DECEMBER 2021 FAMILY NEWSLETTER

December 17, 2021

Topic: Updates

The following message was sent through ParentSquare, CCSD21’s family notification tool. If you did not receive this message, please email [email protected] to ensure your contact information is up to date.

December 17, 2021

Dear CCSD21 families,

With Winter Break beginning in just a few hours, we wish you a relaxing December. Classes resume for students on Tuesday, January 4.

As a reminder, there is no school for students on Monday, January 17.

Have a wonderful Winter Break!

CCSD21 launches Safe2Help Illinois

Effective today, CCSD21 is participating in a new statewide school safety program called Safe2Help Illinois. This program will offer students a safe and confidential way to share information that may help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence, and other threats to student safety. The program also includes an educational curriculum aimed at fostering a culture of kindness and resources for educators and parents to reinforce the program concepts with their students.

Safe2Help Illinois features a 24/7 helpline (1-844-4-SAFEIL), free mobile app, and dedicated website (www.Safe2HelpIL.com). In the absence of a trusted adult, students can use Safe2Help Illinois to share concerns about themselves or others in a confidential environment. Once vetted, the information will be immediately shared with local school officials, mental health professionals, and/or local law enforcement, depending on the nature of the tip. It is important to note that this program is not intended to punish, suspend or expel students. Rather, the intent is to encourage students to “seek help before harm,” with the goal of intervening and helping students before they harm themselves or others.

Long-term goals of Safe2Help Illinois are to remove the stigma associated with mental health issues, promote a culture of kindness, and instill important lessons such as the difference between telling and tattling, internet safety, and suicide prevention.

In addition to the helpline, app, and website listed above, a new direct link will be available on student Chromebooks for easy access to the confidential portal. While students have access to this Portal beginning today, they will learn more about the tool following Winter Break.

Free COVID-19 screening & vaccination opportunities

COVID screening
SHIELD Illinois is providing free COVID-19 screenings for any member of the public during winter break. A number of statewide testing locations are available. The location closest to CCSD21 is Jane Addams Elementary School at 1020 E. Sayles Dr. in Palatine, IL. Testing will take place on Tuesday, December 21, from 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM.

Additional locations, times, and details are noted in the flyer below.

This opportunity is free to the public and anyone from the community is welcome to participate. Appointment times are available, but not required. Secure results will be available within 24-48 hours.

COVID vaccination
The State of Illinois and Cook County Health are hosting three mass pop-up vaccine events on Sunday, December 19. No appointment necessary. Just walk in! You are not required to show a photo ID or insurance card to get vaccinated.

  Arlington Heights Health Center

  • Sunday, December 19, 10 AM – 4 PM, 3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Suite 300, Arlington Heights, IL 60004

First and second shots will be available for individuals age 12+.

The Pfizer booster will be available for all individuals age 16+. The Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson booster shots will be available for all individuals age 18+. A person is eligible for a booster 6 months after they received their second dose of Pfizer/Moderna, or 2 months after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.

If you have not been vaccinated and/or boosted, please strongly consider taking advantage of this opportunity. Vaccination opportunities other than the pop-up vaccine event can be found here.

Groundbreaking for Community Service and Administrative Center

School District 21 hosted federal, state, and local officials on Saturday, December 4, at a groundbreaking for its new Community Service and Administrative Center.

The new facility will serve as a community hub, housing current CCSD21 community partners, like OMNI Youth Services, Hands On Suburban Chicago, NWSRA, the YWCA, and new partners. There will also be medical clinic space for physical, dental, and mental healthcare. In addition to administrative offices, large- and small-group community meeting spaces will also be available.

We are excited to bring these critical community resources under one roof!

Notes from the December Board of Education meeting

Learning Recovery Plan update

Dr. Connolly shared an update on CCSD21’s Learning Recovery Plan. The three-year plan outlines academic supports, interventions, and infrastructure priorities to maximize in-person learning and reconnect students and families to school life and school culture. What has that meant over the first few months of this school year?

  • Intervention support to more than 600 students, averaging 2.5 hours of individualized or small group instruction
  • More than 400 students receiving additional before or after school support
  • Launch of the Gifted, Talented, and Accelerated Task Force
  • Purchase of District 21-owned buses

… and so much more! Click here to review the presentation.

Planned Chromebook replacement cycle
The Board authorized the purchase of 2,200 new Chromebooks as part of our planned student device replacement cycle. The purchase and refresh will allow the District to continue on track with the planned three-year refresh cycle and provide new devices for students in grades K, 3, and 6 at the beginning of next school year.

YouTube meeting archive
CCSD21 livestreams its Board of Education meetings on YouTube. In addition to viewing the meeting live, archived videos of prior meetings can be accessed on CCSD21’s YouTube channel.

January meeting
The January meeting of the Board of Education is Thursday, January 20, 2022.