Hello District 300 parents, guardians, and students,
I hope this message finds you well. I want to start by thanking the nearly 400 parents/guardians who responded to the survey I shared last week. We greatly appreciate the feedback and will use it to help us do everything we can to support ours students during this closure.
There are three topics I wish to share information about in this message: 1) school closure, 2) video conferencing, and 3) the 2020 census.
School Closure
I want to make clear that the Governor has extended the school closure up to and including April 30. It has NOT been extended beyond that date at this time. As you know, we will be doing our best to provide educational opportunities during the duration of the school closure. We are going to honor our existing spring/Easter break dates of April 9-13 so all school/district offices will be closed during that time.
I know there are unanswered questions and “what-if’s” about the remainder of the school year, particularly among our senior class. We have the same questions and wish we had the answers. Right now the focus for all of us must be on the things we can control. Few, if any, of the unanswered questions will be within our control. Students throughout our state, and indeed much of the nation, are in the same situation. Rest assured that questions will be answered as soon as it is possible. I am continuing to update our Frequently Asked Questions document which can still be found here on our website.
Video Conferencing
As remote learning opportunities continue, there are teachers who will utilize video conferencing opportunities through apps such as Google Hangouts or Zoom. We know that the opportunity to participate in these video conferences is not available to everyone, so teachers will continue to provide opportunities to communicate in other ways as well.
For those students who are or may be participating in video conferencing we ask that you read this letter which outlines expectations and provides an opportunity to opt-out of video conferences. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s principal via e-mail at the following address:
- Mrs. Diana Rea, Elementary School Principal: drea@duquoinschools.org
- Mr. Aaron Hill, Middle School Principal: ahill@duquoinschools.org
- Mr. Tim McChristian, High School Principal: tmcchristian@duquoinschools.org
2020 Census
If you have not done so already, we would like to encourage you to complete your 2020 Census online at www.my2020census.gov or by phone at 1-844-330-2020.
You must have your Census ID, which was mailed to each household by the U.S. Census Bureau. If you prefer to complete a paper Census, they will be mailed out by mid-April to those who have not yet responded.
The 2020 Census aims to count every individual in the United States, and that includes children. The data collected impacts many aspects of your community, including programs and services that are critical for schools, students, and younger children, such as:
- Special education, Head Start, after-school programs and classroom technology.
- Food assistance, including free and reduced-price school lunches.
- Maternal and child health programs.
Please complete your 2020 Census and help make sure our school district continues to receive adequate federal funding that will help our students grow and thrive.
Remember that if you are filling out the census for your home, you should count everyone who is living there as of April 1, 2020. That includes anyone who is living and sleeping there most of the time — that could include grandchildren, nieces, nephews and the children of friends.
While our current circumstances are far from ideal, we want to assure you that our teachers and staff are fully engaged and willing to take on this new challenge and push forward with remote learning, checking in with students and continuing with our food distribution program. In regards to food, the USDA National Hunger Hotline is also available for anyone seeking food assistance. The hotline, operated by Hunger Free America, can be reached Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) (for Spanish).
I know this is not the school year that any of us imagined, but I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we have dealt with this challenging situation together.
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Matthew Hickam, Superintendent