Mendota High School is pleased to be using the Remind App this year as a means of communication between school and home. Information about the Remind App and an invitation to join was sent home to each MHS family earlier this semester. If you missed the initial email invitation, please use the link provided below to join Remind.
If you are having difficulty locating the Remind notification, go to this link and type in the email address that was used to create your account. Alternatively, you can join your school.
Please use the link provided below to access a shared Communications Folder with all of the latest information regarding the MHS School Reopening Plan. New documents will be added as needed to this folder, so be sure to check back often for the most up-to-date information.
School Reopening Shared Communications Folder
2020 Atodnem yearbooks are available for anyone in the community that would like to purchase one. The cost is $45 and supplies are limited. Email yearbook sponsor Mr. Sester at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request to purchase a book.
Please use the link provided below to access the order form for the 2020-2021 yearbook!
March 16, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Thank you for your extraordinary support over the past several days, as we have worked together to protect our community during the growing coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. To further safeguard Illinois from the spread of the virus, Governor JB Pritzker has declared mandatory school closures for all buildings, both public and private, serving pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
This mandatory closure takes effect Tuesday, March 17. Currently, we anticipate reopening on March 31. Pending no additional closure dates added by the state, we will revise the school calendar. MHS will be in session (have school) on April 6, 7, 8, 9 instead of Spring Break. There will be no school on Friday, April 10th for Good Friday.
Lunch will still be available to all students. We will provide satellite lunch-sack meals to go to students. All students under the age of 18 may pick up the sack-meals between the hours of 11:00 to 1:00 PM , or meet the MHS bus at the attached drop-off locations and times. **It is very important that you complete the food survey or phone into MHS at 815-539-7446 daily by 1:00 PM so we know an anticipated lunch count the following day. Ask the person who answers the phone to put your name on the list or use extension 523 or 525 and leave a message.
We are committed to keeping students engaged in their learning during this statewide school closure. Our school district is fortunate to have 1:1 Chromebook Learning devices. MHS teachers are also preparing paper-and-pencil options for students who do not have access to the internet at home. Students may also download prepared materials to work off-line on their Chromebooks. **Students who can utilize e-learning are encouraged to log into the E-Learning Attendance form posted at www.mendotahs.org. It is a Google Attendance Form. Students without internet access may call 815-539-7446 to report their working attendance with office staff. To supplement these services, we encourage you to engage your children in other free, online educational activities. The Illinois State Board of Education has compiled a library of resources at www.isbe.net/keeplearning.
Concern over this new virus can make students anxious. It is very important to remember that teenagers look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If adults seem overly worried, teenager's anxiety may rise. Adults should reassure students that health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy.
Students also need factual, age-appropriate information about the potential seriousness of disease risk, so the focus of the conversation should be concrete instructions about how to avoid infections and the spread of disease. Teaching teens positive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of somecontrol over their risk of infections can help reduce anxiety. Please talk with your student about precautions they can take to stay healthy, including:
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is best, especially if they are visibly dirty. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is a suitable alternative. Consider showing your students one of these videos about proper handwashing technique: www.cdc.gov/handwashing.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
Stay home if you are able to stay home. Avoid travel if you can.
The National Association of School Psychologists has additional guidelines about talking to children about COVID-19 at https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource.
We will continue to inform you as quickly as we can about any further changes to school services. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Superintendent Prusator or Principal Aughenbaugh at 815-539-7446.
We appreciate your partnership, and we will get through this together.
Sincerely,
Jeff Prusator, Superintendent Denise Aughenbaugh, Principal
Queridas padres y tutores,
Gracias por su extraordinario apoyo durante los últimos días, ya que hemos trabajado juntos para proteger a nuestra comunidad durante la creciente pandemia de coronavirus / COVID-19. Para proteger aún más a Illinois de la propagación del virus, el gobernador JB Pritzker ha declarado el cierre obligatorio de escuelas para todos los edificios, tanto públicos como privados, que atienden a estudiantes de prejardín de infantes a doceavo grado.
Este cierre obligatorio entra en vigencia el martes 17 de marzo. Actualmente, anticipamos la reapertura el 31 de marzo. A la espera de que el estado no agregue fechas de cierre adicionales, revisaremos el calendario escolar. MHS estará en sesión (tendrá escuela) los días 6, 7, 8 y 9 de abril en lugar de las vacaciones de primavera. No habrá clases el viernes 10 de abril para el Viernes Santo.
El almuerzo aún estará disponible para todos los estudiantes. Proporcionaremos comidas satelitales para el almuerzo para los estudiantes. Todos los estudiantes menores de 18 años pueden recoger los sacos de comida entre las 11:00 y las 1:00 p.m., o pueden tomar el autobús MHS en los lugares y horarios de entrega adjuntos. ** Es muy importante que complete la encuesta de alimentos o llame por teléfono a MHS al 815-539-7446 todos los días antes de la 1:00 PM para que sepamos un conteo anticipado de almuerzos al día siguiente. Pídale a la persona que contesta el teléfono que ponga su nombre en la lista o use la extensión 523 o 525 y deje un mensaje.
Estamos comprometidos a mantener a los estudiantes involucrados en su aprendizaje durante este cierre escolar en todo el estado. Nuestro distrito escolar es afortunado de tener dispositivos de aprendizaje Chromebook 1: 1. Nuestro distrito escolar es afortunado de tener dispositivos de aprendizaje Chromebook 1: 1. Los maestros de MHS también están preparando opciones de papel y lápiz para los estudiantes que no tienen acceso a Internet en casa. Los estudiantes también pueden descargar materiales preparados para trabajar sin conexión en sus Chromebooks. ** Se alienta a los estudiantes que pueden utilizar el aprendizaje electrónico a iniciar sesión en el formulario de Asistencia de aprendizaje electrónico publicado en www.mendotahs.org. Para complementar estos servicios, lo alentamos a involucrar a sus hijos en otras actividades educativas gratuitas en línea. La Junta de Educación del Estado de Illinois ha compilado una biblioteca de recursos en www.isbe.net/keeplearning.
La preocupación por este nuevo virus puede hacer que los estudiantes estén ansiosos. Es muy importante recordar que los adolescentes buscan orientación en los adultos sobre cómo reaccionar ante eventos estresantes. Si los adultos parecen demasiado preocupados, la ansiedad del adolescente puede aumentar. Los adultos deben asegurar a los estudiantes que los funcionarios de salud y escolares están trabajando arduamente para garantizar que las personas en todo el país se mantengan saludables.
Los estudiantes también necesitan información objetiva y apropiada para la edad sobre la posible gravedad del riesgo de enfermedad, por lo que el enfoque de la conversación debe ser instrucciones concretas sobre cómo evitar infecciones y la propagación de la enfermedad.
Enseñar a los adolescentes medidas positivas, hablar con ellos sobre sus miedos y darles una idea de algunos
El control sobre su riesgo de infecciones puede ayudar a reducir la ansiedad. Hable con su estudiante sobre las precauciones que pueden tomar para mantenerse saludable, que incluyen:
- Lávese las manos con agua y jabón durante al menos 20 segundos, especialmente si están visiblemente sucias. Un desinfectante para manos a base de alcohol que contiene al menos 60% de alcohol es una alternativa adecuada. Considere mostrar a sus alumnos uno de estos videos sobre la técnica adecuada de lavado de manos: www.cdc.gov/handwashing.
- Evite tocarse los ojos, la nariz y la boca con las manos sin lavar.
- Evite el contacto cercano con personas enfermas.
- Cubra su tos o estornude con un pañuelo desechable, luego tírelo a la basura y lávese las manos.
- Quédese en casa si puede quedarse en casa. Evita viajar si puedes
La Asociación Nacional de Psicólogos Escolares tiene pautas adicionales para hablar con los niños sobre COVID-19 en https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/ health-crisis-resources / talking-to-children-about-covid-19- (coronavirus) -a-parent-resource.
Continuaremos informándole lo más rápido posible sobre cualquier cambio adicional a los servicios escolares. Si tiene preguntas, no dude en comunicarse con el Superintendente Prusator o el Director Aughenbaugh al 815-539-7446.
Agradecemos su colaboración, y lo superaremos juntos.
Sinceramente,
Jeff Prusator, Superintendente Denise Aughenbaugh, directora
Legislation requires each school district to report information to ISBE concerning the administration of standardized assessments to students at each school. The law also requires schools to make this information public via the school district's website or distribution in paper form. Please utilize the link provided below if you would like to review the district's assessment survey results.
Please click on the link provided below to access the MHS Wellness Policy.