BRUSSELS CUSD 42

Just a reminder that if you have a student that wants to participate in Science Fair this year, we need a parent to fill out the google form below by the end of the week. They do not need to know what they are doing yet to sign up. It just gives us a head count and who we need to send material home with. Again, if you have any questions, please email me at amanker@brussels42.net. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX6oFgbwloxnTQ7nezNCj_XL3Q5a5P2DssGcDBguKGtFlkLw/viewform?usp=sf_link

MENU CHANGE today, Tuesday, Feb 19 menu is chicken quesadilla, refried beans, sliced carrots salad, and strawberries instead of toasted ravioli.

Hi All! It's that time of year again and the Calhoun County Fair Board invites all students to enter a drawing for the logo contest. Calhoun County Fair 2024 Design Contest September 5, 6, 7, & 8 “We have a Good Thing Growing” You could be the winning Artist this year with your design for the 2024 Fair printed on T-shirts. The winning designer will receive a T-shirt with the winning design on it. Anyone in grades Pre-kindergarten thru 12 may participate. Rules include: 1. Use the “We have a Good Thing Growing” theme. 2. Design must be on 8 ½ x 11 size paper. 3. Design may be in black and white or up to 3 different colors. 4. No computer images will be permitted. 5. Design must include: Calhoun County Fair, “We have a Good Thing Growing” and the fair dates of September 5, 6, 7, & 8 2024 6. Include your name, grade, and shirt size on the back of design. Please use light pencil so it doesn’t show through the paper. 7. Deadline is April 12, 2024. 8. Deliver to Yvonne Nolte at BGS or Brianna Sibley will pick up at CES and SNS.

Hello Parents/Guardians, Below you will find a link to the Essential5 Survey. If you feel so compelled, please copy and paste the link below into a new browser and let us know how we are doing. We appreciate your feedback. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. Thanks! 2023-24 Illinois Supplemental Parent Survey Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ Opens Jan. 30, 2024 and closes March 29, 2024.

It's time to sign up for Science Fair again. Last year was great and we can't wait to see some amazing science experiments from students. Papers will be going home by Friday or you can sign up on the google form link below. If you have any questions please email amanker@brussels42.net https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX6oFgbwloxnTQ7nezNCj_XL3Q5a5P2DssGcDBguKGtFlkLw/viewform?usp=sf_link https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r0nR_mn0SLXaiK8mrnR-X0VaBeKgAUwpQ5sWbliClUw/edit

Calling all Princesses! Queen Ella is hosting a Tea Party for all Princesses ages 4-9! On February 24, 2024 from 10-11:30 am at Straight Home Bar & Grill in Hardin. $25 per Princess, and all proceeds go to the Calhoun County Fair. For more information and to sign up, please follow the 3rd Annual Princess Tea Party Event Page located on the Miss Calhoun County Page on Facebook.

Reminder! With all of the sickness going on right now, please make sure you are getting in contact with the office if you are calling off your child! The office needs to be contacted by 10 AM for the absence to be counted as Excused. The office can be reached by phone at (618) 883-2131 or by email to either hkinder@brussels42.net or school@brussels42.net . Thank you!

The votes are all counted up for the Rock Spring Park Christmas Wonderland Tree contest and our BHS Pep Club tree came in 1st place. Our Willy Wonka themed tree took 1st place by 339 votes. We couldn't be more proud of all the work that went into it and for those of you in the community who drove through the park and voted for us. Along with 1st place, the Pep Club will receive $300 as an award. GO BRUSSELS!!!

Spring will be upon us before we know it, and it will be time for our annual plant sale. I will be ordering seeds in about a week so if you have a preference for certain plants, you can put your order in ahead of time or you can wait for the plant sale in May. You can send it to me via email at amanker@brussels42.net.

We are experiencing technical difficulties with our phones, so our office phones are down. If you need to get in contact with the office, please email Hallie at hkinder@brussels42.net. Sorry about the inconvenience!

Good Morning! Due to road conditions, Brussels CUSD 42 will take an eLearning day today, January 23, 2024. Stay safe everyone!

Due to the impending ice in the forecast, Brussels CUSD 42 will take an eLearning day on Monday, January 22, 2024. Stay warm and safe.

Calhoun County Summer Ball League is open for registration for kids aged Kindergarten-5th grade! Early Registration is $30, due by February 16th. Regular Registration is $35, due by March 8th. Late Registration is $40, due by March 15th. *All checks made out to CALHOUN LITTLE LEAGUE* *Please turn forms and payment in before March 15th to Hallie or Yvonne in the office.*

Girls Who Code’s Free Virtual Summer Programs Ready to shape your future and join an empowering sisterhood? Become a coder this summer with Girls Who Code! Girls Who Code’s free virtual Summer Programs empower you to build skills, community, and a professional network for your future, in the ways that work best for you. Choose your adventure with two free programs: Curious to create your own computer games? In our two-week Summer Immersion Program (SIP), you’ll learn how to design your own games using p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding. Join classmates and our dedicated Teaching Teams in live virtual classrooms hosted by industry-leading companies like MetLife, Bank of America, Logitech, and Synchrony. We’ve got three rounds to fit your schedule: June 14 to June 28, July 8 to July 19, and July 29 to August 9. SIP is for current 9th-11th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner or intermediate coding experience, including program alums. Eligible students can even apply for a $300 SIP Student Grant and laptop and hot spot access! Excited to explore the biggest topics in tech at your own pace? Our six-week Self-Paced Program offers tracks in Web Development, Cybersecurity, and – new for 2024 – Data Science + AI! From July 1 to August 9, you get to decide how and when to build your coding skills, and you can always ask questions in our Discord server or optional Student Hours. The Self-Paced Program is for current 9th-12th grade girls and non-binary students with beginner to advanced coding experience, including program alums. Apply here https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fgirlswhocode.cmail19.com%2ft%2fd-l-vudhhhl-dyitjykyq-i%2f&c=E,1,1fg4CPz-A5Bb6jhIX698tyGBv_3mWf-G_ruARdZ7hqg6p2Jo8kjWUeDtSx3-CHu_IHKI_jcypKuSB5vYV0cGBg5wh0q51RN70NrlNg_VdHCXH3_DQVE,&typo=1 by the early deadline, February 14, 2024 for priority consideration or apply by our general deadline, March 22, 2024. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to level up your coding skills, kickstart your future, tap into lifelong career support, and have fun along the way! Need help? Learn more with our program flyer, webinars, or FAQs, or email us at summer@girlswhocode.com.

We are currently experiencing phone issues in our office, so if you need to call us for anything, please email Hallie @ hkinder@brussels42.net. Sorry for the inconvenience!

The Brussels Girl Scout Troop 405 is hosting "Me and My Guy Dance" on February 3rd. Girls and their guest will enjoy a fried chicken dinner, dancing, crafts, and games. Follow the link to register for the event. https://meandmyguydance.com/

Below please see the eLearning plan. Dear Brussels Community Unit 42 Community, eLearning uses technology to help students learn anytime, anywhere. In an ongoing effort to provide the best educational opportunities for our students, the District has developed an eLearning Plan. This plan will be used in times when in-person learning is canceled. eLearning days allow students and staff to learn and work at home providing a continuation of learning without disruption. eLearning will be utilized in the case of weather, facility issues, a pandemic, and/or any unforeseen circumstances. This plan will be posted on the district’s website (brussels42.net) under the Parents and Students section. If in-person learning is canceled for any reason, students and parents will be notified on Channels 2, 4, 5 and 30, the Brussels website (brussels42.net), by text message (if applicable), phone call (at the number we have on file), and the Brussels Community Unit Facebook page whether the day will be a snow day or an eLearning day. Parents/Guardians, students, and staff will receive communication of the use of an eLearning the night prior. It is our goal to communicate this by 9:00 p.m. Regular snow days may still be called in the morning. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions about this information or the plan, please contact your student’s building administrator. Best, Dr. Mark Martin Superintendent and Elementary Principal mrmartin@brussels42.net Pam Long Brussels Junior High/High School Principal plong@brussels42.net Brussels Community Unit School District 42 eLearning Plan 2023-2026 eLearning will be utilized in the case of weather, facility issues, a pandemic, and/or any unforeseen circumstances. This plan will be posted on the district’s website (brussels42.net) under the Parents and Students section. Brussels continues to plan for the potential use of eLearning days as needed due to weather conditions, facility issues, pandemic, and/or other unforeseen circumstances. This plan was developed to address weather events, facility issues, a pandemic, and/or other unforeseen circumstances. This plan will be reviewed, revised and updated on an ongoing basis to ensure that issues are being addressed and improvements are made/implemented. If in-person learning is canceled for any reason, students, and parents will be notified on Channels 2, 4, 5, and 30, the Brussels website (brussels42.net), by text message (if applicable), phone call (at the number we have on file), and the Brussels Community Unit Facebook page as well as channels 2, 4, and 5 whether the day will be a snow day or an eLearning day. Parents/Guardians, students, and staff will receive communication of the use of an eLearning the night prior. It is our goal to communicate this by 9:00 p.m. Regular snow days may still be called in the morning. If a snow day is taken, students and staff are not expected to log in for attendance or to complete assignments. If an eLearning day will be taken, please follow the plan below. Elementary Students Parents will check their student(s) in on Dojo or Google Classroom. Please contact your child’s teacher with any questions you may have. Assignments Anticipated Event: Assignments will be sent home with students on the night before an anticipated event. If school is in session, students can return the packet uncompleted. Unanticipated Event: Students will be able to find assignments to complete on their teachers Dojo account or Google Classroom. Attendance Elementary students will complete four (4) assignments (Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies) and it will be considered a full day of attendance. Elementary students will complete two (2) assignments (Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies) and it will be considered as a half day of attendance. No assignments completed will be considered absent. Assignments will be turned into the teacher the day the elementary student returns to school. Students will have a minimum of five hours of instruction or equivalent work. Junior High and High School Students Asynchronous eLearning will happen on the first through third days that in-person learning is canceled. Asynchronous eLearning means that students will learn on their own schedule, within a certain timeframe. There will be no Google Meets on this day. Asynchronous eLearning Expectations: Teachers will post assignments on Google Classroom for the day by 9:00 am. Teachers will be available via email from the hours of 8:30 am - 2:00 pm to answer questions. Students will check their email using their school issued chromebook or phone and complete the attendance form by 9:00 a.m. Students will complete all assignments by 2:00 pm of the same day and submit them via Google Classroom. Synchronous eLearning will happen on the fourth day and forward on a multi day event. Synchronous eLearning means that students will log into each of their classes based on the schedule below for a Google Meet. The teacher will conduct class live, and in real-time. Students who do not have internet access will receive a recording of the lesson upon return to school and will have 2 additional days to complete the assignments given during synchronous eLearning. These assignments will be due at the beginning of the third day. Synchronous eLearning Expectations: Students will follow the schedule below for the day and log into each class on Google Meets. Teachers will take attendance each hour. Students more than 3 minutes late will be counted tardy for class. Students who do not log in will be counted absent just as if they were not at school. Junior High/High School Class Schedule 8:30 - 9:00 1st Hour 9:03 - 9:33 2nd Hour 9:36 - 10:06 3rd Hour 10:09 - 10:39 4th Hour 10:42 - 11:07 5th Hour 11:10 - 11:40 6th Hour 11:43 - 12:08 7th Hour 12:11 - 2:00 Independent Student Work Time (Students will not be logged into a Meet but will be able to reach out to teachers via email for help during this time.) Students with Specialized Instruction Needs Students with specialized instruction needs will follow the plan in their Individualized Education Program (IEP). Accommodations will be made by teachers to the best of their ability just as if the student were in-person per the student’s IEP. Any related service minutes will be made up upon return to in-person learning. Technology Brussels CUSD staff are 1:1 with laptops or Google Chromebooks. Students are 1:1 with Google Chromebooks district wide. In grades K-6 students will receive assignments via Dojo or Google Classroom. Parents are aware of how to login and retrieve information from this app. Google Classroom is used in grades 7 - 12 as the educational platform on which students receive, complete and submit assignments. Teachers and students have been using Google Classroom for the last two school years and are trained in how to use this program. Internet Access & Technical Support If a student is unable to access the internet at home or from an alternate location or due to an outage, parents will call the school office and leave a voice message to report that their student is unable to access and cannot check in. This will not be counted as an absence against the student. The student will have an extra day to complete the assignments. Support Staff Support staff will check in with their teacher or direct supervisor to instructions on what tasks can be completed. Principal Responsibilities The junior high/high school principal will send out the attendance form via email. Students may use their cell phone or school issued Chromebook to complete the form by 9:00 am. The principal will check email regularly from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm to monitor any needs of staff or students. Staff may also text or call the principal for immediate needs. Collective Bargaining Brussels CUSD 42 will ensure an opportunity for any collective bargaining negotiations with representatives of the school district’s employees that would be legally required, including all classifications of school district employees who are represented by collective bargaining agreements and who would be affected in the event of an e-learning day. Brussels Support Staff Association, please refer to your contract. Expectations & Responsibilities Brussels CUSD will ensure that the protocol regarding general expectations and responsibilities of the program is communicated to teachers, staff, and students at least thirty (30) days prior to utilizing an e-learning day.

Brussels CUSD 42 will take an eLearning day tomorrow, January 16, 2024. Please refer to the eLearning plan for more information. Stay warm!

Congratulations to Cheyenne Brundies, Delani Klaas and Gracie Klaas on receiving the Illinois State Scholar Award! The Illinois State Scholar program is awarded to high school seniors based on ACT or SAT test scores and the sixth semester* class size and unweighted class rank and Grade Point Average (GPA). To be named an Illinois State Scholar is an outstanding accomplishment. The Brussels School District is very proud to honor these three exceptional students and look forward to seeing what else they accomplish after graduation!

The Rastello Room in Hardin, IL is hosting a Prom and Form Wear Resale Event on February 3, 2024 from 9:30 am-1:00 pm! Items include dresses, fashion jewelry, and event shoes. The event is open for girls in Calhoun and the surrounding areas. For more information about the event or dress drop off, please contact Tara Smith @ 618-401-3916 or Follow the Event Page on Facebook.