West Side School

Good morning West Side, it is Mr. Witges. Just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing. We hope you and your family are doing well and staying healthy. That is the the most important thing, your health. We miss you each and every day and can't wait to see you. Today, we will be packing meals to hand out on Monday so even though it is "Spring Break", meals will be available on Monday. If you need help with anything, please contact your teacher or let one of us know. Take care, Mr. Witges.

Unit 3 Family, We would like to take a moment to clarify some information with the packets and the calendar. The packets that were handed out yesterday and the e-learning will start today, this will take us through spring break and convene the week after spring break. As recommended to HCUSD #3, we are still following our school calendar through the remaining year. Students will not be expected to complete remote learning over spring break. Therefore, this packet or e-learning will extend past spring break and get us to the next packet which will be distributed the week of April 27th. With regard to the April 27 packet, we were advised to plan for remote learning through the rest of the school calendar in case we are not able to get back into school or have in person instruction. This is why as a district we have set April 27th for remote learning to continue. If we receive further communication contradicting this and expect in person instruction to begin on May 1, we will adjust our plans. This is strictly for planning purposes at this time. As always, we will communicate information as soon as we receive it.

Harrisburg Unit 3 Family, This situation that feels more and more like the Twilight Zone continues. I have never been involved in something like this and while we try NOT to seem surprised and to deliver messages in a "matter of fact" kind of manner....this situation is just as much a shock to myself and Unit 3 as it is to all of you. With that said, we are here for you and your children and will continue to try and serve your children as the state directs during this closure. Most of you by now have heard that Governor Pritzker extended school closures through April 30th. This means the earliest we could come back to school is May 1. He also has conveyed to schools that he wants us to continue our attempt to keep children engaged in skill retention activities, review activities and routines so to not regress and lose skills they have developed so far this year. He and the State Board asked us to create a plan for this and it be called a REMOTE LEARNING PLAN. I have attached Harrisburg Unit 3's plan. You will see it is VERY similar to what we already have in place. That is a testament to your child's teachers, administrators and Board who decided to be proactive and try to get out in front of this horrible situation. This plan just formalizes and codified in writing the plan that we have been executing. Please do not get worried that things are changing again, we are aware of the stress this has put on all of you and made the changes here as minimal as possible so you all can keep doing what you are doing with your kiddos. There are really only 3 major changes in the plan from what you are currently doing; First, the Governor has now said moving forward, that any packets or e-learning that a student is provided after March 30 (which includes the packet we passed out yesterday 3-31) should be turned in to be assessed for credit. These packets will be graded on a pass/incomplete scale and NO GRADE WILL BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THIS WORK. The second change is more for safety purposes and is a change Harrisburg Unit 3 has decided to make for your benefit and the benefit of staff. There will be no more face to face meetings to receive or to turn in packets. We have at some buildings the on-line component, which we recommend for ALL who can access. We also have now downloaded each packet on our website, so you can go on and download and print your packet if you wish and have that capability. Finally if you cannot do either of those we ask that you call us on Monday, April 27th and provide your child's school office your name and address and request it be mailed. We ask you to only call on the 27th as the office will be working that day. The final change is on submitting packets. Over the next few days your child's building will be placing a box,tub or some other kind of drop-box outside the front doors of their building. Once you have this packet complete we would ask that you drop it off there and that box will be emptied daily. We also request that you contact your child's teacher so they know to look for the packet and to note that it was submitted for credit. I have attached the plan, I know there will be MANY questions....please do not hesitate to call my office and I will try and answer any concerns you have. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING IN THIS MATTER. Like I have said before we will get through this TOGETHER. Thanks Mike Unit 3 Remote Learning Plan: https://5il.co/ehgl

Unit # 3, We continue to get more information regarding this health pandemic. Governor Pritzker announced today that schools will remain closed through April 30. I will put an official statement out in the morning to let you know what that means for all of us. Thank you for your cooperation, Mike Gauch

Parents/Guardians: To access the learning packets online, please visit the following link. https://www.hbg.saline.k12.il.us/o/ws/browse/117279

For packet pick-up, you have a couple of options. You can download the packet from our website or it can be emailed to you to print off (email your teacher to request it). You can also come by West Side to pick it up. The process for picking up at West Side will be curbside delivery (kind of like a drive-thru restaurant). Just like you would drop your child off at school using the one way streets. We will have two locations, one on Lincoln and one on McKinley, just pull up and we will give the packet to you. Each packet is the same for each grade level, so it does not matter which street you choose.

Parents/Guardians: At West Side, while we encourage you to use online resources during this time, we feel at this age it is important for our students to have a tangible packet for you to work with your child, therefore we will have packets for you to pick-up on Tuesday, March 31st between 9 AM - 12 PM and 3 PM - 6 PM. We will also make the packets available for download on our website and app. We will be posting them in the next day or two. Please watch for an announcement indicating it is available for download. Stay safe and healthy. We miss the students walking in our hallways, playing at recess and just being kids. We can’t wait to see them again. Mr. Witges and Mrs. Wilson

Parents/Guardians: We want to reach out and clarify some items. The packets that were given out on March 16th do NOT need to be turned into. These were considered Act of God days through ISBE. Since that time-frame, we have transitioned to remote learning and the packets that you will get on Tuesday (March 31st) will need to be turned in the next time we distribute packets. These packets will be given a pass/incomplete designation, not designated letter grades. Please use this time to be with your children to help them with the packets, take breaks, read them a story, play a game, go for a walk and do a scavenger hunt. But, most of all, be there for them. We believe learning occurs in all aspects of life, not just a packet. Stay safe and healthy. Mr. Witges and Mrs. Wilson

ATTENTION UNIT 3 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS PLEASE CLICK LINK FOR NEW E-LEARNING INFO: https://5il.co/eaz4

UNIT # 3 UPDATE Harrisburg Unit # 3 continues to make every attempt to provide our students with materials on - line and through our Learning packets to maintain skills and knowledge through this closure. Our e-learning program continues on-line with the materials that were sent out two weeks ago, please look for announcements from your teachers about possible videos, links, U-tube suggestions or new items that they put out for you work on until our new target date to possibly return to school provided by the Governor of April 8th. Those of you without Internet Access will be able to pick up new packets at your child's school on Tuesday March 31st from 9-12 and/or 3-6 p.m.. Staff will be at the school during these times to pass out packets of learning for you to pick up. We as a district remain dedicated to our students and doing the best we can to make this closure a productive time educationally for our students. Thank you again for your cooperation through this time and as we have further information we will pass it along to all of you. Thank You Mike Gauch

HARRISBURG COMMUNITY - UPDATE ON FACILITIES - I received a phone call from a citizen this morning who told me that he lives by Taylor Field and was very angry that there were people still walking on the track and using the facility. The Governor did ask that all school run facilities shut down, but the district did not feel the need to stop people from walking on the track as long as the people were practicing social distancing. With that said, I regret to inform you that we will not allow any admittance to any of our facilities until further notice. I know many of you walk on the track daily , as have I. I also know that as adults you would adhere to the social distancing aspect as requested. However, when people decide that it is their job to police our property and make those calls and allegations against the district, we feel it is prudent for us to go ahead and just lock the facility and comply with the directive from Springfield. I apologize that this has forced the district to close all of those gates and areas that we know the community use for daily exercise and activities that the Governor has encouraged people to do as long as they practice the Social Distancing request, but districts across the state were indeed asked to lock their facilities, so that is what we will do. I promise you all that the minute the Governor allows us to open our doors, we will make these facilities available for all of you again. The district, Board, Administration and staff believe that the school district should be a community facility used by all members of our community. Sadly, not all people feel that way, as evident by the phone call I had today. On behalf of the district, I want to apologize for the inconvenience and hopefully it will not last much longer. Thank you and please stay safe. Mike Gauch

UNIT # 3 UPDATE Harrisburg Unit # 3 continues to make every attempt to provide our students with materials on - line and through our Learning packets to maintain skills and knowledge through this closure. Our e-learning program continues on-line with the materials that were sent out two weeks ago, please look for announcements from your teachers about possible videos, links, U-tube suggestions or new items that they put out for you work on until our new target date to possibly return to school provided by the Governor of April 8th. Those of you without Internet Access will be able to pick up new packets at your child's school on Tuesday March 31st from 9-12 and/or 3-6 p.m.. Staff will be at the school during these times to pass out packets of learning for you to pick up. We as a district remain dedicated to our students and doing the best we can to make this closure a productive time educationally for our students. Thank you again for your cooperation through this time and as we have further information we will pass it along to all of you. Thank You Mike Gauch

UNIT # 3 UPDATE Harrisburg Unit # 3 continues to make every attempt to provide our students with materials on - line and through our Learning packets to maintain skills and knowledge through this closure. Our e-learning program continues on-line with the materials that were sent out two weeks ago, please look for announcements from your teachers about possible videos, links, U-tube suggestions or new items that they put out for you work on until our new target date to possibly return to school provided by the Governor of April 8th. Those of you without Internet Access will be able to pick up new packets at your child's school on Tuesday March 31st from 9-12 and/or 3-6 p.m.. Staff will be at the school during these times to pass out packets of learning for you to pick up. We as a district remain dedicated to our students and doing the best we can to make this closure a productive time educationally for our students. Thank you again for your cooperation through this time and as we have further information we will pass it along to all of you. Thank You Mike Gauch

Harrisburg Unit 3 .... I have attached a u-tube link that gives you a glimpse into our Meal Service Program that we are running for our students during this closure. My staff has forced me to limit volunteers....because too many of them WANT to help. Their passion for the children of this community is a great thing. I am so proud of them! I hope this paints just a small picture of the magnitude of this program....... The time and effort that this takes each week to put together THIRTEEN THOUSAND meals! We are so happy to do this for our district, our children and our community. GOD BLESS AND STAY SAFE! Mike Gauch https://youtu.be/pAVlL2uucqc

UNIT # 3 UPDATE Harrisburg Unit # 3 continues to make every attempt to provide our students with materials on - line and through our Learning packets to maintain skills and knowledge through this closure. Our e-learning program continues on-line with the materials that were sent out two weeks ago, please look for announcements from your teachers about possible videos, links, U-tube suggestions or new items that they put out for you work on until our new target date to possibly return to school provided by the Governor of April 8th. Those of you without Internet Access will be able to pick up new packets at your child's school on Tuesday March 31st from 9-12 and/or 3-6 p.m.. Staff will be at the school during these times to pass out packets of learning for you to pick up. We as a district remain dedicated to our students and doing the best we can to make this closure a productive time educationally for our students. Thank you again for your cooperation through this time and as we have further information we will pass it along to all of you. Thank You Mike Gauch

Harrisburg Community, I am very happy we were able to pass out 8,000 meals today for our students to have food for the week. Each bag contained 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches of the week. We are hopeful that this service is reaching as many of our children as possible. I regret to say that we did however, run out of meals very quickly today and we realize some people were not able to get the meals. That was not our intention and we hate that we have to turn people away, however, we can only do so much to keep this service going for all of our community. We would like to make the following pleas to all of you moving forward to help us maximize the amount of children and community members we can serve with this program. 1. Please only take or go get meals from one of the many sites we have available for pick up. We are doing all of this program on the honor system. We give anyone that walks up a meal if we have it, we do not ask, nor will we, but please allow everyone to get an opportunity to get some meals. 2. Please only request the amount of bags that will help you supplement what you need to make it through the week for your children. 3. We are trying to feed as many of our students as possible. Please help us by only taking what you absolutely need. 4. We apologize in advance....when we run out of meals....we are OUT. We are being limited in our ordering currently and will do as many meals or bags as we can, but when they are gone there is nothing we can do. The district is doing the very best they can in a very difficult situation and when that limit is reached we will be unable to accommodate anything until the next round of service. We THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME. Harrisburg Unit # 3 will continue to do everything we can to assist our students and families through this situation. Thank You, Mike Gauch

REMINDER......... Harrisburg Unit #3's Meal Plan will be at mobile sites tomorrow Monday, March 23rd to get meals out to our students. PLEASE REMEMBER that we are delivering a weeks worth of meals to you tomorrow and will not have another delivery until Monday, March 30th. Thank you, Mike Gauch

Message regarding food service. Harrisburg Community, We are very happy that the Governor is going to allow Harrisburg Unit # 3 to continue to provide our Meal Plan for the community. The district WILL continue this vital service for our students and our community. While this service will continue, we will be making some changes to the program and wanted to update you all on what those changes will be and how they will impact you. All pick up sites for meals will not change, the sites that we currently are operating as mobile sites will be the same. There are 3 changes for the program, those changes will start Monday, March 23rd. 1. We have decided to have pick up of meals only on Monday. When you come to the site, you will be provided a bag that contains 5 breakfast meals and 5 lunch meals for the week. It is essential that you show up on Monday as that will be the ONLY day we have these deliveries each week. 2. Robinson Transport (our district transportation provider) has graciously offered to assist by bringing the meals to each of our sites in one of their big yellow busses. We appreciate them and their willingness to assist us in this service. 3. Finally, with the amount of items, bags and meals that we are putting together we are going to be unable to honor allergy requests. PLEASE make sure you check your child's bag for any product that may be an allergy concern and either give it away or discard the item. BUT PLEASE CHECK YOUR CHILD'S ITEMS!!!! I have attached a copy of the delivery sites as a reminder. We look forward to getting these meals out to you Monday and every Monday as long as this closure is in place. Thank you and stay safe! Link to meal plan info: https://5il.co/e03p Mike Gauch Superintendent Harrisburg Unit # 3

3-19-2020 Harrisburg Unit # 3 Family THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT WILL NOT IMPACT OUR MEALS PROGRAM AT THIS TIME......... MEALS WILL STILL BE DELIVERED AS NORMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In an effort to adhere to the "social distancing" recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control, Unit # 3 will no longer accept foot traffic through the day in their building offices or the Unit Office. There will be staff there to conduct business remotely by phone and/or email each day.We will attempt to answer your questions or find a solution for any issue you have remotely. Should you need paperwork or other items we will work with you to schedule a pick up at one of our locations. Again, we will still be here to handle business, but will have doors locked and will not allow entry to any of the buildings until further notice. Please understand this is a decision that will cause some delays in resolving issues, but we will do our best to provide you the service you need. Call your child's building first and if you cannot reach anyone there please call the Unit Office and we will do our best to assist you. Thank you, Mike Gauch

Parents/Guardians/Students Harrisburg Community - Harrisburg Unit # 3 schools will have someone in offices at each building and the Unit office to assist you with concerns or questions throughout this closure. In an attempt to limit the opportunity for the transmission of any health related problems, we ask that you first call the district and attempt to conduct any business you may have by phone. We will do everything in our power to be able to address your concerns on that call. Should you be in need of a form, paper or any other document we can take that information on the phone and use email to transmit to IF POSSIBLE. This will avoid you having to travel outside your home for something we can take care of on the phone or by email. Should we not be able to handle the issue by phone, we would ask you to come in so we could get you any information or documents you need for you or your child. Please refer to the Meal Plan Document as we start serving meals today in several locations noted on that document. My staff and I are very appreciative and humbled by the outpouring of support from our families and community members. This is a very stressful time for everyone and to have the kind words we heard throughout the day yesterday was why Harrisburg is HOME! We truly care for your children as well and want them back in our buildings as soon as it is deemed to be the safest solution for them. Thank you again for your cooperation and we will continue to update you as this situation evolves. Thank you, Mike Gauch Superintendent