November 11, 2020
Dear
Medinah Staff, Parents and Guardians,
This letter will share the news that, given all the information that we have, we are going to extend remote learning through January 16, the MLK weekend. In-person learning will begin on Tuesday,
January 19, 2021, provided it is safe to do so.
Families who made the decision to move from remote learning to in-person learning at the beginning of trimester two will remain with their current teacher until we return to school.
DuPage
County COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Below are two charts showing the
sustained rise in COVID-19 new cases and positivity rates. The trend is
concerning.
IDPH has moved DuPage County to the Warning Category due to increased risk. Furthermore, DuPage County Health Department school metrics remain in the "substantial community transmission" category for the fourth straight week with no evidence the upward trend will flatten or decrease. Also, positivity rates and new case counts for Medinah and Roselle continue to trend the wrong way. The positivity rate for Medinah for the last seven days is 27.85%. Anything above 8% is considered substantial. This is a far different picture today than it was in August.
With significant local risk, winter flu season adding risk and upcoming holiday travel/gatherings, this may open Medinah schools up for even more risk. Therefore, it’s time to make this decision. Each school district is planning their calendar differently, just as things were different in August. Adding to all of the above, the ability to staff our schools remains a major concern.
We will
monitor all of these factors and should there be significant positive changes
in the trends, we would consider an earlier return to in-person instruction.
I am
proud of our staff and community for supporting the opening of schools
in-person in August. Conditions at that time were better and opening was the
right thing to do. There is now evidence of substantial sustained risk at the
state, county, and community levels, which puts us all at risk. Moving to full
remote until January is the right thing to do.
Most
sincerely,
John K
Butts
Superintendent
Vacation Plans - We Need Your Help
The DuPage county health department (DCHD) has advised us to be cautious in the days following the Thanksgiving holiday. I have attached a document from the Center For Disease Control (CDC). It includes some ideas to consider for your Holiday with safety in mind. If we are in-person after Thanksgiving, we ask that you keep school in mind with your activities. If you need to keep your children at home after the break, please do so. However, please call your child’s school to report the absence.
Keep Us Informed
During remote learning, we still want and need to monitor student health, particularly as it relates to COVID-19. Please call your child’s school and/or email our school nurse ([email protected]) with any relevant updates. As always, if there are any health concerns for your child/children, please consult your healthcare professional.
Remote Learning FAQ's
Thanksgiving Considerations
Please remember to practice the 3W‘s: Wash your hands! Watch your distance! And Wear a mask!
Reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19 by taking these simple steps:
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Wear a face mask.
- Practice social distancing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
REST IN PEACE
LYDIA CARBONARA
MEDINAH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL TEACHER
for over 11 years
Medinah School District 11 has experienced a great loss. One of our beloved fourth grade teachers, Lydia Carbonara, passed away on Friday, November 13th due to complications as a result of her cancer. Mrs. Carbonara will be remembered as a true warrior who had a significant impact on the lives of Medinah students, families and coworkers. Mrs. Carbonara has been a dedicated teacher at Medinah Intermediate School for eleven years and she had a passion for creating a community within her classroom for students to reach their highest potential. Mrs. Carbonara will forever be in our hearts in Medinah School District 11.
LUNCH PROGRAM
The Illinois State Board of Education has announced that
FREE LUNCH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH THE END
OF THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR
Directions for REMOTE- Learning Students:
- Lunches should be picked up at your child’s school on Monday’s (if no school, pick-up is on Tuesday)
- Pick-up time: 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
- Please note: In order to accommodate all lunch requests, email [email protected] BEFORE 9:00 a.m. on the pick-up day (Monday or Tuesday, if there is no school) with your child’s/children’s name(s) and grade(s).
Directions for IN-PERSON students – Teachers will continue to ask every morning if student requires a lunch.
MILK ONLY purchases will continue to be CHARGED TO THE STUDENT
Medinah School District 11 is using this convenient service for paying school fees and funding student lunch accounts.
IF YOU HAVE NOT CREATED A PUSHCOIN ACCOUNT YET, follow these steps to create and link your parent account to your student. Please click here for Push Coin instructions
PRESCHOOL SCREENING
2020-21 Developmental Screening Brochure
2020-21 Development Screening Brochure - Spanish
parent university
Click on the link to access the virtual presentation of Dr. Doug Bolton's Building Resilience During a Pandemic
https://youtu.be/6YujPnH9YF4