JANUARY 2024
STAFF NEWSLETTER
HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATES ● Injury While at Work: If you are injured while at work, it is important that you inform your supervisor immediately. You will then need to fill out this injury report and turn it in to your supervisor as soon as possible.
Robert Gurney Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources robert.gurney@ccsd21.org Tel. 847-520-2724
● Bereavement Days and Jury Duty: At times you may need to take time off from work for different reasons. Please note that a Bereavement or Jury Duty Absence Notification Form must be completed for bereavement or jury duty leaves. The bereavement form can be completed after the funeral. ○
CCSD21 Attendance Procedures
● New Deductions and Benefits for 2024 Insurance Year: With your first check of 2024 on Jan. 12, insurance enrollment decisions will be reflected. New deductions will begin with this first check. As a reminder, voluntary life insurance and EyeMed deductions only come out of the second payroll of each month. Please consider logging into Skyward to see and compare your paycheck stubs from December 2023 with this new check in January. If you see any concerns, please email Jan Connick at jan.connick@ccsd21.org.
EQUITY & LEARNING UPDATES ● A reminder on the district’s Distance Learning Snow/Emergency Days
Beatrice Reyes Childress Assistant Superintendent for Equity & Learning beatrice.childress@ccsd21.org Tel. 847-520-2743
● MAP Growth Student Progress Reports: MAP Growth student progress reports were sent home via ParentSquare at the end of December 2023 for students in grades 2-8. The student’s progress will show their overall score and growth on the MAP assessments over time. Because this report contains secure, personalized information, parents will need to verify their ParentSquare login (or activate their account if they have not done so already) to validate they are eligible to access the report. A reminder that there is no parent report that is sent home for MAP Reading Fluency.
EQUITY & LEARNING UPDATES (CONT.) ● Summer Programs Staff Application: The Summer Learning Academy (SLA), Extended School Year (ESY) and Camp Invention (CI) application form is now available! Please complete it by Friday, Feb. 16, to apply to teach at one of the CCSD21 summer school programs: ○
Summer Learning Academy – July 8-25, Monday thru Thursday ■ ■
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Extended School Year – July 8-25, Monday thru Thursday ■ ■
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Student Hours: 9 a.m. to Noon Staff Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Student Hours: 9 a.m. to Noon Staff Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Camp Invention – June 10-13, Monday thru Thursday ■ ■
Student Hours: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Staff Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
● Summer Learning Academy is for students performing below the 20th percentile in both math and language arts. Students will participate in a mix of language arts, math, and exploratory and specials areas during the half-day. ● Extended School Year aims to extend the school year for students with active IEPs in order to maintain previously learned skills. Qualification for ESY is made on an individualized basis following a data review by the IEP team. ● Camp Invention is a one-week camp for students entering grades 1-6, with opportunities for “leaders in training” (students entering grades 7-9). STEM activity focused throughout the full-day program.
● Let’s Celebrate! Did You Know… As a district we are proud to celebrate the diversity of our learning community! Some of the celebrations taking place during the month of January include: New Year’s Day, Epiphany/Three Kings Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day. If you’d like to learn more, click on the links! If there is a celebration that we missed, don’t hesitate to reach out and share it with our Language Services Department. ● Elementary Literacy PD Opportunities: ○
Book Club – “Choosing and Using Decodable Texts: Practical Tips and Strategies for Enhancing Phonics Instruction” by Wiley Blevins – REGISTER HERE (sign-up and I will auto-register you for the other dates and send you a book)
BUSINESS OFFICE UPDATES A reminder for all staff members who request/schedule events with OrganicLife or First Student. All class/building parties, catering, popsicles, etc., must be booked, confirmed and food ordered with OrganicLife no later than May 1 for any end-of-year functions. Micheal DeBartolo Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations/CSBO micheal.debartolo@ccsd21.org
Tel. 847-520-2707
In addition, please be aware that because of food service and transportation schedules, ordering, and other commitments, field trips cannot be scheduled during the last week of school. Any requested field trip during that period will not be approved as First Student does not have the capacity to run these routes during this time of year. If you have any questions, please contact Gail for transportation (x2705 or gail.unamboowe@ccsd21.org) or Cindy Kile for food service (x2706 or cindy.kile@ccsd21.org). While these rules have been in place, and I know they seem to limit certain activities, it is essential that we follow these rules. These practices ensure such activities and services do not create undue pressure on our service providers or inequitable opportunities for some students that others cannot access due to restrictions on staff and service of OrganicLife and First Student during these end-of-year mad dashes to the finish line.
INFORMATION SERVICES UPDATES ● Information Services Department Newsletter: Please take a look at the latest Information Services Newsletter! This month’s topics include Digital Citizenship Lessons for grades 6-8, cybersecurity, the Chrome OS update, Merge Cubes, activity inspiration, and Google tips and tricks. Mike Frantini Chief Technology Officer mike.frantini@ccsd21.org Tel. 847-520-2732
● Technology Trainings to Kick Off 2024: Our first tech trainings of 2024 were a success! We hosted three trainings at London during the Institute Day on Jan. 8. Staff learned about making ViewSonic activities, VR headsets and Google Sites. Check out our mini vlog to see the highlights!
INFORMATION SERVICES UPDATES (CONT.) ● Student Photo Publishing Reminders: Please omit students from pictures if their parents did not consent to having their image posted online. We want to avoid covering students’ faces with emojis or coloring over them. You can ask parents if they want to update their consent, but please ensure that your school secretary documents any changes in PowerSchool. Consent for the 2022-2023 school year is no longer valid; it must be for the 2023-2024 school year.
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COMMUNITY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT 21 959 W. Dundee Road Wheeling, IL 60090 Tel. (847) 537-8270 www.ccsd21.org
Empowering Every Student, Every Day