Hoopeston Area School District #11

Cornjerker Boys Sr. Night Friday, Feb. 10th 6:00 JS start 1st 200 fans receive a Cornjerker Rally Towel Sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions

Hoopeston Area Parents/Guardians: If you haven't yet, be sure to download the PowerSchool App. It's an easy way to see your child's grades to help monitor their progress in school. Reach out to the office of your child's school if you have any questions. Thank you!

Hello Hoopeston Area Families, The construction on the cafeteria addition is continuing. Weather and construction complications have added some challenges, however we are hoping to have the new space available to students sometime in the first semester of the 22/23 school year. Once completed, the cafeteria addition will add an additional 4100 sq. ft. of dining space. This additional space will allow for the Middle School and High School to run lunches simultaneously and expedite the lunch service. Students will no longer begin eating lunch as early as 10:35am. The Middle and High School will be able to mirror their schedules to allow greater continuity in shared staff. The asbestos abatement project phases 2 through 5 will begin on June 6. The abatement project must be completed to allow contractors to access above the ceilings to install ductwork for new air handling units to be installed on the roof to provide fresh air, heat, and air conditioning to the offices and classrooms in Hoopeston Area Middle School. The abatement project is scheduled to run June 6 through June 30. The mechanical contractors will begin in the office area as that area was abated over Christmas break to expedite the construction this summer. The contractors will follow the abatement crew through this project. Once an area has been abated and IDPH provides the go-ahead with clean air samples, the contractors will begin their required work within that location. The project will require most of the summer to complete, but the multiple steps are necessary to address the aging air handlers currently on the roof at Hoopeston Area Middle School. We are required by law to have egress exits at both ends of the gymnasium, and with the construction, that is not possible. Therefore, due to the abatement and construction work taking place within the Middle School, the gymnasium in Hoopeston Area Middle School will be closed to student athletic practices this summer. Our building and Grounds crew will remove all of the contents from each classroom within the Middle School to allow the contractors to complete their work. The contents will be stored on protective mats placed on the Middle School gym floor. Our Athletic Director is working with coaches to schedule for the use of alternative gyms within the district. Our student athletes will have opportunities to practice and condition in the gymnasiums at Maple, John Greer and the High School. I will be sending out construction updates throughout the summer. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter as we are working to improve our facilities to better serve our students, staff, and Hoopeston Area families and guests.

Hoopeston Area Families, We are planning our final 2021-2022 installment of Building Your Village ​for March 3rd. This session will be all about YOU. As a parent, it's important that you remember that you cannot give to others if your tank is empty. With that in mind, we invite you to join us for an evening focused on self care. We will be meeting at the Hoopeston Multi Agency for dinner and dessert provided by the 112. There will be raffles, giveaways, and representatives from local support agencies present to share with you the many ways they can be of assistance to you and your family. Child care and transportation are available for those attending, as well. Doors open at 6:00 PM and dinner will be served shortly after that. Our discussion of self care will begin at approximately 6:30 PM, facilitated by Mrs. Beth Walder. For more information, or to RSVP, please call 217-283-6161. We hope to see you there!

Hoopeston Area Schools will dismiss at 2:05 pm for Maple and John Greer and 2:20 pm for Hoopeston Area Middle and High Schools on Friday February 18 for Team Building activities for the staff. Two remaining days throughout this school year will be utilized as Team Building days on Friday April 8 and Friday May 13. Notification will be sent out prior to these early dismissal days.

Good Evening Hoopeston Area Families, A decision was made on Friday February 4, 2022 by Judge Raylene D. Grischow, to grant a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to be applied to school districts listed within the lawsuit, in regard to mask mandates, exclusion, etc. The decision means that each of the school districts listed in the matter before the court have been told that masking is optional for students and staff, and that schools should not exclude students as close-contacts, for the duration of the TRO. Hoopeston Community Unit School District #11 is not listed in the group of school districts impacted by the TRO. Also, the current TRO is not the completed disposition of the matter before the court, and should be considered temporary. The state has responded by seeking an emergency stay of the TRO, with an expedited ruling expected within two weeks. If the TRO is vacated upon appeal, the mask mandates ordered by Governor Pritzker would remain in effect. Our goal has always been to continue our mission of educating students, while keeping students and staff as safe as possible. We are aware of the current ruling, and we are monitoring the situation. In the meantime, Hoopeston Area will be adhering to the following processes: We will continue to encourage the recommendations of the CDC, such as masking, social distancing, and vaccinations The schools will not exclude close contacts during this time Close-contact information will be sent to VCHD for follow-up Close-contact situations outside of the schools will be referred to the VCHD Unmasked students will be offered a mask upon entry We will not exclude students who are unmasked during this time All passengers on buses must wear masks, per federal law We understand that every family wants to advocate for their students, and this is good. We thank you for your patience and support as we navigate these challenging times. Remember we will get through this COVID pandemic together. Robert Richardson

Hoopeston Area Families, the District will be hosting the third installment of our Building Your Village event on January 13th at the Multi-Agency. Dinner will be provided by the 112 and will begin at 6:00 PM (doors will open at that time). Beginning at 6:30 PM, Ms. Kim Kendall, from the ROE, will speak about parenting strong-willed children. She will share some tips and strategies to help you build a more collaborative relationship with your strong-willed child. We will wrap up our evening at 7:30 PM. Children's activities will be available during the presentation, and representatives from community resource agencies will be present. Transportation is available upon request. If you plan to attend, please call 217-283-6161 to RSVP or use the following link: https://forms.gle/FMU3agzQa7XECUR77 . We hope to see you there!

Hoopeston Area Families, I am writing to inform you and not to alarm you. The Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 has been made aware of a threat circulating through a TikTok post with a nationwide “school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary” that will supposedly take place on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. The original post is general and not directed at a specific school. So far, the origins of this post are unknown and there is no indication this post is within Hoopeston Area Schools. This information has been shared with our District and school administration, and local law enforcement. Please know that, in conjunction with local law enforcement, we will continue to monitor social media and There are no indications of known threats within Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 at this time. I am sharing this notice out of an abundance of caution and as a precautionary measure. As a reminder, tomorrow is an early release for students and the last day before winter break. The safety of our students and staff is our priority. All safety concerns to our school or students are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Since returning to in-person learning this school year, schools nationwide are dealing with school safety concerns that seem to be heightened and causing anxiety, fear and nervousness among our staff and students. Here are some key points about making good decisions and easing these concerning feelings: Be sure to report any concerning message you hear or see in person or online to a trusted adult, school administration or staff member, or police. The Safe2Help Illinois is a 24/7 program for students to share school safety issues, find resources to get help and find encouragement to help others. Reports can be submitted here. Please do not promote social media rumors, instead, tell us. If you feel uncomfortable about something you read, something you hear, something you see please, report it so we can do something about it. Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, e-mailing, online gaming and using webcams. Hoopeston Area Schools are committed to keeping our schools a safe place for learning, and we will work together to continue to keep it that way. Please don’t hesitate to contact Superintendent Richardson if you have any questions or concerns. 217-283-6668. Sincerely,  Robert Richardson Superintendent Hoopeston Area CUSD#11

Good Afternoon Hoopeston Area Families, This is Superintendent Robert Richardson. Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 is experiencing large numbers of COVID-19 positive cases at John Greer and Hoopeston Area Middle School. Administration in consultation with the Vermilion County Health Department will place John Greer and the Middle School on an Adaptive Pause beginning Monday December 13 through Friday December 17. John Greer and Hoopeston Area MIddle School will communicate with families regarding educational material pick up as well as other information for student learning during this adaptive pause. Families needing a hot spot should contact their child’s school office. All Christmas concerts for the district have been postponed and will be rescheduled when our COVID situation improves or will be virtually. All athletic events and practices for Hoopeston Area Middle School are canceled during the adaptive pause. John Greer and Middle School students needing meals during the adaptive pause should complete the Lunch Service Request if Quarantined form on the district webpage by 8 pm on Sunday December 12. Meals will be delivered Monday December 13 in the afternoon, please place your address in the answer box of the food allergies question. Maple and Hoopeston Area HIgh School will be in session this week. We will continue to monitor the COVID cases and make decisions that keep our students and staff safe. District staff will further sanitize all school buildings over the weekend and continue to increase cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

Good Afternoon Hoopeston Area Families, Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases within Maple Grade School. Maple Grade school will be shut down and learning will take place remotely through educational packets beginning Monday December 6 through Friday December 10. Maple Grade School will reopen to in-person attendance on Monday December 13. Educational packets will be sent home with students today Friday December 3. If your child was not present at school today and you need a packet, they may be picked up at the Maple Office next week between the hours of 7:30 am & 4 pm. Maple students needing meals for December 6 through December 10 need to complete the survey on the District Website https://www.hoopeston.k12.il.us/ before Sunday night at 8 pm. Meals for the week will be available for pick up from 5-6 pm behind the High School, Rankin Lions Club, East Lynn Fire Station and Wellington Post Office. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Hoopeston Area Families, SHIELDS testing is scheduled for this week at Maple Thursday December 2 from 8-12 and on Friday December 3 at HAMS/HAHS 7:30 - 11:15 and John Greer 12:15 - 3:30.

Hoopeston Area Families, SHIELDS testing has been cancelled for today due to family emergencies within the testing company. Testing will resume the week of November 29. We will share more information as it becomes available.

Hoopeston Area Families, please remember that tomorrow (Thursday) will be part 2 of our Building Your Village event. Our focus will be on helping children cope with anxiety. Dinner will be provided beginning at 5:30 PM and there are activities for the children during the presentation. If you plan to join us at the Multi Agency tomorrow, please call 217-283-6161. Thank you, and we hope to see you there!

As a reminder, this evening we'll be hosting our Building Your Village event at the MultiAgency. Join us for an evening of food, socializing, raffles, and discussion. Doors will open at 5:30 PM and dinner will be served shortly after that. The presentation will begin at 6:30 PM. Childcare will offered for those that participate in the presentation. If you plan to attend, but haven't RSVP'd yet, please call 217-283-6161. We hope to see you there!

Hoopeston Area Families: Here is the link for the RSVP to Building Your Village. Please complete the RSVP by September 10th if you plan to attend. If you have questions, please call Michelle White at 217-283-6161. We hope to see you there! https://forms.gle/FxebypKqGoesJv448

Good Morning Hoopeston Area Families, Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 is partnering with the University of Illinois to provide SHIELDS Covid testing to our students and staff. Consent forms are located in the school offices. Consent forms should be completed as soon as possible. The SHIELDS testing is voluntary, and no one will be tested without a completed consent form.

Hoopeston Area Families, As the 2021-2022 school year nears, we are excited to interact with the students and families of our school district. We are excited to announce that Maple and John Greer grades schools are now air conditioned and cleaned and ready for learning to begin. Our focus is serving students, that is what we know and that is what we do well. I have attached some links to our reopening plan along with some articles and informational documents for our families. https://www.hoopeston.k12.il.us/article/510558 https://www.hoopeston.k12.il.us/article/510557 https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210812/will-state-lift-penalty-after-timothy-christian-schools-agree-to-require-masking-

Hoopeston Area School District is excited to welcome this new group of teachers to the Cornjerker family! They are excited for the opportunity to work with the families of this community and eager for the school year to begin. #CornjerkerPride

Hoopeston Area Families, SHIELD Testing/Screening Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 has partnered with the University of Illinois to bring SHIELD Saliva COVID-19 testing to our schools. This testing/screening method is functional, precise and completely voluntary. Hoopeston Area Students and staff with a signed consent form on file will be tested twice (2) per week through the end of the first semester. Consent forms may be picked up in your child's school office. Students and staff with no signed consent form on file will not be tested. We are partnering with a professional collection vendor to conduct the sample collection and transportation to the lab. Benefits of SHIELD testing/screening No cost to the individual or school district. Current notification time for the saliva test is less than 24 hours and could be as quick as 6 - 12 hours. Through speed and accuracy, the saliva tests can increase access to testing and control spread. The saliva test is non-invasive and does not need medically trained personnel to collect samples. Saliva PCR tests can find positives earlier than other tests, even 1-2 days before the infectious phase. Testing everyone is critical because ~50% of spread is done by asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals. Individuals become contagious before symptoms appear covid SHIELD can detect the virus before it becomes transmissible. The saliva test has a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 99%, with very few false positives. High specificity combined with frequent testing makes the SHIELD saliva-based test extremely accurate. SHIELD testing/screening with the early detection capabilities, when performed two (2) times per week, the test /screening would be able to detect a positive prior to the individual becoming infectious. As an alternative to quarantine, students and teachers who have been identified as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case now have the option of a Test-to-Stay protocol. Close contacts must be tested on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after exposure. As long as close contacts remain negative, they are not required to quarantine. Close contacts are only eligible for Test-to-Stay if their school requires universal indoor masking of all individuals (age 2 and older), regardless of vaccination status, and both the close contact and infected individual were wearing masks at the time of exposure. IDPH encourages all schools to implement weekly testing of their unvaccinated students and staff. Schools that implement weekly testing will be prioritized for Test-to-Stay and outbreak testing when required.

August 5, 2021 Hoopeston Area Families, As a school district, we have done our best to fight for local control and provide our families with personal choice regarding the matter of facemasks. Over the summer, Hoopeston Area administration sent letters to communicate to state legislators that we want and are requesting local control. We were pleased when we were provided that local control, however, today the Governor of Illinois removed that local control from schools. Earlier this summer, the Illinois State Board of Education released information stating they would remove school recognition status if school districts do not follow state guidelines on face masking. This occurred when Red Hill School District Board of Education passed a resolution stating they were going to go mask optional for their students. The Illinois State Board of Education sent them a letter requiring them to wear masks or lose their recognition status. Losing recognition status means students would not be able to earn a high school diploma, schools would lose funding, as well as other supports for our students. These times have been challenging. We have tried our best as a school district to provide choice to our families. While we recognize many will not like the decision to wear masks, our top priority is to keep students in school, learning, and healthy. If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Governor, we encourage you to reach out to your state legislators. Our area legislators are Senator Jason Barickman and Representative Tom Bennett. Please do not believe the individuals on social media that claim to have legal knowledge and pretend to be experts in the law. School districts do not have an option in this matter without taking on repercussions that will directly impact our students. As long as the state of Illinois mandate face masks in school, Hoopeston Area CUSD #11 will comply. Our faculty will do our best to be understanding, provide breaks to students, and assist them in having a comfortable and enjoyable educational experience. While we are disappointed with the decision of the Governor to not provide local control, we also are eager to get our students back in school and learning. Thank you for your support and patience over the past year. Sincerely, Robert Richardson Superintendent of Schools