Hello Jahn Families,
Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! I hope you were able to enjoy some extra time together this weekend. There is a lot going on in Chicago right now that is impacting each of us in different ways. I want you to know that we are here and available for you and your children. If there is anything we can do for you or your family, please do not hesitate to let me know.
This Wednesday, 10/15 we will have a Lockdown Drill. Your child will practice what to do with their class in the event of a threat inside our building. We know that safety drills are important for our students, teachers and staff to practice but it may bring up some questions and big feelings. With that in mind, we want to provide you with a resource to help you talk about safety drills and lockdown drills at home:
Please let your child’s teacher know ahead of Wednesday if you feel your child should be exempt from the drill due to previous trauma, sensory needs, etc.
For your information and reference, a Hard Lockdown or Lockdown is used when there is a potential threat inside the school, such as an intruder or active shooter. A Soft Lockdown is used when a possible threat, danger, or safety risk is identified in the surrounding area and does not present an imminent danger. Examples for when a soft lockdown would be used are a bank robbery, civil disturbance, shooting in the neighborhood, etc.
On Friday there were a lot of rumors and concerns about ICE activity in our community, and I conferred with neighborhood principals, my Chief and Safety and Security throughout the day. We did not go on a lockdown because the circumstances did not warrant it. If at all possible I want to protect the normalcy of our school day for our students. Thank you to everyone who showed up- in many different ways- for our school and helped quell misinformation and fear while providing a safe and supportive perimeter for our school.
In an abundance of caution and to respect the safety and emotions of our families, the Hispanic Heritage Celebration that was going to be held outside after school on Tuesday has been cancelled. We are already planning another celebration of Hispanic culture for the near future. Thank you for understanding and for your support.
I am looking for an Assistant Principal to join us at Jahn. The position is open for people to apply, and I want your input. Please take some time to complete the AP Feedback form to share your feelings and insight on the position and what you think is important. Thank you for your time.
Teachers will be sharing details about Parent Teacher Conferences with their families. This includes signing up for a time to meet on 10/27. The building will be open for conferences from 11:00am-3:00pm and from 3:45pm-6:00pm. If you would like to reach out to your child’s teacher, please email them with individual questions.
Excited about celebrating fall with the Jahn community on Saturday for the Pumpkin Patch!
I can’t wait to see you there,
Dr. Byrne