Greetings Husky Community
As we continue our journey through the month of May and enter week 38 of the school year, I am appreciative of where the school is going. While I have spent a great deal of time learning the campus, I have gained insight around a number of areas that I feel will play an important part in the next school year. I am excited about what I currently see, but I am even more excited about where we are headed.
Before I completely dive into next year, let’s give some attention to what’s in front of us. In the coming weeks there’s so much to highlight on the campus. First off, I highly encourage you to mark your calendar for next Thursday, May 25th. That’s when your Family Fine Arts and Wellness (FAW) Festival happens. Please join us that afternoon from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. as we showcase student performances and artwork from across the school. Bring your blanket and/or lawn chairs and celebrate with us. This is an event you do not want to miss.
I would also like to take a moment to say thank you for assisting us in celebrating Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. As far as I am concerned, Jahn would not be the special place that it is without our staff. I am thankful for the work they do daily and last week you showed how you feel. To our Friends of Jahn, Bilingual Advisory Council, parent room representatives, and individuals, thank you.
Finally, please continue to assist us in celebrating our SEL theme, Self Confidence, and acknowledging the many contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) during this month and beyond.
Please take a moment to check out the upcoming events on campus.
Have an amazing week!
Derrick
Kindergarten registration: Are you ready for your child to join the Husky family? Please call or stop by the school to register your child for Kindergarten. We would love to have you here.
Kiss and Go: Please assist us with before and after school traffic. We encourage you to drop your child(ren) off and go. Stopping in the intersection and sitting for extended times does not help with the flow of traffic. Please assist us in our efforts to make arrivals and dismissals safe for everyone.
COVID Update: As you may have heard, May 11th, the federal government officially ended the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the State of Illinois following suit.
Despite this federal policy change, most of our protocols and services are not changing for the remainder of this school year:
- CPS will continue to provide free access to vaccines district-wide through our school-based health centers, our permanent regional clinics, and our mobile program. View vaccine events and schedule an appointment at cps.edu/vaccinations.
- CPS will maintain free weekly in-school testing through the end of the year for any student or staff member who wants to participate, and will continue to provide at-home rapid tests to any student or staff member who wants them. To sign up for weekly testing, please visit color.com/readycheckgo-cps.
- CPS will continue to recommend masking in our school communities and especially over breaks where COVID-19 tends to spread more rapidly as students and staff gather outside of the school setting.
- Contact tracing and community notifications will continue when a member of a school community tests positive for COVID-19. Please continue to report any positive tests at cps.edu/covidresults.
- Guidance will not change for those who test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed to COVID-19 in a school setting. You can view comprehensive COVID-19 safety guidance here.
- CPS will continue to allow eligible employees who are required to miss work to adhere to COVID-19 isolation guidance to use the "PHE" Public Health Emergency time code through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
- CPS’ health plan administered by BCBS will cover COVID-19 diagnostic tests and testing-related visits at the regular benefit level, and vaccines (in-network) at the preventive benefit level. More information about your benefits and coverage details can be found in the Benefits Handbook.
There is one important immediate change that impacts our families: During the PHE, families were automatically re-enrolled in the Medicaid program. Now that the PHE is ending, families will once again need to re-enroll in Medicaid every year. CPS has an aggressive communications and operations plan for getting the word out and helping as many families as possible re-enroll. For more information, please visit cps.edu/medicaid.
We are still working with our public health partners and other stakeholders on what the end of the Public Health Emergency will mean for CPS summer programs and the 2023-24 school year. We will continue to keep school leaders and staff updated on any adjustments to protocols, policies, or services related to COVID-19.
Be mindful of the following events:
- May 17 - School Tour - 8:30 am
- May 18 - PAC meeting - 8:15 am
- May 18 - ABAR Workgroup - 4:45 pm
- May 21-24 - 8th Grade Legacy Trip - Washington, D.C.
- May 25 - Bilingual Advisory Council (BAC) - 9:15 am
- May 25 - Family Fine Arts and Wellness Festival - 4:00-5:30 pm
- May 26 - 8th Grade Awards Banquet - Linda and Bill Gantz Boys & Girls Club - 5-7 pm
- May 31 - 8th Grade Luncheon
- June 2 - 8th Grade Graduation - 10 am
- June 2- Jahn Pride Alliance (JPA) Celebration - 3-5 pm
- June 5 - School-wide Field Day - 9 am - 2:30 pm
- June 6 - School-wide Awards Assembly
- June 7 - Kindergarten Celebration - 8:30 am