WELCOME TO THE FAST 5
A compilation of "snackable" news, announcements, and important reminders!
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What's Happening in District 65? The Fast 5 is sent weekly in English and Spanish to staff, families, and community members. Don't want to receive the Fast 5? Unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of this email. Happy Reading!
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22-23 COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance |
As we enter the 2022-23 school year and the third year of the pandemic, we are in a very different place from where we were back in March 2020. Vaccines are now widely available for ages six months and older, and have proven effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization. We also have more information about how COVID-19 spreads and access to improved treatment options. In addition, we are fortunate to have a strong collaborative partnership with local pediatricians, the Evanston Health Department, and the Skokie Health Department. These partnerships have supported us in refining our COVID-19 health and safety protocols for the upcoming school year. As a result, D65 COVID-19 Health Guidance for FY23 aligns with CDC and IDPH recommendations.
Key highlights include:
- Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must continue to isolate for five days. If your child tests positive, please notify the school.
- Keeping children home when sick is essential to maintaining a healthy school environment. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines is the best protection against serious illness.
- Quarantine is no longer recommended for people exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. Individuals are encouraged to monitor symptoms and test five days after exposure.
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Masking guidance will be based on local Cook County transmission levels. Masks will be optional when transmission levels are low/medium. Masks will be recommended indoors when transmission levels are high. See complete guidance, which includes when masks are required and special considerations.
- CDC no longer recommends social distancing and cohorting.
- CDC no longer recommends routine screening testing in prek-12 schools. PCR testing will still be available once/week at the District office for students and staff. Home tests may be provided on an as-needed basis.
As always, we will monitor the public health situation, remain up-to-date on CDC/IDPH guidance, and consult with our medical advisors to make necessary adjustments throughout the school year and provide updates to our staff and families.
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D65 PowerSchool Parent Portal |
PowerSchool Parent Portal gives parents/guardians, and students access to real-time information, including attendance, grades, and even personalized messages from students’ teachers. The parent portal will open for returning and new families on Monday, August 22, 2022. Newly enrolled families will receive their information via email on Aug. 22 with details on accessing the parent portal.
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Breakfast and Lunch Menus Now Online! |
School breakfast and lunch menus are now available on our website! For the 2022-23 school year, the USDA has discontinued the waivers that allowed all students to eat for free and today is the last chance to complete the Free and Reduced Price Meal Application and have it processed before school begins! The application has benefits beyond that of our meal programming, including free or reduced school fees.
As a service to families, District 65 has partnered with MySchoolBucks to offer a convenient solution to paying for student meals. Online payments are a simple, safe, and secure way to make payments to your student's account 24 hours a day. The online meal pre-payment system also allows parents to track and review meal history and set up low-balance notifications.
Don’t have an account? Go to myschoolbucks.com to set one up using your student’s 6-digit district ID.
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D65 is using Remind to help you stay connected |
We are excited to provide an optional tool district-wide to enhance communication between home and school! Remind is a free, safe messaging app that keeps families up to date with what’s happening in the classroom. Teachers who use Remind for their class can send a text message, email, or push notification to an individual parent/caregiver, an entire class, or group.
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Remind can be used for announcements, important reminders, or just another way to check in with a family about their child.
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Remind is safe, personal contact information stays private, and phone numbers aren’t exchanged between teachers and parents (Remind is not for use by students under age 13).
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Remind is free to use (but standard text messaging and data rates may apply).
Watch the video below to see how Remind works. If your student’s classroom uses REMIND, you will receive information on how to connect.
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Focus on District-wide Safety Efforts |
As students and staff return to their buildings for the 2022-2023 school year, families and community members may be curious about various tools that are in place to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and visitors. We are committed to consistently remaining prepared and taking action steps to enhance our safety protocols and school crisis plans. In the summer of 2022, we hired a Manager of Prevention and Special Response and will also be hiring an Assistant Manager. These positions align with many leading school districts' regarding a dedicated safety response team. These individuals will direct, implement, and coordinate all district safety initiatives, including emergency preparedness and school safety and security operations.
In 2022-2023, each building will also have a dedicated School Concierge to welcome and guide visitors, staff, and the school community while promoting and maintaining a safe space for all. Like all employees, these individuals will be provided training on our equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging efforts. All of these positions are part of a cost-neutral staffing shift.
This multi-layered and comprehensive approach to safety is essential in ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment. In addition, the district is constantly reviewing its policies and procedures to make sure we are meeting the needs of our students and staff.
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Evanston/Skokie School District 65 |
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