Welcome to remote learning!

Welcome to the first day of remote learning at EPS!  To help ease you back into the swing of things, like he does every morning, is Griffin with the morning announcements. Take it away, Griffin!

Here is the link to our Remote Learning Homepage.

Have a fantastic "first day!"

Creative thinking!

Thank you to the prekindergarten team - Ms. LaPata, Ms. Simkins, Ms. Tonnelli, Ms. Hernandez - for getting creativity packs organized and out to our youngest Panthers!  

Hands on, inquiry based learning continues even in the midst of challenge.  

These efforts exemplify the commitment and service of our team to supporting ALL students and families.

 If there is anything that you need or anything that we can do to support your family, please reach out to any member of our school team, myself, or reach us at info@eps73.net.

eLearning overview for students

Here is a link to a screencast video that provides an overview of our eLearning program for our students.  Thank you for sharing this with you child(ren).

eLearning video follow-up

Here is a link to a screencast video that provides an overview of our eLearning program, as well as, all of the required daily steps for families.  It is a helpful follow-up to all of the information that was shared yesterday.  We are working on an overview for kids and hope to have that ready to share with you tomorrow.

eLearning at EPS

Dear East Prairie families,

Attached below is a detailed overview of our eLearning plans.  Our aim is to continue to provide our students with a well-rounded and engaging educational experience, while ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all children and families.  This is new for all of us!  These initial plans reflect our best thinking, collaborative efforts, research, and conversations with other educators throughout the state.  We will gather feedback from all stakeholders as we go through this process to ensure that it grows and evolves to provide students with the highest quality educational experiences possible given the challenging circumstances we find ourselves in.  

PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK AND COMPLETE FORM TODAY, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE ARE CONNECTED WITH EVERY EPS STUDENT AND FAMILY!

Tuesday, March 31st will be the first day of eLearning at EPS.  The essentials steps for families are:

- Complete initial Email/eLearning confirmation form
- Beginning on Tuesday, 3/31, you will need to submit a daily eLearning Attendance Check In form FOR EACH CHILD AT EPS.
- At the end of each day you will also need to complete the Daily Work Completion Form FOR EACH CHILD AT EPS.

Throughout this work, we strive to continue to fully support the growth, learning, and development of each child.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr. Schmeisser or any member of your child’s educational team if you have questions, concerns, or anything that you would like to discuss further.  We are here to serve!

In partnership, 

The East Prairie Team

P.S. Today’s resource share is code.org.  Create real working apps, games and websites using blocks, JavaScript, CSS, HTML and more.  Learn computer science at absolutely no cost.

Making a difference

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members."

-Coretta Scott King

Thank you to Ms. Yasutake, Ms. Doolas, Mrs. Henry, Ms. LaPata, Mr. Tumang, & Mrs. Weiss for their help sorting, organizing, and delivering groceries today.   

Thank you to our entire school team for communicating with ALL families on how we can best help to support during this challenging time. 

Thank you to the East Prairie PTA for their generous support of our supplemental food program for our families! 

Communication, FREE meals next week, & eLearning

Dear East Prairie families,

As we begin a new week, we wanted to reach out and clarify our communication plan to ensure that every member of our EPS community stays updated and informed.  While we regularly strive to make consistent and comprehensive information sharing a part of our school/district practice, our goal throughout the current COVID-19 situation is to provide you daily updates, connecting your family with important resources and information.

In addition to these eblasts, our daily communications can be found on the EPS website and Panther Press - Principal’s blog.  There are over forty languages spoken in the homes of our school community.  Both of these sites provide translation into many different languages. Here are video links - EPS website translation and Panther Press translation - providing step-by-step directions for enabling these translation tools (thank you to Mr. Stephen for both creating and starring in these helpful tutorials). 

At noon on Wednesday you will receive an email and phone call with detailed information regarding our eLearning plans.  You will be asked to confirm that you received the email so that we can make sure EVERY family is connected and prepared for this new model of education.  Our team is working this week to roll out devices and internet connectivity to families needing these resources.  Our goal with eLearning is to continue to provide our students with a well-rounded and engaging educational experience, while ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all children and families.  Tuesday, March 31st will be the first day of eLearning at EPS.

EPS will be providing FREE pick-up/drop-off meals beginning next Monday, March 30th.  Please reach out to info@eps73.net if you haven’t already signed up and would like to participate.  Meals can be provided for any child under the age of 18 in the household, and there are no financial or pre-qualification requirements.

Today’s resource share is about the importance of mindfulness for kids, adults, and families.  Mindfulness for Children offers “basic tips for children and adults of all ages, as well as several activities that develop compassion, focus, curiosity and empathy.”  This learning directly supports our work as a school to create a safe, comfortable, and nurturing environment for all stakeholders. Enjoy! Mindfulness can and should be fun!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to info@eps73.net or any member of our East Prairie team if there is anything that we can do to help support your family during this time.

In partnership,

The East Prairie Team

Extended closure, family needs, & community resources

Dear East Prairie families,

As you are aware, yesterday Governor JB Pritzker announced mandatory stay at home procedures for all of Illinois.  Furthermore, the closure of schools throughout the state was extended through at least April 7th. As we move forward, our district will collaborate with the other township districts and those throughout the state to follow the guidance of the CDC, state and local health departments in making a determination about when it is safe to reopen.  Our aim throughout this situation has been to be as proactive as possible in developing plans, systems, and structures that provide a continuity of learning to students for both the immediate and long-term. Towards the middle of this coming week you will receive a detailed overview of our eLearning plans. At this time we will also be asking you to actively respond so we can check to make sure every family has what they need to ensure an impacting and equitable delivery of eLearning.

Throughout next week our team will be working with families to get needed devices and internet connection into their homes.  We are also partnering with the PTA to support the grocery needs of families. Thank you to the PTA for this generous and gracious support!  Please connect with a member of our school team or email us at info@eps73.net if there is something that you need.

Here is some additional information for families looking for alternative internet services:

- Spectrum Communication - high speed internet, affordable pricing.
- Xfinity Wifi public hotspots all open.  Until further notice, all Xfinity WiFi Public Hotspots are now open to everyone on the “xfinitywifi” SSID. Public hotspots can be found in small/medium businesses and outdoors in commercial areas. Non-Xfinity subscribers need to accept Terms and Conditions to access the network and repeat when requested to continue to receive free unlimited access. Please refer to the map below for available public hotspots.  This is a good option for those that live next to neighbors that might have Comcast as a service.
- Comcast expands access and speed of internet

Here is a link with a list of resources and support available within the Skokie community; this includes food, internet, medical, and more.

Today’s educational resource share is Google’s virtual tours of museums and other cultural/historic sights.  Though you can’t leave your home, you can visit nearly 3,500 global sites in tremendous detail.  Happy adventuring!

In partnership,
The East Prairie Team

Message to students

In a situation like the one we find ourselves in, there is lots of information communicated with grown-ups, but often not enough directly shared with kids. Thank you for sharing this with your child(ren).

Family check-ins, food support, & e-learning update

Dear East Prairie families,

We hope that this communication finds you and your family healthy, safe, and in place with what you need.  As you well know, we are in uncharted territory as a society and this rapidly evolving situation offers no clear paths forward.  Ensuring the health and wellbeing of every member of our East Prairie community remains our unwavering priority. Please know that our team is diligently working to communicate as effectively and transparently as possible, while also planning for all future possibilities.  As such we wanted to share the following next steps and information with you.

Over the coming days, our teachers will be reaching out to all families.  The aim of these calls is to check-in, connect, and further communicate. We want to make sure that we are doing everything possible to support every family to the fullest extent possible.  We will also be inquiring about the following family specific information:

- Does your family need any food or grocery items?

- Would you be interested in pick-up/drop-off meal options after spring break?  How many children under the age of 18 would be needing meals?

- Does your family have an Internet connection?

- Does your child have a device they can use during the day to access online learning opportunities?

- What is the best way for us to contact you moving forward?  (email, phone, etc.)

We know that during this trying time, there are hundreds of questions that everyone must have - Is the school safe?  When are we coming back? What are we doing with the kids? - we want to take the time to respond to and answer as many of these wonderings from families as we can.  Please use this Google form link to share your questions, asking anything that is on your mind.  We will be sure to respond to these questions and follow-up as soon as possible.

We are currently finalizing our plans for e-learning and extended learning at home should we not be able to come back to school in the next few weeks.  While this is still an uncertainty for all schools, we want to be as proactive in planning as possible. You will be receiving additional information over spring break as to what you and your child can expect.  Our team is working hard to ensure a model that is impacting and equitable for all students and families.

In addition to the Evanston and Niles Township Food Pantry options already shared, East Prairie is working to coordinate meals for our families after spring break.  Our teachers will be gathering information from those wanting to participate. We are still figuring out our pick-up/delivery model.  You can also reach out to info@eps73.net to participate.  This email address has been set-up to help support any other needs that your family may have.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out with anything that we can do to support your family.

We know this is A LOT of new information.  In order to effectively communicate we are trying to keep things streamlined so that you are not overly inundated with emails.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is something that any member of our EPS team can do to support you and your family during this time.  We hope that you and your family have everything you need and are able to enjoy the time together. Thank you for your kindness, flexibility, and compassion as we work together to support our kids, one another, and our entire East Prairie community!

In partnership,

The East Prairie Team

Evanston food update

NEW! Beginning on Monday, March 23, this program will transition to a Monday-only schedule. Youth may pick up five days worth of meals at one time. This decision was made to reduce the number of times individuals will need to leave their homes. Breakfasts and lunches for the week may be picked up between 1pm and 5pm on Mondays only at the following locations:

• Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St.
• Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St. (closest to EPS)
• Kamen Park David Wood Fieldhouse, 1111 South Blvd.
• Mason Park, Church Street and Florence Avenue

Meals will be available on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 from 11am to 1pm as previously scheduled. After these dates, meals will only be available on Mondays from 1-5pm through March 30. The City is investigating options for spring break.

Meals are made possible through a partnership between the City of Evanston, District 65, and District 202. For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311, or dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

Cancellation of after school events & activities

Dear East Prairie families,

We wanted to reach out and clarify that the soonest we would be returning to school is Tuesday, March 31st.  This per Governor Pritzker’s order closing schools across the state.  We know this is a time of more questions than answers, and promise to share timely information and updates with you as they become available to us.  In these trying times, our public schools as pillars of community become even more essential. At East Prairie we are committed to ensuring the health, wellbeing, and learning of all of our stakeholders.

On that note, we wanted to reach out and provide an update per the CDC’s recent guidance related to mass gatherings - “CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.”  In order to safeguard the health of our students, staff, families, and community, East Prairie School will be taking the following actions:

- All after school events, programs, and meetings will be cancelled for the next eight weeks.  This includes the following: 4/7 Preschool at Night,

4/7 PTA meeting, 4/16 International Night, 4/18 Foundation Fundraiser,
4/22 Spring Solo Recital, 5/4 PTA meeting, 5/5 NJHS ceremony,
5/6 3rd grade Illinois show, 5/13 Welcome to Middle School Night,
5/14 Primary Spring Concert, 5/15 8th grade dance.  
***Any events beyond this 8 week timeframe will be reevaluated based on current recommendations from the CDC and Illinois Department of Health.  We will work to reschedule and reformat events as necessary to best meet the needs of our school community.

- Conferences will be redesigned in a manner that allows for individualized feedback on your child’s growth and progress throughout the year.

- Athletic programming will be postponed until further decisions are made within our township conference.

- All field trips will be canceled for the next 8 weeks.  We will reevaluate any trips beyond that timeframe as we move forward.  This includes the cancellation of the 6th grade trip to White Pines at the end of April.

- School registration, 4/25, will be postponed and rescheduled for sometime in June.  More information will be shared in the coming weeks.

We will continue to reach out with timely information, resources, and updates as we learn more.  Please continue to follow the recommended guidance for protecting your family and self.  Wishing you and your family the very best during these challenging times.  

In partnership,

The East Prairie Team

NT supplemental grocery program

We wanted to reach out and update you on a supplemental grocery program Niles Township is providing for families who receive free or reduced lunches at school.

Assembled boxes of groceries will be available to qualifying families from 11:00AM to 1:30PM on both Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18 at 8300 Lehigh Avenue in Morton Grove.  Families should come one of these days as each box includes a week’s worth of groceries. In addition to this new “Pop-Up Pantry,” supplemental boxes of groceries will also be available for distribution at the rear of the Niles Township Food Pantry (behind our Township building at 5255 Lincoln Avenue, Skokie) between 6:00-7:00PM on Wednesday, March 18.

Groceries to be in the boxes include: peanut butter, trail mix, canned chicken, tomato soup, canned vegetables, canned beans or vegetarian chili, spaghetti sauce, pasta, dried fruit, dried beans, brown rice, juice, water, crackers, and cereal bars. Dates and times for supplemental food distribution for the following week will be announced at a later time.

Updates & information

Dear East Prairie families,

As we approach the first week of school closures across the state, we wanted to reach out and share some updated information and resources with you.  

The City of Evanston will be providing free breakfast and lunch meals to all youth ages 1 to 18.  This service will be provided Monday through Friday from 11:00AM to 1:00PM.  The Robert Crown Center, located at 1801 Main Street, is the location closest to East Prairie School.  Meals are grab-and-go with no residency or income-based restrictions to participate.

As of the moment, Tuesday March 31st is the soonest that we will be returning to school.  Our EPS team is working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health, Village of Skokie Health Department, as well as, educational and governmental agencies throughout the state to ensure the health and wellbeing of our community.  We will keep you informed as additional information is shared with us and decisions are made.

For families looking for resources to provide a continuity of learning for their child, here are some free online resources from ISBE.  This in addition to any materials and resources shared by your child’s teacher.  

• Share My Lesson
• National Geographic
• Field Museum
• Lesson Planet
• The Learning Network
• Statistics in Schools
• EdEx
• Global Digital Library
• Khan Academy
• Learning Equality

We strongly encourage families to take this situation seriously and to follow the recommended guidance for protecting your family and self.  We believe our role as a public school is to share responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, families, staff, and broader EPS community.

In partnership,

The East Prairie Team

EPS closing

To ensure the health and wellbeing of all students and staff we have decided to close East Prairie School beginning next week.  This measure was taken in consultation with village and state health officials and in consideration of the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of the coronavirus in our community.  While we have not been notified of any students or staff being diagnosed with COVID-19, we believe the preponderance of evidence makes it increasingly clear that it is better to close our school sooner than later to slow the spread of the disease. We believe our role as a public school is to share responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, families, staff, and broader EPS community.

Parent Mentor Program

The Parent Mentor Program is a nationally recognized parent engagement model that builds deep and lasting relationships between students, teachers, and parents. Originally developed by the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) in 1995, the Parent Mentor Program has grown from a single school to 76 schools working with 15 community-based organizations across Illinois in 2018.

Thank you to Ms. Hernandez, Mrs. Frano, Mrs. Rice, Mrs. deBettencourt, and Mrs. Mansour for participating in the Parent Mentor Program this year!  Thank you to Ms. Wydmanski for all of her efforts getting this up and running at our school!

Thank you Binish Qureshi, Farhana Nasreen, Mehzabin Javed Patel, and Valeria Rico Mancera for serving as our students, staff, and families. We are proud of your accomplishments as our inaugural PMP class! 

This program has been a phenomenal way to involve parents within our classroom and further connect with our community. Our parent mentors shared their experience with us as part of our March Board and faculty meetings. Their experiences are an inspiration to our entire EPS community!

Bears of Hope

Thank you to Ms. Smeeton and our 8th grade enrichment students for crafting Bears of Hope to support others facing a challenge in their life.

Care and service based learning experiences like this have a profound impact for not only those involved, but our entire community.

Our 5th grade enrichment students did an outstanding job of reporting on and documenting this important and impacting experience.  Here is the student perspective, in their own words:

Health update & information

Dear East Prairie families,

This week we have an elevated number of students out sick with flu or flu-like symptoms; nearly eighty students both Monday and Tuesday.  Given the current climate and heightened awareness, we wanted to reach out and ensure you that everyone within our school community has accurate and updated information.  

Students who were diagnosed with the flu should not return to school this week.  As a general reminder, students must be free of fever and vomiting for 24 hours without medication (unless they have the flu, in which case they should not be at school at all this week).  Thank you for your help ensuring these guidelines are met.

Additionally, Nurse Christina has worked with our staff to help ensure these healthy hygiene habits are encouraged, at home and at school:  

- Wash hands frequently in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds, THEN rinse and dry.  Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

- Cover your cough or sneeze.  

- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

- Don’t share food, drinks, utensils, or drinking containers.

- Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.

- Stay home when sick, and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Furthermore, we are building in times for students to wash their hands throughout the day.  In addition to these steps, our building maintenance and cleaning crew have begun more aggressive deep cleaning and disinfecting activities.

Common and high frequency areas of the school are being disinfected multiple times throughout the day.  This includes stairways, handrails, doors, knobs, tables, lockers, and drinking fountains throughout all three floors of the building.  We use a hospital grade disinfectant to ensure the learning environment is least habitable for germs. Clorox wipes have also been made accessible in the gyms and other high traffic areas.

As a school and district we are committed to ensuring a safe, clean, and healthy learning environment for all children and adults.  Our aim is to be as open, transparent, and communicative with our community as possible. Should you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out.  Thank you for your diligence ensuring the health and wellbeing of our EPS community!

In partnership,

The East Prairie Team

Dance Is My Everything

Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring a Dance Is My Everything performance for our kindergarten, first, and second grade students!

An upbeat, energetic, and free flowing time was had by all!  It is an understatement to say that our primary students have some moves!  Thank you again for the PTA support of these cultural arts opportunities.