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Greetings from Chad Leith
Dear Morse School Parents and Caregivers,
The year is off to a great start at the Morse School!
Our teachers, paraprofessionals, and specialists have been working on establishing positive classroom routines and have begun to engage our students in exciting learning activities. You can support your child by taking some time over the coming days to review our updated Student & Family Handbook. Ms. Headley and I worked this summer with a group of staff and parent School Council members to update the Handbook, which outlines key policies and procedures that contribute to effective school functioning. Here are some highlights:
- Morning Arrival - Please remember that children should be dropped off at 8:10AM. Students are marked tardy if they arrive after 8:25AM.
- Personal Items, Toys, & Valuables - Toys, collectables (stuffed animals, Beanie Boos, action figures), trading cards, Pokémon cards, fidget spinners, slime, etc. are not allowed in school unless they have been brought with teacher permission.
- Personal Cell Phones, Smart Watches & Electronic Devices - Cell phones and smart watches belonging to students must be kept in backpacks and turned off during regular school hours. If you need to get a message to your child, please call the office or the classroom. Electronic devices such as tablets and hand-held video games are not allowed in school. Such devices will be confiscated and returned to parents with the understanding that they will not be brought to school again. The Morse School is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen electronic equipment.
- Candy, Soda, & Gum Chewing - Please refrain from sending candy, soda and gum to school. We adhere to the CPS Wellness Policy, and the Morse School promotes healthy food and beverages.
Thank you for taking the time to go over these and the other rules and policies noted in the handbook so that we all have a shared understanding of how we can support one another for a successful and positive school year. Please know that we are in the process of re-thinking some of the ways in which we understand and support our learners’ positive academic, social, and emotional development. This year's handbook is a "living document" which will continue to evolve as we learn and grow together over the coming school year.
Please keep an eye out for a newsletter from your child’s teacher with additional grade-specific information about what and how your child will be learning over the coming weeks, as well as information about how your child will demonstrate new skills and knowledge. Our 1st-5th grade teachers will also be reaching out to parents and caregivers to schedule 25-30 minute listening conferences, which we hope will help establish strong parent-child-teacher relationships!
Student COVID Safety Checks
This week we began COVID “pool testing” for students. All Morse School students who have submitted consent forms were accompanied to the Main Lobby by their teachers to participate in the self-administered PCR test (Special Start students were tested outside of their classrooms). In a pool test, samples from multiple people are combined and tested as a group. If results are negative, this means everyone in the pool (group) is negative. If a pool tests positive, this means at least one person in the pooled group is positive and additional testing is required to identify the COVID-positive individual. If your child’s pool tests positive, we will let you know and follow up with individual on-site testing. This procedure is designed to keep our community safe and reduce the risk of in-school transmission. If you have not done so already, please be sure to complete the testing consent forms so that your child can participate in the weekly testing program. If you have questions, please reach out to our Clerk Elaine Delaney.
Finally, please remember that there is NO SCHOOL TOMORROW in observance of Yom Kippur. For those families who participate in this tradition, I wish you a meaningful observance.
Sincerely,
Principal Chad Leith
 Healthy Snack of the Week
Black Bean Salad! Black beans with chopped tomatoes and a squeeze of lime juice, serve with corn chips. Tip: 3 food groups all wrapped up in one snack! Add a little avocado for healthy fats to help kids stay full!
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