We had a great first week back in our Hybrid Model!! It was terrific to see students attending school in-person, while also having others continue to participate in remote learning with our remote learning staff. While the transition to the new model did require changes for us all, and it will take a little time to adjust to those changes, we are confident that it was worth it to provide families choice in their students’ learning mode that will potentially take us through the end of this school year.

Grove Referendum Construction Community Meeting 

On Monday, January 25th, we will be holding a Community Referendum Construction Preview Meeting via Zoom for the Grove Community. We have a panel of Grove staff, district staff, staff from the engineering firm - DLR, Grove parents, and board members who will participate in the meeting. We will also be live streaming the event for the entire community to view if interested. The link to view the meeting was shared privately in an email from IC with all parents. 

School Picture Distribution and Picture Retakes 

We distributed our school pictures that were taken in December to students and families this past week and our retake day is scheduled for this coming Friday, January 29th. Details regarding the retakes are listed below: 

• Families who ordered photos and would like to do retakes need to send the original package of photos back with the child at the time of the picture retake. The same package option will then be provided with the new photo

• If you did not order photos from the original pictures, your child just needs to show up for the picture retake and parents can go online to order the photos prior to the photos or even after the photo is taken at https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry        Online Order Code: 55793X

Schedule for In-Person Students Retake Photos

Students who are attending in-person learning will have their picture taken while in the building for the day (either a.m. or p.m.). They will be called down from their classroom. Please make sure that your child knows that he/she needs to have their photo taken. 

Schedule for Distance Learner Students Retake Photos

We have created a schedule for distance learners to sign-up to come into the building during either their lunch time or afternoon specials to participate in retakes. Please click on the link to sign-up for a specific time slot to come into the building. This will help us continue to coordinate the pictures and maintain necessary distancing https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044DADA72DA4FF2-students. 

Kindergarten Round-Up for 2020-2021 School Year

Parents of our incoming kindergarten students are invited to attend our Grove Kindergarten Round-Up on Monday, February 1st at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. At this time, parents will hear an overview of the kindergarten programs, meet kindergarten staff, and have an opportunity to ask questions about the 2021-2022 school year. 

 

More detailed informational sessions for parents interested in Spanish Dual Language or Chinese Immersion programs will be held in February. Below is a timeline for our Kindergarten Registration process and links to sign-up to receive the invite for the Zoom information meetings in February.  

February 1, 2021- Virtual Kindergarten Round-Up information session with your neighborhood elementary principal on Feb. 1st at 6:30pm  (Please fill out this form) and you will receive a link to the zoom meeting prior to Feb. 1st)

February 2 - March 2- Complete online pre-registration for 2021 kindergarten students (The link for online pre-registration will be emailed to you)

February 3, 2021- Chinese Immersion Program Virtual Parent Information Presentation @ 6:30pm (Please fill out this form) and you will receive a link to the zoom meeting prior to Feb. 3rd)

February 4, 2021- ENGLISH: Spanish Dual Language Program Virtual Parent Information Presentation @ 6:30pm (Please fill out this form) and you will receive a link to the zoom meeting prior to Feb. 4th)

February 9, 2021- SPANISH: Spanish Dual Language Program Virtual Parent Information Presentation @ 6:30pm (Please fill out this form) and you will receive a link to the zoom meeting prior to Feb. 5th)

Please be sure to share the date for Kindergarten round-up with neighbors, friends, and community members who have kindergarten age children and may not have a child in the school system to hear about the event from our district.

Week 1: Resources for Parents to Help Support Reading and Writing at Home 

The Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), creators of our reading and writing programs, have developed numerous videos for families and caregivers to bring more joy into literacy learning. They draw on numerous years of experience and research in providing ideas for supporting reading and writing at home. We will highlight a few videos each week in upcoming newsletters, and encourage parents and caregivers to listen to or watch these short videos. In addition, we will be launching our annual Grove Family Reading Program in a few weeks in hopes to also bring some excitement, joy, and motivation to reading! To access all videos created by TCRWP and additional resources, please refer to this link. 

K-2: Help Children Fall in Love With Reading - Rituals to Set Up at Home:  In this video, Valerie describes a few at-home routines or habits parents can establish to help children engage (or re-engage) in reading, including side-by-side reading, reading the world and performing readings to friends and family.

3-5: How to Have Natural Conversations With Your Kids About Books:  In this video, Lizzie shares tips for talking with a child about his/her reading in ways that reinforce comprehension, while preventing the parent from becoming the teacher. 

Spanish: Consejos para ayudar a su hijo/a encontrar un sitio de trabajo / Tips for Helping Your Child Find a Work Space:  En este video, Stephanie explica cuatro principios para guiar a los padres cuando ayudan a su hijo/a a encontrar un espacio para escribir y hacer la tarea de la escuela en casa con energia tranquila y enfocada. Anima a los familiares a encontrar un lugar donde los niños pueden estar cómodos, traer peluches, o aún acostarse.  (In this video, Stephanie explains four principles to guide parents in helping children find a space to write and do schoolwork at home with calm, focused energy. She encourages parents to find a place where kids can be comfortable, bringing stuffed animals, even lying down.)

Save the Date - Virtual Family STEM Night 

Our STEM teachers across the district are creating an amazing Virtual Family STEM Night for Thursday, February 11th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Families will be able to join virtually or do the activities on their own!! More information to come soon!! 

Social Emotional Support for Students 

As our students continue to navigate our consistently changing landscape due to COVID 19, we are continuously considering how our children are coping and their overall mental health. Please know that our school and district are here to support our students who are struggling and may benefit from additional resources. Please see the attached letter regarding this and view the short video explaining how families can access the online META app that is also available to connect students with counselors while at home. Please also keep in mind that parents can contact our school based support directly by emailing our Social Worker, Mr. Walcott, at cwalcott@barrington220.org or our School Psychologist, Tonya Tompkins-Wisz, at ttompkins@barrington220.org.

Upcoming Dates 

Monday, January 25th - Grove Gear All Year!! Wear your favorite Grove shirt or school colors!! 

Monday, January 25th - Grove Referendum Construction Work Community Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m. 

Thursday, January 28th - 2nd Trimester Report Cards available to parents in IC 

Friday, January 29th - Picture Retake Day

Monday, February 1st - Kindergarten Round-Up Meeting via Zoom for 2021-2022 School Year

Monday, February 1st - Winter MAP Assessment Window Opens 

Wednesday, February 3rd - Chinese Immersion Kindergarten Info. Mtg., 6:30 p.m. via Zoom 

Thursday, February 4th - Spanish Dual Language Kindergarten Info. Mtg. in English, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom

Thursday, February 4th - Kindergarten Pre-Registration Opens  

Tuesday, February 9th - Spanish Dual Language Kindergarten Info. Mtg. in Spanish, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom 

Thursday, February 11th - Virtual Family STEM Night, 6:00-7:30 p.m. 

Friday, February 12th - Institute Day, NO SCHOOL for Students 

Monday, February 15th - Presidents’ Day, NO SCHOOL for Students