It’s FRIDAY, Lion Pride!
As many of you are already aware, the Mayor has extended CPS closure to April 20th. As of now, school will not resume until April 21st.
Meals
Meal pick-up will continue to be available at all CPS locations. Up to six meals per child will be provided each day between the hours of 9:00am and 1:00pm.
Distance Learning
We have added a few more resources on our RESOURCE PAGE– including ways to enjoy virtual storytime! You can also find the student assignment packets from teachers. Visit daily because more resources and packets may be added.
With the extension of the closure, we will continue to provide you with work and resources to do with your children. Please do not feel overwhelmed by the work being provided. It is important to establish routine, however the routine does not need to include endless hours of academic work! Here are some suggestions for taking the monotony out of your day.
- Find ways to make every experience a learning opportunity.
- Create a plan: together. Allow your children to help make their schedule. Set guidelines of what must be included (chores, academics, quiet time, etc.) and decide, as a family, what happens when.
- Aside from the work given from their teachers, ask them what else they might want to learn about. See what interests them, research and inquire. You might end up learning a thing or two as well.
- Spend QUALITY and VALUABLE time together. Is your kid passionate about art and do you love food? Create a family masterpiece using random condiments or food items you have in your kitchen. Is everyone in the family competetive? Have a family game night or set up some “minute to win it” challenges! Do they love Tik Tok? Do a family TikTok challenge!
- Being mindful of social distancing, get some fresh air and enjoy some outside time, even if you go for a short nature walk, or play catch in the backyard.
- Read. Every. Day. You can read to each other or phone a grandparent, or even better, phone a friend! Be each other’s “Secret Readers”!
- Take breaks. Do not allow your frustrations and what is out of your control impact the experiences you are providing for your child each day. We have to remind ourselves sometimes that they are just kids.
Message from our Boosterthon Friends
We miss you South Loop, so we made you a video!
If you’re looking for helpful things for your students to do at home – we have streaming character and fitness videos online! We usually provide these videos for teachers at school, but they are available to everyone for the time being!
Go to BoosterthonCharacter.com
Access Code: AtHome (there is no cost to register and it offers 75+ videos with character topics and fitness exercises- PBIS, SEL, STEAM, etc)
Also, on our instagram page, ChooseBooster, we will have a daily Booster Story time at 8AM and a Daily Family Fitness Break at 11AM! I have created a fun little video as a teaser for what your students will see when they join in for the fitness breaks or if they missed the first couple.
As always, for the most reliable information and updates, please visit CPS FAQ PAGE, www.chicago.gov/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus. For school-specific updates, visit www.cps.edu/coronavirus. If you need help locating medical care, please reach out to the CPS Office of Student Health & Wellness at oshw@cps.edu or by calling the Healthy CPS Hotline 773-553-KIDS (5437).
Sincerely,
Principal Shelton