Herget Happenings

The holiday season is upon us! November seemed to be ridiculously short this year and the next few weeks of December will fly by. On behalf of our staff, we hope you have a safe and loving winter break which begins Monday, December 21. We look forward to continuing to work together in the New Year!

This month sixth-grade students are continuing to explore Physical and Chemical changes. They will work on various investigations to see whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic.

Seventh graders have begun their study of Newton’s Laws. Students will learn how the forces of interacting objects relate to each other. They will be carrying out various experiments for each law including a crash test investigation and constructing a catapult.

Eighth graders will begin investigating DNA and genetics. Students will be looking at how people can change over time and how traits are passed onto offspring.

The Herget Social Studies department continues to find ways to engage the curiosity, joy, and complexity of learning. Whether we are in person or meeting remotely, it is our challenge to engage every aspect of our students. As we take an adaptive pause in learning, please take a moment to discuss the importance of being an engaged learner with your student. Teachers will continue to update Schoology course pages on a regular basis. Most often the answers to you, or your student's questions can be found on our Schoology course page.

Routines that help your student to be successful:

1. Log into Schoology daily

2. Check each teacher’s course page for agenda, assignments, meeting times, and schedule

3. Check the “Grades” tab on the left side of each course page

• Contact teacher if you have questions

4. Check Inbox on Schoology

• Stay caught up on messages and tasks

We appreciate everything you do to help make sure that your child is successful in this ever-changing world!

It was so nice welcoming our students back last month! With that, we were able to put many books in students’ hands! The past few weeks, our students were taught how to log into Destiny (our library catalog) and put books on hold. Each student is able to put up to ten books on hold; however, they can only have three books checked out at a time. All 6th and 7th graders should have library books at this time!!!

While on Adaptive Pause, we will still be offering our pull around service for book returns and pickups. To order new books, simply put new books on hold or email Mrs. Dieken (hdieken@sd129.org) with your request. Meet one of the librarians at Door 40 in the back of the building for a quick handoff:)

If you still have books at home from last school year, you may drop them off with us at Door 40 when you come to get new books!

All levels of math classes are hard at work to help students along in their math journeys. Virtual learning has been a challenge for many reasons. In math, when attendance and skill practice has been spotty for some students, math learning has been disrupted.

Because the content of math is cumulative in nature, it can be a real challenge for students who have knowledge or skill gaps. This article, from the PBS documentary Misunderstood Minds, helps to explain how math competence builds over time linking it with memory, pattern recognition, language, attention, sequencing, and spatial awareness.

As we return to all remote learning for what is hopefully a brief time, I found a few good suggestions in this article from USA Today to hopefully assist parents in helping your children find some success during virtual learning time.

1. Reduce distractions by reminding students that surfing social media, playing non-educational games, or practicing their tik-tok dance moves during math class probably are not helping them to focus on the tasks before them. Creating a quiet work zone for school time as much as possible would be helpful.

2. Build in brain breaks and some time that is screen-free with some stretching, exercise, and fresh air. Practicing those tik-tok moves during a break would be a great way to do this

3. Time management is a skill that many students need help with. When students are in front of us in school, a lot of time management is built into the day with verbal reminders about assignments and bells that tell students when to move. During virtual learning, students will need to monitor each class's Schoology page daily to keep track of assignments and possibly also learn how to set timers on a phone to remind them of times to sign in to Zoom for each class.

4. Maybe the most important tip is this: reach out and respond to teachers. We would like to be able to help. Teachers will often send email or Schoology messages or leave a voicemail message. It would be so helpful for parents, teachers, and students if we communicated more frequently when or if problems or confusions arise.

The Herget math teachers wish you and your families well.

The colder weather is on the way and kids are stuck inside, this is a great time to get them reading! Research shows that even reading just 20 minutes a day increases your child’s fluency and ability to comprehend text, broadens their vocabulary, and builds reading stamina. All of these things will help your child to not only improve their test scores but to become better readers.

Reading skills impact students in all areas of their lives, whether they are looking for information on the internet, applying for a job, or reading a textbook for a class. Not only is reading good for your child, but it can be fun too! So, the next time you hear, “I’m bored,” encourage your kids to pick up a book! They have access to our school library through Destiny and books can be picked up by driving through. Mrs. Dieken visited all classes to make sure students knew how to log in and reserve books.

Please take the time to check Schoology with your student and look for anything that may be missing. It will be important that any missing work be turned in. The mid-term is December 4.

Herget Harmonix:

The 2020/21 Herget Harmonix finally had their first in-person meeting with everyone in attendance. For the first time this year, they were able to sing together. They could hear each other and connect in real-time. The students were able to receive, in time, immediate feedback, which allowed them to grow and make music. These students put in hours of practice on their own and now we're able to hear how their part contributed to the whole. They are currently working on holiday music. Be on the lookout for many more virtual choir videos coming soon by the Harmonix, Herget Choir, and 7/8 Grade Choir. You can see and hear what the Harmonix have done so far this year here, and the Herget Choir and 7/8 grade choir here.

Ukulele Club:

This club is open to all Herget students and will start meeting every Wednesday after school from 3:45-4:30 on December 2nd. We will play through songs using chords and strumming. Due to the given current situation, you must have access to a ukulele to participate. However, no experience or skills are needed. Depending on the student's interest and participation, a virtual performance recording could be created in the future. Contact Dr. Glogowski for the zoom information or you have questions.

7th Grade Spanish / French: Students are learning how to talk about activities, sports, and hobbies they like and do not like to do. By the end of the unit, they will be able to have a simple conversation with someone about hobbies. Classes have enjoyed playing the Unfair Game both in-person and on Zoom.

8th Grade Spanish / French: Classes are learning how to talk about their school day in the target language. For Thanksgiving, they completed a special activity in which they created turkeys to describe a teacher they were thankful for. The students were also asked to share those turkeys with the teacher they described.

Heritage Spanish A: Students are working on a unit that focuses on youth and stages of childhood. They are enjoying writing about their favorite toys and memories from their childhood.

Heritage Spanish B: Students are studying family structure and values. They are gearing up to write a five-paragraph essay about the values that are most important to their own families.

The Herget athletic website can be found by visiting https://il.8to18.com/herget. This is where you can register for sports, check for any announcements, and by scrolling down you can find resources in on the left hand side of the website. When there is important information to be sent out it will be posted on the athletic website, emailed to the email you registered with, and posted on Schoology. You can also follow Herget Athletics on Twitter @athleticsherget.

Any updated information for athletics in the 2020/2021 school year will be announced through the athletic website and Schoology. If you have any questions please email the athletic director, Mr. White, at awhite@sd129.org.

Nurse Notes

We are approaching the Holiday Season which includes cherished family time and memory-making moments. This 2020 year has given our Huskies unheard of experiences. The stress of change and the strength of our Herget community have met an impasse requiring a pause in student live classroom time. Something new this season is our daily health screener. Here is the link and a reminder to do a daily health screening check for your student prior to coming to school. This is required for school attendance.

Symptom Screener - WA ISD 129 - District Site

Please know that our health office has been buzzing as Nurse Capp and Nurse Silva have been in contact with student families, staff, administrators, and the Kane County Health Department. Some of the common questions we have addressed have been about signs and symptoms and when to stay home. A District 129 Notification of Student Illness letter will be sent home immediately with a symptomatic student. The go-home steps are based on the current Illinois Department of Public Health Guidance. It is important to know that if a student is sent home from school with symptoms, all siblings (family members) must also be picked up from school to stay home from school until the symptomatic student meets specific criteria.

Please limit your possible exposure to illness by maintaining your distance of at least six feet from others, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, and wearing your mask around your nose and under the chin. Flu season is now here to join the party therefore we must always continue to cover our cough or sneeze in our sleeves. Roll up those sleeves and get the flu vaccine. I had mine last week and it was quick and easy. Most of all, stay home if you are ill or if you have symptoms.

This is a special reminder to virtual 6th graders who have not turned in a physical exam and proof of immunization requirements. A complete 6th-grade physical exam with current vaccines including proof of Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine are required to attend school. Please call the health office at 630-301-5240/5243 to speak to one of our nurses if you need help in obtaining routine healthcare and local resources. Health documents can be faxed to the attention of the nurse at 630-907-3146.

More information regarding COVID 19 through CDC resources can be found here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/COVID-19-Quarantine-vs-Isolation.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/317422-F_Quarantine-and-Isolation-SPA.pdf

Submitted by: Elizabeth Silva RN-CSN

Please note our picture date has changed to 2/9/21 and 2/10/21; we will still have afternoon time slots for virtual students by appointment.

Herget Husky Reminders,

• All students will attend school virtually which started Monday, November 23. Students will continue to adhere to their current A/B days and schedule.

• School notifications will continue to update when information is available on the next step in our “adaptive pause.”
• Students will attend school virtually and on their asynchronous days, students should focus on completing learning activities and assignments on their own schedule. Please check in with your teachers.
• It is important that students complete their assignments and make sure they submit their assignments to their teachers. Please reach out to teachers about any assignment questions or if any help is needed with their class through Schoology and/or by e-mail.
• Notify your teachers if you are unable to attend a virtual class to see any missed activities or assignments.
• Please continue to contact the attendance office with any absence or if a student is unable to attend a virtual class or if there is a question about attendance. A couple of pointers to help us be successful. Be positive. Mistakes will happen and we can learn from those setbacks. Ask questions. Set up a routine that will help you organize your class assignments. Remember to submit your completed work. Keep working hard.

• Please reach out if you have any further questions:
• Student Service: 630-301-5235 Main Office: 630-301-5006 Attendance: 630-301-5230

There has been a lot of changes recently and some of these changes can make you feel uneasy. When you feel this way know that there are things you can do to help. The first is to understand your feelings matter. It can be tough to manage new things and it's definitely okay to feel nervous, sad, or a mixture of emotions. Try to focus on the present moment and the things that you can control. This can help make the world not seem so overwhelming. Take deep breaths and remember to do the things that make you feel better. Here are 10 self-care strategies that you can do:

1. Eat healthy: stick to a healthy, balanced diet. Never skips meals and allow yourself treats every once in a while.

2. Take breaks: as important as it is to get things done take breaks every once in a while to get away from the pressures of studying. Have you had a chance to check out the Virtual Herget Brain Break Room yet?

3. Stick to a routine: try your best to stick to a routine. Even if your day to day change try to stick to the same sleep and wake up time.

4. Get plenty of sleep: many of us are not getting enough sleep per night. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended the amount of sleep for children aged 6-13 years is 9 to 11 hours, 14-17 years is 8 to 10 hours, adults are 7 to 9 hours.

5. Stay active: it’s not always easy to find time to exercise but even a little bit here and there counts. Try to do at least 30 minutes of movement per day.

6. Think ahead: plan for how you will cope with feelings of sadness, stress, or low energy. Doing things to soothe yourself like meditating, journaling, drawing, practice deep breathing or doing tension/release exercises can help you focus on the present moment.

7. Be kind to yourself: it’s important to show yourself love, kindness, and compassion. You can do this by doing something you enjoy.

8. Be realistic: think about how much you are realistically able to get done in a day. Avoid disappointing yourself and others by being realistic.

9. Unplug: technology is everywhere. Take a break from it every so often during the weekends to appreciate other things.

10. Talk about emotions: a huge part of self-care revolves around our emotions and mental health. It can be difficult to manage emotions and to sometimes properly identify them. Develop the skills by talking it out with a trusted person.

Email: hergethuskies@sd129.org
Website: https://herget.sd129.org/
Location: 1550 Deerpath Road, Aurora, IL, USA
Phone: (630) 301-5006
Facebook: facebook.com/HergetHuskies
Twitter: @HergetSchool