10/29/21
What a festive Halloween we had! Our first ever virtual parade was a site to behold! Thank you to the many room parents who helped organize the class celebrations. The weather was rainy, but the kids had a blast! For more on what’s happening at Hatch, please check out our October edition of the Tiger Tribune, our very own student newspaper!
Just a reminder that we do not have indoor space to allow students to safely enter the building prior to their entrance time in the event of rain or inclement weather. Please have your child arrive at their line as close to their time as possible just as we did last year. Thank you!
Reminders for using the drop off and pick up lane on Harvey:
- Please make sure your child is ready to get out of the car with their masks
- Please pull up as far as you can.
- Please don't get out of the car, staff is there to help your child.
- Please let kids out of the car on the curbside.
- If you want to park, please do so once you are past the playground.
- NO parking North of the playground on the right side of Harvey.
Thank you for your cooperation. When we all work together, systems run more smoothly for everyone!
The spring 21' IAR reports have come in and will be sent home this week and next. In addition, ISBE now has a new parent portal for parents to obtain additional resources on how to review and understand their student IAR scores. This update can be found here. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Once again I am pleased to report that we have made it another week of school with zero positive cases of covid. We are entering November and have only had 1 confirmed case of Covid all year. As you know, this is not the case in other schools and districts both in our area and across the country. Your support in following all mitigation strategies have been paramount to our success as we await vaccine availability for our students. Thank you!
Hatch Tigers Present: Roar for the Dead! Hatch 5th graders voted on the powerful name for our 2nd annual Hatch Ofrenda. This month in Art and Spanish classes, students have been learning about the popular Mexican celebration Día de los Muertos. All grade levels have completed works of art displayed around the school relating to this beautiful holiday, including Monarch butterflies, sugar skulls (calaveras), and cempasuchil marigold flowers. We welcome you to come to the front of Hatch school anytime now through November 2nd, to see our Día de los Muertos display. Our Ofrenda displays student art as well as photos submitted by Hatch staff members. The photos are a memorial to loved ones who have passed. Through this collaboration students have explored the meaning, importance, and origin of this celebration.
Below is a link for the Oak Park River Forest Ofrenda Walk October 31st-November 2nd, as well as a link of a video showing the Hatch K-5 School Wide Art Ofrenda displayed inside our school.
Join librarians from the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 and the Oak Park Public Library for a special PJ storytime celebrating Illinois' Family Reading Night! Please click here to see the flyer.
Each year we strive to improve the school experience we provide to our students. In order to do so, we need your input. I’d like to invite you to our next “Virtual Coffee with the Principal” on Friday, November 12th at 8:15 am. This is an informal gathering-zoom link coming next week. Please feel free to stay 5 minutes or 45 minutes as your schedule permits. See you then!
Next Tuesday, November 2nd is a staff Institute Day dedicated to professional learning experiences designed to enhance the instructional practices we use in our classrooms, and there will be NO SCHOOL for students.
D97 Updates:
COVID-19 Symptom Checklist and Instructions for Symptomatic Students
In October, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education released updated guidance and an updated exclusion decision tree. As a result, we have updated some of our protocols and required documents for symptomatic students. CLICK HERE for a one-page summary of the required steps and testing for students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Reminder: Stay Home When Sick!
Staying home when sick is essential to keep COVID-19 infections out of schools and prevent spread to others. Symptoms that should be monitored daily by District 97 staff, families and students are:
- Fever (100.4 or higher)
- New cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue from unknown cause
- Muscle or body aches from unknown cause
- Moderate/severe headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea