter—start your application here. For assistance, call the Help Illinois Families Call Center at 1-833-711-0374.

Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program

Have you fallen behind on mortgage payments since March 1? You may be eligible for up to $15K in aid through the Emergency Mortgage Assistance program. To find out whether you qualify, visit EMA.IHDA.org.

The federal government has extended the REAL ID deadline by one year.

Current Illinois driver’s licenses will continue to be accepted at airports, military bases and secure federal facilities through Oct. 1, 2021. You can visit any driver services facility to apply for a REAL ID—use this interactive checklist to make sure you have all required documents on hand.

TECH Support for Remote Learning

The Learning Technology Center of Illinois will debut a parent/caregiver-focused page called SPARK (Supporting Parents And Remote Kids) this month to help parents and guardians navigate the different platforms and hardware used by schools to educate students. A few SPARK resources, including an interactive schedule builder, are already available at  https://ltcillinois.org/services/resources/?_app_audience=parents.

My One Last Smiles are back….

Lion Pride- South Loop Strong!

Sincerely,

Principal Shelton