BLUE RIDGE CUSD 18 SUPERINTENDENT’S MONTHLY UPDATE Issue #
7
Blue Ridge CUSD 18 Superintendent’s Monthly Update
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – 6TH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN A ROW! NOVEMBER 2018
Homeless Education Services Blue Ridge High School 411 N. John Street, FC 61842
Who is considered to be homeless, under children immediately when parents are 309-928-2622, [email protected] the Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless obtaining required documents, Assistance Act? Children who lack a prioritizing homeless students at the top fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime of the waiting list when there are no residence. Families/ students may share openings, and providing help with school UPCOMING EVENTS housing with others due to lack of supplies and materials. housing or economic hardship; live in 11/1519 End Sr. of Citizen1st Quarter Thanksgiving Dinner, HS cars, motels, camp grounds, or If you know someone who needs support Old Gym, 11-12:15 pm; Growing Together, emergency or transitional shelters. due homelessness or economic hardship, Schneider26 Report Cafeteriacards go ,home 5:30 pm 11/17 Applebee’s Fundraiser for JR. Class, 8- Unaccompanied youth who are not in the please call the district office. We will 1026 Pictuream in Champaign Retake; PBIS Gotcha Party physical custody of a parent/guardian are work together to meet the need. 11/20 Sr. Citizen Thanksgiving Dinner, 11- also considered homeless. 12:1531 Halloween pm, BRIJHS Parade, 9 a.m.; Parties, 2:00 11/21p.m. -23 Thanksgiving - NO SCHOOL Homeless children have equal access to District Contact Information 12/5 PIE Mtg, 6 pm, Schneider Cafeteria the same public education, including 12/6 Growing Together, 5:30 pm Schneider preschool, as other children and youth. District Office Cafeteria Homeless children can face barriers to 411 N. John Street, Farmer City 61842 12/10 K/1 Program, 7 pm, HS Old Gym enrollment such as: Screenings required 309-928-9141, [email protected] 12/17-19 Final Exams 12/18 Gr. 7-12 Band Concert, 7 pm HS Old for enrollment, waiting lists, Transportation Department 309-928-2150, [email protected] Gym transportation, lack of birth certificates, Ruth M. Schneider School 12/19 Dismiss 2:20 pm, Board of Education or lack of immunization or medical 309 N. John Street, FC 61842 Meeting, BRHS Library, 7 pm records. 309-928-2611, [email protected] 12/20-1/1 Holidays – NO SCHOOL Blue Ridge Intermediate & Junior High 1/2 Curriculum Day – NO SCHOOL Our schools work to address these School, PO Box 69, Mansfield 61854 1/3 School Resumes barriers. Solutions may include enrolling 217-489-5201, [email protected]
BLUE RIDGE CUSD 18 SUPERINTENDENT’S MONTHLY UPDATE 2
Food and Fun at the Healthy Food Dessert Challenge! We have redesigned our Parent Academies where teachers and families can learn and play together! Created as a complement for our after school K-8th grade 4H activities, we will have two evening events, with a meal available, that will include some fantastic challenges for teachers, parents, and students to complete together.
Our first event took place on November 7. About 50 adults and children came together for the Healthy Food Dessert Challenge. Teams received a basket of ingredients and were challenged to create a dessert together. It certainly drummed up some healthy (pun intended) competition. We’ve heard that some of the Dads are already plotting how they can up their game next time! Visit the district Facebook page for lots of great pictures from the evening. Special thanks to the 4H/U of I Extension and Curriculum Coordinator, Dr. Stanifer, for organizing the event.
Can’t wait for the next one!
Farmer City Chamber Seeking Nominations for BR Teacher and Staff Members of the Year The FC Chamber of Commerce will again be recognizing Blue Ridge Teachers and Staff Members of the Year at their annual meeting. This is a great way to recognize someone for going above and beyond. To nominate, please complete the form at https://goo.gl/forms/oavXtqEbHxCGxpaj1
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Did you know BACC Students are participating in the World Skills Challenge?
Bloomington Area Career Center students are participating in the World Skills competition. This is a tremendous accomplishment for BACC. Blue Ridge students are fortunate to be a part of such a high value programs! For details: http://5il.co/5ezi
Partial List of
Actions/Information Nov. Blue Ridge Job Openings School Board Meeting The Blue Ridge Board of Education met on Wednesday, High School Biology Teacher November 14, 2018. Following is a partial list of actions High School Special Education Teacher taken at the meeting. Junior High Math Teacher Substitute Bus Drivers Hired the following: Sarah Slaughter, Individual Substitute Teachers and Teaching Assistants Paraprofessional for BRIJHS; and Ben Wallace, Asst. Volunteer Boys Basketball Coach at BRHS. Call 309-928-9141 if interested. Reviewed the proposed 2018 Tax Levy. The district expects to see a decrease in the overall tax rate from last year at $5.41 to the upcoming tax year at $5.32. The Tax Levy Presentation can be viewed at https://5il.co/5mcf. The levy will be considered for adoption at the December 19, 2018 Board of Education meeting. Reviewed the district school report cards and assessment results. The Assessment Presentation can be viewed at https://5il.co/5mch. All school and district report cards and school improvement plans can be viewed in the Documents section at www.blueridge18.org Approved the district’s annual audit report (for Fiscal Year 2017-18). To see the full report, go to https://5il.co/5mr5. The district received a clean opinion, with no audit findings. The Annual Financial Profile score is expected to increase to 3.70 (Recognition) level from last year when it was 3.45 (Review). Approved purchase of a driver’s education vehicle from Douglas Motors, Clinton, IL for $22,999. Considered participation in the Future Green Energy Consortium. Information available at https://www.future-green.org/ April 2019 Board of Education Election Three positions for the BR Board of Education are up for election in April 2019. For those interested in running for election, petitions will be due to the DeWitt County Clerk's office Dec. 10-17, 2018. The 2019 Candidate Guide is posted at http://5il.co/55pw.
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Parents/Guardians – AdvancED Survey, Dec. 11-Feb. 15 Blue Ridge and all of its schools are engaged in an ongoing continuous improvement process, of which all stakeholders are an integral part. Blue Ridge is using the AdvancED Parent Survey as a means to elicit opinions to help target areas for improvement and areas to continue to be effective. Students in grades 6-12 will be completing a similar survey at school. The five sections on the survey represent the five AdvancED Standards for Quality School Systems and provide a means for learning about parent expectations of a high-quality school. Parents and Guardians will receive a link to the parent version of the survey around December 11. The survey is due by February 15. We hope you will take the time to respond and give us your feedback. Your cooperation and support in completing the parent survey is greatly appreciated. News from Schneider School Grandparent and Senior Citizen Thanksgiving Luncheon will be on November 15th in the Moore Gym at the high school. If you would like any additional information, please contact the Schneider Office.
Pumpkin Drop - First graders participated in their annual pumpkin drop last month. Students were placed into committees to carry out different aspects of the projects. Students either designed, presented, and/or decorated their classrooms enclosures. This STEM project is a great example of hands on learning activities taking place daily at Schneider Elementary.
Halloween Parade - We paraded through Farmer City on October 31st. Students were led by the high school drumline and walked through the local nursing home. The afternoon featured the pumpkin decorating contest presentation coordinated by Ms. Brokaw and Mrs. McCoy. Students designed and created pumpkins at home in the likeness of their favorite book characters.
Kindergarten Financial Literacy Unit - Our Kindergarten students have been taking part in a five-part series of financial literacy activities this fall. These lessons are aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards. By the end, the goal is for students to be able to practice personal economics by considering choices, explain the difference between needs and wants, understand the concept of money, particularly earning and saving, and identify the importance of giving to a worthy cause.
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Attendance: We had 66 students during the month of October with perfect attendance.
Behavior: 95% of Schneider students had zero tickets during the month of October.
News from Blue Ridge Intermediate & Junior High Fire Safety: Northern Piatt Fire Protection District (NPFPD) presented on fire safety to our 4th graders. We appreciate our local first responders and their support in our classrooms.
Attendance: 98 students had perfect attendance in the month of October. Treats for perfect attendance will provided by the kitchen staff again this school year.
Behavior: There were 102 discipline referrals in October. Restorative Practices has been implemented in all classrooms. Extracurriculars: The Girls’ Basketball season is wrapping up. We will soon head into Regionals. Boys’ Basketball season has officially begun. Volleyball has started open gyms. Student Council hosted a Fall Dance on 10/26 with a Halloween theme. Student Council is participating in “Day of Giving” with Eastern Illinois Food Bank. Students will collect loose change and canned goods during the month of November. Every $1 donated provides 5 meals. You can send a check to school made out to “Eastern Illinois Food Bank” or donate online here: https://eifoodbank.org/. All money raised stays in our county to help local families.
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5th Grade Project: 5th grade students are working on a project as a culminating activity for the book study of Wonder. Students read about how and why people choose to save cute fuzzy animals rather than less attractive ones. One of the themes in Wonder is about beauty being skin deep or in the eye of the beholder. Students have researched some "cosmetically-challenged" endangered animals and made campaign posters for them. These are displayed in the school entry way along with some donation jars. The hope is that people will donate loose change to the animal of their choosing (based on the campaign posters the 5th graders created), and the animal with the most money will become the school's unofficial "ugly" animal mascot for the year. The 5th grade classes all voted on their own ugly animal mascots, and they thought the whole school needed one too! All of the money we raise will be sent to the EDGE conservation group to save the less pretty endangered animals.
BR Educators Present at Conference: To Amy Brokaw and Andrea Weedman for attending and presenting at the AISLE conference for librarians inTinley Park. They presented on Teaching with Tech: Hyperdocs, Nearpod, Flipgrid. Blue Ridge is very fortunate to have these wonderful teachers working with our students!
Our first STEAM Club class, 4H Food Challenge, wrapped up on October 25th. The students created a dish and had special judges come in to participate. Great job to Presley Hardesty and Ellie Schlieper on being chosen as the winning dish and getting to pick from the fabulous prize table!
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News from Blue Ridge High School We have an opening for a Biology Teacher for the High School. The Parent Advisory Council continues to meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every Month beginning at 6:00 in the High School Commons. Their Next Meeting will be on December 12th. Thank you to Sarah Yeagle and the Members of the High School Drama Troupe for putting on a funny rendition of “Northwoods Nonsense”; as a part of their Dinner Theatre in early November. Thank you to Rob Duke who took a Pie in the Face for UNICEF last week and raising over $300 for the cause. There’s a great slo-mo video of this posted at the District Facebook Page! Thank you to Scott Whitehouse for teaching Semi-Truck Safety to Mr. Duke’s Driver’s Ed Students on Tuesday and Wednesday November 6th and 7th.
Curriculum: Academically Assisted Study Halls are in place and required students are attending them. Students who did not perform “At Grade Level” on our First Round of Benchmark Tests are working on their “interventions” while in Study Hall to help them get up to grade level. The RTI Committee continues to meet twice a week to discuss “interventions” that can help our “At Risk” Students to be more successful. The Math Department is discussing implementing an “Advancement Process” for students who are more advanced’ and would like to take a higher-level course than the one they are currently taking. The Math Department is working with Parkland College to organize a “Transitional Course” that could be taught to Blue Ridge High School Students so that they can qualify to take Grade Level Math Courses when they enter Parkland College. Meetings continue to take place to organize the CEO Course that will be available to Junior and Senior Level Students in the Fall of 2019.
Attendance: There are 233 Students currently enrolled at Blue Ridge High School. The Average Daily Attendance from October 11, 2018 through November 7, 2018 was 215.2. That is 23.4%. We continue to work with the Regional Office of Education and the Truancy Officer to decrease the number of Chronic Absentees. Attendance will be recorded on all staff members’ evaluations again this year.
Behavior: From October 11, 2018 through November 7, 2018 the High School has had 3 Out of School Suspensions, 4 for the 2018-2019 School Year; 23 Disciplinary Infractions by 18 Students, 66 for the 2018-2019 School Year; 215 Students with No Disciplinary Infractions, 92.3% of the Student Body.
Extracurriculars: Congratulations to Coaches Evan Miles and Jill Moak along with the Members of the Volleyball Team for winning their 6th Consecutive Regional Championship and becoming Members of the “Sweet 16” for the 3rd time in 6 years. They also set a School Record with 32 Wins! Congratulations to Aaron Jayne and Jacob Mozingo for being Named All-Conference in Golf in the Little Okaw Valley Conference. Congratulations to Hannah Brackenhoff for being selected to the First Team All-Conference in Volleyball for the Little Okaw Valley Conference; and to Avery Fisher for being selected to the Second Team All- Conference. Congratulations to the Athletes of the Month for October: Polly Reynolds and Lexi Young in Cheerleading, Kegan Lyle in Football, Savannah Stiger and Gavin Raines in Golf, Austin Hobbs in Soccer, and Polly Reynolds in Volleyball.
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Stay Connected at Blue Ridge!
PIE/Boosters/PAC/BREF: Join our parent groups. All are welcome! o Partner’s in Education (PIE) for PreK through 3rd grades, meets 1st Wed., Schneider Cafeteria, 6 p.m. Facebook @BlueRidgePIE BRIJHS Boosters for grades 4-8– meets 4th Wed., JH Art Room, 5:30 p.m., Facebook @Blue Ridge Intermediate & Junior High Boosters o BRHS Boosters for grades 9-12– meets 2nd Wed., HS Commons, 7 p.m., Facebook @BRHSBoosters BRHS Parent Advisory Committee for grades 9-12 – meets 2nd Wed., HS Commons, 6 p.m. Blue Ridge Educational Foundation (BREF) – raises funds to provide grants for classroom grants and educational projects throughout the district. Usually meets 2nd Mon., 6:30 p.m. Email [email protected] for details.
Social Media: Connect on Facebook @blueridge18, or Twitter @BRCUSD18, @Schneider_elem Website: Visit our website at www.blueridge18.org. LOTS of resources can be found here! Qmlativ Student Management System: Parents/Guardians can view student attendance, assignments, discipline, and other information through the student management system called Qmlativ. Contact your child’s school for access. SmartPhone App: To receive push notifications, download the district smartphone app from Google Play Store or Apple Store (search for Blue Ridge #18). The app is available to anyone, whether or not they have a student in school - gives convenient access to Qmlativ, lunch menus, news and announcements, contact information for staff, sports scores, and documents posted on the district website. Public Email List: Sign up for our public email list. Go to www.blueridge18.org and click on menu/links for parents/opt in to electronic communication. School Newsletters: Daily announcements for BRHS are posted on website. Sign up for weekly email newsletter from BRIJHS via the school secretary. Schneider School monthly newsletter is sent home to all PreK through 3rd grade students, and posted on Facebook and Twitter. Superintendent’s Monthly Update – published a couple days after each regular Board meeting, distributed via the automated notification system, social media, and website. Board of Education Meetings: Attend monthly meetings of the Board of Education. Meetings usually fall on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (with a few exceptions). The meeting dates and locations are posted at www.blueridge18.org. Meeting agendas are published at least 48 hours prior to each meeting. Calls/Emails/Texts: Parents of current students - make sure contact information, including telephone and email addresses are correct in Qmlativ. Information is uploaded each night to keep current for the automated notification system. If you need to make corrections, contact your child’s school. Media: Local newspapers and radio stations provide coverage of school-related events and information.
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