August 11, 2022

Dear SPC Families,

Welcome back to the 2022-2023 school year! I pray you all had a restful summer; we are excited to welcome our students back for a great school year. Many teachers are already back in their rooms getting things ready for their students. Teachers will report on August 15th for a week of planning and professional development. I look forward to seeing many of you on August 21st at 4:00 for the Back to School Family Mass, followed by a picnic! 

Next Thursday, we will begin the weekly Thursday mailing; in the meantime, here are a few updates and reminders to get you all back to thinking about all things St. Paul of the Cross! 

1. When do I find out my child's classroom assignment?

I know everyone is super excited to find out their new homeroom teachers! Teacher welcome letters will be sent out the week of August 15th. A reminder that notifications will not be sent unless all necessary health forms are turned in. Please know that there will be no changes to classroom assignments. Students in grades 4-8 will receive a copy of their schedules on Monday, 8/22, at Teacher Meet and Greet.

2. Updated Family Handbook & School Calendar:

Please click here for an updated 22-23 family handbook.

Please click here to sync the calendar to your phone. 

3. Chromebook Agreement for Grades 2-8:

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR CHILD'S AGREEMENT

You must sign the Chromebook agreement for your child to receive a Chromebook. Please complete this by August 21st. 

4. I want to volunteer at school this year! What should I do?

Please note all the requirements. You can only volunteer if you are in compliance with the volunteer requirements. CLICK HERE

5. Lunch Helpers Needed:

This year we can have lunch helpers in the classroom! We are very grateful to all the volunteers assisting with recess/lunch duty. We are no longer in need of assistance with recess, just lunch. However, if you absolutely love recess duty, please contact Mrs. Foy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.CLICK HERE TO HELP WITH LUNCH SUPERVISION.   

6. Uniforms K-8

We will begin the year wearing school uniforms on the first day of school. If you are still waiting on uniform delivery, please send your child in a solid color polo and khaki/navy bottoms. CLICK HERE FOR THE DRESS CODE.

We will end our first week of school on August 26th with a spirit wear day!

7. Hot Lunch Order Forms Coming Soon!

Hot Lunch is coming back this year! The dates are set with most dates on Fridays and occasionally during the week lunches. Our vendors will be Home Run Inn Pizza, Raising Cane's Chicken, Healthy Kids Kitchen, and Giordano's pizza. The vendors are also able to offer a gluten-free option. Please be on the lookout for the registration to open next week. Families will have the option to order month to month or for the entire 1st semester. Please look for more details to follow as our ordering process will be changing to accommodate the new options.

8. MILK ORDERS

Milk orders will also be sent in next week's Thursday mailing.

9. COVID PROTOCOLS–(Dr. M is overjoyed that the list of protocols is getting shorter!)

Individuals with symptoms of any virus should stay home while sick.

If an individual contracts COVID, they must isolate from all school activities for five days and report the positive case to their school. Schools will inform families of all in-school positive COVID cases. Families are encouraged to take any precautions they feel appropriate.

The Archdiocese/schools will no longer identify close contacts to a positive individual. However, during periods of an outbreak (3 cases in a classroom within a 10-day period), all students in the classroom must mask for 10 days.

When there are 3+ cases in a classroom within 10 days, the entire class will be required to wear a mask indoors for 10 days. There will be no quarantine, and masks will have to be worn if any class member participates in sports.

Scenario:
When there is a positive case, the positive individual should: 

Protocol2022-2023
Isolation Required 5 day Isolation
Masking

Students returning from Covid diagnosis must Mask for days 6-10 unless there is a negative test.

Masks are not required at school unless there are 3 or more positive cases in a week in a homeroom.

Lunch Distancing Students will distance at lunch unless a negative test is given to the main office upon return to school.
Athletics Not allowed to participate until student returns to school.


10. UPDATED ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL:

This year we have bus service again for those families that live in the D64 boundaries (CPS does not provide bus service for those families living in Chicago). As a result, Summit Avenue will not be available for drop-off or pick-up. 

START OF SCHOOL DAY: All grades, Preschool – 8th Grade, begin school at 8:00 am. Tardies will be issued to any student that arrives at school after 8:00 am.

DROP OFF LOCATIONS; PLEASE USE THE KISS AND GO LINE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR YOUR FAMILY.

RIDGE TERRACE: THERE WILL BE A KISS AND GO LINE (Please, do not get out of your car!)

TIGER PARKING LOT: There will drop off near the alley doors of the UGC

MAIN PARKING LOT: KISS AND GO LINE

PARKING OPTIONS:

If you are walking your preschool, PreK, or Kindergarten student to the door, you may park in the Tiger Lot or the Main Parking Lot. All other grades are STRONGLY encouraged to use the three kiss-and-go options. Please do not park at the Ryan Parke Funeral Home at any time, and please do not park along the west side of Ridge Terrace. If you are parking and walking your child, you must only use the crosswalk places led by a teacher –do not cross in between cars in the kiss-and-go line!

DISMISSAL TIMES:

Given our large student population, we will continue to use staggered dismissal times to allow for a better traffic flow.

2:55 pm Preschool-Kindergarten dismissed

3:00 pm  Grades 1-3 dismissed

3:10 pm Grades 4-8 dismissed

ARRIVAL DOORS:

EGC (Elementary Grade Center GRADES preschool-2)

DISMISSAL DOORS:

Preschool-Kindergarten, your teachers will let you know what specific door your child will use for dismissal. 

Grades 1-2 will be dismissed out of doors D5, D7, and D8 on Ridge Terrace

UGC (UPPER GRADE CENTER Grades 3-8)

3rd Grade will arrive and dismiss through Door B10

4th and 5th Grade will arrive and dismiss through Door B9

6th-8th Grades will arrive and dismiss through Door B1

The Tiger Lot will be available for kiss and go drop-off in the morning.

Summit Ave is no longer available for drop-off and pick-up, given we have added Bus Service this year.

Peace,

Dr. Erika Mickelburgh