Blue Ridge CUSD #18

BR Parents/Guardians, it's time to give you information about the district's 5Essentials Survey. We would greatly appreciate our parents filling out this annual survey! Please see the letter with parent participation information here: https://5il.co/14ma7. For the student survey, if you would prefer to opt your 4th-12th grade student out of participation, please see the linked form here: https://5il.co/14ma6. Thank you! #br_u_knighted

This month's newsletter is linked here: https://5il.co/14ma1. Are you wondering if there is a trivia question inside? Thank you for reading our updates! #br_u_knighted

PK-8 Yearbooks on Sale Now! The yearbook will again be delivered in August of 2022 to your child's school and distributed the first week or two of school. Please use the link below to order your yearbook. If you have any questions please email Mrs. Hardesty at mhardesty@blueridge18.org. https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1088274/Blue-Ridge-Intermediate-and-Junior-High-School/2022-Yearbook/2021091713020245099/CATALOG_SHOP

Good afternoon BR Families. Please read the remote learning update for next week in the letter linked here: https://5il.co/14lju Thank you. #br_u_knighted

Softball and Baseball registration is now open for the 2022 Summer League. Online registration is open and available now, as well as walk in registration dates on Jan 21 and Feb 2. Check out their website for more details and upcoming events. http://clubs.bluesombrero.com/farmercity

BR Families, we have an update for Thursday and Friday regarding remote instruction. Families of 7th and 8th grade students, please note there is a change for your students from how they have been learning earlier this week. Thank you. https://5il.co/14hav #br_u_knighted

4-H STEM Wednesdays: Join 4-H Teen Teachers from the Blue Ridge High School STEM Club on Wednesdays from February 9-March 16 for Hands on STEM Activities at Schneider Elementary. We are teaming up with the Blue Ridge Y-Zone afterschool program to bring some Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics excitement, but you don’t have to be a current Y-Zone member to participate. This program series is $15 for non-Y-Zone members and FREE to current Y-Zone members who have paid to attend on Y-Zone on those Wednesdays. Register before February 4 at https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2022-03-16-dewitt-county-blue-ridge-stem-club-wednesdays https://5il.co/14cs2. #br_u_knighted

BR Families, please read the attached letter regarding a school closure due to increased COVID cases. https://5il.co/14cqx Thank you for your understanding and support. #br_u_knighted

Reminder: lunch menu change for today! Beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cuties will be served in all buildings today.

Good morning! Our purple bus is running about 10 minutes late this morning. Thanks to our sub driver for making this route possible today! #br_u_knighted

Lunch menu change for Thursday, January 13. All buildings will be served Beef & Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli and Cuties.

Please read the following message from Debby Adams regarding Blue Ridge Athletics. Hello, I wanted to inform you what the current status of the Boosters is. My son graduated last spring. Because of Covid, I stayed on as President. Kristina who is currently secretary and treasurer has no children in high school. We have only one other parent who regularly attends meetings and a very limited number of volunteers. The Cash Bash has been a labor of love for the past 7 years. We have raised money and funded many requests from coaches, community administration, etc. It is a great night to meet new people, catch up with old friends and support the kids of our communities while having a lot of fun. We are trying to figure out if Cash Bash 2022 is happening and what it will look like. WE NEED YOUR HELP, if you have a student in high school we need you to step up and become the future of the boosters. Please, contact Kristina Forrest or I, we would love to talk to you about it. Thank you… Debby

Good afternoon! Please follow the link to read the updated isolation and quarantine guidance for schools. https://5il.co/142ul With the shortened days required for isolation and quarantine, I would like to remind you of the importance of proper masking upon return to school. Please have this conversation with your student to help us in our common effort to keep everyone learning on campus to the greatest extent possible. We are planning that Tuesday, 1.11.22 is a regular attendance day. No message means we're back to regular operations! Thank you for your ongoing patience. #br_u_knighted

Good evening. We've been contacted by a road commissioner stating that the roads west of Bellflower have refrozen and it will not be safe to travel in the morning. We are changing plans and calling an E-Learning Day for all students. No students will be learning on campus. Students will connect via Google Classroom, Google Meets, Clever, or SeeSaw. K-6 students may use an E-Learning Packet if they are unable to connect with their device. Coaches and sponsors will contact students with directions about any events. Students may request meals by 9 am using this form: https://forms.gle/gWp2D5w9fHahJEjS8. #br_u_knighted

Good evening! Late Friday we were informed that there are new CDC guidelines that will now apply to public schools, which will shorten isolation and quarantine days. Your admin team and department heads have been working over the weekend to communicate with as many families as possible, while we're still learning the nuances of the new guidelines. I am asking that if you believe your student is eligible to return earlier than originally stated, please wait until you receive a call telling you so. We will be in touch as soon as possible. As of now, 5th grade will learn from home on Monday, 1.10.22, with all others learning in person. The exception is 5th grade special education students may attend in person. The 5th grade meal request form is here: https://forms.gle/Cmoiu1N71N544h9z9. Please use caution in the morning. Roads and parking lots have been treated, but may still be icy. #br_u_knighted

The administrative team met this afternoon to consider plans for next week. On Monday, 1.10.2022, 5th grade students will again learn from home. The exception is that 5th grade special education students are offered to attend in person. If you would like to request meals for 5th grade students on Monday, 1.10.2022, here is your form: https://forms.gle/j1MagVtFHFqstH977 If additional illness is reported over the weekend, we may need to make additional revisions. We are hopeful to have everyone in person on Tuesday, 1.11.2022. Thank you. #br_u_knighted

Mrs. Barker, 4th grade teacher at BRIJHS, received her DeWitt County EPIC TEACHER WINNER giveaway basket today! This basket was super generous and Mrs. Barker is very deserving. Thank you, Dewitt County Farm Bureau! #br_u_knighted

Good morning. We have monitored test results from the lab and we will stay with the plan announced yesterday. 5th grade students will learn from home today, with the exception that 5th grade special education students are offered to attend in person. If you would like to request meals for 5th grade students, here is your form: https://forms.gle/RBMGqAwG7uCZm6km7. Please complete your request by 9 am. The administrative team will be evaluating next week and will make any necessary announcements as soon as possible. Thank you. #br_u_knighted

BR Families, please see the linked message regarding 5th grade remote learning for 1.7.2022: https://5il.co/13y3s. The meal service request for 5th grade can be accessed here: https://forms.gle/3k98Lak4vwgnaBWS7. A message will be sent before 6:30 am on Friday, 1.7.2022 to confirm any additional changes to the learning environment. Thank you! #br_u_knighted

BR Families, are you struggling to afford Internet connectivity within your household? Please see the flier and link below to learn more about a current option through the FCC that was recently made available to those who qualify: https://www.fcc.gov/acp-consumer-outreach-toolkit https://5il.co/13wk0 #br_u_knighted