2020-21 Second Semester Patriot Hybrid Learning Plan
Last night, the District 125 Board of Education approved a hybrid learning plan and schedule for second semester. An email was sent to students, parents and guardians today with an overview of this plan which included links to the Patriot Hybrid Learning Plan and a Health & Safety Plan.
Second-semester classes will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 5 in a Hybrid Remote Day schedule with classes beginning at 8:35 a.m. and all students attending classes remotely until Jan. 19, at which point we plan to transition to our Patriot Hybrid Schedule.
As outlined in our hybrid learning plan, students will have the option of returning to campus for eight designated half-days over a three-week period. Students who choose to learn from home will receive the same instruction as those who return to campus. Please carefully review the Operations section of the Hybrid Plan to gain a better understanding of what school will look like, including approved entrances, arrivals, transportation and parking.
Patriot families are asked to complete these forms to participate in the hybrid learning plan:
Patriot Hybrid Learning Sign Up Form
Bus Transportation Sign Up for Patriot Hybrid Learning – This can be completed at any time during the semester but please complete this by Dec. 21 if you need bus transportation to school as early as Jan. 19.
You may complete either of these forms at any time by visiting our COVID-19 Updates webpage. If you have any questions about this plan, please submit them through this Google form. We will look at the submissions and will address the most common questions in a webinar held on Zoom on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.
This information is posted on our COVID-19 Updates webpage and recent communication sent to Patriot families can be reviewed on our Parents webpage. Additional information will be communicated to Patriot families and posted on our website and shared in this newsletter and the e-Minuteman in January.
Stevenson History Team Named National Champions
The Stevenson Varsity History Bowl team comprised of seniors Aniket Dixit, Allen Guo, Arjun Nageswaran, Denis Selyuzhitsky, and Ethan Soifer (pictured) captured Stevenson’s first-ever varsity national championship at the National History Bowl national champion competition. They bested Saratoga (CA) in the final of what was a postponed tournament from late April. Instead of the in-person tournament which is traditionally held annually in Arlington, VA, this competition was held online. Nageswaran was a freshman on the team that won the JV National Championship in 2018 and was a sophomore on the varsity team that finished 5th in 2019. Dixit, Guo and Selyuzhitsky were on the JV team that finished in eighth place in 2019.
Stevenson’s JV History Bowl team also made news at the national championship. Five students represented Stevenson on this team including junior Anish Arora, and sophomores Christian Epure, Aadit Juneja, Dhruv Pendharkar and Rishabh Wuppalapati. The team beat Thomas Jefferson High School (VA) to capture seventh-place at the championship which concluded online on Sunday. This team’s finish builds Stevenson’s outstanding success at the JV level (national champions in 2018 and 8th place in 2019).
The History Bowl/Bee team is coached by Stevenson Social Studies teacher Peter Anderson. Congratulations Patriots!
Incoming Freshman Dance Placements
Incoming freshmen who have dance experience and would like to be considered for Dance 2, 3 or 4 classes are invited to join the 2021-22 Incoming Freshmen Placement Assessment Google Classroom (code zswkayn) Audition videos will be posted on this page on Dec. 18 and the deadline for interested students to submit a video audition is Jan. 11.
Students without dance experience who want to take a dance class should sign up for Dance 1 which does not require an audition. Questions can be directed to the SHS Dance faculty members listed on the SHS Dance webpage and information about all Dance classes at Stevenson can be found in our Coursebook.
STUDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
End of Semester Concert by Stevenson Music Clubs
An end-of-the-semester music concert is being held by Stevenson music clubs including Pass on the Beat, Strings Board, SHS Live, and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. The video will be available on MediaCast all throughout finals week as a great way to de-stress by relaxing to music. A large variety of acts are available to enjoy ranging from vocals to instrumental performances!
PATRIOT SPORTS NEWS
Season Change for Girls Badminton
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Dec. 14 where the Board announced a season change for the sport of girls badminton, provided an update on contact days, and reiterated that a timeline on sports schedules for the remainder of the school year will be forthcoming following discussions with state officials.
The Board voted to move girls badminton from a spring sport to a winter sport within the modified 2020-21 sports calendar. Athletes interested in registering for the winter badminton season should complete the online registration.
Winter sports start date and its potential ramifications on spring and summer schedules are still to be determined as we await guidance from the state. Daily Herald.
EDUCATION NEWS
Chicago Public Schools Seeks to Extended Emergency Spending Powers
CPS leaders are asking for less oversight from its governing board for coronavirus response expenditures. The district has spent more than $132 million on expenditures related to its COVID-19 response, which includes about $68 million specifically tied to the board’s prior emergency expenditure authorization.
Americans Building Desks for Students Learning From Home
Across the country, Americans are helping students learn from home by building desks for them to work on. Those lending their skills to help students include a father of three, a grandfather and a community member whose stories of assistance were featured recently on a local television news broadcast.
Chicago Bears and Local Foundation Tackle Technology Needs for CPS Students
Grants to purchase new laptops and hot spot devices for Chicago Public School students will be provided by the Chicago Bears and a local foundation to support learning for students at 11 CPS schools.
Stevenson Daily Digest 