Update Center

Dear District 99 Students, Staff and Families,

Thank you for your cooperation and patience this year as we introduced new safety measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The final collection of saliva samples will be gathered tomorrow and the program will end for the 2020-21 school year. The program will not be available to summer school students or those students participating in athletic or extracurricular programs. 

Thank you again,

District 99

Superintendent Webinar Tomorrow, Graduations on Friday

District 99 Students and Families,

You are invited to join us for the following upcoming events:

• At noon tomorrow, Thursday, May 20, Dr. Hank Thiele, superintendent, will host his final monthly D99 Lunchtime Live webinar. After a short presentation of district updates, he will be available to answer your questions. Click here to join the webinar using Passcode 407250. A recording will be available here. 
• On Friday, May 21, we will hold graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021. Both ceremonies will be streamed live: 
  • Click here to view the 5 p.m. South High ceremony
  • Click here to view the 7 p.m. North High ceremony

Thank you!

District 99

Dear District 99 Students and Families:

As COVID-19 vaccinations are now open to students 12 years old and older, many of our families are asking to provide copies of proof of vaccination to our Nurse & Health Services offices. 

It is anticipated that guidelines from state and local health officials for the 2021-22 school year will be adjusted so that those who are vaccinated will be excluded from the close contact/quarantining process. If families provide proof of vaccination to our health offices, we will be able to easily identify and exclude students from this process at the start of the next school year. 

Although providing proof of vaccination is NOT required at this time by the State of Illinois, if you would like to update your health records, please send a digital copy of your vaccination card to:

• North High - Ruby Montano, Administrative Assistant, rmontano@csd99.org, fax 630-795-8399, ph. 630-795-8480
• South High - Jill D’Urso, Administrative Assistant, jdurso@csd99.org, fax 630-795-7192, ph. 630-795-8528

In addition, we have created this page on our website to provide you with vaccination clinic opportunities. We will update it as we learn about new clinics. 

Thank you,

District 99

First doses to be administered May 20 and May 26

Walk-ins are welcome at South High on May 26 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

Dear District 99 Students and Families:
 
The upcoming vaccination clinic is now accepting registration for students 12 years old or older in DuPage County:

• First dose is May 20 at Hinsdale Central (5500 South Grant Street in Hinsdale) OR May 26 at Downers Grove South High School (1436 Norfolk St in Downers Grove). 
• Second dose is June 10 at Hinsdale Central and June 16 at Downers Grove South High School. 

The clinic will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and be provided free of charge. 

If you would like your student to be vaccinated, please use Osco's online portal to schedule their appointment. The link for the session on May 20 can be accessed by visiting https://bit.ly/2PB1KDI and the link for the session on May 26 can be accessed by visiting https://bit.ly/3xzik8k. Parents/guardians are welcome to accompany their students to these sessions.  

NOTE: If your student turned or will be turning 12 years old between May 1 and May 20 (if scheduling an appointment at Hinsdale Central) or May 26 (if scheduling an appointment at Downers Grove South), please use May 1 as their birth date when signing up online; use their actual birth date on the consent form. 
 
Please select a day and time that will allow for the 45 minutes needed to complete the entire process (arriving on-site, waiting in line, presenting the required documentation, receiving the vaccination and being monitored for at least 15 minutes following the injection). As a reminder: school is still in session on May 20 until 1:20 p.m. for grades 9-11 in District 99. District 99 students should try to schedule around school obligations; if needed, please call the attendance office to receive an excused absence.
 
Those receiving the first dose will automatically be scheduled for their second appointment, which will take place on the same day, at the same time and in the same location 21 days later. (For example, if your student receives their first dose at Hinsdale Central on Thursday, May 20, at 10 a.m., they will receive the second one at Central on Thursday, June 10, at 10 a.m.) No additional steps are required to schedule the second appointment. Students should only sign up for this opportunity if they are available to receive the second dose exactly three weeks after the first one.
 
Click here for information about the tasks that must be completed before getting vaccinated, and the steps students will need to follow on the day of their appointment.
 
Please contact us at communications@csd99.org if you have questions or need more information.
 
Sincerely,
 
District 99

Registration for 12-15 year olds coming soon

Dear District 99 Students and Families:
 
As you know, students 16 years old and older are now able to participate in the upcoming vaccination clinic. Click here for details and to register.

Now that authorization for the vaccine has expanded, we soon will be able to open up the clinic to younger students. As soon as Osco updates the vaccination clinic registration process so that parents of students 12 to 15 years of age in DuPage County can participate, we will let you know.

We anticipate that the process will be complete by the end of this week, and we will notify you as soon as it is available. Since 6,000 doses are available, we believe that anyone wishing to receive a vaccination will be able to receive one.

The first doses will be administered May 20 at Hinsdale Central (5500 South Grant Street in Hinsdale) or on May 26 at Downers Grove South High School (1436 Norfolk Street in Downers Grove). The second dose will be administered three weeks later: June 10 at Hinsdale Central and June 16 at Downers Grove South High School. The clinics will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and be provided free of charge.

We will let you know when registration is open and provide more details then.

Thank you,

District 99 

Dear District 99 Students and Families:
 
District 99 has partnered with Hinsdale Township High School District 86, which worked with Osco to secure 6,000 doses of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine for eligible students (must be 16 or older) in DuPage County. Students can receive their first dose on May 20 at Hinsdale Central (5500 South Grant Street in Hinsdale) or on May 26 at Downers Grove South High School (1436 Norfolk St in Downers Grove). The second dose will be administered three weeks later: June 10 at Hinsdale Central and June 16 at Downers Grove South High School. All inoculations will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and be provided free of charge.
 
If you would like your student to be vaccinated, please use the links to Osco's online portal to schedule an appointment, below:

• Thursday, May 20 (returning June 10) at Hinsdale Central: https://bit.ly/2PB1KDI 
• Wednesday, May 26 (returning June 16) at Downers South: https://bit.ly/3xzik8k 

Please do not forward or share these links with others to ensure that we have enough doses of the vaccine for our students.
 
Please select a day and time that will allow for the 45 minutes needed to complete the entire process (arriving on-site, waiting in line, presenting the required documentation, receiving the vaccination and being monitored for at least 15 minutes following the injection). As a reminder: school is still in session on May 20 until 1:20 p.m. for grades 9-11 in District 99. District 99 students should try to schedule around school obligations; if needed, please call the attendance office to receive an excused absence.
 
Those receiving the first dose will automatically be scheduled for their second appointment, which will take place on the same day, at the same time and in the same location 21 days later. (For example, if your student receives their first dose at Hinsdale Central on Thursday, May 20, at 10 a.m., they will receive the second one at Central on Thursday, June 10, at 10 a.m.) No additional steps are required to schedule the second appointment. Students should only sign up for this opportunity if they are available to receive the second dose exactly three weeks after the first one.
 
Click here for information about the tasks that must be completed before getting vaccinated, and the steps students will need to follow on the day of their appointment.
 
Please contact us at communications@csd99.org if you have questions or need more information.
 
Sincerely,
 
District 99

Greetings South High Students and Families:

Welcome to the last month of the 2020-21 school year. If you have a few minutes, I hope you’ll watch my short May video message here. 

As always, please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at 630-795-8511 or at eschwartz@csd99.org; students are welcome to email me, talk to me in the hallway, or stop by the main office.

Have a strong finish to the school year, Mustangs!

Ed Schwartz
Principal

Video Message Highlights:

• We are proud that our visual artists partnered with the Woodridge Public Library to host the 11th Annual District 99 Student Art Exhibition.
• Congratulations to the South High speech team.  The team was recognized by the IHSA as an Academic Award winner because of their great work in the classroom.
• 280 of our graduating seniors have earned academic honors based on having a gpa of 3.4 or higher. 31 of them have earned Distinguished Honors by having a cumulative gpa of 4.4 or higher.
• Congratulations to South High school counselor Lavon Robinson. He was recognized by the Illinois Association for College Admissions Counselors for his work mentoring a counselor at Riverside Brookfield High School.
• Congratulations to the staff of our school newspaper, the Blueprint for their success in the IHSA state journalism competition. For the third straight year they won the sectional and qualified for the state finals where four students earned medals.
  • Jacqueline Barba - 2nd place in feature writing 
  • Jake Hahn - 5th in copy editing 
  • Alexis Pragides - 3rd in advertising design 
  • Teagan Smith - 6th in newspaper design
• Seniors - important information was sent home outlining some more specifics about prom, senior awards night, and graduation. This information is also available on our website here.
  • Prom 
  • Senior Awards Night was held on April 28.  A special congratulations to those seniors named Outstanding Senior in each respective department.
• The library is looking for all of those books checked out over the last year. If you have South High library books lying around your house, please return them and have a chance to win valuable prizes.
• The last day of school for students is Friday, May 21. Note that while students may have final exams in some classes, there is NO special final exam schedule.
• Please check your email for a link to our final parent survey of the school year. Your feedback helps us improve and plan for the future. 
• The Master Facility Plan continues to be on time and ahead of budget. All projects will be completed and the building will be ready to welcome students back in the fall.
• Did you know that South High has a job board for students? If students are interested in pursuing a summer job, they may want to check our job posting website.

Other notes:

• District 99 is partnering with other local school districts to offer opportunities for students to receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please watch your email as once things are finalized, you will need to indicate your desire to participate.
• Students taking AP Exams will take them in person during May, or on-line in early June. Good luck to our students looking to earn advanced credit.

Dear North High students and families,

Before I share the news that I had planned to provide today, it is with a heavy heart that I share DGN Volunteer Sophomore Football Coach Peter Lenos (DGS Graduate, Class of 1999) passed away unexpectedly last night. Please keep his family, fellow coaches, players, and friends in your thoughts during this difficult time. Today, we provided an opportunity for our football players to come together and process this news as a team. In addition, our counseling team is available for any student who is struggling with this news; Alpha teams can be found here. 

As for the May update, we have many things to celebrate and many events to look forward to for students and parents. Please click here to watch my video for May. You also can see a summary of highlights below.

Mr. Steve Ruffolo, science teacher, is retiring at the end of the school year. He has not only been a remarkable teacher, but he has also led our school-wide efforts to be more “green” and environmentally progressive. As many of you know, I am also retiring. It has been my honor to lead this incredible school community, and I wish all of you the very best in the future. 

As always, please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns. I can be reached at 630-795-8411 or at jschwarze@csd99.org. Students are welcome to email me, talk to me in the hallway, or stop by the main office at any time.

Ms. Janice Schwarze
DGN Principal
Twitter @jschwarzeteach 

DGN Video for May - Video Summary

• Thank you for your understanding as we continue to follow health safety guidelines and advocate for our students with local and state authorities. I continue to be impressed with how our students and staff have adapted to new challenges. 
• We’re proud of the 39 DGN students who earned Distinguished Honors this year by receiving a cumulative 4.4 or higher weighted grade point average after seven semesters in high school. Please click here for details and the names of those who have received this high honor, as well as those who received High Honors and Honors. These are impressive academic achievements! 
• Congratulations to the DGN students who competed at the IHSA State Journalism Competition! Amelia Carlson, Ava Gallwas, Madeleine McGovern, Erin Peters, Madeline Redpath, Madeline Schallmoser, Olivia Shirk, and Maggie Ward. We’re proud to share that Madeleine McGovern received two state medals: 3rd place in Yearbook Caption Writing and 2nd place in Yearbook Copy Writing.
• Congratulations to the success of our student athletes:
  • Girls Volleyball - Conference Champs (3rd time in 4 years)
• I invite you to listen to my podcast, “Conversations with Mrs. Schwarze!” In the latest episode, Gwen Casten, Emma Cho and Claire Gorey talk about Empowerment Club and the importance of doing your part to improve our world. Listen to this episode and others at http://bit.ly/3rqpc44.
• Parents’ Club is meeting virtually Wednesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. Courtney DeMent, the new principal who will start in July, will be the guest. Incoming 9th grade parents are invited to attend as well as all current parents. I’ll also provide an update on all of the senior events, including graduation and prom!
• The last day of school for students is Friday, May 21. Note that while students may have final exams in some classes, there is NO special final exam schedule.
• Please check your email for a link to our final parent survey of the school year. Your feedback helps us improve and plan for the future. 
• The Master Facility Plan continues to be on time and ahead of budget. All projects will be completed and the building will be ready to welcome students back in the fall.

District 99 seniors and families,

As seniors plan for end of the year events, questions have surfaced about close contacts and required quarantine. District 99 continues to follow the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) guidelines as required:

• Per the IDPH and DCHD, those determined to be a close contact will be required to quarantine for 14 calendar days. There is no testing option to shorten that timeframe. This is consistent with the IDPH recommended guidance and decision tree. This is not something determined by District 99. 
  • Generally, a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of a positive case for 15 cumulative minutes or more over a 24 hour period. While we strive to maintain 6-feet of space between students, that is not always possible. In some classrooms, students are spaced 3-feet apart as allowed by guidelines.
  • Those students involved in high and medium risk contact sports or activities may be assessed as a close contact in less than 15 minutes. 
  • While in quarantine, students may not participate in any in-person events including athletics and activities. Those students who remain asymptomatic throughout quarantine do not need a healthcare provider’s note to return to school.
• If your student is fully vaccinated or has had a positive COVID test in the past 90 days, please contact the Health Office at your school to provide documentation and confirm that all requirements have been met in order to be exempt from quarantine.
  • Fully vaccinated is defined as "Person receiving one dose in a one-dose vaccine regimen or two doses of a two-dose vaccine series AND is two full weeks post-completion of vaccine series."

We ask that you be respectful and understanding with our staff. If your student is determined to be a close contact, our team does not have any flexibility in the process. 

Thank you,

District 99

Complete Preference Poll by Monday, May 3

District 99 Parents/Guardians,

As this past year has required our district to adjust programming and operations, our goal is to transition back to the way certain processes were pre-pandemic. 

However, we did receive positive feedback regarding our virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences. More families were able to engage with teachers as this platform allows for more flexibility. With that said, we realize that some families might still prefer in-person Parent-Teacher Conferences. 

As we are planning for next school year, we are asking for your preference on the model you prefer for the 2021-22 school year. Please let us know your preference in this quick one question poll by Monday, May 3. 

Thank you!

District 99

Your Feedback is Important to Us

Dear District 99 Family:

We are seeking input from you through one final survey. 

Will you please take a few minutes and respond to this anonymous survey by Friday, May 7?

Click here for the survey

ENTER CODE: 7879317571

NOTE: We request that you submit only one survey for your family. If you have multiple students attending District 99 schools, please respond to the questions on behalf of your oldest student.

Thank you,

District 99

Your Feedback is Important to Us

Dear District 99 Family:

We are seeking input from you through one final survey. 

Will you please take a few minutes and respond to this anonymous survey by Friday, May 7?

Click here for the survey

ENTER CODE: 2898801253

NOTE: We request that you submit only one survey for your family. If you have multiple students attending District 99 schools, please respond to the questions on behalf of your oldest student.

Thank you,

District 99