Dieterich Unit 30 -

Mrs. Mammoser’s third grade class enjoyed the weather and read their story outside this morning!

September 2, 2020 Announcement Regarding Food Service EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. ALL students are eligible for FREE breakfast and lunch. USDA has approved a waiver allowing all students to eat breakfast and/or lunch at no cost. This is effective through December 31, 2020. Any extra items are NOT included and would still require payment.

Mrs. Jackson’s class went outside for their math lesson today and enjoyed this great weather!

Fourth grade students enjoyed some time outside this morning reading their AR books!

The Post Prom annual Dieterich Apparel fundraiser is now on. Check out their store at https://www.ssgdesignco.com/dieterich-post-prom-2020

August 26, 2020 We are now a week into the new school year and are very thankful for every day we have with our students. Just a quick update on some of the things that are happening in, and around, our school. • Our students and staff are AMAZING! The cooperation, excitement and creativity shown by everyone here at Dieterich Schools has been very impressive. • In-person and remote learning have been going very well. The students are eager to learn and the teachers are eager to teach. We are seeing some great progress in a very short time. Again, we are thankful for every day we have with our students. • Symptom checks have been going well. Thank you all for your cooperation in pre-certifying your children on a daily basis. • We are starting to see some COVID-19 cases that are having an impact on our school and students. Due to privacy issues, we are unable to share details surrounding these cases, but we will mention that we have had students go into quarantine for the required 14 day timeframe. Any student that is required to quarantine is provided remote learning until they return to school. The Illinois Department of Public Health exclusion flow chart can be found on our website here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/875191/IDPH_COVID-19_EXCLUSION_GUIDANCE_August_20_2020.pdf • IHSA and IESA are strongly urging everyone to adhere to the required guidelines when attending athletic events. Athletics are such a valuable part of what we do. We want to continue providing those opportunities for our students. Please follow the guidelines. https://www.ihsa.org/Resources/COVID-19 https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/sfc/servlet.shepherd/document/download/069t000000CyCndAAF?operationContext=S1 • Our community has been very generous with mask donations. Masks are available to anyone who would like or need one, just visit the office or let your teacher know. A special “thank you” to Relay for Life of Effingham County for donating over 500 masks to our school. Again, thank you all for your continued support and cooperation! We couldn’t do what we do without you.

Representatives from Relay for Life of Effingham County presented Dieterich Schools with 503 masks. Those individuals responsible for the project were Alice Zumbahlen, Amy Tolch, Ron Mietzner, Tomi Tolch, Khloe Tolch, Mary Ervin, Peg Schmidt and Ruth Herschberger. A huge THANK YOU for the support! Pictured (L - R) Alice Zumbahlen, Tomi Tolch, Amy Tolch and Ron Mietzner)

Changes to the JH Softball schedule: CANCEL - Tuesday 8/25/20 which was a home game against Windsor ADD - Thursday 8/27/20 which is an away game against Neoga at 4:30pm

Our 6th grade students have done a great job this first week, as have all of our students! Today our 6th graders spent some time outside on the ball diamond!

Sportsbackers’ Fall Fundraiser Who doesn’t need trash bags? Sportsbackers are introducing a new fundraiser – multiple sizes of trash bags. The order forms are being sent home with Jr/Sr High school students. We have also attached a copy. If you would like to order please contact an athlete or send in the form and payment to the Jr/Sr High school office no later than Friday, September 18th. If you have any questions please call Justin Funneman at 217-821-1381. Please make checks payable to Dieterich Sportsbackers. Thank you for helping support all of Dieterich’s sports teams, Scholar Bowl and Trap!

Our first grade students have been enjoying this great weather to start the school year and had some socially distanced class time outside today!

This week marks the beginning of home games for the fall sports season. Tonight the Jr. High Baseball team is in action against North Clay @ 4:30. Thursday night the Jr. High Softball team takes on Altamont @ 4:30. On Friday night the HS Baseball team will play Neoga @ 7:00. Please remember that all spectators are required to follow the IESA & IHSA social distancing guidelines when attending games. These guidelines include the following: All fans must maintain 6 ft. social distancing at all times Fans must remain at least 30 ft. from the dugouts at all times Masks must be worn by spectators at all times Keep groupings in one area to under 50 people At this time concessions will not be available at ball games. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020 Thank you all for a great 1st day of school! We thought things went about as well as they could have. Things that worked well: • Bus riders that had the PAPER symptom pre-certification form helped tremendously. Our drivers do not have access to TeacherEase out on their routes. To make the process easier for the students and the drivers, the paper form works great. • TeacherEase symptom pre-certification worked extremely well. For those who do not ride the bus, this is the best option. It is quick and easy to complete and it allows us to admit the students into the building very quickly. • Masks. A huge THANK YOU to everyone for their cooperation with the mask requirement. • Elementary parent drop-off went well, but we did experience a long line around 8am. We will see improvements in the upcoming days. We appreciate your patience. • Jr-Sr High parent drop-off. In order to help alleviate some of the congestion around the buses, we would like to re-route parents directly to the south end of the parking lot and then move north past the greenhouse, stopping to drop off near the HS gym lobby doors. You can then exit the parking lot in the normal traffic flow. We feel this will help separate the bus traffic from the drop-off traffic. • Please DO NOT pass a stopped school bus. Not only is this against the law, it dangerous. Overall, we had a GREAT DAY! Thanks for all of your patience and support!

Welcome back students! Let’s have a great day! Thank you PTO for the balloons!

Further clarification regarding symptom screening forms. For now, it is best that our bus riders complete the PAPER form. The bus drivers do not have access to TeacherEase at this point. Students who walk or get dropped off can complete the TeacherEase form. Thanks for your patience as we work through this process.

August 17, 2020 Some final information before we start school. We would highly recommend that all parents complete the symptom screening for their children. This can be accomplished in two ways. TeacherEase has developed a portal for symptom pre-certification. The portal can be found on the menu of options on the home page, once you have logged into your account. You will need to complete the form for each child. This is the fastest/easiest way to pre-certify. The second way is to complete the paper form. The paper form would need to be with the child as they board the bus or enter school. If you child is experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms, please keep them home. We are to exclude any student exhibiting 1 or more symptoms. Detailed requirements are made available by the Illinois Department of Public Health and must be followed. Please contact the school if you have questions regarding symptoms or exclusion. Drop off points are the Elementary entrance and the high school gym lobby entrance. Do not drop off students prior to 7:30am as the doors will be locked and there is no supervision prior to 7:30am. We are encouraging parents to bring your children to school and pick them up, as much as possible. Due to restrictions on transportation and social distancing, it is best to drop off and pick up your children at school. Carpooling with other families is highly discouraged. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to enter the building. Please know that your child will be safe and cared for once they enter our school. Dismissal will be at 2pm. We value your cooperation and support. This has the potential for an unusual school year. Circumstances and plans could change at any moment. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

We wanted to remind parents that they will not be able to enter the school when dropping off their children. We will have staff inside to help students to their classrooms. We apologize for any inconvenience. Also, parents can self-certify that their children are symptom free with the form Mr. Jackson sent last week or by logging into your Teacherease account and completing the COVID-19 screening. Any student who was not pre-screened will be screened before entering the building. Tomorrow, the doors open at 7:30, elementary students who are parent drop off must come to the elementary office entrance. Please try to drop off your students as close to 8:00 am as possible. First class period will begin at 8:10 am and students will dismiss at 2:00 pm. After school tutoring will not begin until after Labor Day. This will allow teachers time to get an idea of each students academic needs.

Friday, August 14, 2020 School is almost here! We cannot wait to see our students. It’s been too long. There are some requirements we need to address prior to Tuesday. 1. Symptom Pre-Certification. Every person that enters the building is required to pre-screen for COVID-19 symptoms. We have created a quick/easy form that must be completed DAILY. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. Therefore, we are asking that you screen your child for COVID-19 symptoms and complete the pre-certification form. The last thing we want to do is to exclude a student from school for an explainable symptom. Copies will be emailed and made available at the school starting on Monday. You can also find a copy on the school website under the Document section. TeacherEase is finalizing a portal for pre-screening, but we are not confident that it will be accurate by Tuesday. Stay tuned for more information. 2. Face Coverings (masks). Just a reminder that masks are required at school. The only exception is when the students are outside AND socially distanced. The school has masks for those who would like or need one. Please ask the office or your teacher if you would like a mask. Please come prepared by wearing a mask on Tuesday. 3. No Visitors in the Building. Due to restrictions and logistics, visitors are not allowed in the building, unless absolutely necessary. Again, everyone entering the building must be screened for symptoms and must be wearing a mask. We realize that some requirements can be burdensome and inconvenient, but we feel the benefit of having our students back at school outweigh the negatives. We appreciate your cooperation and efforts in helping keep our students safe and our schools open. See you Tuesday!

The start of the Fall Sports season is upon us, this is a friendly reminder that all spectators are required to follow the IESA & IHSA social distancing guidelines when attending both home and away contests. The guidelines are listed below: • All fans must maintain 6 ft. social distancing at all times • Fans must remain at least 30 ft. from the dugouts at all times • Masks must be worn by spectators at all times • Keep groupings in one area to under 50 people Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Dieterich Schools: Return to School Frequently Asked Questions General Questions Q. When do students start school? A. The first day of student attendance will be Tuesday, August 18th. Q. What times are school in session? A. Classes will begin at 8:10am daily. School will dismiss at 2:00pm. Please note that the 8:10am start is earlier than years past. Q. Has the yearly calendar changed due to COVID-19? A. No. The District will follow the board approved calendar. The calendar can be found at https://www.dieterichschools.org/o/dieterich-community-schools/browse/62802 Q. What time should my child be at school in the morning? A. We are asking that students arrive as close to the 8:10am starting time as possible. However, we do realize that some students may need to be dropped off earlier. Therefore, the building will be unlocked starting at 7:30am and staff will be on-hand for supervision. Please DO NOT drop off students prior to 7:30am as the doors will be locked and no staff will be present. Q. Which doors will be open for student entry? A. There will be 3 entrances that students may use. The high school gym lobby, the doors near the junior high (at the bus stop), and the main elementary entrance (door #1). In the past, the cafeteria doors have been available as an entrance. Due to sanitary and screening procedures, entrance will not be allowed through the cafeteria this year. Q. How do I pre-screen my child for COVID-19 symptoms? A. Pre-screening for symptoms must be done on a daily basis and can be accomplished through our TeacherEase software. We feel parents are the best ones to pre-screen their children for symptoms, they simply know their children’s health better than school personnel. Q. How do I access the pre-screening software on TeacherEase? A. Pre-screening can be done through the parent/student portal. https://www.teacherease.com/app/news/article/COVID-Screening-Self-Certification-Employee-Portal Q. What do I do if my child exhibits symptoms? A. As a parent, you are able to determine the health of your child better than school staff. If your child is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, please do not send them to school. Q. What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19? A. If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the Effingham County Health Department will be notified immediately. Contact tracing will be performed and further guidance regarding isolation, quarantine or exclusion from school will be determined in conjunction with the health department. Remote Learning Q. Can I choose remote learning for my child? A. Yes. Dieterich Schools will administer both remote and in-person learning starting on August 18th. Q. Do remote learners need to register and pay fees? A. Yes. Remote learners are students of Dieterich CUSD #30 and most fees still apply. Please contact the school office for details on registration fees. Q. If my child is a remote learner, can they return to in-person if they choose to do so? A. A remote learner may return to in-person learning during the first 2 weeks of school. After that point, they must remain a remote learner for the duration of the quarter. Q. Will remote learners have access to Chromebooks? A. Yes. All students at Dieterich CUSD #30, including remote learners, will have access to Chrome Tablets (K-1) or Chromebooks (2-12). Devices in grades K-6 will remain in the classroom, while devices in grades 7-12 will be allowed to go home with the student. See the District’s 1:1 handbook for details. https://www.dieterichschools.org/o/dieterich-community-schools/browse/158561 Q. How will remote learning be delivered? What will it look like? A. The method of delivery and requirements will be based on the individual class/teacher. Your childs’ teacher(s) will be in direct contact with details of remote learning. Q. What about grades and attendance for remote learners? A. Daily attendance is required and coursework will be graded. Think of remote learning as the same as in-person, just in a different location. Q. What are the time requirements for remote learning? A. Time commitments will vary. Generally, remote learning will consist of a 5 clock-hour day, including all coursework and instruction. Q. What happens if the school transitions to full remote learning? A. Those students who are already remote learners will join their class for all remote activities. Q. Are remote students eligible for extra-curricular activities? A. Yes. All Code of Conduct and Eligibility rules apply (see handbook). https://www.dieterichschools.org/o/dieterich-community-schools/browse/13878 Elementary Q. Where should my child report after arriving at school? A. Elementary students who arrive before 8:00 will put their bookbags by their classrooms and proceed to the cafeteria. Students who arrive after 8:00 will proceed to their classroom. Q. Can elementary parents enter the building with their children? A. We are asking that parents do not enter the building with their children in the mornings. Students need to have their masks on as they enter the building. Parents may enter the building only if prior arrangements have been made. Jr-Sr High Q. Where should my child report after arriving at school? A. Jr/Sr High students arriving before 8:00 should first go to their lockers, unpack their belongings, and then report to one of the following areas: a. Jr. High Students - Elementary Gym b. HS Students - HS Gym/Lobby Area c. Students eating breakfast - Cafeteria B. Jr/Sr High students arriving after 8:00 should visit their locker and then report directly to their 1st hour class. Q. What should students do who arrive late to school? A. Students should ring the intercom by the Jr/Sr High entrance and a staff member will come to the door and let the student in the building. Q. What procedures need to be followed when picking students up during the school day? A. Parents will ring the intercom by the Jr/Sr High entrance or call the office stating they have arrived and their student will then be sent outside. Parents will not be allowed in the building unless prior arrangements have been made with administration. Q. Will students have access to their lockers during the day? A. Yes. Students will be able to go to their lockers, however they must grab their items and immediately head to their next class. The bell schedule has been adjusted to maximize instructional time in a shortened school day. Time between classes has been abbreviated to assist in maximizing instructional time. Q. Will students have PE? A. Yes. Students will have PE, but locker rooms will not be used and students will not change into PE clothes. Students will have PE outside weather permitting and will participate in a wide variety of activities. Athletics Q. Will the school offer sports and extracurricular activities? A. All Dieterich sports programs will be following the guidelines set in place by the IESA & IHSA. These guidelines are subject to change based on any new developments concerning COVID-19. AWAITING IDPH CLEARANCE Transportation Q. Will the school provide busing this year? A. Yes. The school will be running the regular routes. Bus schedules will be made available after Wednesday, August 12th. Q. My child has ridden the bus in the past, can I now bring them to school? A. Yes. In fact, due to Illinois Department of Public Health restrictions, parent drop-off/pick-up is preferred. Q. Will there be assigned seats? A. Yes. Families and those who reside in the same household will be placed together in assigned seats. Students will typically sit in the same spot on a daily basis. Q. Will the bus be sanitized? A. Absolutely. The buses will be disinfected and sanitized after every route using eco-friendly disinfectants and cleaners. Q. Does my child have to be screened for symptoms prior to boarding the bus? A. Yes. We are asking that parents pre-screen their children prior to boarding the bus or prior to dropping them off at school. Drivers will be equipped with non-touch thermometers to screen students. However, we feel parental screening is the best/most accurate method. Q. Can my child ride a bus, that is not his/her normal bus, home with a friend? A. No. Due to restrictions on space, contact tracing and sanitary issues, riding home with a friend is not allowed. Food Service Q. Will the cafeteria be serving breakfast and lunch this year? A. Yes. The OPAA staff will be preparing both breakfast and lunch. Q. Will there be as many options available this year? A. No. Due to restrictions, there will be 3 options available. One hot option, one cold option (sandwiches, wraps) and one entree salad. Q. Will the salad bar be open? A. No. Due to strict sanitary requirements, the salad bar and any buffet style serving will not be available. Q. Will the students be using trays and silverware? A. All meals will be pre-packaged and served in individual containers. Much like the to-go clamshell containers you would receive in restaurants. Q. Where will the students eat? Is the cafeteria large enough to social distance? A. Students will be utilizing various spaces, in addition to the cafeteria, for dining. Outside spaces such as the courtyard, pavilion, park, lobbies, gyms and classrooms will be used to achieve separation. Q. Will meals be made available to remote learners? A. Yes. Remote learners can order breakfast and lunch. They would be made available for pickup at the school. Please call the school office to arrange food service.