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Greetings Peirce!

I know that many of you are trying to finalize plans for the fall, wondering when your child's classroom assignment will be made, what school supplies you will need, how to gain access to technology and the list goes on. All of these questions will soon be answered as CPS will be releasing final guidance for the fall in the next few days.


This update includes information on:

• NEW: Family Meeting & Remote Learning Focus Groups
• NEW: Chromebook Pick Up & Headset Request
• NEW: Peirce Security/SRO Questions
• NEW: COVID Information Session
• REPEAT: Support for Peirce Families

Lori Zaimi
Principal

Family Meeting
Ms. Zaimi will host a virtual Family Meeting on Friday, August 21st at 11:00am to review CPS's remote learning plan and how it might look at Peirce in the fall. After the overview meeting there will be several focus groups to gather student and family input as we finalize plans for the fall.

Social Emotional Supports for Students and Families

Student Scheduling, Google Suites and Student Engagement during Remote Learning
Family Engagement and School-Wide Communication
Special Education Supports
Student Focus Group



Please complete this survey to indicate your interest in attending the meeting on Friday. If you are unable to attend, there is a section in the survey which will allow you to provide feedback.


Technology DistributionPlease complete the following survey on Technology needs.


As the school year quickly approaches, technology is an essential component to successfully engage in remote learning. Last spring, Peirce distributed Chromebooks and other devices so that students were able to continue with his or her education. Those families that received devices should continue to use them for the school year 20-21. Siblings should not share a single device, but each student should have his or her own device for remote learning. Those that did not receive a device last spring or those that need additional devices should come to Peirce to retrieve a Chromebook. Our device distribution dates start on August 24th through August 28th from the hours of 10AM-1 PM. Families can come to the main entrance to pick up.

We ask families to use devices with extreme care. We would like to prolong our use of the devices considering there is a limited supply. If there are any devices that do not function properly, please bring the device to the school on either August 27th or the 28th from the hours of 9-1 PM for repair or potential exchange. If there are any questions regarding technology distribution or Chromebook troubleshooting please email our assistant principal Mr. Lee at [email protected].


School Security Update & School Resource Officers
Over the past few months the topic of School Security and School Resource Officers has been on the minds of many families. Attached are answers to several questions that have been raised by Peirce families during recent Local School Council Meetings. This same information will be discussed during the Local School Council Meeting on Thursday, August 20th.
pdfSecurity_SRO.pdf

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pdf2019 OSS_Part Time Security_Officer_Job_Description_24Apr2019.pdf

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pdf2019 OSS_Security_Officer_Job_Description_24Apr2019.pdf

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COVID Information SessionHeartland Health Centers is hosting a Facebook Live next week about COVID and important considerations for children's health.


Here is the link where the Facebook Livestream will take place on Tuesday, August 18, noon - 1pm: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandlHealthCenters

pdfFB Live 8_18 (2).pdf

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1.0 MB
​
Solidarity Fund UpdateAn update on the Peirce Solidarity Fund from Mr. Lerner:


Thanks to everyone for their support of the fund that we started over the summer. To date, we have raised close to $8,000. So far we have provided payments of $500 to 15 Peirce families. Families have reported using this cash assistance for things like rent payments, paying overdue bills, buying groceries, and getting much needed medical care for their children when they could not find a doctor who would take their insurance. All payments have remained anonymous except to the school staff members who have been helping out with the effort.


Thank you to the staff who helped out with the Solidarity Fund in various ways. Sheila Miller, Bessie Reyes, Vickie Delgado, Berenice Heinlein, Tiffany Brugman, Tracy Fisher, Luis Carbajal, Marissa Moritz, Rebecca Zisook, James Callerstrom, Hannah Canale, and Stacy Gibson have all played some part. Thanks also to all of those who contributed. Various parents and community members have also helped with organizational roles. This continues to be a great team effort!


We are continuing to accept contributions as more families are awaiting assistance. You can find us on Venmo @PeirceSolidarityFund and on PayPal, at [email protected].

Greetings Peirce Families,


Thank you to everyone who completed the survey regarding learning setting preferences for the upcoming school year. As of today, CPS has decided to implement a remote learning model for all students to begin quarter 1 of this coming school year. CPS will release guidance for quarter 2 at some point during the first quarter and will continue to re-evaluate learning setting throughout the school year.


Over the next couple of weeks I will be working alongside of my admin team and staff to finalize scheduling, teaching assignments and a Peirce plan for remote learning to share with families. We may be reaching out to collect additional information from families over the coming weeks along with hosting virtual meetings for families.


I recognize the challenges that come with remote learning and the unique needs of individual families. There were a lot of lessons learned at the end of the school year and we are working to create a more streamlined process for families and students.


Please see below for a letter from CPS leadership with more information.


-Lori Zaimi
Principal


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CPS Will Begin the School Year from Home


Dear CPS Families,
Our top priority in planning for the fall has been to provide a high-quality education for every child while keeping all our school communities healthy and safe. Today, after carefully considering advice from public health experts and feedback from many of you, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will begin the year learning at home through the end of the first quarter.


Prior to the beginning of the second quarter, we will assess the state of COVID-19 and the safety of switching to a hybrid learning model similar to what we proposed in our preliminary reopening framework.


Listening to public health officials and affording families time to plan
As we have committed to you and our families, our decision to reopen schools would prioritize the health and wellness of our school communities and be driven by science and the guidance of our public health officials. As educators and dedicated education professionals, we all want students to be in school, but at this time, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) believes that current COVID-19 transmission trends would not allow us to reopen schools in a safe and responsible manner given the sheer number of people we serve every day. And rather than waiting until the end of August to make a decision on reopening schools, we wanted to afford our parents and families ample time to plan for the fall.


Listening to our CPS families and educators
Through virtual community meetings and a myriad of surveys, over 87,000 CPS students, families, and staff members provided feedback on returning to school in the fall. While many families expressed a desire to begin the year in a hybrid model, a large number of families did not feel comfortable sending their children back to school—approximately only one in five African-American and Latinx families planned to send their children back to school in person this fall. Our decision to begin the school year remotely is a reflection of the feedback we received in response to our preliminary framework.


Lessons learned in the spring and how we’re planning to improve remote learning for students
Students will be learning at home this fall, but we’re committed to providing students with an engaging learning experience that is significantly different from what students and families experienced last year. Each day, students will be engaged for the entirety of a typical school day through a combination of live real-time instruction with classmates and teachers, small group activities, and independent learning. Established daily expectations, including classroom attendance and graded assignments, will also help students develop routines. A more detailed set of expectations for remote learning will be shared with families on Friday.


Expanding equitable access to technology and the internet
Unlike last school year when the district utilized digital and non-digital learning pathways to allow schools flexibility to respond to the emergency, teachers will provide digital instruction every day this school year. We know students need consistent access to devices and high-speed internet to be successful in digital learning, and we are committed to providing devices for all students. Last school year, we distributed more than 128,000 computing devices to students, and we will provide an additional 36,000 devices to children who still need them prior to the start of school. We will continue to monitor our students’ needs and take all necessary steps to ensure students have access to devices.


Over the summer, we also began offering free, high-speed internet access to approximately 100,000 CPS students from limited-income backgrounds through our Chicago Connected initiative. Families eligible for this program have been contacted individually, and 35 Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have been recruited to get students connected prior to the start of the school year.


Final reopening framework coming this Friday
Families should expect to receive our final reopening framework with detailed remote learning expectations this Friday. Later in the month, teachers and principals will receive specialized training and guidance on expectations for remote learning, and we will follow our remote learning plan through the end of the first quarter. Later this fall, CPS will consult with CDPH on the possibility of adopting a hybrid learning model for the second academic quarter, which will begin Monday, November 9.


We remain committed to helping every student reach their full potential, even under these unprecedented circumstances, and we are confident that with your support, CPS will remain a school district on the rise. Thank you for helping make our plans for the 2020-21 school year as strong as possible.


Sincerely,
Janice K. Jackson, EdD Chief Executive Officer Chicago Public Schools
LaTanya D. McDade Chief Education Officer Chicago Public Schools
Saludos a las familias de Peirce,




Gracias a todos los que completaron la encuesta sobre las preferencias de configuración de aprendizaje para el próximo año escolar. A partir de hoy, CPS ha decidido implementar un modelo de aprendizaje remoto para que todos los estudiantes comiencen el primer trimestre del próximo año escolar. CPS publicará orientación para el segundo trimestre en algún momento durante el primer trimestre y continuará reevaluando el entorno de aprendizaje durante todo el año escolar.


Durante las próximas dos semanas, trabajaré junto con mi equipo administrativo y el personal para finalizar la programación, las tareas de enseñanza y un plan de Peirce para el aprendizaje remoto para compartir con las familias. Es posible que nos comuniquemos para recopilar información adicional de las familias durante las próximas semanas junto con la organización de reuniones virtuales para las familias.


Reconozco los desafíos que vienen con el aprendizaje remoto y las necesidades únicas de las familias individuales. Se aprendieron muchas lecciones al final del año escolar y estamos trabajando para crear un proceso más racionalizado para las familias y los estudiantes.


Vea a continuación una carta del liderazgo de CPS con más información.


-Lori Zaimi


Principal
















CPS comenzará el año escolar desde casa


Estimadas familias de las CPS:
Nuestra máxima prioridad en la planificación escolar para el otoño ha sido proporcionarles una educación de alta calidad a todos los niños, mientras mantenemos a todas nuestras comunidades escolares saludables y seguros. Tras haber considerado cuidadosamente los consejos de los expertos en salud pública y los comentarios de nuestros educadores y familias, las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago (CPS) adoptarán el modelo de aprendizaje en casa desde el comienzo del año escolar hasta el final del primer trimestre.


Antes del comienzo del segundo trimestre, evaluaremos el estado de la COVID-19 y la seguridad de cambiar a un modelo de aprendizaje híbrido, el mismo que propusimos en nuestro marco preliminar para la reapertura.


Escuchar a los funcionarios de salud pública y darles más tiempo a las familias para planificar Como les hemos prometido a usted y a sus familias, nuestra decisión de reabrir las escuelas priorizará la salud y el bienestar de nuestras comunidades escolares, y será impulsada por la ciencia y las orientaciones de nuestros funcionarios de salud pública. Como educadores y profesionales académicos, todos deseamos que los estudiantes estén en la escuela. Sin embargo, en este momento, el Departamento de Salud Pública de Chicago (CDPH, por sus siglas en inglés) considera que la tendencia de transmisión de COVID-19 no nos permitirá reabrir las escuelas de manera segura y responsable. Y en lugar de esperar hasta finales de agosto para tomar una decisión sobre la reapertura, queremos darles suficiente tiempo a los padres y las familias para planificar para el otoño.


Escuchar a nuestros familias y educadores de las CPS
A través de reuniones virtuales con las comunidades y de varias encuestas, más de 87,000 estudiantes, familias y personal de las CPS nos dieron sus comentarios sobre el regreso a la escuela en el otoño. Si bien muchas familias expresaron su deseo de empezar el año siguiendo un modelo híbrido, un gran número de familias no se sintieron a gusto que sus hijos volvieran a la escuela. Aproximadamente 1 de cada 5 familias afroamericanas y latinas estaban de acuerdo de que sus hijos se presentaran en persona a la escuela este otoño. Hemos tomado la decisión de empezar el año escolar de manera remota basándonos en los comentarios recibidos tras haber publicado nuestro marco preliminar.


Lecciones aprendidas en la primavera y las maneras cómo planeamos mejorar el aprendizaje remoto de los estudiantes
Los estudiantes aprenderán en casa este otoño, pero nos comprometemos a proporcionarles experiencias muy distintas de las que ellos y sus familias tuvieron el año pasado. Todos los días, ellos participarán de manera activa durante todo la jornada escolar a través de clases virtuales en tiempo real con sus compañeros y maestros, de grupos pequeños y del aprendizaje independiente. Las expectativas diarias, incluyendo la asistencia y las tareas calificadas, también ayudarán a los estudiantes a desarrollar rutinas. Se les informará a las familias sobre los detalles de estas expectativas el viernes.


Expandir el acceso equitativo a la tecnología y el internet
A diferencia del pasado año escolar cuando el distrito usó métodos digitales y no digitales para que las escuelas pudieran responder a la emergencia de manera flexible, este año escolar los maestros impartirán clases de manera virtual todos los días.


Sabemos que los estudiantes necesitan acceso constante a dispositivos e internet de alta velocidad, por lo que nos comprometemos a proporcionárselos. El año pasado, distribuimos más de 128,000 computadoras, y les proporcionaremos 36,000 dispositivos adicionales a los que las necesiten antes del comienzo de las clases. Seguiremos estando atentos a las necesidades de nuestros estudiantes y tomaremos todos los pasos necesarios para asegurar que los estudiantes tengan acceso a los dispositivos.


Además, durante el verano, empezamos a ofrecerles gratuitamente internet de alta velocidad a aproximadamente 100,000 estudiantes de las CPS de bajo ingresos, por medio de nuestra iniciativa de Chicago Connected. Se les ha contactado individualmente a las familias elegibles para este programa, y se han reclutado 35 organizaciones comunitarias (CBOs, por sus siglas en inglés) para ayudar que los estudiantes obtengan conexión de internet antes del comienzo del año escolar.


Se publicará el marco final para la reapertura este viernes Este viernes, las familias tendrán acceso al marco final para la reapertura que contendrá detalles sobre las expectativas para el aprendizaje remoto. A finales de este mes, los maestros y los directores recibirán capacitación y guía especializada sobre estas expectativas, y seguiremos nuestro plan de aprendizaje remoto hasta el final del primer trimestre. Durante el otoño, las CPS consultarán con el CDPH sobre la posibilidad de adoptar un modelo de aprendizaje híbrido para el segundo trimestre, que comenzará el lunes 9 de noviembre.


Seguimos comprometidos a ayudar a todos los estudiantes a alcanzar su máximo potencial, incluso en estas circunstancias sin precedentes. Y confiamos en que con su apoyo, nuestro distrito escolar seguirá progresando. Gracias por hacer que nuestros planes para el año escolar 2020-21 sea lo más sólido posible.


Atentamente,
Janice K. Jackson, EdD Directora Ejecutiva Escuelas Públicas de Chicago
LaTanya D. McDade Directora de Educación Escuelas Públicas de Chicago

Haga clic aquí para español


Greetings Peirce!

This update includes information on:

• NEW: Principal Resident
• NEW: Family Survey: Do you intend on sending your child to school for in-person instruction this fall?
• REPEAT: Support for Peirce Families

I am excited to share that Janelle Miller will join the school's administrative team this year as a Resident Principal, her official first day will be August 3rd. The residency model is similar to a student-teaching model, where principal residents are partnered with high performing principals and the resident engages in school-based leadership work, preparing to be a school leader. The principal competencies/instructional areas of focus that residents are asked to engage in are: Leading Teachers, REACH Teacher Evaluation, Community Engagement, College & Career Readiness Culture, Achieving School Mission & Vision and Self-Disciplined Thinking & Action. I will serve as Janelle's mentor principal and Lionel Allen from UIC will serve as Janelle's program coach.


Please join me in welcoming Janelle to Peirce!


Lori Zaimi
Principal

Janelle Miller, Resident PrincipalHello Peirce Families!


My name is Janelle Miller and I am excited to join the Peirce family as a resident principal. I was ecstatic to learn that I would have the opportunity to serve alongside the faculty, staff, students, and families of such a dynamic school community.


As a native Chicagoan, this fall will mark my fourteenth year of service in education. I started my teaching career as a Math teacher in Chicago Public schools, taught English for one year in Japan, and served as an Algebra 1/Algebra 2 teacher and Math Department Chair at the high school level for four years. I’ve spent the last four years of my career as Academic Dean of Providence Englewood Charter School engaging in curriculum alignment, coaching and
co-teaching, schoolwide data compilation and analysis, and academic student support.


My decision to become a school leader came as I worked with exceptional math teachers in my department at the high school level and as the Academic Dean at the elementary school level. These experiences revealed the importance of transformational impact, collaboration, and competency which I believe are pivotal to student success.


Over the course of the next school year, I will devote my efforts, time, and energy to current
initiatives that support the development of your child(ren).I look forward to meeting you and I look forward to an exceptional school year!


Sincerely,
Janelle Miller
[email protected]
Family Survey: Do you intend on sending your child to school for in-person instruction this fall?We look forward to having your child back in our school learning in September. As you know, the district has proposed a hybrid learning plan for all schools which will involve two days of in-person learning, one day of remote instruction, and two days of at home independent learning. Students will be assigned to pods of 15 students or fewer to maintain proper social distancing during the school day. More information on the hybrid learning plan can be found here.

We know that some of our families would prefer not to have their child attend school in-person in the fall, and the district is preparing an option for students to learn at home. In order to prepare and plan for the start of school, we need to hear from you by August 7 about whether or not you plan to have your child participate in the hybrid learning model or the learn-at-home model.

The parent/guardian of record should receive a text and an email from the district LATER TODAY asking about your learning preferences for your child. Please complete the short form that come with that text or email to let us know how your child will be learning in the fall. Please be aware of the following information when making this choice:

• To ensure schools can plan effectively, please complete this form by Friday, August 7.
  
• If you choose for your child to learn at home, you will receive more information in the coming weeks about what to expect. If you change your mind and want to participate in hybrid learning, you will be given the opportunity to change your preference at the beginning of the second quarter.
  
• If you choose to start the year with the hybrid learning model, you have the option to switch to the learn-at-home model at any time.
  

This form also asks if you would like to receive ongoing texts from the district. If texting is a preferred method of communication for you, please say yes to this question. If you opt to receive texts from the district, we will be able to text you about scheduling updates, daily symptom screener reminders, and other important updates.

If you did not receive the form or are having difficulty completing it, please contact Lynn Carro at Peirce, [email protected] or 773-534-2440.

While the upcoming school year will look different, we are very excited to have our students, whether in-person or at home, learning with us.

Support Peirce Families ​

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Greetings Peirce!


We are done with week 1 of remote learning and I want to acknowledge that remote learning is not the same as children being in their classrooms. Thank you for working through the challenges and shifts, helping your children become tech savvy, supporting their learning, muting microphones, figuring out the daily schedule, managing lunch and recess and so much more! Remote learning is new to all of us - please give yourself a pat on the back and know that you are doing the best you can with what you have today. Our teachers are learning a lot and have been asked to overhaul their teaching approach - this is not easy for any of us. Each of them will be seeking feedback on ways that they can continue to support students and families in their classroom.


Please also consider providing feedback here to let me know how things are going and what might be helpful moving forward.


I hope that through all of this, you are recognizing the good that is happening around you - I like to focus on the good that comes from difficult situations. Today I celebrate the time that I have had with my daughter, the slowing down of life, the ability to adapt to change and a deeper appreciation for our school community.


The rest of this email has information regarding quarter 3 grades and report card day.


In good health and spirits,


Lori Zaimi
Principal
#peircestrong

Read the entire newsletter here 

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Greetings Peirce Families,

On Thursday, March 19th Mayor Lightfoot announced all schools will remain closed through Monday, April 20th returning on Tuesday April 21st. During this unprecedented time I hope that you are in good health and spirits. As a mother to a Peirce 8th grader, I recognize the challenges, uncertainties and worries that are present, I also look for the good that can come from this time - an opportunity to slow down, spend time with loved ones and support our community.

Meals continue to be available to students daily between 9 a.m and 1 p.m. Lunchroom staff will prep, bag, and provide meals at the main entrance of the school.

Sincerely,
Lori Zaimi
Principal

Read the entire newsletter here.
[email protected]