Update: COVID-19 Closure School Plan

April 11, 2020

Dear Smyth Families,

 

We hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy.  Although this is a time of uncertainty, we are committed to providing high-quality learning experiences for all of our students at John M. Smyth. Your partnership, feedback, and collaboration are critically important to support your child’s engagement in remote learning.  Please take a few moments to listen for information about our plan, expectations for your child, and the ongoing communications and assistance we will provide to keep students engaged, learning, and healthy while schools are closed.  Please also be patient with us as we update our website and continue to navigate this new learning.  

As reported by CPS, all schools are distributing technology devices to students who lack them at home during school closure.  Smyth will only be distributing Chromebooks to the following priority groups: Students in Temporary Living Situations, then Diverse Learners, and then general education students in benchmark grades 8th, 6th, and 3rd followed by students in grades 7th, 5th, and 2nd in the same order.  Students in 4th grade are not included in this priority, though you may still request one to demonstrate need for possible future distributions.  We can only guarantee one Chromebook per household.

Distribution will be Monday, April 13th through Wednesday, April 15th from 10:00am - 12:00pm.  Parents or guardians must fill out the online request form by Sunday, April 12, 2020 at 3:00pm.  You will then be sent a response by 6pm on Sunday.  Parents or guardians must come in person to pick up the Chromebook.  We will be practicing social distancing during distribution, so please be patient.  For full details, please go to smyth.cps.edu.

Last week, CPS rolled out new guidelines for schools to begin plans for remote learning, and to begin these new instructional days the week after spring break, on Monday April 13th. This means that while the school closure is in effect teachers will be adjusting classroom instruction to a new format, and students and parents will be able to engage with daily learning from your home starting Monday, April 13, 2020.

Remote Learning Plan

Each week, you will receive a weekly learning plan from your child’s teacher, which will list learning activities Monday-Friday. Weekly learning plans will be made available in the following ways:

•Emailed by classroom teachers

•Listed in the Remote Learning section of the school website

•Available for pick-up at the Main Office by appointment

o Packet #2 Monday, April 13, 2020

o Packet #3 Monday, April 27, 2020

CPS Meal Distribution:

Following Spring Break, John M. Smyth will remain a food distribution site from 9am - 1pm Monday - Friday at door #2.  Please come by Smyth or any school more convenient to your home for meal pick up.

Please continue to stay safe and healthy.  We wish all of our families a safe and happy Spring Break.

Yours in Wellness,

Principal Turner