Peirce update

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Greetings Peirce!

Welcome Back to School! Click here for a welcome back message from the Peirce staff.


Peirce students speak often about how much they love the community, their teachers and friends - with the changes students and families are experiencing during remote learning, our staff will continue to develop a sense of community through talking circles and relationship building activities while creating a positive virtual classroom environment.


Take your first day of school photos and Tag Peirce on Instagram and Facebook!


Friday virtual meeting with school administrators
Since we are no longer able to connect with families before or after school on the lawn, the Peirce administration will host regular optional meetings for Peirce family members during remote learning as a way to stay connected to our school community.

• Join the Peirce administration on Friday, September 11 at 3 p.m. to learn more about us and provide feedback on what your first week of remote learning was like!
• Click here If you plan to attend, pre-register before 5 pm on Thursday, September 10. A link to the meeting will be emailed to everyone who registered in the middle of the day on Friday, September 11.

SY21 Priorities:
Peirce's two year Continuous Improvement Work Plan has three priority areas: Equity, Formative Assessment and Differentiation - this school year we will place heavy emphasis on our Equity strategy. "Engage in a two year long cycle of inquiry on our PYP & MYP curriculum with a focus on bias, equity, cultural relevance, cultural representation, accuracy and instructional rigor with multiple access points and opportunities for engagement for all learners."


Action Steps to highlight:

• Provide ongoing staff development on anti-racism
• Review curriculum materials for bias, equity, cultural representation, accuracy, cultural relevance and instructional rigor. Eliminate materials that do not meet criteria and add on materials that do.
• Review/analyze school-wide programming, partnerships, and messaging, through an anti-racist lens including Holiday Concerts, Assemblies, Common space throughout the school, etc.
• Create guidelines and provide training for teachers on how to handle content such as racial history in a way that attends to different students social emotional learning needs

Last week, staff engaged in professional development on Liberatory Thinking, explored classroom resources from Facing History and Teaching Tolerance and began thinking about how bias shows up in curriculum materials. We will continue digging into each of our action steps as we work to create culturally responsive classroom spaces.


I look forward to partnering with our students, families and staff as we work to make the best of remote learning!




Lori Zaimi
Principal
Information from Specials Teachers
Each teacher from the specials team created a classroom syllabus to provide an overview of what to expect from their classroom. Click the Specials Syllabus folder to read more about what will be going on in Art, Music, Dance, Physical Education, Spanish and Drama.

PYP students will participate in Art, Dance, PE and Spanish
MYP students will participate in PE, Spanish and electives based on interest
Protecting Student Privacy, from CPSProtecting our students’ privacy during online learning. In addition to ensuring our students have the tools they need to successfully learn from home, CPS is committed to doing everything we can to protect the online privacy and safety of our school communities during remote learning.

• Guests and outside visitors are prohibited from joining virtual classes. It is important to remember that during remote learning, students and teachers will be bringing a virtual classroom into the privacy of their home or living situation. It is our collective responsibility to respect and protect each other’s privacy and any personal or sensitive information we may learn through a virtual classroom. Therefore, the district is prohibiting any outside visitors from participating in or observing a virtual classroom unless legally required or consent has been obtained.
• Teachers should remind students and families that everyone must respect each other’s privacy as much as possible during remote learning. Learn more about how to best respect and protect one another’s privacy during remote learning here. And as a reminder, our Acceptable Use Policy outlines the district’s rules for staff and students interacting on digital platforms.

High School Selection Process
Revised criteria for high school admissions and academic centers
Because assessment and grading policies were impacted last year due to COVID-19, we are updating our criteria for admission to high schools and academic centers.

NWEA scores
Seventh grade spring NWEA scores are used in the application and selection processes to determine students’ eligibility in the high school selective enrollment process, in addition to the enrollment process of over 100 academic programs, including International Baccalaureate (IB). For sixth graders applying to academic centers for seventh grade, fifth grade spring NWEA scores are used.

Typically, students must score a minimum percentile of 24 on both their spring reading and math NWEA exams in the year prior to applying (i.e., seventh grade spring scores for high school programs). Students with IEPs and English learners must have a combined percentile of 48, but do not need to achieve the 24th percentile on each exam.

To determine eligibility for students applying for high school admission for the fall of 2021, CPS will consider students’ highest NWEA scores from any of the following prior administrations:

• Winter 2019
• Fall 2019
• Spring 2019

If students do not have any valid NWEA scores from these administration windows, or have not taken the NWEA with CPS, the district will be administering the exam in October, on select weekends, for interested families. More information on signing up for the Fall NWEA is available at go.cps.edu under “NWEA MAP”.

Grades
Many programs consider students’ grades and GPA as a component of the selection process. During remote learning last spring, most students received final grades that accurately reflected their learning and work. However, we know some students were not able to participate in virtual remote learning. For the 2020–21 high school admission process , the district will use the highest scores of either their final grades or the average of their first and second quarter grades.

Selective Enrollment Exam
The selective enrollment exam is administered during the winter of eighth grade as a component of the selection process for selective enrollment high schools. CPS plans to administer this exam in person as scheduled during the winter of SY2020–21 with proper health and safety protocols in place. The dates of the selective enrollment exam will be announced in the fall.

Attendance
Some high schools consider attendance during the application and selection process. Because attendance was not tracked during remote learning in the spring, attendance will not be used as an admissions criteria for the fall of 2021.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Information Sessions
IB programs required students to attend an information session; however, students’ abilities to attend these information sessions has varied leading to inequitable outcomes for applicants to IB programs. In light of the transition to remote learning, these information sessions will not be required for the SY2020–21 application process.

Auditions
Auditions for students applying to fine and performing arts programs will be conducted remotely. Auditions vary depending upon the program; school staff will have additional information about auditions and how they will be conducted in the fall.
Selective Enrollment Elementary School Testing
Testing for selective enrollment elementary school programs including gifted and classical programs will also be administered in person during the winter of SY2020-21 with proper health and safety protocols in place. The dates of these exams will be announced in the fall.

Increased access for students with disabilities in high school cluster programs
Cluster programs are designed for students requiring a significantly modified curriculum with moderate to intensive supports in a separate classroom from general education peers for the majority of the day. Prior to the upcoming application cycle, cluster students could not participate in the GoCPS high school application process. This fall, eighth grade cluster students will be able to apply to cluster programs (and other high school programs, as appropriate) through GoCPS, similar to the application process for their general education peers.

Remote tours, information sessions, open houses and other events
Learning about school options by attending tours, open houses, and other events is an important part of choosing the right fit for your child. With students starting the school year learning at home and the continued need for social distancing, schools will conduct events and tours remotely. Event details will be posted on go.cps.edu as we receive information from schools, as well as individual school websites.

Although the school year will look different this year, families will still have ample time to research their options and apply to their preferred high schools. Key dates are as follows:

• September 14, 2020: The GoCPS website, with refreshed content for the upcoming admissions cycle, will be available for families to start researching their options.
• October 12, 2020: The application opens for families to begin to apply.
• December 11: Deadline for families to submit their applications.

For more information, please visit go.cps.edu or contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at gocps@cps.edu or 773-553-2060.Care For Real School Supply Distribution
Care for Real has school supplies available to food pantry clients (while supplies last). Families in need can come to Care for Real at 5339 N Sheridan on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 am - 12 pm and Saturdays between 9 am - 1 pm. Families are encouraged to bring a shopping cart or sturdy bags to bring home food and please wear a mask.Local School Council Application Period ExtendedDear LSC Candidates, Judge Applicants, LSC Members, School Leaders, and Community Partners,


As you are aware, the district was unable to hold the Local School Council (LSC) elections in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor JB Pritzker signed a law in June that will allow Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to move the LSC election to November and extend current LSC terms until the new election takes place. We are writing today to update you on the following changes to this year’s LSC elections.


We are adjusting our LSC election timeline.

• The candidate application period will reopen from August 31, 2020 to October 2, 2020. Please find the nomination process forms online or at your local CPS school. Completed forms must be returned to the principal of the school where you intend to run for the LSC along with two pieces of acceptable identification by 3 p.m. on October 2, 2020.
• Candidate forums will be held virtually from October 19–30, 2020 to give school communities the opportunity to hear from prospective members. The LSC and principal should set up the virtual forums the same way they set up the virtual LSC meetings and share the forum details with candidates, parents, school staff, and community stakeholders via email and the school website.
• LSC elections will be held during report card pick-up days this fall;elementary school LSC elections will take place on November 18, 2020 and high school LSC elections will take place on November 19, 2020.
• Newly elected LSC members will be inaugurated on January 10, 2021 and will begin their roles on January 11, 2021.

The deadline for judge applications has been extended to 3 p.m. on October 6, 2020. Applicants must submit their completed Form 18-20 to the school where they would like to serve and submit their completed Form W-9 and CPS Internal Accounts Vendor Request Form to internalaccounts@cps.edu. Judges will be selected in October and trained in late October and early November.


Current LSC terms will be extended from 24 to 30 months to ensure LSCs are able to continue supporting schools prior to the next election.Current members’ terms will expire on January 10, 2021 provided they continue to meet eligibility requirements.


New LSC members will serve for 18 months to allow the district to return to its usual spring LSC election cycle in 2022. Thus, LSC member terms for 2020–22 will conclude on July 1, 2022.


Thank you to the dedicated, passionate members of our CPS community who are running for election to create positive, well-rounded learning environments for our students..We are confident these changes will allow our LSCs to adapt to our present circumstances and meet the challenges we are currently facing. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Willy Montes de Oca at gwmontedeoc@cps.edu or Myra Winding at mgwinding@cps.edu.


Sincerely,






Dr. Willy Montes de Oca
Director of LSC Relations
Chicago Public Schools
Myra Winding
Assistant Director of LSC Relations
Chicago Public Schools




Chromebook Pick Up Information
Families still in need of chromebooks for students are able to pick one up from the main entrance. Pre-registration is not required. We want all Peirce students to have access to a working device in order to access remote learning.

When: Any Monday-Friday
Time: 10am-1pm
Location: Main entrance.
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 PeirceSolidarityFund@gmail.com.