UPDATE Regarding NorthShore Clinical Lab
Due to a staffing shortage, NorthShore Clinical Lab will only be at Hinsdale Central from 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 7, 2022.
Students and staff who are presenting symptoms of COVID-19 should NOT report to school. Students and staff members who are presenting symptoms of COVID-19 and want to test to stay in school, may go to Hinsdale South in the morning to test or find an alternative testing site.
Students currently operating under the Test to Stay protocol, will have an opportunity to test at Hinsdale Central after 12:30 p.m. in Room 504.
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Changes to the Food Service Program - Second Semester
During its meeting on Nov. 18, the District 86 Board of Education decided to extend our expanded free meal program for everyone through the end of first semester. The board also decided that evening to shift the availability of the program for second semester to students who qualify for free and reduced lunch or have an approved demonstrated need. That shift will take effect on January 19, 2022.
In addition, Quest Food Management Services has informed us that it will be raising prices on several lunch items at the start of second semester. These increases, most of which are either $0.25 or $0.50 per item, are due to the challenges created by the ongoing global supply chain issues (e.g., not enough workers to process, distribute and deliver food, increased fuel prices, ocean freight disruption, etc.). Below is a list from Quest of the items being offered second semester, with the ones featuring price increases highlighted in yellow.
If a student has food needs that we can help address through our expanded free meal program, please share that information with their counselor or social worker. If you have questions or need more information about our free meal program in general, please contact Julie Van Ness (630-570-8214) at Hinsdale Central. If you have questions or need more information about the price increases, please contact Josh Stephenson at jstephen@hinsdale86.org.
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Prom 2022 Update
Early this week, we received communication from the Field Museum about their COVID restrictions. The Field Museum has informed us that all attendees must provide proof of vaccination for admission to the museum. Proof of medical exemption is the only exception to the restriction.
There will be a Prom for the Class of 2022.
In order to consider a prom that can accommodate the entire class of 2022, regardless of vaccination status, the Senior Crew is actively investigating potentially alternate venues for Prom. The Senior Crew will regularly update the Hinsdale Central Prom web site as more information becomes available. However, there is a potential that we may proceed with Prom at the Field Museum, which at this time, requires attendees to be vaccinated.
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Attention: 2nd Semester Driver Ed Students
Mr. Daly will be conducting permit testing on January 11th from 3:05pm to 4:00pm in room 155. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Daly at ddaly@hinsdale86.org.
There is no sign-up required for this. If you have not heard, The Secretary of State offices are closed from 1/3/22-1/18/22 due to Covid. During this time, the state will still process permit applications, but they have to be mailed to Springfield for processing. The goal is to have a permit in your hand on January 19 when class begins. If for some reason you are not able to get your permit testing done on the available date, please do not worry. You will be able to complete this process during class at the start of the semester, it just means that your ability to begin behind the wheel lessons will be delayed.
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Attention All Seniors! See below for Jostens Cap and Gown Information
Seniors: Jostens needs your approximate height and weight to ensure you have a proper fitting gown for graduation purposes. Please click the below link to finalize your information.
The cap and gown has already been paid for in your graduation fees at the beginning of the school year, this is ONLY for height and weight information.
Nothing else needs to be purchased at this time.
Questions? Contact Julie Van Ness at jvanness@hinsdale86.org
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FAFSA Completion
This is a reminder to all seniors that you are required to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or complete a FAFAS Non-Participation Form in order to graduate. If you are choosing to complete the non-participation form, please return it to your counselor.
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Midyear Grade Reporting for Seniors
Seniors: Some colleges require your 7th semester transcript (also known as a Midyear Report).
If you have colleges requesting your 7th semester transcript, please complete the 7th semester transcript form and return to your counselor as soon as possible. You can print the form OR make a copy of the request form and rename the document: “[Your Name] Request for 7th semester transcripts” and share with your counselor. We will not begin sending these until the last week of January when grades are complete.
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Building Resilience in our Children Zoom Meeting Event |
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Attention Senior Families!
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A SENIOR TRIBUTE IS TUESDAY, JAN. 11!
FINAL CALL FOR SENIOR TRIBUTES! Senior tributes are a special way to honor your child’s hard work throughout high school and look back at how much they’ve grown!
The cost is $50.
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THE DEADLINE TO ORDER A YEARBOOK IS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20!
This is a reminder to purchase a yearbook to guarantee that your child has a yearbook, as we cannot order many extras.
The cost is $50.
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Process, Protocols and Procedures for Inclement Weather
As we head into the winter months, we want to remind students, staff, families and community members about the process, protocols and procedures we will initiate and follow should we need to close our schools due to inclement weather.
Please visit https://bit.ly/3rREamP for information about how and when we will communicate weather-related updates. There are also details about the Emergency Weather Learning (E-learning) Days we will implement if we need to close our schools.
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Classrooms, Cell Phones, and Distractions
In the coming weeks you may receive an email from your child's classroom teacher about a cell phone protocol in their classroom. As students have returned to in-person learning environments, our teachers have been experiencing an excessive use of cell phones during class time. While teachers have been redirecting students back to the learning environment and, in some cases, writing an office discipline referral for Cell Phone Use, these interventions have not been as successful as our teachers and building leadership team would like. Therefore, the next level of intervention may include a cell phone protocol in your child's classroom. An example of a next level intervention may include a teacher having a "cell phone cubby" permanently installed on the wall in their classroom. The cell phone cubby is intended to be a temporary home for a student's cell phones during class. Students would deposit their phones at the start of class and pick up their phones near the end of class. Please look for this communication from your child's teacher(s) and reach out to them about the protocols that may be used in their classroom regarding cell phones.
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First Semester Final Exams
During the District 86 Board of Education meeting on Nov. 18, it was announced that we will be administering "no harm" final exams for first semester. "No harm" means that the score a student receives on an exam cannot lower their grade for the semester - i.e., if they have an A going into the final, that is the grade they will receive regardless of how they do on the test.
In addition, attendance for these exams will be optional. Students do not have to take final exams, but can if doing so might improve their grade or offer them experience taking a test in a particular subject area.
Please visit https://bit.ly/30dMSR0 for more information about the plan for first semester final exams, including the schedule and attendance protocols.
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Hinsdale Central Covid Guidelines for Athletics 2021-2022
Game Day and COVID-19 Safety Protocol
The following protocols are being implemented for the winter athletic season to help ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and spectators. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
COVID-19 Protocols
Our athletics program has and will continue to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines established by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
Indoor athletic events held at Hinsdale Central will operate at 100% capacity. Once we reach capacity, no additional tickets will be sold. With this in mind, we encourage people to arrive early for events.
Please note that changes in community transmission levels may result in adjustments to our capacity limits. Any changes to these limits will be communicated via our website for athletics (https://il.8to18.com/hinsdalecentral).
The indoor mask requirement applies to all indoor spaces (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms, field house, etc.) regardless of vaccination status. Masks must be worn over your nose and mouth at all times while on-site.
Physical distancing is encouraged in all settings, when possible, regardless of vaccination status.
At the conclusion of an indoor contest, parents/guardians and spectators may meet with student-athletes after the visiting team has departed the gymnasium or fieldhouse.
Any spectator who is removed from a venue for failure to follow the host school’s COVID-19 protocols will be prohibited from attending all future home competitions for the remainder of the school year.
While we expect these protocols to remain in place for the rest of the 2021-22 school year, we will keep you apprised of any changes that occur. We also encourage you to check our website for updates prior to attending an event.
General Updates
Locations: The main gymnasium is located on Grant St.; the field house is located to the west of the main gym; and the Don Watson Aquatics Center is located off the field house ramp. All of these venues can be accessed via Door #3 (entrance for the main gym) or Door #14.
Entry and Exit: Spectators should enter through Door #3 for all events in the gym. While you will typically be able to leave through any exit, we may use designated exits for larger events in order to reduce congestion. Door #14 can be used for all other events.
Tickets: Ticket sales are required for home basketball games. Admission is free for Hinsdale Central students who have a valid activity pass. Booster passes will be accepted for all regular season home events. No activity or booster passes will be accepted for home tournaments, invitationals, or IHSA postseason events. Admission may be charged for lower level competitions.
Parking: Visiting teams can load and unload their buses in front of the gym. Bus parking will be provided in the lot across the street from the gym. Spectators will not be allowed to park in front of the gym. There will be a limited number of spaces available on Grant St. for those who are attending events.
Concessions: Concessions will be available for purchase during most varsity events. Purchased items can be consumed in the stands, and masks can be removed while eating or drinking. However, masks must be put back on over your nose and mouth when you are finished.
Media: Members of the media seeking credentials or access to our venues must contact Wanda Swik, the administrative assistant to the athletic director, at least 24 hours prior to each respective contest. Ms. Swik’s email address is wswik@hinsdale86.org.
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Weekly Thursday Progress Reports and Grading Reminders
We want to make sure that all families understand how teachers are using the grades of "M" and "ME" this school year.
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M (for Missing) is entered in a gradebook when a student has not turned in an assignment. It communicates to the student, parent/guardian and school support teams that an assignment has not been completed
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ME (Missing and Essential) is entered in the gradebook when an assignment that is essential for understanding a student’s performance has not been turned in or completed. An example of this might be a unit assessment, a research paper, or an end of semester project. When a grade of ME is entered in the gradebook, the student’s grade will appear as "Incomplete (IC)" until the ME is resolved. Once the student has completed the Missing and Essential (ME) assignment, the grade in the class will reappear in HAC. Please note that a student cannot receive a passing grade or credit in the course with an ME in the gradebook at the end of the semester. The IC should serve as serious red flag that the student's grade is in immediate need of attention. Should you see an IC on a weekly IPR or in HAC, please contact your student's teacher directly and they will work with you to explain what your student needs to do.
You can see if your student has an ME in the gradebook if they have an IC on their progress report. In this example, this student has an ME in their World Cultures class because the grade in the class is showing as IC instead of a letter grade.
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Technology Help Desk
Students having difficulty with technology, should contact the Hinsdale Central Tech Help Desk at helpdesk@hinsdale86.org or call 630-655-6180. The IT staff can help students reset passwords or repair Chromebooks as well as many other tech issues.
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Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine in DuPage
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to anyone 12 years or older. There are now many locations available to get your COVID-19 vaccine in DuPage County. To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you, visit www.vaccines.gov.
The Dupage County Health Department also offers COVID-19 vaccinations on a walk-in basis in Wheaton, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, visit dupagehealth.org/covid19vaccineclinic.
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