"Try to see the best in others because you will help bring it out in them.” Nelson Mandela
Dear District 30 Family,
As we wrap up the 2021 half of our school year, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and to your families! Our partnership on providing normalcy inspires me every day. Thank you!
Together, we are preserving all that is special about this incredible place for our kids to grow up! As demonstrated throughout the past few weeks, our students practice kindness through an excellent food drive, collecting for Toys for Tots, partnering with Gratitude Generation on their gift-giving initiative, caroling for Kentucky, and committing to the Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter in Deerfield. The Art of Giving celebration also generated gifts for local senior centers and donated through Maple’s incredible toy drive. Thank you to our staff and students for sharing their amazing hearts!
Included here are a few notes as we continue this journey together:
SHIELD Testing Opened for All: District 30 has found great value in the state-funded weekly SHIELD COVID-19 testing. SHIELD testing has illuminated about one-third of our positive COVID-19 cases. SHIELD testing has also allowed us to keep classes in session, even through a few COVID-19 case flare-ups. SHIELD testing will continue to be required for unvaccinated students who participate in athletics and our upcoming Maple Musical.
With area COVID-19 metrics high and rising along with local breakthrough cases for vaccinated individuals, we are thankful that SHIELD has opened up weekly testing to all vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in our schools. We hope to leverage testing for all vaccinated and unvaccinated students and staff who wish to participate in weekly SHIELD Monitor Testing as soon as we return from Winter Break.
No action is required to participate, and all students are encouraged to do so. If you opt-out, please do so by Thursday, December 23. To opt-out or check your status, log into the parent portal (https://ps.district30.org/public), click on Forms in the left navigation menu and Click on SHIELD Status under General.
If you have previously opted out of SHIELD testing, Power School has already been updated with that information, which can be edited through Thursday, December 23.
Gathering Recommendations, SHIELD Illinois Community COVID-19 Screening, & Boosters: COVID-19 cases continue to rise significantly in our area. We have also started to register a fair amount of local breakthrough COVID-19 cases. The CDC has some suggestions on making your holiday gatherings as safe as possible. Please continue to observe mitigation strategies.
We also received information about SHIELD Illinois Holiday COVID-19 Screening available to the public at several locations. Please see the attached document for more details about the event on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.
The CDC also recommends all those who have access to the vaccine get vaccinated and boosted. Cook County’s vaccination event for Sunday is also attached.
December 16 Board Brief: The Board of Education approved the estimated levy and the donation of Willowbrook playground equipment that will be replaced in the summer of 2022. Click here to read more.
School Support: Please don’t hesitate to reach out for help through our teaching staff should the need arise. Remaining connected and accessing the many resources in our community is a strength.
Thank you for your continued support, and I wish everyone a rejuvenating Winter Break with meaningful time with your loved ones!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian K. Wegley
Superintendent
