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Thank you for your cooperation with the weather procedures these past few days. I know it was a frustrating couple of days for all of us but it is gratefully behind us. The topic of school cancellation is on the list of items we are looking at as we calendar for next year and as we look at the weather ahead of us. Key questions: when do we cancel school, when do we pivot to eLearning, and how is this communicated to parents. Thank you to the parents who reached out expressing their thoughts on this matter!
Some of you have had questions about an attendance report code of AU – absent, unexcused – we are using now. As I informed you earlier in the fall, this is a new guideline from the State of Illinois. Basically, the only excused absence is illness; everything else is unexcused. Why? I don’t exactly know; it has something to do with the State’s efforts to document and curb truancy. What is the consequence of this here at St. Theresa? Nothing. It’s just a reporting code and it doesn’t appear on the final transcript (which just shows days present/absent/tardy.) It also doesn’t get reported to the State – we report a whole school “daily attendance rate” once a year, not individual student attendance. Why do we have to use it? Because as a school, we are an official recorder of your parental compliance with compulsory education. So we use it. I apologize if it caused you concern!
iReady assessment is going very well this week. Thank you for getting your children here ready to take the assessment at 7:45. Watch for your child’s mid-year growth report and for the Parent Teacher Conference sign ups - conferences are February 12 and 16 from 3:00-6:00. While these winter conferences are optional, all parents are encouraged make an appointment to check in with the teachers!
I hope you are all ready for Family Mass and Open House on Sunday, February 28! Mass is at 10:00 followed by the Open House. Students are invited to wear their school uniform to Mass – they will receive a dress down pass for Monday if they do! Come check out your child’s classroom and see the good work they have been doing. The Book Fair will also be open so you can come and peruse this annual Catholic Schools Week favorite! We are also excited for Dads n’ Donuts on Wednesday, February 2. Everyone should come - with your dad or any special family member and enjoy a fun and sugary morning! Please see the ad in the newsletter so you can RSVP.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Mass and Open House on the 28th!
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