Greetings Margaret Mead Community,

We hope this email finds you safe and healthy!  The Mead staff is borrowing an idea from our local Elementary Schools and taking it to the streets tomorrow!

We are calling this the “Mead Made Motorcade”–over 20 staff members will be a part of the motorcade.  Starting at 11:00 am, we will be winding our way through our neighborhoods following this route and map.   Please listen for the honking car horns and come outside to say hello!

During this time away, we miss our students and families at Mead and look forward to hopefully seeing  you tomorrow!

Scott

Dear District 54 Community,

Today Illinois Governor Pritzker announced that schools will continue to be closed through April 30 as we all do our part to prevent the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

I know I’m speaking for all of our employees when I say that we would rather be at school, connecting with students in person. However, the health and safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. At this point the medical professionals are all recommending social distancing as the key to staying well during this pandemic.

Virtual Learning

We will continue to offer virtual learning online at sites.google.com/sd54.org/vlearning54. I am so grateful to the employees who so quickly adapted to this new way of teaching so they could continue to help your students thrive academically. If you need internet access at home or are having any technology problems, please email vlearning@nullsd54.org for support. Spanish-speaking families can also contact BarbaraVelez@nullsd54.org.

Food Distribution

I am also grateful to the volunteers who are continuing to provide food for our financially struggling families.

• Willow Creek Community Church will also be running a mobile food truck distribution from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday in the District 54 Rafferty Administration Center parking lot, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.

• District 54 staff will be working with Township High School District 211 to distribute meal bags with five days of lunches, five days of breakfast and a half gallon of milk from 9 a.m. to noon each Thursday at Hoffman Estates High School, 1100 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates. This is a drive-through pickup. When you arrive at the school, please stay in your vehicle. We will load the bags into your trunk or back seat.

You can find more information about food distribution and how to support local food distribution on our website.

Finally, I want to thank the parents and guardians of our students. I know you are trying to help your children stay focused on their studies at home while also working remotely, cooking, cleaning and keeping everyone healthy. Many of us are parents too. We understand that it’s not always easy. We are here to support you. Here is a resource you may use to talk about the coronavirus with children: National Association of School Psychologists Parent Resource – Talking to Children About COVID-19.

Also please reach out to your children’s teachers, your school principal, assistant principal, social workers or psychologists if there is anything you need. As long as we work together for the children, they will grow and thrive.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Andy DuRoss

Greetings Margaret Mead Community,

We hope everyone was able to have a safe and healthy spring break as we all found ways to still engage with our lives in very different ways!  Last week alone, I was a Kindergarten teacher for my six year old, a Yahtzee player with lots of beginner’s luck, and a mediocre cook during our family dinners!  Our hope for you is that you have also found new ways to connect with family during this unexpected pause in our normally busy lives.

Despite not being at school to personally highlight all of the great things happening at Mead, we still want to celebrate the efforts of three incredibly devoted groups of Mead community members:

• Mead Made Shoutout to our Mustangs!  Last week, our teachers were thrilled to connect with so many of our committed students during “V-Learning”—some of our teachers reported over 90% of their students participating in the V-Learning work!  This is a testament to the wonderful support that you—as their number one educator—provide to ensure your child’s success!  Thank you for encouraging them to give their Mead Made Best during this time away from Mead.  Please know that if your child is struggling in any way and in need of support, please connect directly with their teacher.  Please also know that in the short-term, we are focused on keeping your child engaged in and getting them acclimated to the V-Learning platform.  To help hold them accountable for the V-Learning work from home, please take a few moments every V-Learning day to get into their Google Classroom and have them show you the work they have done during the day.  In the event of an extended school closing, we will build in accountability measures on our end for our students.  In addition, more and more teachers will be using the Parent Portal to document assignment completion—please stay connected through the Portal to track your child’s progress!

• Mead Made Shoutout to the fantastic Mead staff who have been working tirelessly and remotely to plan for another week of V-Learning this week and into next week.  Many of the Mead staff joined over 650 District 54 staff members during yesterday’s “District 54 Spring Break Virtual Professional Development Symposium” to learn about the best ways to promote student engagement and feedback through our new virtual learning platform. We look forward to bringing some of these new techniques out to the students these next couple of weeks!

• Mead Made Shoutout to YOU!  Thank you for reaching out to us via our Mead Facebook page and Mead Twitter page during our school closure!  We have appreciated your comments.  I have also received several emails from parents inquiring about different things—this is all appreciated as we find ways to still stay connected to our community.

The hardest part of “social distancing” is often the lack of connection that we crave as humans. At Mead, we have taken great pride this school year focused on building and maintaining positive relationships with each other and our students. To help us feel more connected during our time away, we will be creating ways to have “Mead Made Moments” virtually. The first opportunity for staff and students is to participate in this week’s “V-Mead V-Spirit Week”. See the flyer above and here  for what to wear each day. Students and staff are asked to take a picture of themselves and add it to our V-Spirit Week page here: V-Mead V-Spirit Week. We will then put some of the best pictures on our Mead Facebook page  and Mead Twitter page.  During our V-Learning days, I am also providing daily messages to our students highlighting our Mead Made work during our V-Learning days using our Mead Facebook page.  You can listen to my first two Mead Made Messages here: Mead Made Message 3-19-20 and Mead Made Message 3-20-20.  If you have any Mead Made Moments to share, we’d love to see them!  As you are posting on your personal social media account, please use our hashtag #MeadMade when highlighting a Mead Made Moment at home!  Please stay tuned for more “Mead Made Moment” opportunities later this week!

Below is important information for you and your family during our school closure.

School Closure Reminder through April 7, 2020:  On Friday, March 20, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued a “stay at home” order for the entire state of Illinois through April 7, 2020, to help prevent the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  The Governor also extended the school closure order.  At this time schools would reopen on April 8, but Governor Pritzker also announced that he may extend this date as well.

V-Learning Reminders:  Starting up again on Monday, March 30, through Tuesday, April 7, District 54 will continue to interact with students through the D54 V-Learning Website.  The website also contains a parent guide, a student guide, and frequently asked questions.  Families who do not have Internet access at home, please either let me know by calling 847-357-6070 or you can email our District 54 support at VLearning@nullsd54.org.  Spanish-speaking families who need assistance can contact BarbaraVelez@nullsd54.org or call 847-357-5074.  Reminder that Mead Junior High V-Learning classes will be held from daily 8:00 am to 2:30 pm when students follow their current schedule (including a break for lunch).  Since these classes are virtual and we understand that this schedule may not work for some families, students have the flexibility to complete tasks at any time. However, students participating during these V-Learning times will be able to interact in real time with their teachers.

PTA: 

• Hot Lunch update: The Mead PTA is closely monitoring the school closing and assessing the best way and time to reschedule unused lunches. The Mead PTA will provide information regarding how lunches will be rescheduled at a later date. All updates will be made available in the Mead Minute emails, and on the Mead PTA website. Please send any questions you may have regarding the Thursday lunch program to meadPTA@nullgmail.com
• Summer Camp/Program Scholarships:  As part of its commitment to life-long learning, the Schaumburg Township Council of PTAs (STC) offers scholarships for summer programs and camps to District 54 students currently in kindergarten through seventh grade who wish to broaden their education, talents and experiences. The PTA scholarship deadline was extended to April 10.  https://pta.sd54.org/resources/elementary-scholarship/

Registration for the 2020-21 School Year:  Registration for the 2020-21 school year will open on Monday, March 30 through the Infinite Campus Portal.  Please login to review the current information and make any necessary changes.  If you do not have a portal account, you should have received an email on March 14 inviting you to create one.  As a reminder, all families are required to prove that they live within District 54 boundaries every year. If we are unable to verify your residency electronically, you will receive a letter by U.S. mail, which will list the residency documents you can provide to the school office to complete your registration.  You are also able to pay the $50 consumable fee for 2020-21, as well as purchase milk and sign up for the instructional device insurance through the portal.  If you believe you will qualify for the Free Lunch Program in the 2020-21 school year, and therefore will receive a fee waiver, do not pay the consumable material fee now. Applications will be available in August for the Free Lunch Program.  Information about busing will be mailed the first week in June. Should you have any questions, please our office. Thank you for your cooperation.

Social/Emotional Support:  We want you to know the entire Mead community is here to support each other during this difficult time.  If your child or a member of your family is in need of support, then please let us know.  You can reach out directly to me or a member of our wonderful guidance department.  Please see below for our contact information:

• Mrs. Knief, Guidance Counselor: ElizabethKnief@nullsd54.org or call 847-357-6034
• Kailee Falvo, School Social Worker: KaileeFalvo@nullsd54.org or call 847-357-6028
• Cindy Churchill, School Psychologist: CynthiaChurchill@nullsd54.org or call 847-357-6071
• Scott Ross, Principal: scottross@nullsd54.org or call 847-357-6070

Food Distribution:  As the situation surrounding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus continues to change, District 54 is working with amazing community partners to provide food to families who are struggling financially.  We would like to thank the number of individuals and organizations who have inquired about how to make donations to help those in our community who may be struggling. We feel the best practice is to work with organizations who are currently offering these services in our community and will therefore not be collecting food. Please do not bring food donations to the district office as previously mentioned.  The Schaumburg Township Food Pantry and many faith-based charities are providing food to families in our community. Click here to access a list of these pantries on the Schaumburg Township website. In order to encourage social distancing, these organizations are not collecting food at this time.  You can find updates regarding food distribution on the District 54 website.

Family Assistance Information:  Families needing assistance may benefit from the following. These organizations ask that you please check their website before coming to ensure that they still have the food supplies.

• District 54 staff will be working with Township High School District 211 to distribute meal bags with five days of lunches, five days of breakfast and a half gallon of milk from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm every Thursday at Hoffman Estates High School, 1100 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates. This is a drive-through pickup. When you arrive at the school, please stay in your vehicle so the volunteers can load the bags into your trunk or back seat.
• The Schaumburg Township Food Pantry is now running a drive-through pickup from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the township office, One Illinois Blvd. in Hoffman Estates. For more information, please call (847) 732-7166.
• Church of the Holy Spirit Food Pantry, 1451 Bode Road in Schaumburg, is offering drive-through pickup on Thursdays from 2:00 to 5:00 pm near the garages.
• Living Hope Food Pantry, 777 Meacham Road in Elk Grove Village, is offering drive-through pickup on Thursdays from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm.
• Trinity Charities Food Pantry, 927 Plum Grove in Schaumburg, is open from 4:00 to 6:00 pm Thursdays and 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Saturdays.

Donation Opportunities:  The District 54 Education Foundation has also created a new fund called the D54 Foundation Crisis Fund, which will be used to support our most at-risk families, including the 20% of students who qualify for free lunch. This emergency fund will help families impacted by this virus, and could be used in the future to provide immediate access to financial assistance for financially struggling families.  To donate, you can visit their Crisis Fund website here.  To donate to other local charities, please visit the following websites: Schaumburg Township Food Pantry and Greater Chicago Food Depository

V-Learning Home Fun:  If you are looking for ways to extend V-Learning to home, please visit these experiences based on your interests:

• Virtual Tours:  Experience the best museums from London to Seoul in the comfort of your own home.
• Wanna Play a Game?:  Make a copy of the google doc and send it to a friend.  You will then be able to play “Connect 4”, “tic-tac-toe”, and the “Dots and Boxes” game!
• Podcasts:  Listen to an educational podcast!  If you like science: RadioLab, StarTalk Radio.  If you like history: Forever Ago.  If you like biographies: Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls.  If you like hip hop: Flyest Fables .  If you are into grammar: The Allusionist 
• Wonderopolis:  Welcome to Wonderopolis, a place where natural curiosity and imagination lead to exploration and discovery in learners of all ages. Each day, they pose an intriguing question and explore it in a variety of ways.

Important upcoming dates:

• March 29: Last day of spring break
• March 30 – April 3: V-Mead V-Spirit Week
• March 30 – April 7:  V-Learning
• April 8:  Potential date schools would reopen (as more information is available, it will be communicated to our community by Superintendent DuRoss)
• April 10:  No school

Please visit our Mead JHS Website for the building calendar.  Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay updated with the latest news and information about the great things happening at Mead.  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Thank you for your continued support and commitment to ensuring your child’s educational success during this exceptional time.

Scott

As the situation surrounding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus continues to change, District 54 is working with amazing community partners to provide food to families who are struggling financially.

We would like to thank the number of individuals and organizations who have inquired about how to make donations to help those in our community who may be struggling. We feel the best practice is to work with organizations who are currently offering these services in our community and will therefore not be collecting food. Please do not bring food donations to the district office as previously mentioned.

The Schaumburg Township Food Pantry and many faith-based charities are providing food to families in our community. Click here to access a list of these pantries on the Schaumburg Township website. In order to encourage social distancing, these organizations are not collecting food at this time.

The District 54 Education Foundation has also created a new fund called the D54 Foundation Crisis Fund, which will be used to support our most at-risk families, including the 20% of students who qualify for free lunch. This emergency fund will help families impacted by this virus, and could be used in the future to provide immediate access to financial assistance for financially struggling families.

To donate, visit any of the following websites:

• District 54 Education Foundation – select Crisis Fund
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Schaumburg Township Food Pantry

Families needing assistance may benefit from the following. These organizations ask that you please check their website before coming to ensure that they still have the food supplies.

• The Schaumburg Township Food Pantry is now running a drive-through pickup from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the township office, One Illinois Blvd. in Hoffman Estates. For more information, please call (847) 732-7166.
• Willow Creek Community Church will also be running a mobile food truck distribution from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday in the District 54 Rafferty Administration Center parking lot, 524 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.
• District 54 staff will be working with Township High School District 211 to distribute meal bags with five days of lunches, five days of breakfast and a half gallon of milk from 9 a.m. to noon each Thursday at Hoffman Estates High School, 1100 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates. This is a drive-through pickup. When you arrive at the school, please stay in your vehicle. We will load the bags into your trunk or back seat.
• Church of the Holy Spirit Food Pantry, 1451 Bode Road in Schaumburg, is offering drive-through pickup on Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m. near the garages.
• Living Hope Food Pantry, 777 Meacham Road in Elk Grove Village, is offering drive-through pickup on Thursdays from 11:30-noon.
• Trinity Charities Food Pantry, 927 Plum Grove in Schaumburg, is open from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Lugares de despensa de alimentos y oportunidades de donación

A medida que la situación en torno al nuevo coronavirus de 2019 continúa cambiando, el Distrito 54 está trabajando con increíbles socios de la comunidad para proporcionar alimentos a las familias que tienen dificultades financieras.

Nos gustaría agradecer a la cantidad de personas y organizaciones que han preguntado cómo hacer donaciones para ayudar a aquellos en nuestra comunidad que puedan estar luchando. Creemos que la mejor práctica es trabajar con organizaciones que actualmente ofrecen estos servicios en nuestra comunidad y, por lo tanto, no recolectarán alimentos. No traiga donaciones de alimentos a la oficina del distrito como se mencionó anteriormente.

La despensa de alimentos del municipio de Schaumburg y muchas organizaciones benéficas religiosas están proporcionando alimentos a las familias de nuestra comunidad. Haga clic aquí para acceder a una lista de estas despensas en el sitio web del municipio de Schaumburg. Para alentar el distanciamiento social, estas organizaciones no están recolectando alimentos en este momento.

La Fundación Educativa del Distrito 54 también ha creado un nuevo fondo llamado D54 Foundation Crisis Fund, que se utilizará para apoyar a nuestras familias más expuestas, incluido el 20% de los estudiantes que califican para el almuerzo gratuito. Este fondo de emergencia ayudará a las familias afectadas por este virus y podría usarse en el futuro para proporcionar acceso inmediato a asistencia financiera para familias con dificultades financieras.

Para donar, visite cualquiera de los siguientes sitios web:

• District 54 Education Foundation – select Crisis Fund
• Greater Chicago Food Depository
• Schaumburg Township Food Pantry

Las familias que necesitan asistencia pueden beneficiarse de lo siguiente. Estas organizaciones le solicitan que revise su sitio web antes de venir para asegurarse de que todavía tengan los suministros de alimentos.

• Schaumburg Township – La despensa de alimentos del municipio de Schaumburg ahora está llevando a cabo una recolección de 1 a 3 p.m. los martes y jueves en la oficina del municipio,  One Illinois Blvd. en Hoffman Estates. Para obtener más información, llame al (847) 732-7166.
• Centro de Administración Rafferty del Distrito 54 – Willow Creek Community Church también llevará a cabo una distribución móvil de camiones de comida de 11 a.m. a 1 p.m. todos los miércoles en el estacionamiento del Centro de Administración Rafferty del Distrito 54, 524 E. Schaumburg Road en Schaumburg.
• Distrito 211 de Township High School, cinco días de almuerzos, cinco días de desayuno y medio galón de leche de 9 am a mediodía cada jueves en la escuela secundaria Hoffman Estates, 1100 W. Higgins Road en Hoffman Estates. Esta es una camioneta drive-through. Cuando llegue a la escuela, quédese en su vehículo. Cargaremos las bolsas en su maletero o asiento trasero.
• Iglesia del Espíritu Santo Despensa, 1451 Bode Road en Schaumburg, ofrece servicio de recogida los jueves de 2 a 5 p.m. Cerca de los garajes.
• Living Hope Food Pantry, 777 Meacham Road en Elk Grove Village, ofrece servicio de recogida los jueves de 11:30 a mediodía.
• Trinity Charities Food Pantry, 927 Plum Grove en Schaumburg, está abierto de 4 a 6 p.m. Jueves y de 10 a.m. a 1 p.m. Sábados.

District 54 will host its tenth annual Spanish Language Speech Contest on May 7. District 54 students in third through eighth grade are eligible to participate in this event. Contestants will be divided into two categories: Native speakers and Spanish as a second language. The application deadline is April 10. Click here to access the online application. If you have questions, contact Lucrecia Temoczuk at LucreciaTemoczuk@nullsd54.org or (847) 357-6666.

Printable version of application – English and Spanish

Dear District 54 Families,

In order to help parents better prepare for the severe cold weather and snow we often get during winters in our community, I wanted to share with you the District 54 Severe Weather Response Plan.

Wind Chill Warning

A wind chill warning indicates that life-threatening conditions and a risk to safety exist. Measures should be taken to safeguard life and property immediately. A wind chill warning is typically issued when the wind chill will be -30 degrees Fahrenheit or colder OR the actual air temperature is -15°F.

• Classes will be cancelled.
• Extracurricular activities will be suspended.
• The announcement will be made by 6:30 a.m. at the latest. District 54 often waits until the morning to cancel school, because the weather in the Chicagoland area is constantly changing. We wait to make the decision with the hope that we can have children in school.

Wind Chill Advisory

A wind chill advisory is issued when conditions do not meet the wind chill warning criteria but still cause significant inconvenience. The weather during a wind chill advisory is not life-threatening but presents conditions that may result in inconveniences or pose moderate risk to safety. A wind chill advisory is typically issued when the wind chill is -20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.

• Schools will be open. However, students will not be penalized should parents choose to keep their children home.
• Extracurricular activities may be suspended if conditions persist. Updates will be posted on school websites and parents will receive an email if after-school activities are cancelled.
• All field trips will be cancelled.
• All outside activities will be suspended, including recess and outdoor physical education.

The National Weather Service (NWS) will be the meteorological source District 54 uses to determine and declare a wind chill warning or wind chill advisory. www.weather.gov.

School Closing – Sources of Information

If District 54 were to close school, we will notify families and staff using a variety of communication methods. For more information on that, visit our School Cancellations website.

Parents are asked to please not call their local school or the District 54 administrative offices for information on school closings. Switchboards must remain open for emergency purposes.

I would like to remind all of you to consider now, what kind of alternative child care arrangements need to be made for your children should our school be closed for inclement weather or other related emergencies. Though District 54 makes every effort to keep our schools open and operational, circumstances beyond our control oftentimes dictate school closings. Who would supervise your children if school was closed for the day, or if school had to close early (due to broken water pipes, power failure, accumulating snowfall, etc.)?

Most importantly, remember that you, the parent or guardian, ultimately make the decision whether to send your child to school. If you do decide to keep your child home on a day in which the weather is extremely inclement, the absence will be considered excused and your child will be given every opportunity to make up missed work. Please call your children’s schools and let them know.

Again, I would urge you to initiate a plan of action now, so that you are not placed in a position of having no emergency child care arrangements made should the time arise. In addition, please be sure to discuss these arrangements with your children so that they are aware of your plan.

​​​​​​​Sincerely,

Superintendent Andrew DuRoss

If your student plans to try out for one of our athletic teams and/or participate in intramurals, an approved and current physical is required to be on file prior to try-outs or any participation in an inter-scholastic/intramural sport per Board Policy. All new students entering our district must present proof of immunizations and a health examination prior to the first day of attendance. Please note that physicals are good for one year from the date of the exam. If you have additional questions about your child’s physical, please contact our school nurse.

Interscholastic Sports Permission form

The following are procedures which have been established because student safety is our primary concern. We understand that some procedures may inconvenience you, but as stated above, safety is our primary concern.

• There is no adult supervision prior to the 7:30 a.m. bell. Therefore, students should arrive at school no earlier than 7:25 a.m. (unless coming early with an authorized morning pass provided by a teacher).
• Students being dropped off by car on Biesterfield or walking to school will assemble by the main entrance, door 1, until the 7:30 a.m. bell. Please be careful where you park and drop off your children. Parking too close to a crosswalk can restrict pedestrian visibility and result in a ticket. All students should exit cars from the passenger side of the car only. All students should cross the street only at the crosswalk.
• On dangerously cold winter days, students who arrive before the 7:30 a.m. bell will be let into the school immediately upon arrival before the 7:30 a.m. bell. In case of extreme snow, students will need to be dropped off at the crosswalk in order to safely enter the building. Cars cannot block the driveway to let students off.
• Students taking a bus will be kept on their bus until the 7:30 a.m. bell after which they are to come directly into the school either through main entrance door 1.
• State law requires bus drivers to use their stop signs when children are entering and leaving the bus. Driving through the stop sign can result in a ticket. This also holds true when students are exiting buses in the Mead parking lot. No cars should be moving when the buses are loading and unloading students in the Mead parking lot.
• For safety reasons when busses are present, the Mead parking lot is CLOSED for car drop off during arrival 7:15-7:35 and for car pick up during dismissal 2:00-2:20 p.m.

Student safety is our top concern. By following all posted signs and driving regulations we can keep our children safe and help you avoid unnecessary tickets. The police do patrol our area and they do issue tickets. The entire Mead staff appreciates your patience and cooperation as we strive to provide a safe environment for our students.