Channahon Jr. High

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Dear Channahon Jr. High Students and Families,

After a busy summer of planning for the arrival of our students, we are excited to officially begin the 2021-2022 school year. I am eager to welcome our students in person on our first day of school, Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Below you will find back-to-school information including our covid-related practices and procedures. I look forward to seeing everyone very soon!

7th Grade Step-up Day (August 11th) Information

This updated information, emailed earlier today, can be found here.

8th Grade Locker Day (August 11th) Information

This updated information, emailed earlier today, can be found here.

Special Tours on August 11th

If you are new student to our District, the principal will give school tours at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on August 11th. Please email hboe@csd17.org to sign up if you want one of these tours. If you were a remote learner last year and you would like a personalized tour to help in getting reacclimated to the school and in-person learning, the principal and social worker will offer a tour at 11:30 a.m. on August 11th. Please email hboe@csd17.org to sign up if you want one of these tours. These special tours can be in place of 7th grade step-up day and 8th grade locker day (you do not have to do both).

Building Availability

Before and after August 11th, the building is closed, with the exception of the office. The custodial crew still has some hallway floors and rooms to finish cleaning before we start school on August 18th.

In-Person Instruction

Per D17, for the 2021-2022 school year, all students will attend school in-person. An e-learning option will not be offered, but may be provided to students temporarily in the event of a positive diagnosis or close contact with a positive case. The CSD17 Return to School Plan can be found here.

Will Remote Learning be Offered This Year?

We are in-person learning this year for all students. Remote learning will ONLY be offered to students who are required to quarantine (unvaccinated close contact) or isolate (positive covid case). The student will be given the unique e-learning class schedule (different from their own in most cases) when they start their quarantine. Since the e-learning offerings are not as robust as last year, we cannot be as flexible and offer e-learning for any other absences (traditional illness, vacations, etc.).

Traditional Junior High Schedule

This year we intend to do a traditional junior high bell schedule where students travel to their classes and have different classmates each period. This may change at any time based on any new state guidelines that we are required to follow. If it becomes necessary to resort back to a homeroom schedule in which students stay in the same room for all class periods, student schedules and teachers are subject to change. We will monitor the number of positive cases and the total number of resulting quarantines closely in order to maintain the safety of our students and staff, as well as judge the effectiveness of our procedures.

Minimizing the Number of Quarantines

If a non-vaccinated student or staff member is in close contact (6 feet) to a known positive case, they are still required by the state to quarantine for 10 days. In order to maximize safety, and minimize state-required quarantines for close contacts to a positive case at CJHS, we will implement the following procedures:

• Stagger locker visits by last name. Students will visit their locker once every three class periods. This allows us to maintain 3 feet of distance so that masks are not required when a student goes to their locker. If a student requests to go to their locker outside of their assigned time they most likely will be given permission to do so, but would need to wear a mask because they may be inside of three feet of others. This is one reason we strongly suggest students have a mask with them during the school day.
• Mirrored seating charts. Homerooms minimized quarantines last year because students sat by the same people all day. You cannot do this to the same degree while changing classes and having different classmates each period. However, we will sit students by the same classmates in as many classes and situations as possible.

Face Coverings

The D17 policy on face coverings at this time is as follows: There will be no universal face covering mandate for students/staff. However, we recommend that while inside school buildings, students and staff adhere to the current CDC guidelines, which recommends face coverings for unvaccinated individuals. Masks will be optional for students and staff on school grounds whenever three feet of distancing can be maintained. Per the CDC and Illinois State Board of Education, face coverings will be required on all school buses and whenever three feet of distancing cannot be maintained.

We will continue to monitor cases closely and reserve the right to reinstate prevention strategies, including the use of face coverings, should we experience spread of the virus in a classroom, school, or district.

How to Access Student Schedules

There are a lot of factors that go into creating schedules for our students. These multiple considerations mean that schedules will not be changed (the exception would be if we have to switch from a traditional schedule to a homeroom concept). Schedules can be viewed electronically from home through our student management software (PowerSchool) beginning at 9:00 a.m. August 11th. Some families may have a Powerschool account and some may not. The steps to access your Powerschool account, or set up a brand new one, are as follows:

1. Go to a computer and logon to https://ps.csd17.org/public/home.html (this link will not be active until 9:00 a.m. August 11th).
2. If you have an existing Powerschool account, login.
3. If setting up a new account you will need to click on the second tab (create account) and call the school administrative assistant at (815) 467-4314 to be given your initial Powerschool Access ID and Password.
4. If you are having technical difficulties, please call Heather Boe or Geri Pieczynski at (815) 467-4314.

Physical Education

Students will have a daily P.E. class (mandated by the state of Illinois). We will continue to maximize the use of spaced or outdoor P.E. activities and games. One benefit of this is that masks can be removed if a class is doing a 3-foot spaced indoor/outdoor activity. We are not dressing in PE uniforms (no purchase of uniforms is necessary) or changing in locker rooms. Students should wear clothes to school that can also be worn for P.E. class. They should have socks and shoes each day for P.E. class. Students can change into their gym shoes at the start of PE class.

Virtual Meet the Teachers Night

Meet the Teachers Night for all 7th & 8th grade parents will be virtual this year (pre-recorded messages). Messages will be emailed on Wednesday, August 19th. We will send you links to each teacher’s welcome. Your child should know all of their teacher names, or you can access Powerschool to view your child’s schedule (instructions above to access Powerschool) before viewing.

Daily Bell Schedule & Lunch

The teachers will explain this daily bell schedule in greater detail to our students on the first day of school. Students will find out which lunch period they are on the first day of school.

First Day of School

The first day of school for students will be Wednesday, August 18th. The doors open at 7:45 a.m. Students should go straight to their first hour classroom on this day (we will let them go to their locker later in the morning). The school day will begin at 7:55 a.m. and dismissal will be at 12:55 p.m. on the first day of school.

Entering School Each Day

Doors open at 7:45 a.m. each day of school, and class begins at 7:55 a.m. Car riders are to be dropped off at the southeast door (pull up all the way to the very back of the lot, closest to the southeast door), which is available from 7:45-8:00 a.m. each morning. Car riders who arrive after 8:00 a.m., should be dropped off at the main entrance. Bike riders and bus riders will enter the main door each morning. Students who walk to school each day may enter whichever door is most convenient (southeast or main entrance). Students should walk straight to their classroom.

Sports/Activities Schedules & Directions

Latest Sports Information from Mr. Homerding:

http://www.csd17.org/index.php/students/athletics

Directions to other schools:

http://www.csd17.org/application/files/1815/6450/3944/School_Directions_Master.pdf

Sport/Activity Schedules:

https://il.8to18.com/ChannahonJH

School Supplies

The supply list link can be found below this message. For those that ordered school supplies from the Channahon PTO, they can be picked up on August 11th during 8th Grade Locker Day and 7th Grade Step-up Day. We keep our school supply list streamlined, updated and only ask for needed materials.

http://www.csd17.org/index.php/schools/channahon-jr-high/supply-lists

Email Communication

Email is the main form of communication. You received this message today through the parent email(s) we show are listed to receive school messages. We strongly suggest that both parents receive messages at the email address they check the most frequently. Please email Heather Boe at hboe@csd17.org if you need to make any changes to your email address.

Extra-Curricular Activities for 2021

There are many extra-curricular activities for students to be involved in during Junior High School. We will update you on these activities as the year progresses. Those activities are listed below:

http://www.csd17.org/application/files/5015/0170/3179/CJHS_Student_Activities.pdf

There is nothing quite like the anticipation of a new school year. There are memories to be made, lessons to learn and relationships to grow. I can’t wait to welcome students to this school year on August 18th. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at cuphoff@csd17.org or (815) 521-3074.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chad Uphoff

Principal

Channahon Junior High School