Momence CUSD 1

School Meals Announcement

Momence Community School District #1 is excited to announce participation in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for School Year 2021-22. This means that meals will be available at no cost to all enrolled students. SSO is administered by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). SSO is traditionally a program option for schools during the summer but flexibilities due to the pandemic make it available for the upcoming year.     

SSO meals are a healthy balanced selection of grains, vegetables, milk, fruits, and protein foods. Check out this MyPlate Guide to School Lunch (https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/SL_Infographic_81216a.pdf) and MyPlate Guide to School Breakfast (https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/SB_Infographic_81216a.pdf).

Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The federal Emergency Broadband Benefit is a temporary program that provides discounts of up to $50 a month for internet service at home. Participants also get a one-time discount of up to $100 for a device (purchased through a participating provider). A household can qualify if at least one member:

• Participates in a federal assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid;

• Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school meal program;

• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or

• Lost a job or experienced a substantial loss of income during the pandemic.

The program can only make a difference if the people who need it know about it, so we are asking you to please help spread the word! Please share information about this opportunity with your students and families. You can access a toolkit of printable and shareable Emergency Broadband Benefit awareness materials, including informational flyers and program applications.

Updated 6/2/2021

As a reminder, due to privacy laws, we will not be disclosing names or any identifying information. You will be notified if needed according to the IDPH and ISBE guidelines.

Resources

Kankakee County HD letter 11-13

Executive Order (UPDATED 11-13)

IDPH Covid Exclusionary Guidance (UPDATED 1-04)

IDPH Covid Exclusionary Guidance (UPDATED 10-27)

IDPH Covid Exclusionary Guidance (UPDATED 10/21)

IDPH Covid Exclusionary Guidance (UPDATED 10/13)

IDPH Covid Exclusionary Guidance (UPDATED 9/10)

Positive Case Notification SAMPLE

Close Contact Notification SAMPLE

Reopening Plan Summary

Executive Order 2020-47

SPRINGFIELD –  The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Behavioral Insights and Parenting (BIP) Lab at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy today announced a partnership to deliver a text messaging program called Chat2Learn designed to boost school readiness. The program will engage up to 50,000 parents and caregivers of preschool-aged children in Illinois Preschool For All and Preschool For All Expansion programs. Parents can start signing up now and on a rolling basis. Text messages begin on Dec. 6 and continue through June 30, 2021. The project is funded through $370,000 in federal funding from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund.

“I’ve set a goal for our state that Illinois will be the best state in the nation for families raising young children. I’m pleased to announce this innovative partnership with the University of Chicago that will help us achieve that mission,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As governor, even as I made difficult decisions to balance our state’s budget and choose which projects to prioritize, I knew that our youngest children were one of the most important investments in our future. While the ongoing pandemic has changed the way kids are learning, this program will help make sure our youngest students receive the support they need.” 

The Chat2Learn program aims to establish a habit among parents of engaging in the development of their children’s foundational skills for school readiness at home. This is especially important while in-person learning at early childhood centers remains limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program draws on behavioral science to reduce informational and cognitive barriers to parents’ engagement in their children’s learning. Chat2Learn applies behavioral tools to prompt natural conversations between parents and children that inspire learning, exploration, social-emotional connection, and creative thinking.

“The Chat2Learn program is another part of making Illinois the best state in the nation to raise young children,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala. “Parents of young children are busy and have a lot on their plates, especially right now. Chat2Learn offers an extra layer of support and reinforces the importance of family involvement to school readiness. Sending parents prompts and reminders via text messages is a quick, effective way to ensure parents have the support they need to encourage their children’s lifelong success."

Parents who enroll in the program will receive several text messages every week throughout the remainder of the school year. Messages are designed to help parents engage in conversations with their children at home that build literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional skills for kindergarten readiness. The messages are based on research evidence collected by the BIP Lab.

Examples of the prompts include: 

• "A Chat2Learn is quality parent time with your child. Ask your child today, ‘What is your favorite thing to eat that is round like a circle?’"
• "Did you Chat2Learn each day this week? Today ask your child, 'What 3 words describe you best?’ Share words you think describes your child with him/her."
• "Part of being a parent is getting to know your child better every day. Ask your child, 'If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?'" 

“The approach of Chat2Learn is to make parent engagement enjoyable and frictionless and to create habits of learning through everyday parent-child exchanges,” says Professor Ariel Kalil, BIP Lab co-director. “We applaud ISBE for identifying the pressing need to support parents in meeting their young children’s learning needs during this time when early childhood centers are either closed or operating at a limited capacity.” 

COVID-19 threatens to deepen the gaps in skill development and educational outcomes between advantaged and disadvantaged children that appear before kindergarten and remain throughout compulsory schooling. Chat2Learn was created to support economically disadvantaged parents in creating learning habits at home that support their children’s readiness for kindergarten. Although Chat2Learn has been developed to address the challenges facing parents during COVID-19, it can continue to support parents even when children return to the classroom.

BIP Lab Co-director Susan Mayer adds, “We are glad to play a role, in close coordination with ISBE, to support parents during this unprecedented time and beyond for many families across Illinois. Chat2Learn builds on what the BIP Lab has learned about the impact that practical, behaviorally informed interventions can have to support parent engagement and better childhood outcomes.” 

Chat2Learn is delivered by SMS text message, so it does not require Wi-Fi access or app downloads, making it accessible to all families, including those with limited access to technology. The program is low-cost, simple, and easily scalable. 

Parents and caregivers of children in Illinois Preschool For All and Preschool For All Expansion programs can sign up for Chat2Learn online or by texting the first name of their preschooler to the program. Early childhood center administrators and teachers are encouraged to enroll families on their behalf. For more information on Chat2Learn, visit the BIP Lab website​.