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Rondout School
847-362-2021
The Falcon Flyer - Website Edition 
February 18, 2022
Dear Rondout Families, Faculty and Staff,

Happy President's Day !!! As we prepare for the long weekend, I would like to wish all of our families an enjoyable few days and hope that wind and weather don't play havoc with your plans.

I would also like to share the most recent developments in the Appellate Court ruling regarding certain COVID mitigations. Just before midnight yesterday, the Appellate Court issued its decision on the appeal of the February 4, 2022 TRO enjoining the Governor from enforcing certain COVID-19 mitigation measures including universal masking. With one Judge dissenting, the Appellate Court dismissed the appeal as moot against the state defendants based on JCAR’s refusal to extend IDPH Emergency Rules regarding masking, exclusion, and vaccine and testing requirements in schools. Because the emergency rules are no longer in effect, the circuit court judge’s decision finding the rules null and void was determined to be moot. 

As I informed the parent community on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, Rondout would change its COVID mitigation protocols to masking recommended but not required which allows parents to make the choice with their child regarding wearing a mask while at school.  After a review of our metrics, the progress made in transition activities with students and last night’s ruling, Rondout will now move to the new masking protocols on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 instead of on Wednesday.


All other mitigations will remain in effect. Voluntary testing will still be available. The Shield testing program does require that individuals testing wear a mask when coming into the testing area and at this time we will need to honor that requirement in order for us to be able to continue having this resource available for our families and faculty. If your child is on the regular Shield testing roster, we will plan to continue their participation unless we hear from you via email by 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning February 22, 2022.


Masking will also be required for children riding the school bus based on federal legislation. Students will need to wear a mask when getting on the bus and while riding to and from school.

Positive cases will still be required to isolate out of school for a minimum of 5 days and will be required to wear a mask at school for through day 10. Contact tracing will continue but close contacts will not be excluded from school unless symptoms develop or they have a positive test result. Parents will be notified if their child was exposed to a positive case at school. Students and staff exhibiting COVID19 symptoms should remain at home or will be sent home. They can return with a negative COVID test. Positive cases will continue to be reported to the Lake County Health Department.


Physical distancing will still be maintained as much as possible and we will continue with our daily cleaning and sanitizing. Good hand hygiene and the use of hand sanitizer will continue to be stressed for all.

At this point in time we have no positive cases to report and an analysis of vaccination rates for students and staff (along with data on numbers of individuals who have had COVID result in an 83% rate of individuals covered by vaccination or by having had COVID19 within the last 90 days. We will continue to monitor local metrics moving forward and parents will be informed when we have positive cases.

There have been good conversations with students across the grade so we anticipate continued positive behavior from our students. As we move to this next phase of living with COVID19, we ask that parents work with us to support the message of tolerance for the various choices that families and faculty will make regarding masking at school.

Each family/faculty situation is different and it will be important to respect everyone’s choices. If you have any special concerns or situations we should be aware of, I ask that you reach out via email so that we can work through those situations.

Further details about future adjustments will be shared as we move forward including adjustments to school-wide activities and events during the last trimester. Please feel free to reach out with additional questions as they arise. I will be available over the long weekend via email should you have time sensitive questions or concerns.

Thank you to all our parents, faculty/staff and students who have continued to keep the Rondout Way alive in our day to day life at school. We look forward to a successful transition.
Take care…Until next time…
Dr. Jenny Wojcik
Superintendent
Notes from Our Principal
Ms. Elizabeth Davis
Dear Parents and Staff, 

This week, change has been the topic of conversation. Life is full of changes, and we need to prepare students with tools to handle change in stride. In preparation of the mask changes next week, I went into each grade level to discuss the upcoming changes. It was explained that starting Tuesday, February 22, masks will be recommended but not required. Some students and staff may choose to wear them, and some may not. This is a topic that students should discuss with their parents, and each family has the ability to make their own choice. Each family/staff situation is different, and we need to be respectful of the choice that each family/staff makes. We begin each day with the Rondout Way, and expect students to continue to exhibit Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Kindness throughout our day. Students were also reminded that the mask requirements on school buses have not changed. Resources were made available to students, if they wish to discuss the changes further, and all students were encouraged to have a conversation with parents in advance of next week. We also have a wonderful list of books that center around change and acceptance. Stories can be a great jumping off point for conversation. Please reach out if you’d like a copy of that resource. 
Thank you all for your partnership in education. 

Best, 
Elizabeth Davis 
Principal Rondout School 
HOT CHOCOLATE - A NEW "SNOW DAY" TRADITION

We enjoyed another hot chocolate day for all in celebration of our in-school snow day. K-5 enjoyed their treat during snack and 6-8 had hot chocolate with their lunch today. It was a a yummy treat on this snowy morning.
Want to join us in having a happy and healthy heart!? Last chance to jump on board and
join our school's heart hero team! You won’t want to miss out on learning 6 ways from our heart heroes on ways to keep your whole heart healthy!!

Be sure to share your page through text, email, or social media with family and friends and tell them about the CHALLENGE you took to stay healthy! They'll definitely want to cheer you on! 
Lost & Found
Notes from Nurse Kellie
REMINDER: Grades K,2 & 6 students need to have an updated Dental Form turned in to Nurse Kellie by May
Shield Testing will be Tuesday mornings starting at 8:00 a.m.
  • Please remember you must refrain from eating or drinking or brushing your teeth 45 minutes prior to testing. Students must wear a mask when entering the testing area according to Shield testing protocols.
Find a free COVID Testing Site:
We have revised this information due to concerns regarding recent issues with pop-up fraudulent testing sites. Checking with your own medical provider and or use the testing locator on the Lake County Health Department Site will provide you with more reliable information. The link is provided here.
Lake County Health Department
Testing Locator
Grades 3-8 ISLIPS Data Review
with Dr. Wojcik and Ms. Davis
Individual Student Learning Improvement Plans have been mailed home. Please click below to sign up for a time to review your child's ISLIP with Dr. Wojcik and Ms. Davis.
Student Lunch
Lunch+Milk $3.15
Milk Only $0.40
Lunch Menu
week of 2/21/2022
Milk is included with Hot Lunch
Vegetarian Option Available Daily
Menu Subject to Change without Notice
Order the Rondout 2022 Yearbook securely online via the link below!
The final date to order is April 8th
Wednesday Evenings
8:00-8:30 p.m.
Rondout PTSA
Capturing Learning
Looking Ahead
February 23 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
February 25 8th Grade Field Trip
February 28 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 1 Early Dismissal K-2 @ 2:00 p.m. & 3-8 2:30 p.m.
March 2 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 7 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 9 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 14 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 15 Board of Education Meeting 7:00 p.m.
March 16 3-5 Falcons Elite Skills Camp
March 25 Early Dismissal K-2 @ 2:00 p.m. & 3-8 2:30 p.m.
March 28 - April 1 No School - Spring Break
April 4 Classes Resume
happy_birthday_candles.jpg
Happy Birthday to our students who are celebrating 
birthdays this month!

Coronavirus Resources
Community News
t: (847) 362-2021
f: (847) 816-2067
mainoffice@rondoutsd72.org