Volume 6 | October 30, 2020
News and Updates
Mark Your Calendars
November 3: No School - Election Day/Veterans Day
November 5: End of Quarter 1
November 6: No School - School Improvement Day
November 18: No School - Elementary Parent-Teacher Conference Day
November 18: ALSC Election Day
November 25-27: No School - Thanksgiving Break
Celebrate Halloween Safely
With Halloween approaching, we are sure that many of our families are planning to participate in holiday festivities. Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, we must all take special precautions this year to keep everyone in our families and communities healthy and safe. 
 
Please review these guidelines from the City of Chicago about how to celebrate Halloween safely during COVID-19:
  • Masks aren’t just for trick-or-treaters this year! Everyone—including candy givers—should wear a face covering (multi-layered, covering the mouth and nose, without gaps around the face).
  • Leave a light on or hang a Halloween sign in your window to let others know your house is giving out candy safely.
  • Handing out candy? Please socially distance and have hand sanitizer, too.
  • Trick or treating? Stay on the move! Less congregating means more houses and more candy.
  • Ensure there’s all treats and no tricks. Please don’t reach into candy bowls while trick or treating, and eat candy only at home after washing your hands.
  • No haunted houses. They are truly spooky and dangerous this year.
  • Keep your candy crew small. Trick-or-treating groups should be six people or less.
  • No house parties large or small this year.

I also encourage you to remind your children about the below safety precautions. These are good to follow at all times, but especially on Halloween: 
  • Travel in pairs or small groups whenever possible.
  • If you feel uncomfortable or threatened in any way, go to the nearest business or populated area and call for help.
  • Communicate with others about your location and where you are going.
  • If you dress up in a costume, use reflective tape.
  • Stick to well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. 
  • Carry a cell phone for emergencies, but remember to stay alert while walking.
  • Stay alert while crossing the street and while walking in parking lots—cars might have a hard time seeing you when it’s dark.
  • If you are driving, remember to stay alert and watch for pedestrians crossing the street.
 
We want our families to have fun this Halloween, but it is critical that families celebrate responsibly. We urge you to make safe choices for your family, and hope you will help spread the word about these important precautions. For more resources, please visit our city’s guide to celebrating Halloween safely, which includes upcoming virtual celebrations, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for an outline of high-, moderate-, and low-risk Halloween activities. 
 
We thank you for your partnership as we work hard to keep all in our Suder Montessori community healthy and safe this Halloween.  
Report Card Conferences
Report Card Conferences will take place virtually on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. November 18, 2020, is a non-attendance day for students. Teachers will share appointment slots for families to sign-up for conferences next week.
After-School Catch-Up Camp
In order to support students with submitting assignments prior to the end of quarter, Ms. Dowd will be hosting Catch-Up Camp on Monday, 4-6pm. Catch-Up Camp is for any middle school student who needs help with completing assignments. Students may drop in, or stay the entire time.

Please URGE your students who have missing assignments to meet Ms. Dowd from 4-6pm on Monday at meet.google.com/dpj-ohcq-ito.
2020-2022 Local School Council Elections
On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, Chicago Public Schools announced updates to the district’s 2020 LSC elections, including offering mail-in voting for CPS parents, guardians and staff for the first time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents, guardians and staff can choose between either voting in-person at their respective school, submitting their ballot by mail, or dropping off their mail ballot at their school. For in-person voting, the district is implementing stringent health and safety measures, including social distancing, face covering requirements, and completing a health screener and temperature check prior to entering school buildings. The district will also offer curbside voting for individuals with disabilities.

“We know that parents are balancing various commitments which is why we are pleased to offer them the
option to vote by mail for the upcoming LSC elections so their voices can be heard in the most seamless way possible,” said CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson. “Safety is our top priority, and whether parents vote in-person or by mail, we will ensure that eligible voters who want to participate in our LSC elections are able to do so.”

Community members will still be required to vote in person because the district does not have access to
information for every prospective community voter living within a school’s boundary in order to provide a
mail-in ballot. Additionally, high schoolers will participate in elections using a digital format. The chart below provides key information for each voting constituency:
Prioritizing Flexibility and Safety
All parents, legal guardians, or temporary custodians of a CPS student are eligible to vote in an LSC election at that student’s respective elementary or high school. Elections are also open to any community members who are 17 years or older and reside in a respective school’s attendance area or voting district, even if they do not have any children enrolled at the school.

In-Person Election Time and Date: Elementary Schools: November 18 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

For all parents, community members who will be voting in-person, the district has implemented stringent health protocols to ensure the safety of voting in a school building. These include:
  • Requiring voters to wear a cloth face covering, sanitize their hands, maintain social distancing, and complete a health screener and temperature check prior to entering the building.
  • Offering curbside voting for individuals with disabilities, individuals who cannot wear a mask, or individuals who choose not to enter the polling place due to pre-existing health conditions.
  • Utilizing sneeze guards and other physical barriers to protect staff when voters arrive, and using posted signage throughout school facilities to emphasize new policies and procedures.

Important Policies and Dates
All in-person voters will need to bring two current forms of identification with them to vote. Acceptable forms of identification include a drivers license, Illinois ID, public library card, MediPlan or Medicare card, permanent resident card, matricula consular, voter registration card, current lease, utility bill, credit or debit card, or court documents. The district does not track or check immigration status, and eligible voters do not need to be U.S. Citizens in order to vote. Specific identification requirements for voter type is included below:
  • Parent and Guardian Voters (In-person or Mail-in):
  • Parents and guardians will receive a mail-in ballot. Parents who choose to participate in-person must present at least one form of identification that confirms their child is enrolled at the CPS school where they are voting. No ID is required for parents and guardians who drop off a mail-in ballot.
  • Community Voters (In-person)
  • At least one form of identification must confirm residential address (examples: lease or utility bill).
  • Staff Voters (In-person or Mail-in)
  • Staff will receive a mail-in ballot. Staff who choose to participate in-person must present at least one form of identification to confirm their employment at the CPS school where they are voting. No ID is required for staff who drop off a mail-in ballot.
PAC
Thank you to the parents that attended Suder's Annual Title I Meeting and PAC Organizational Meeting. Congratulations to the elected PAC Officers! I look forward to working with the PAC this school year. The meetings were recorded and can be accessed using the link below.

Suder PAC Officers
  • Chairperson: Serena Sumrell
  • Vice-Chairperson: Cheryl Curtis
  • Outreach Coordinator: Helen Ho-Supanich
  • Secretary: Charles Alley

PAC Meeting Dates
Suder Charleston Wrap Fundraiser
Last week, we kicked off our largest annual fundraiser and we are counting on your support! Now more than ever, YOU can make a difference and there's even something in it for YOU, too!

Our Fundraising Goal: $3000

Visit charlestonwrap.com/cw-virtual-online-incentives/ to watch our kick off video!

Helping us reach our goal is QUICK, EASY, and only takes about 5 minutes. We have partnered with Charleston Wrap® to make it happen! With over 2,500 gift ideas, including UltraHeavy™ gift wrap, gourmet kitchen essentials, personalized gifts & more, friends and family can help us reach our goal by checking off their holiday shopping list! But first, you'll need to invite them to support our fundraiser - and we have a special gift for you, too! Complete the three (3) steps below and you'll receive a FREE ROLL of Charleston Wrap®’s UltraHeavy™ gift wrap when you make a purchase!

Here's how to help and receive your FREE UltraHeavy™ roll of gift wrap:

  1. Please visit charlestonwrapstore.com/non-school-registration.php to register today! Use our ORGANIZATION ID 21041 to register!
  2. Send 10 unique and valid shopping email invites to your friends & family using our invite tool at registration.
  3. Once you've sent 10 emails, a gift card will be emailed to you for your FREE roll of Charleston Wrap®’s UltraHeavy™ gift wrap with the purchase of any item.

In addition to awarding the FREE roll of wrap, we will also award a Charleston Wrap® Gift Card to parents who have rallied others to support the fundraiser! We'll award these Gift Cards on the last day of our sale (11/13/2020) for Parent Appreciation Day. We will automatically email you a gift card for the highest level achieved!

  • Any Parent with 5 supporters will receive a gift card for $10 off any purchase of $50 or more.
  • Any Parent with 10 supporters will receive a gift card for $25 off any purchase of $50 or more.
  • Any Parent with 20 supporters will receive a gift card for $50 off! Your $50 order is FREE!
  • Gift Cards expire in April of next year and cannot be combined with any other offer. Orders may be subject to shipping and tax.

PRO TIP: The more email invites you send, the more supporters we'll get! So, break out your email contact list, share on social media, and help spread the word!

Will you take a few minutes and register now at charlestonwrapstore.com/non-school-registration.php?

Thank you so much for your support!

Questions about registration? Call CW Customer Support at 1-866-395-2926
Friends of Suder News
Friends of Suder Leadership Team
The Friends of Suder (FOS) Leadership Team is looking for parents and community members to join the FOS team. FOS is looking for people with all kinds of skills and time commitments (emailing at night, supporting class parents, making calls, etc.). They are open to any and all participation. However, we are also reaching out to build a leadership team for the 2020-2021 school year. Learn more about FOS here.
Friends of Suder Room Parents Needed
Each classroom at Suder Montessori will be provided at least one room parent. Room parents support classrooms with communication to families about classroom specific information and events that are not being hosted by the school. During a typical school year, room parents may also support with preparing materials in the classroom. If you are interested in serving as a room parent, complete the interest form below.
Suder Library Google Classroom
The Virtual Library is open!!! It is a fun, educational virtual space where students will find books to read, audio books, and other fun activities. We added a maker space (students will find fun educational games and activities) and recently we opened the Suder kitchen room with easy recipes kids can make and interesting facts about food and international cuisine.

Currently, we have a Spanish Language Room for EC. and E2/ Middle School. It is important EC students visit the Spanish Language Room and practice the material they are learning during library time. Librarians are working on the material for E1. The website is being updated almost every day, adding elements and changing books.

Don't forget to check the Featured of the Week in the main page! 
Tips for Fidgeting from the Evolved Teacher
Suder Main Office Information
The Suder Main Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:15 pm. The number to the Suder Main Office is (773) 534-7685.
If you have not already done so, be sure to visit the Suder website and sign up to receive the Suder Newsletter!