Dear New Berlin CUSD #16,
I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying this good weather during our Spring Break. With the Executive Order to “stay-at-home”, the Board meetings will be conducted remotely via Zoom. Here is the agenda for a short special board meeting via Zoom.
Dear New Berlin CUSD #16 Families, Students, and Parents:
I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. Today, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced that remote learning in Illinois will be extended through April 30th in order to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
During this time, on-site learning will remain suspended but our schools’ commitment to learning and education will remain open and learning will continue for all students - just through a different format.
While it is not ideal, we want to assure you that at New Berlin CUSD #16, our administrators, teachers, and support staff are fully engaged and willing to take on this new challenge as we push forward with remote learning, engaging with students and continuing with our food distribution program.
I know this is not the school year that any of us imagined, but I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we deal with this unprecedented situation together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adam Ehrman
Superintendent, New Berlin CUSD #16
Pretzel Pride!
Dear New Berlin Families,
Late Friday night ISBE released “guidance” for the creation of District “Remote Learning Plans”. This guidance is supposed to assist School Districts with the development of a remote learning plan that meets the requirements of this new classification of a school day. With today (Monday) being the last “Act of God Day” authorized by ISBE and the guidance being released over the weekend, this is a difficult task for School Districts to quickly accomplish. Therefore, ISBE also authorized School Districts to use up to 5 days to develop and/or amend their remote learning plans.
Currently, the District is working to develop a remote learning plan that will be mutually agreed upon by District and the collective bargaining unit in the event that schools are closed past the April 8th deadline that is currently in place by the state.
Therefore with our Spring Break being next week and the District utilizing 4 of these remote learning plan development days provided by ISBE, April 14th will be our first official remote learning day in the event that schools are still closed by the state. Once we have an agreed upon District Remote Learning Plan, it will be posted on our website.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adam Ehrman
Superintendent, New Berlin CUSD #16
Pretzel Pride!
Dear New Berlin CUSD #16 Families,
Last night, March 27, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, declared that Remote Learning Days will begin for schools statewide on March 31 and continue until in-person instruction can resume. She further communicated that during Remote Learning Days, schools may implement either an E-Learning Plan or a Remote Learning Day Plan that provides students with instruction and access to educators through whatever means possible. Remote Learning Days, Remote Learning Planning Days, and Act of God Days count as actual student attendance days. All of these days count toward the minimum length of the school year and absolutely do not need to be made up. Friday night’s communication was the first time we have been able to read the Remote Learning Recommendations provided by ISBE. While we are quickly trying to get up to speed with these recommendations, we are aware that these Remote Learning Recommendations strongly encourage that school districts’ local grading policies during Remote Learning Days embrace the principle of “no educational harm to any child” and that school districts adopt grading models of pass or incomplete.
The Recommendations state that “Grading should focus on the continuation of learning and prioritize the connectedness and care for students and staff. All students should have the opportunity to redo, make up, or try again to complete, show progress, or attempt to complete work assigned prior to the remote learning period in that time frame. A focus on keeping children emotionally and physically safe, fed, and engaged in learning should be our first priority during this unprecedented time.”
Additionally, Governor JB Pritzker’s Executive Order 2020-15, issued yesterday, suspends state assessments for spring 2020, including the Constitution exam. This action officially ends assessment activity statewide for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, Illinois Science Assessment, SAT, and Dynamic Learning Maps-Alternate Assessment for the 2019-20 school year.
We all recognize that the free SAT provided by the state is the only opportunity many students get to take a college entrance exam. ISBE is working with the College Board on developing options to allow current 11th grade students to take the SAT in the fall.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge a couple of things about this monumental shift in education during this crisis. Remote learning days are not the same as typical school day. Remote learning days are filled with inequities for our children and hardships for our parents. Remote learning days are an attempt to bring normalcy to an abnormal time. As I participate in state level conversations almost daily during this crisis, I will continue to advocate on behalf of our all of our students during these ever changing times. Furthermore, we are very proud of how the District has managed the crisis thus far. We have been able pay all of our employees as if they were working a normal day and will continue to do so. We made that a priority from day 1 of the crisis. Additionally, we have been serving lunches during this crisis and will continue to do so as long as it is safe.
Thank you for your patience as we continue to manage this crisis and please stay safe!
Sincerely,
Dr. Adam Ehrman
Superintendent, New Berlin CUSD #16
Pretzel Pride!
New Berlin CUSD #16 is looking for a full time custodian. Interested candidates can apply via pretzelpride.com or contact Matt Brown at mbrown@pretzelpride.com
Due to the Governor's announcement today, the rescheduled board meetings for March
23 and March 24 have been canceled.
Dear New Berlin CUSD #16 Families,
On Friday, March 20, Illinois State Governor J.B. Pritzker, announced during a press conference that all Illinois residents will be in a “stay at home” order starting Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm until the end of April 7. Governor Pritzker also stated that Illinois public and private schools will be extending the closure through Tuesday, April 7 due to the COVID-19 virus.
At this time with our scheduled spring break, the timing of Good Friday, and Easter weekend, our schools are tentatively scheduled to resume on Tuesday, April 14 until further notice and/or future executive orders. Please stay safe.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adam Ehrman
Superintendent, New Berlin CUSD #16
Pretzel Pride!
As we continue to carefully assess the ever-changing COVID-19 situation, New Berlin School District has decided to adjust our Grab and Go meals schedule. In the interest of the health of our staff and community members, we want to minimize uneccessary exposure risks by offering the Grab and Go meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays each week rather than each day. Beginning Monday, March 23rd, we will be providing meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am - 11am. Monday’s pick up will contain Monday and Tuesday meals, Wednesday will contain Wednesday and Thursday meals, and Friday will contain Friday’s meals. As before, please come to the circle drive at the elementary school. PLEASE STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE. We will bring the meals out to you.
The Board meetings scheduled for March 16 and March 19 have been rescheduled to March 23 and 24th at 5pm. Agendas for the rescheduled meetings have been posted.
Pre-school screening previously scheduled for 3/30 and 3/31 has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Dear New Berlin Families,
I hope that this message finds you well in this time of crisis. I want to share that all Sangamon area school districts that attended the Career Fair received the message below from Mary Jo Wood, Director, Regional Office of Career & Technical Education.
“Our office was given information late last night that one of our representatives at Career Day was the third person in the county to test positive for the corona virus. She was representing the State Treasurer’s Office. There was minimal exposure as she was one booth that not many students approached. She was behind an 8-foot table with her back to the wall. Those students not approaching her and that were in the aisle in front of her table were 8 to 10 feet from her. She is recuperating at home.
Per Conversation with the health department, the health department will reach out to those who were in direct contact with her per their review and evaluation of her.
If anyone experiences symptoms they are to contact their physician or call the SCDPH hotline at 217-321-2606 M-F 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.”
New Berlin High School had 80 sophomores attend this Career Fair. While the risk for contamination was low, we believe it important to share with everyone out of an extreme abundance of caution.
Per the Sangamon County Department of Public Health (SCDPH) along with Memorial Health System, HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Springfield Clinic and SIU Medicine have issued this joint communication:
“If you have had limited contact with a person under quarantine, you do not have to go into quarantine yourself, but you should stay away from others as much as possible. “Limited contact” is defined as being at least six feet apart from the quarantined person for 10 minutes to up to two hours. If you have had contact with an individual under isolation, you should be quarantined.”
We certainly appreciate your patience as we work through this together. Thank you for your cooperation and please stay safe.
Dr. Adam Ehrman
Superintendent, New Berlin CUSD #16
Pretzel Pride!
New Berlin CUSD #16 School Food Service Action Plan During the Shutdown:
Tuesday, March 17 through March 30 from 9:00am-11am, we will serve the students who qualify for free/reduced in the National Breakfast and Lunch Program a bagged breakfast, lunch and snack at their cars as a drive-up “grab and go” service. Parents or guardians should come to the Elementary School at the front entrance in circle drive. Someone will bring the meals to you. PLEASE STAY IN YOUR VEHICLES.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), all food service department staff will have their temps taken with a forehead thermometer which will be sanitized with an alcohol swab between uses. They will put on gloves and face masks before entering the food area. There will be no more than 3 workers in the kitchen at a time. In preparation for this crisis, our food service department started the sanitizing and disinfecting process on Friday, March 13 during our SIP day.
***Once again, from 9:00am-11:00am, a bag with breakfast, lunch and a snack can be picked up at the Elementary School at the front entrance in circle drive. As parents or guardians drive up, we will bring the meals to you. PLEASE STAY IN YOUR VEHICLES. ***
We take great pride in taking part in the everyday lives of our students and there is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of students and
NEW IMPORTANT UPDATE- With confirmed cases of COVID -19 in Sangamon county and speaking with regional officials, New Berlin CUSD #16 Schools will now be closed Monday (3/16). Please note that the “grab and go” food service for students already receiving free and reduced meals will not start until Tuesday as the service is not ready to be implemented yet. We fully understand how difficult these disruptions are for everyone involved. The safety of our students and our communities are our priority.
As we communicated yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker has issued an Executive Order mandating that all public and nonpublic schools close March 17-30 and plan to reopen March 31. Please know that all days that a school is closed pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-05 will be counted as Act of God Days. At this time, these Act of God Days do not need to be made up at the end of the school year. Monday’s cancellation will also be submitted as an Act of God day in the school calendar.
School districts are strongly encouraged by ISBE to provide instruction to students during these Act of God Days through whatever means possible. New Berlin CUSD #16 is attempting to provide a structure of distance learning for our students, but safety is first priority which is why we are canceling school for Monday. Please know this situation is constantly evolving and be looking for more communication to follow from each of our schools regarding distance learning.
*UPDATE* Message from Dr. Ehrman
Dear New Berlin CUSD #16 Families,
Gov. J. B. Pritzker has announced that all schools in Illinois are closing to students beginning Tuesday, March 17th through at least Monday, March 30th due to the Coronavirus/COVID – 19 health issue.
As we have communicated previously, we are aware that our quality educational structure at New Berlin CUSD #16 is not designed for prolonged disconnection from our students and some of our families are not equipped to engage in an e-learning environment.
Our principals and teachers have been quickly attempting to make preparations for the possibility of schools being closed by county, state, or federal authorities.
“E-learning” or “distance learning” is not an easy undertaking. We know that any disruption to the normal school schedule is a hardship for our parents and students.
We also understand that many children rely on school breakfast and lunches. Therefore, we will have ”grab and go” food service available from 9 am to 11 am Monday-Friday for all students who already receive free and reduced meals. The pick-up location will be New Berlin Elementary School. Each food service meal will contain both a breakfast and a lunch.
In order to receive the "grab and go" food service meal please email Jay Ayers (jayers@pretzelpride.com) or contact the District office at 217-488-2040 no later than 1:00 pm on Monday (3/16) to indicate you desire for this service. This will allow for our cafeteria staff to plan on the number of meals to prepare.
Additionally, those families of students that require medication given here at school, we ask that parents retrieve those medications on Monday, if needed.
The closure also means that all extra-curricular activities have been canceled during that time.
Currently, we are actively planning on how to provide the best possible educational opportunities to our students during this prolonged disruption to our normal educational process. Over the coming days, there will be several communications regarding the plan for implementing these educational opportunities and any other communication needed as more information comes to us from local, state and federal officials regarding the Coronavirus/COVID – 19 health issue.
SIP Day Tomorrow, Friday, March 13th. Students will be dismissed at 11:45 am.
Message regarding COVID-19
Ready for NHS Induction!
Anyone interested in taking a tour of the NB Jr/Sr HS can come on Thursday night between 5:15 and 5:45. Parent University will follow.
No 6th grade volleyball match tonight. The 7th grade match will start at 6:00 with 8th grade to follow. We will honor our 8th graders immediately after the conclusion of the 7th grade match!
All events for this evening (2/26) are on as scheduled. 6th grade boys basketball travels to Waverly for a 6:00 start time. JH volleyball hosts Waverly JH with the 6th grade game starting at 5:00 (8th grade night!!). Varsity basketball takes on Routt Catholic in Franklin at 7:30