Jefferson Elementary

Parents: Click on the links below for this week's Covid data. This data reflects those currently out as Covid positive or under quarantine. Please fill out the Daily Symptom Reporting Form for students attending onsite. https://5il.co/qt52 https://5il.co/qt53

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March 17, 2021 Dear Families and Staff: This letter is to inform you that 1 individual at Jefferson Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. We are coordinating our efforts with the Lee County Health Department to promptly identify and monitor individuals who have had recent contact with the COVID-19 positive individual(s) to prevent further spread within our school and community. The health and safety of Jefferson Elementary School students and staff are our highest priority, and we recognize the uncertainty and concern regarding the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the state and local health departments for best practices and procedures to protect everyone’s health. To prevent further spread of the disease, Dixon Public Schools are taking the following steps: • Staff members or students who are close contacts to the positive case will not be attending work or school until they are released to do so by Lee County Health Department. If your child was exposed to COVID-19, you will be contacted and given instructions by Lee County Health Department. • Ongoing monitoring of students and staff for signs and symptoms of illness and evaluation of illness reports to promptly identify possible outbreaks. • Conducting a deep clean and disinfection of all areas daily and additional attention to the areas impacted by potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus. • Continuing our strict adherence to social distancing and hand washing practices during the school day. We will continue to enforce safe practices to prevent, promptly identify, and respond to potential COVID cases, as follows: • Students and staff who are ill with COVID-like symptoms will promptly be placed in a separate supervised area away from others until they can be sent home. • Students are required to wear face coverings at all times, as previously directed and per school policy. • Staff are required to wear face coverings at all times while in contact with children and other staff in the facility. • We are continuously sanitizing high-touch surfaces including door handles, stair rails, sink faucets, etc. • We are teaching students the importance of face coverings, social distancing, and proper handwashing: o Students are discouraged from sharing personal items, e.g., water bottles. Dixon Public Schools, in cooperation with the community, will provide students with a comprehensive educational program that produces well-educated, self-sufficient, and involved citizens. o Students are learning new ways to greet each other without touching. o Students are reminded to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth, and to cover coughs and sneezes. o Students will be taught to wash their hands frequently and properly, following CDC guidelines on handwashing. • As we receive more information from the Department of Public Health and other entities, we will implement additional recommendations and guidelines. As always, everyone should monitor their health and stay at home if they develop symptoms1. Sick persons should contact their health care provider to determine if testing is needed. Anyone who develops severe symptoms2 should seek medical care immediately. If your child has had close contact with a known case of COVID-19, keep the child at home and notify your primary healthcare provider, Jefferson Elementary School, and your local health department. We are committed to providing your child and our staff with a safe and healthy environment. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing cooperation with our COVID prevention policies and procedures as we work to help protect your children, your families, and our staff and their families. For any questions or concerns, please contact Jefferson Elementary School at (815) 934-9661 or Sherry Hafer, District Nurse, at (815) 453-4966. Sincerely, Margo Empen Superintendent ¹ 1 Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. ² 2 Severe symptoms of COVID-19 include: trouble breathing, e in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face.

March 16, 2021 Dear Families and Staff: This letter is to inform you that 1 individual at Jefferson Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. We are coordinating our efforts with the Lee County Health Department to promptly identify and monitor individuals who have had recent contact with the COVID-19 positive individual(s) to prevent further spread within our school and community. The health and safety of Jefferson Elementary School students and staff are our highest priority, and we recognize the uncertainty and concern regarding the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the state and local health departments for best practices and procedures to protect everyone’s health. As always, everyone should monitor their health and stay at home if they develop symptoms . Sick persons should contact their health care provider to determine if testing is needed. If your child has had close contact with a known case of COVID-19, keep the child at home and notify your primary healthcare provider, Jefferson Elementary School, and your local health department. We are committed to providing your child and our staff with a safe and healthy environment. For any questions or concerns, please contact Jefferson Elementary School at (815) 934-9661 or Sherry Hafer, District Nurse, at (815) 453-4966. Sincerely, Margo Empen Superintendent

Keep up the great work, parents! Below are the 5Essentials Survey parent participation rates. Each school needs a minimum of 20% in order for reports to be generated. I challenge DHS parents to complete the survey by Friday, April 2, 2021. Click this link to be taken to the parent survey. https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ Dixon High School: 15% Jefferson School: 24% Madison School: 53% Reagan Middle School: 22% Washington School: 28% We utilize this data for our school and district improvement plans, and principals set improvement goals for their yearly evaluation.

March 15, 2021 Dear Families and Staff: This letter is to inform you that 1 individual at Jefferson Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. We are coordinating our efforts with the Lee County Health Department to promptly identify and monitor individuals who have had recent contact with the COVID-19 positive individual(s) to prevent further spread within our school and community. The health and safety of Jefferson Elementary School students and staff are our highest priority, and we recognize the uncertainty and concern regarding the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the state and local health departments for best practices and procedures to protect everyone’s health. As always, everyone should monitor their health and stay at home if they develop symptoms . Sick persons should contact their health care provider to determine if testing is needed. If your child has had close contact with a known case of COVID-19, keep the child at home and notify your primary healthcare provider, Jefferson Elementary School, and your local health department. We are committed to providing your child and our staff with a safe and healthy environment. For any questions or concerns, please contact Jefferson Elementary School at (815) 934-9661 or Sherry Hafer, District Nurse, at (815) 453-4966. Sincerely, Margo Empen Superintendent

Parents: Mrs. Empen & Mrs. Hafer met with the Lee County Health Department to review our current practices since IDPH and ISBE updated their public health guidance for schools. Attached is the District's updated procedures. Please contact any building nurse or Mrs. Hafer (District Nurse) if you have any questions. This guidance is subject to change if numbers increase or decrease in Lee County. https://5il.co/qmsd

Parents: Click on the links below for this week's COVID data. This data reflects those currently out as COVID positive or under quarantine. Please fill out the Daily Symptom Reporting Form for students attending onsite. https://5il.co/qlr4 https://5il.co/qlr5

Dixon PTC presents our first ever 100% virtual fundraiser PERFECT PASTRIES, a direct shipped to home program. Please visit https://my.perfectpastries.biz... The fundraising window is March 8-March 31, 2021. All proceeds help fund future PTC sponsored activities.

Parents: Click on the links below for this week's COVID data. This data reflects those currently out as COVID positive or under quarantine. Please fill out the Daily Symptom Reporting Form for students attending onsite. https://5il.co/qbur https://5il.co/qbus

Tomorrow, March 8, 2021, is the first day of the schedule change for RMS and DHS. Click on the link below to see information on the schedule change, and reminders of the mitigations we have had in place to keep students and staff safe. https://5il.co/qbtz

Information on a free parent training on Transition Services To Help With Life After Graduation from NICIL and Equip for Equality.

Parent response rates to the 5Essentials Survey. Keep up the good work, parents! We need a minimum of 20% per building participation. We utilize your responses in our School and District Improvement planning. Mrs. Empen also sets principal goals utilizing the data. Dixon High School: 14% Jefferson School: 23% Madison School: 52% Reagan Middle School: 22% Washington School: 27%

Teacher & parapro response rates to the 5Essentials Survey. Keep up the great work! Survey ends on April 2, 2021. Dixon High School: 61% Jefferson School: 100% Madison School: 91% Reagan Middle School: 100% Washington School: 57%

Parents: Click on the links below for this week's COVID data. This data reflects those currently out as COVID positive or under quarantine. Please fill out the Daily Symptom Reporting Form for students attending onsite. https://5il.co/q2a4 https://5il.co/q2a5

Parents: Click on the links below for this week's COVID data. This data reflects those currently out as COVID positive or under quarantine. Please fill out the Daily Symptom Reporting Form for students attending onsite. https://5il.co/psen https://5il.co/pseo

The Board of Education voted last night to have students in grades 6-12 return to school Monday through Thursday from 7:45 am to 1:00 pm beginning on Monday, March 8, 2021. Fridays will be utilized to connect with students who need academic and social-emotional support both remote and on-site. Detailed plans will be shared with parents from RMS and DHS in the near future.

Tomorrow (2/19/21) is a Remote Learning Planning Day for Dixon Public Schools. Students will not be onsite tomorrow. Please check Seesaw and Canvas for teacher information/activities for tomorrow.

The 5Essentials Parent Survey is open. Click on this link to take the survey: https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent We need 20% parent participation minimum to get reports back from ISBE. Here is the up-to-date response rates so far. Parent response rates for schools in Dixon USD 170: Dixon High School: 1% Jefferson Elem School: 1% Madison School: 10% Reagan Middle School: 5% Washington Elem School: 16%

Dixon Public Schools will be remote learning today, 2/16/21, due to the inclement weather and road conditions. Students need to check Seesaw and Canvas for learning.