Winter MAP Assessments 

This week we will be starting our winter MAP assessments for students in grades 2-5. This will apply for both our in-person and remote students in these grades. Students will take their reading MAP assessments this coming week and their math MAP assessments the following week. Classroom teachers will communicate the exact schedule for their class with parents. Please see the attached letter for more information regarding our assessments for this window. 

Valentine’s Day Celebrations

Our Valentine’s Day celebrations will be modified this year due to COVID-19. We will still be celebrating the day with our students, however, we will not be holding our traditional parties. Classroom teachers will be facilitating some festive activities and the exchange of cards on Thursday, February 11th. Students who are remote will participate in activities with their class via Zoom and classroom teachers will have a virtual way/alternative for students to participate in a card exchange. In-person students must bring their cards into the building on Monday, February 8th in order for the cards to be quarantined for three days prior to being sent home with students on Thursday, February 11th. Classroom teachers will communicate other guidelines directly with families for the card exchange. Please note, if cards are not brought in by Monday, February 8th, they will not be sent home with students on February 11th. Thank you for your cooperation and support with this mitigation strategy for our card exchange. 

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 2: 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. 

PreKinder - 1st Grade: Help Your Child Think Before, During, and After Reading: Amanda offers parents ways to support a child’s reading comprehension by emphasizing the value of rereading, suggesting conversations that can help before, during, and after rereading. This includes an example of Amanda reading with a child.

2nd - 5th Grade: How to Help Your Child Stay Focused While Reading: Hannah shares parent tips for increasing their kids' reading volume and stamina at home.

Spanish PreK - 5th Grade: Leyendo un libro con su niño/a - Consejos sobre cuándo y cómo parar y hablar del libro / Reading a Book with Your Child - Advice on When and How to Stop and Talk About the Book:  Stephanie explica unas maneras en que un familiar puede modelar ser un lector/a súper interesado/a mientras está leyendo con su propio hijo/a. Después, demuestra eso con un ejemplo de lectura en voz alta, haciendo preguntas y pensando en voz alta, mientras todavía enfatiza que usar demasiadas preguntas puede arruinar la experiencia.

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, 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 - Valentine’s Day Celebrations 

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

Thursday, February 11th - Parent University @ 7 p.m. - Youth Mental Health and Suicide: Know the Warning Signs and How to Help 

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

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