Peirce Update
December 5, 2021
Bathroom Updates
Peirce Families,
Earlier this week, principals were required to place additional temporary signage outside of all bathrooms indicating the types of stalls that were available to our students. Please know that the practice of using bathrooms based on how students identify has been in place for several years and is not new to us. What is new is the explicit signage and messaging that was lacking in prior years outside of all bathrooms.
The speed by which this change happened did not allow us to communicate in advance with students and the community, which led to several students and parents having many questions about how this practice will impact their children. CPS put together the message below to share with families, staff have been asked to spend time discussing these protocols with students.
Peirce School works to provide an equitable, inclusive, safe, supportive, and secure learning and working environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation, ensuring that all students, faculty, staff, vendors, and visitors can thrive. Please take this moment to support our students with positive decision making skills that value the individual differences we possess.
A message from CPS: A Step Forward for Inclusivity
In alignment with our district’s 2016 guidelines regarding the support of trans and gender noncomforming students and our policy on nondiscrimination, all schools will be required to post new bathroom signage which identifies the fixtures available in the bathroom and makes it clear that our restrooms are open for use to anyone who feels comfortable in that space. Schools will continue to provide a single stall or private restroom as an option for anyone who asks, while also maintaining separate restrooms for staff.
A virtual Ask the Expert event will be held on Tuesday, December 14 from 4–5 p.m. to help explain this policy. Click here to register for this event. For more information, we encourage you to read this letter from our district’s Title IX officer Camie Pratt and review our announcement video, Bathroom Gender Equity FAQ, and Supporting Gender Diversity Toolkit.
Thank you,
Lori Zaimi
Principal
Vaccination Clinic at Peirce
In coordination with Alderman Osterman and the Office of Health and Wellness, Peirce will host a vaccination clinic at Peirce on Friday, December 17th and Tuesday, January 11th.
Visit: https://getvaxchi.chicago.gov/s/
Appointment Registration Steps:
1. Create a GetVaxChi Account – click “Not a user? Register here”
2. Click “Schedule A Vaccination”
3. Click the drop-down menu and select “Routine Vaccination 2021”
4. Answer Health Screening questions, then click “Next”
5. Change “Search start on” date to Dec 17, 2021 and enter 60660 in “Zip Code”
6. Look for Peirce Elementary School (COVID Pfizer) and select the appropriate time for your appointment
7. Input your Personal Health Information and Consent in the next tabs and submit your registration for proper confirmation via email
*Walk-ins accepted while supplies last.
Accountability Redesign Survey – Reimagining School Ratings
CPS is improving how it rates the quality of its schools and needs your help.
The district wants to know what every student (grades 6-12), parent, teacher, administrator, and staff member thinks is important when measuring school quality. To accomplish this, we’re asking you to complete a short survey.
Here’s what you need to know about the survey:
The survey is completely voluntary and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
It is available in 20 languages.
You can skip any question.
Your responses are completely anonymous.
The survey closes on Thursday, December 23, 2021.
You can complete the survey by following this link: cps.edu/AccountabilityRedesignSurvey
As an additional thank you for your time and effort, you can enter to win one of 25 $50 Amazon gift cards after completing the survey! You will need to provide your contact information to enter, but it will not be linked to your survey responses.
If you have questions about the survey or how CPS measures school performance, please email SQRP@cps.edu
Vaccination Update
Fee Based After School Opportunities
Youth Alliance Yoga
YAY will run their winter fee based program at Peirce on Thursdays from January 6th through April 9th from 3:15 - 4:15pm. See the attached flyer for information on registration.American Eagle Productions
American Eagle Productions will run their fee based program at Peirce on Mondays from January 3rd through March 21st from 3:00 - 4:00pm. See the attached flyer for information on registration.
School of Rock- Rock Camp
The School of Rock will be running a Rock Camp from Dec 27th to 31st. See the attached flyer for information on registration.
Free Virtual Ballet Class
See the flyer attached for a free virtual class option for dancers.
Incident Reporting & Suggestion Box
This form is a tool for students, families, staff and community members to report incidents of harm in our school community. Information collected will help us identify issues, develop a plan of support, plan of action and improve steps we are taking to encourage self advocacy.
If you do not feel comfortable sharing your information in this form, please reach out to any member of our staff/school community so that we can respond to the concern you have.
Lets continue to work together to make this community safe for all of our stakeholders.
Please use this form to let us know what is working well and/or what needs improvement at Peirce School. You may submit your comments anonymously, or leave your name and contact information if you would like us to follow up with you. Thanks!
Information gathered from both forms are received by the schools principal.
State of the School
FACE2FACE Session: Mental Health Policy
At the end of this presentation you will:
- Learn about the policy process
- Review pieces of the proposed policy language
- Have the opportunity to provide feedback on the policy and ask questions
To participate RSVP HERE:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdG5Mp0g51o6CUx335IqTNKP2dWd04IvfNch4tYqvcUoYpXmg/viewform
Getting ready for the holidays? Consider using partners and programs of Friend's of Peirce
(FOP). Each purchase you make through them gives a portion of the sale back to FOP. See what we have to offer.
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• Games
Games make for great family time together. Shop at the Dice Dojo (5550 N Broadway) from December 4 through December 10 to give back to Peirce!
• Sweets & More
Place an online order and get some great holiday food options from Edge of Sweetness.
• Holiday Cards at Minted
Use code FUNDRAISEFRIENDSOFPEIRCE and save 20% when you order cards from Minted. You don't need holiday cards? This code is good all year! Birth Announcements, Retirement Parties, Birthday Parties, and more!
• Honey Baked Ham
Buy a gift-card from our site and then use it to get a signature ham, tender turkey, or even lunch at one of their stores.
• Peirce Gear
Keep your family stay warm with Peirce hoodies and more.
• Family Sponsorship
Become a sponsor in someone's name and support FOP's mission directly. Thank you for your support.
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FOR MORE DETAILS...Check out the FOP Holiday Shopping 2021 guide.
COVID Updates
COVID Case Update
There have been a total of 11 classrooms quarantined this school year and 14 reported cases of COVID at Peirce, 11 of which were actionable. CPS has released an updated district data monitoring tool that can be found here.
COVID Testing
Shannon Jiamachello, Resident Principal, is coordinating COVID testing at Peirce and is in collaboration with CPS. You can reach out to Shannon with questions related to testing by email at sljiamachell@cps.edu.
If you have not yet signed up your child for testing you can do so by either:
- Complete the COVID-19 Testing Consent Form that was emailed to all parents and guardians from CPSnoreply@cps.edu on Friday, August 27, 2021 if you want your child tested.
- If you did not receive the email from CPS, you can complete the paper version and return to your child's teacher.
Click here for the online registration form
Updated Sick Student Protocol
CPS made the following update to the Sick Student Protocol:
Under new ISBE guidance, if the sick individual is tested within 24 hours of symptom onset, siblings/household members do not need to be sent home unless there is high suspicion the sick person has COVID-19.
Examples where ”high suspicion” exists = sick individual is a known close contact or loss of taste or smell.
Siblings/household members can remain in school and must wear masks both indoors and outdoors.
If the sick individual tests positive, unvaccinated siblings/household members should be sent home immediately.
If testing doesn’t occur within 24 hours of symptom onset, unvaccinated siblings/household members must be sent home until the sick individual has test results.
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If your child is sick with any COVID-19 Symptoms please do the following:
Call your child's healthcare provider and get the child tested for COVID-19. Your child should stay home while waiting for results. If you are unable to get your child tested, your child must stay home until they are symptom-free without medication for 24 hours.
- If the child is negative student should stay home until...
- Illness is over
- Symptoms have steadily improved
- Fever-free for 24hrs without medication
- No uncontrollable cough
- No vomiting or diarrhea for 24hrs
- If a child is positive
- COVID-19 case must isolate for 10 days from the start of illness; non fully vaccinated household members must Quarantine 14 days (from date of last contact or end of case’s isolation)
- ** CPS Cases should SELF-REPORT to cps.edu/covidresults. Parents or guardians report on behalf of their own children.
Mask Wearing at Peirce
Students can also remove their masks outdoors when they are able to maintain at least 3 feet of social distancing and are within their same cohort. Please know that there are few instances when this is applicable, therefore, many students will keep their mask on the duration of the day.
Upcoming Calendar Dates
December
7th Make Up HS Admissions Test for 8th Grade
9th State of the School Presentation, 6:00pm
13th Virtual Coffee with the Principal at 9:30am
14th Local School Council Meeting, 6:00pm
14th Friends of Peirce Meeting, 6:30pm
15th GO CPS Enrollment Applications close at 5:00pm
17th Progress Reports Distributed
17th Vaccination Clinic at Peirce
Winter Break from December 20th - 31st
Classes resume on Monday, January 3rd
January
3rd Students return from Winter Break
11th Bilingual Advisory Council Meeting, 5:00pm
11th Friends of Peirce Meeting, 6:30pm
14th Peirce Service Organization Meeting, 8:15am
17th No School - Martin Luther King Day
20th Local School Council Meeting, 6:00pm
21st PYP Behind the Scenes Meeting, 1:00pm
27th End of Quarter 2
28th No School for Students
Common Documents
PSO Contact Forms
Español (link: https://bit.ly/InformacióndecontactodePeirce)
Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies
Email: lzaimi@cps.edu
Website: peirce.cps.edu
Location: 1423 W Bryn Mawr Chicago, IL
Phone: 773-534-2440
Facebook: facebook.com/peircecps