Message From 12/3/2021

12-3-21

I am pleased to report that we completed our second round of doses at the vaccine clinic last night! This is amazing news for our students and our community as we work toward increasing a sense of normalcy again. As you may be aware, the rules for quarantine change once a person is fully vaccinated. Please follow the guidance below guidance after your child has had their second dose:

 

Submit Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination After Second Dose

According to the Centers for Disease Control and state/local health officials, fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine due to potential COVID-19 exposure as long as they are asymptomatic. Additionally, achieving a high rate of vaccination will strengthen our overall safety plan and will put the district in the best possible position to reconsider other mitigations as conditions improve in our community.

 

To help us reduce any unnecessary quarantines and accurately track our student vaccination rate, District 97 requests that families submit proof of vaccination for their students as soon as they have received their second dose. There are two options:
 

  • IF YOU HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT: Fill out a brief Google Form and upload a copy of the student’s vaccination card. CLICK HERE to access the Hatch vaccine form.
  • IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT: Email a copy of your student’s vaccination card to Nurse Andrea Rossi. ([email protected]). Please include the child’s full name and grade.

 

Students Who Participated in Clinics at District 97 Schools
If your student completed their vaccine series at one of the school-based clinics, a staff member should have taken a photo of their vaccination card following the second dose.

  • If your child's card was documented, no further action is needed.
  • If your child's card was not scanned or photographed, or if your child did not receive their second dose at a school clinic, please email a copy of the card to your school nurse.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Rossi. Thank you for your support and partnership in keeping our schools safe!

 

We understand that many of the clinic appointments filled up quickly, and some families were not able to secure appointments at their schools. Please know that we are in close communication with the health department and will notify our families should more appointments become available.

COVID-19 vaccines for children and adults are also widely available at most national pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens and Jewel-Osco, and through many healthcare providers. Vaccines can be found by visiting www.vaccines.gov, texting your ZIP code to 438829, or calling 1-800-232-0233. For more information about COVID-19 vaccination opportunities in Oak Park, visit www.oak-park.us/vaccine. Oak Park residents who need assistance getting a vaccine can email the Health Department at [email protected] or call 708-358-5499. Additional information about the COVID-19 vaccine is available from the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health. If you have questions about the vaccine, please  CLICK HERE for an FAQ document prepared by the Village of Oak Park. 

 

Once again I am pleased to report that our SHIELD testing resulted in zero positive cases of covid this week. However we did have a student test positive outside of school testing from a contact over the Thanksgiving break. The child has not been in school since before contracting the virus and there are no students considered close contacts. Your support in following all mitigation strategies have been paramount to our success as we look forward to our students being fully vaccinated.  Thank you!

 

Anderson Bookfair started December 1st! This year's fall book fair is completely virtual and is with a new local company, Anderson Bookfairs, https://www.abcfairs.com/about-us . Students should have brought home flyers to share with their families! You will have the option to ship to the school or directly to your house... if you order before December 14th, you should receive books at the school before Winter Break. Go to abcfairs.com to start shopping. Thank you for supporting Hatch School! If anyone has questions they can contact Beth Sauers at [email protected].

 

Please find November’s Tiger Tribune attached.

 

We’ve noticed an overwhelming amount of toys, fidgets, poppits, etc coming to school. Toys are not allowed at school. Please make sure your child brings home any personal items not necessary for their learning or part of their individualized learning plan. Thank you!! 

 

Please click here to access the 2021-2022 Hatch Student Directory.  Thank you to the PTO and Mr. Kirzane, who worked tirelessly to put this together.        

 

On December 18th, families and blocks around Oak Park will be setting up luminaries to participate in the “Light Up the Night” event. As Hatch Elementary is one of the many highlights in our community, the PTO will be working to light the surrounding streets of Hatch. To make this community event possible, please consider purchasing a luminary using the following link. For every luminary purchased, you may include a name you would like written on the bag. This name could be in memory of a loved one, someone special you want to thank, or simply your family name. Luminaries are $10 each and every luminary you purchase will be set up around Hatch by PTO volunteers the evening of "Light Up The Night" on December 18th and lit at dusk for all to enjoy. All orders must be submitted by Dec 13th.


 

 

Sarah Mendez
Hatch School Principal 
1000 N Ridgeland Ave
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 524-3095



 

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