ISBE/IDPH Announcement and Webinar Update 

This week, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced their Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools. In rolling out this new guidance, both ISBE and IDPH jointly support the return to in-person instruction as soon as it is possible to do so. We understand that many students and families may have questions about how this affects our Stevenson community, particularly as it relates to the new guidance on social distancing and indoor capacity limits.

We have always been committed to following the guidance of our public health officials and believe this new guidance is good and welcome news for our students. Prior to this week’s announcement, we have been working up plans on a full-day option for students in the weeks following Spring Break and will be presenting our proposal to the board this Monday. We know that many families have also been anxious to hear about senior celebrations, such as graduation, and have been working on building events that adequately honor and celebrate our seniors.

We would like to share an update on this work during a Zoom webinar on March 16 at 7 p.m. The link to that webinar is here. We look forward to sharing these updates with you then.

Catalyst and Stand Strong Coalition invite incoming freshmen and their families to a panel discussion on Making a Healthy Transition to Stevenson on Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. 

This event will feature expert panelists including Principal Troy Gobble as well as Stevenson staff and students. Two panels, one for parents and one for students, will occur simultaneously that evening.

The registration page offers additional information about this event, the panelists and the information that will be covered. Catalyst, a co-curricular club at Stevenson, and Stand Strong Coalition, a community organization, are both dedicated to supporting and encouraging a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle for the youth in our community.

A Co-Curricular Fair will be held virtually over a three-day period on Tuesday, March 16 through Thursday, March 18 from 4 - 8:30 p.m. This is an excellent event for incoming freshman and transfer students along with their families to discover and learn more about Stevenson athletic teams, co-curricular clubs and intramural programs.

Students will be able to view a short webinar describing the opportunities available to them and a variety of groups will host introductory meetings where students will hear from and be able to ask questions to advisors, coaches, and student leaders in each group. A link to the program will be posted on the Student Activities Club page prior to the event.

Athletic Updates

Spectator Information for Spring Sports

This week, the Illinois Department of Public Health increased the number of allowed spectators from 50 people to 20% venue capacity for outdoor sports only. This update impacts all IHSA schools in regions that are in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, including Stevenson. For attendance at Stevenson home games, tickets will be required to attend the following sports: JV Football, Varsity Football, Volleyball, Boys Gymnastics, Water Polo, and Wrestling. Please see the Athletics webpage for Resource Links for 2020-21 Athletics and see the Athletic Schedules webpage for information on upcoming events.

Summer Sports Tryout and Practice Information

Tryouts for summer sports begin in April and many teams have upcoming information meetings scheduled. Parents and student-athletes should review the Summer Sports Tryout/Practice Information document which is posted on our Athletics webpage. It has important information regarding registration, population testing, and health screening expectations for students interested in participating in summer sports.

Watch Live Athletic Events Remotely

Many home and away competitions are live-streamed for spectators to watch from home. If there is a broadcast available, it will be linked to the Athletic Schedules webpage and can be accessed by clicking on the “LIVE” icon. Sports fans can follow Athletics on YouTube to view upcoming and past live events and athletic events can also be viewed on the NFHS Network which may require a paid subscription for some events. 

Sports Boosters Holding Custom Lawn Sign Sale

Custom Patriot lawn signs can be ordered online and will be shipped directly to your home. A variety of options are available and prices range from $20 - $68.

I am pleased to announce that in early February, Illinois state lawmakers approved the adoption of the Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading (CRTL) standards into Illinois preparation programs. These standards will be used to train teachers to work with students from diverse backgrounds; to incorporate students’ experiences, cultures and community resources into instruction; and to facilitate a learning community in which individual differences are respected. The adoption of these standards is excellent news for students of color everywhere. Here at Stevenson, we will continue our work to ensure access to safe and equitable learning for all students.

Additionally, I want to remind our Stevenson families that Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Week (March 29 - April 1) is soon approaching! At Stevenson, we are working with our entire school community to ensure that every student feels valued, and to celebrate our diversity as a strength of our school community. As author and activist Dr. Ibram X. Kendi teaches us that it is not enough to be not racist, we must be anti-racist, and we are working even harder to demonstrate that commitment.  

We have an excellent line-up of events in the works, including the kick off event: You Don't Know Me Until You Know Me, featuring Dr. Mykee Fowlin, a trained clinical psychologist and formally trained actor. Students can register for the kick off event. For more information, please visit our event webpage and check back often for more details. We hope to see all of our students join us for a week of powerful events!

Next week, parents and guardians are invited to attend the following virtual programs which are free to attend as part of the Patriot Family Programming series.

Bring Social Emotional Learning into Your Home

Monday, March 15 at 12 p.m. 

Helping Your Teen Navigate Stress 

Tuesday, March 16 at 4:00 p.m.

Ways the SST Supports Student Mental Health

Wednesday, March 17 at 12 p.m.  

The Power of Nature

Thursday, March 18 at 4:00 p.m.

Smart Women Love Money: 5 Simple, Life-Changing Rules of Investing Money 

(Stevenson co-sponsored FAN event)

Thursday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Webinar descriptions can be found on the Patriot Family Programming page along with links to prior programs.

Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125 |  1 Stevenson Drive  |  Lincolnshire, IL 60069

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