March 15, 2020
Parents and Guardians of DPS #170 Students,
As I said in my communication on Friday, the COVID-19 situation is fluid and continues to develop. School Superintendents throughout Illinois participated in a phone conference this morning with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Updates were provided to us, so I am passing them along. I will continue to communicate any updates as I receive them.
The purpose of this communication is to let you know that Dixon Public Schools will be closed next week (March 16-March 20). We will observe our Spring Break from March 23 to March 27, 2020. Students will return to school on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. These days are considered “Act of God” days and will not be made up. We do not have to utilize our five (5) emergency days at this time. An “Act of God” day is a day for which Illinois does not impose a state aid penalty even though the District did not provide a minimum school term.
Our buildings will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. tomorrow to pick up extended learning packets for students. It is safe to pick up packets tomorrow in buildings. Our teachers and administrators have been preparing for a potential school closure by creating education packets for students. These education packets will be review and extension materials aligned to our curriculum. The District isn’t currently set up for extended virtual online learning at this time, and we wanted to make sure that students remained academically focused and engaged during the school closure. Packets can be picked up at the main office of each building your child attends (K-8 buildings) or at the Dixon High School cafeteria for high school students. After 1 p.m. on Monday, packets can be picked up at the District Office. Packets will be available at the District Office Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until noon.
We will be providing a bagged “grab and go” breakfast and lunch to students, at no charge next week. These “grab and go” bags are available to all students who have signed up. These “Grab and Go” bags will be available for pick-up at the following locations from 8:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. next week.
· Washington School – Corner of Sterling Avenue and Morgan Street
· Jefferson School – Bus lane by the main entrance
· Madison/Reagan – The ramp past the cafeteria
· DHS – Cafeteria Parking Lot
· Former Lincoln School – Parking area in front of the school (diagonal parking stalls)
As a reminder, DPS #170 has cancelled all athletic and activities. The use of our gyms and buildings by outside entities are also suspended.
We are doing everything within our control to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. This COVID-19 situation is fluid and changes rapidly. Please continue to monitor our website, app, and social media pages for updates. I thank you for your support and being such a wonderful and supportive school community.
Sincerely,
Margo Empen
Superintendent