12-10-21
We are looking forward to our holiday celebrations next Friday. Thank you to our amazing room parents for helping to plan activities for our students to enjoy! Our holiday sing this year will be virtual with a number of pre-recorded performances. Next week, we will share a link so that you and your families can view the festivities at your convenience.
SHIELD testing was disrupted this week due to the change in providers. We apologize for the inconvenience if your room did not get tested. We will be working with the new company to redesign this process for next week. We did have one student in grade 5 who was last in our school building on December 7th, 2021 test positive for COVID-19. We are sending this notification for your awareness, and you do not need to take any further action at this time. If you have been identified as a close contact or the case was in your child’s classroom, you should have received a separate notification from Nurse Rossi or myself with additional information. As a reminder, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 as a school community by getting vaccinated, social distancing whenever possible, wearing masks in public, washing our hands thoroughly, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. Thank you to our families for their kindness and patience as we worked with the health department to communicate the required steps.
As a reminder, the rules for quarantine change once a person is fully vaccinated. Please follow the guidance below 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.
With winter officially upon us, we want to share a few important updates/reminders for families:
*NEW in 2021-22: District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the wind chill or temperature is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.
- It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names,
- Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.
- In order to preserve our classroom pods and COVID-19 safety protocols, schools will not be able to allow students to enter their buildings early in cold weather. Please arrive at the designated time and ensure that students are dressed in warm layers.
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 can watch Ms. Stringham talk about book fair offerings and details here. 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].
On Saturday, December 11th we will have a book sale (both in person and online) at our local bookstore The Book Table to support the Hatch PTO! Be sure to mention Hatch Elementary. Please keep this in mind for your holiday gifts. It’s a great way to support Hatch and an amazing local business. To browse the website, click here.
Trimester 1 Report Cards will be emailed home today. Please be on the lookout!
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—regardless of vaccination status. Symptoms that should be monitored daily by ALL 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