The Chesterton Weekly 10/16/20
“The reason angels can fly is because they take themselves lightly.”
― G.K. Chesterton
Please be sure to review our mass attendance policies for immediate families of students. Please note that they have changed as of October 8, 2020. All guests must RSVP using our Signup Genius so that we can keep tabs on how many are joined in one place.
Please be sure to sign up and review our healthy and safety policies for visitors on campus.
Report Cards Coming This Friday
Report cards are out today! You will receive an email with a link to access your report card on Friday, October 16. If you have any technical questions, please contact Mrs. Ryan. If you have any questions regarding grades, please send a message to the specific teacher. Great job, Saints!
Save the Date for Parent-Teacher (and Student) Conferences
Conferences for parents, their student(s), and teachers will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 27 and 28! In order to keep tabs on our numbers, we ask you to sign up at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4aabaa2aa7fd0-fall (ADDED ON 10/20/20)
That link will also list which part-time teachers are available on which day since they may only be available on one of those dates. The conferences will be held in the big gym, as usual.
To allow time for as many families as possible to see teachers, families are invited to schedule a phone call with or meet with teachers one-on-one at another time if they need to discuss issues in-depth.
Wednesday Schedule Returns to Regular 8 a.m. Start
Thank you for your patience and willingness to work with us in our late-start Wednesday schedule. Due to a number of factors, including the challenges it poses for family commutes and in the interest of allowing for more time for House Lunches, Wednesdays will go back to the normal 8 a.m. start as of Wednesday, October 21. Doors will open as usual at 7:30 a.m. and the warning bell will sound at 7:55 a.m., but students will go straight to the gym until they are allowed to go up to their homerooms at around 7:55 a.m.
October Spiritual Resources
Check out the great spiritual resources and events for the month of October here. Each month we will be posting a spiritual resource page for our families. Be sure to keep this page handy as we will be updating it as needed. We have added a few items that you won’t want to miss out on!
Our wonderful Cross Country coach, Amy Kwilinski, has organized a Chesterton mothers rosary group dedicated to prayers for the school. They will be meeting to pray together next Thursday at 3:10, at the playground on campus, weather permitting. Please direct any questions to Amy. What an incredible community we have! The family that prays together, stays together. If you would like to join them, feel free to park in the parking lot #2 so that we do not cause any traffic to block Kingston Avenue.
This Saturday, October 17th, Northwest Families for Life will host it's 8th annual March for Life in Palatine.
Communications Workshop Nov. 9-13
Boost Your Public Speaking Skills with Our Resident Speech Expert!
For the past 4 years, Mrs. Colleen Billing has been teaching a public speaking/interpersonal communications workshop at Chesterton. Mrs. Billing will be offering this workshop once again for all Chesterton students who have not yet taken her class. Freshmen and transfer students are highly encouraged to take her class. Class size will be limited and spots will fill up quickly—it has always sold out! So please register here as soon as possible.
The cost is $55 per student. Students are highly encouraged to attend all 5 days of the workshop.
The courses take place at November 9 to 13 at 3:30 p.m. on campus.
Sports Sign Ups
FLAT FEE ($200) TO PLAY MOST SPORTS IN 2020-21
If you have already signed up your student to play a sport and would like to add on additional seasons, please send a JupiterEd message to Mrs. Ryan indicating which sport you have already registered for, and which sport you would like to add on.
As you may have heard, the IHSA, Illinois' largest high school sports organization, is taking the preventive measure of pushing back the start of many fall sports. So, if you have signed a child up for Men's Soccer or Women's Volleyball, please know those sports will be pushed back to the spring (though we may be able to scrimmage in the fall to keep our skills up!).
Because of the uncertainty surrounding sports, we are allowing students to play most sports this year for one fee of $200! We hope this encourages more students to get involved with sports, regardless of skill level or past experience. Simply sign up for the sport of your choice below, and if you would like to play a second (or third) sport, please list those seasons in the form included in your online sports registration.
REGISTER FOR SAINTS ATHLETICS
Click here for Men's Soccer and Women's Volleyball (formerly fall sports). Join soccer and volleyball by November 1, 2020.
Click here for Men's Basketball and Women's Basketball. The season’s practices starts on November 16!
Thank you for your understanding in these times of great unknown.
Election Day and November 4
As indicated on our calendar, Election Day will be an in-service day for teachers and staff and therefore it is a day off for students. On Wednesday, November 4, we will have an online learning day via Zoom to help students and teachers practice with our new Zoom classroom system. On that day, Teachers will lead their classes from campus through Zoom, and students will participate in classes through Zoom at home. We will send you instructions and tips on how to make the most of online learning before November 4.
As we approach the winter months and flu season, more students may need to stay at home with colds and flus or even self-quarantine for prolonged periods of time. We want all students to learn the system and protocols for our online schooling so that all are prepared in the event that they must do a few school days at home. As a reminder: this system is not meant for students whose families who choose to go on vacations or college visits during school days; it is meant to aid students who are staying home for personal or public health reasons but are well enough to participate in classes.
Uniform Reminders
Please take a moment to look over the uniform updates and reminders. At this time, we are not renting out any uniform items at the front office.
COVID Reminders
CLEANING SUPPLIES FOR YOUR STUDENT, MASK CARE, AND UNIFORM
Please remind your student, especially as the flu season approaches, to clean their mask frequently.
Any mask made of fabric should be washed after each use. Students should also have a few extra masks in their backpacks in the event that they forget their mask at home, if they lose one while outside, or just need a fresh mask. Please check with your student once or twice a week to ensure he has spare 3-5 masks with them in his book bag.
Beginning Tuesday, 9/8/20, disposable masks will be $1 a piece for students who forget to bring extras for themselves.
As we adjust to a new school year and a new classroom setup, here are a few tips on what will help keep our classrooms clean and students healthy. Per the supplies list found on the parents page of our school website, each student should have disinfectant wipes or cleaning spray/paper towels to keep in their black bin in their homeroom class. Students should wipe down their desks and chairs throughout the day, particularly before and after lunch and at the end of the day. To be effective, the cleaner must be EPA standard (here is more information).
Students are also asked to bring a box of Kleenex and a roll of paper towels for their own use. Students are also welcome and encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer if they wish. Students should put their name on their cleaning supplies.
Finally, please remember to bring blazers home daily so you can keep them clean. They should be labeled in case a student needs to take the blazer off during the day.
Attention, Students!
The first student who fills out this survey will win 10 points for his/her house. Thank you you for being responsible and reading the newsletter! It is required reading for all students and parents. 😊 Parents, please don’t fill it out for your student, but you may give them a nudge to fill it out (we’re going on the honors system here!) Go Saints!