ART IN MOTION
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AIM FAMILY UPDATES

Weekly Family Update 12.18.20

12/18/2020

 
AIM Families, 

​I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you deeply for your tremendous support of and hard work with your AIM Student this Fall; they are some of my favorite people in the world! We know that these have been difficult times for many of us, but I still remain encouraged to hold on to my faith and hope in something bigger than what I can see. I remember a quote from renowned author and therapist, Iyanla Vanzant. She said, “No storm can last forever. It will never rain 365 days consecutively. Keep in mind that trouble comes to pass, not to stay. Don’t worry! No storm, not even the one in your life, can last forever.”  May this season find you enjoying or anticipating the beauty and potential of your “next” as we walk into 2021 with grace, peace and love. 


Be well and Happy Holidays!

Kara May
​

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  • Early Dismissal: Friday, December 18th, 2020. 1:00PM.
  • Winter Break Starts: Monday, December 21, 2020.
  • Winter Break Ends: Friday, January 1, 2021.
  • Classes Resume from Winter Break: Monday, January 4. 2021.
  • GO CPS Deadline EXTENDED: Friday, January 8, 2021.
  • High School Diagnostic Assessment/i-Ready, January 11, 2021​
  • MLK Day: NO SCHOOL -Monday, January 19, 2021.
  • Last Day to Submit Work for Quarter 2: January 22, 2021
  • End of Quarter 2: Friday January 22, 2020
  • Winter Family Conferences February 10 & 11, 2021 
  • Early Dismissal: Friday February 12, 2021

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Pause Before You Act
by Angela Lee, School Social Worker
 When was the last time you gave yourself time to just be still? Give yourself a few moments of pause every day. Pause and notice how your body feels before you begin the work day, or take a moment to just sit without any outside distractions or sounds. These little moments of pause can do your mind some good in this fast-paced world.

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  • Technology exchanges are by appointment only on Mondays between the hours of 9am - 12pm
  • If you have have technology issues please submit a tech ticket using this link
  • Tech support is available via phone by calling 773-828-4221
  • The main office number is 773-820-9426, and is answered between 8am-4pm Monday-Friday. 
  • When your artist is going to be absent please email aim@distinctiveschools.org. ​
Beginning in January,  we will start phone calls to parents and guardians each day  with a summary of all periods that your student was marked with an unexcused absence. To report a student  absence, please call the main office (773-820-9426) or aim@distinctiveschools.org. If you need support with motivating your student or help navigating their schedule, please reach out to Mr. Acevedo, our Student Support team leader,  jacevedo@distinctiveschools.org

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Wrapping Up Semester 1
By now, every family should have received a copy of their child’s Quarter Progress Report. Progress Reports serve as a snapshot of student academic development and highlight areas of strengths and growth. Please review your child’s report and identify the classes that your student may be off track. If your child is off track in any course, please use Winter Break as an opportunity to catch up. Friday, January 22, 2021, marks the end of semester one and the final day for students to submit coursework. Students are highly encouraged to work diligently to meet grade-level and year-end competency goals and stay on track to meet graduation and promotion requirements.

High School Diagnostic Assessments
Beginning the week of January 11th, our 9th graders will begin taking the
​i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment. i‑Ready is a comprehensive assessment and instructional program that empowers educators with the resources they need to help all students succeed. The Diagnostic assessment will not be graded but will be used as a resource to determine students' readiness for state learning standards. The student data will help guide teacher's instruction to personalize learning pathways for students. 


​To prepare students for the assessment, encourage them to relax, take their time, and do the best they can. Please visit the link i-Ready.com/FamiliesAssessAtHome and watch the video to learn more about i-Ready and its excellent benefits to fostering positive learning experiences for students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Veriner James via email at Vjames@distinctiveschools.org.


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On track students should be starting their second Study Path  option  assignments on the AIM Arts Website. All late assignments must be submitted BEFORE beginning their second student path choice. Students who did not chose a pathway were sent a letter last week to ensure a strong finish of Quarter 2.
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  • Academic Integrity: AIM’s approach to preparing students for college and beyond includes integrity and hard work.  It is expected that students' work be theirs and that they are following all expectations on assignments, projects, and assessments.  Students who have violated academic integrity standards will have to do the assignment again, do a project on academic integrity, and will get a phone call home for first time incidents.  Larger penalties may come if there is a persistent issue.  If students are struggling with the concepts or work, please reach out to teachers and/or student support for assistance.  We want to help.
  • Synergy/Summit: Learn how to support your student with Summit and Synergy by watching this video.
  • December Happiness Calendar for December
  • 2020 Winter SEL Guide: Tips for staff and families on how to deal with all the stresses of 2020 during the break.​
The Impact of Social and Emotional Learning
Watch this video to see why we focus on Social Emotional Learning with our students!​

Weekly Family Update 12.11.20

12/11/2020

 
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2nd Quarter Progress Reports Sent Home: Monday, December 14th, 2020.
Virtual Open House for Perspective Families: Monday, December 14th, 2020 at 5pm.

Early Release: Friday, December 18th, 2020. 1:00PM.
Winter Break Starts: Monday, December 21, 2020.
Winter Break Ends: Friday, January 1, 2021.

Classes Resume from Winter Break: Monday, January 4. 2021.
GO CPS Deadline EXTENDED: Friday, January 8, 2021.
​MLK Day: NO SCHOOL -Monday, January 19, 2021.

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  • Technology exchanges are by appointment only on Mondays between the hours of 9am - 12pm
  • If you have have technology issues please submit a tech ticket using this link
  • Tech support is available via phone by calling 773-828-4221
  • The main office number is 773-820-9426, and is answered between 8am-4pm Monday-Friday. 
  • When your artist is going to be absent please email aim@distinctiveschools.org. 

ATTENDANCE UPDATE!

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 Beginning in January,  we will start phone calls to parents and guardians each day  with a summary of all periods that your student was marked with an unexcused absence. To report a student  absence, please call the the main office (773-820-9426) or aim@distinctiveschools.org.
​
If you need support with motivating your student or help navigating their schedule, please reach out to Mr. Acevedo, our Student Support team leader at jacevedo@distinctiveschools.org 

2nd Quarter Progress Reports! ​

Progress Reports will be sent via email by Monday, December 14, 2020.
Mentors and Arts Teachers  will be emailing progress reports to each family and student. 
All AIM students have a dedicated mentor throughout the year that meets with them at least once every two weeks to maintain a trusted relationship with a staff member, who serves as that student’s point person. If you do not know who your student's mentor is, please reach out to your student's community teacher. 

Need Support Helping Your Student Navigate Online Platforms?

Watch this guided video to learn more about checking student progress
​and key links to accessing your student's day! 

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Progress Reports serve as a snapshot of student academic development and highlight areas of strengths and growth. Please review your child’s report and identify the classes that your student may be off track. If your child is off track in any course, please use next week and Winter Break as an opportunity to catch up. Friday, January 22, 2021 marks the end of semester one. Students are highly encouraged to work diligently to meet grade-level and year-end competency goals and stay on track to meet graduation and promotion requirements. 

As we approach Semester 2, we have shared information with families about promotion and graduation requirements as well as supports to ensure student success in this letter.  We will be hosting a virtual family night in January (Date TBD) to discuss requirements and how to best support your student
. 

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  • The Power of Parenting with Social and Emotional Learning: The home and the school are allies when it comes to SEL.  Read this article to see how you can incorporate SEL at home and build a partnership with the school.
  • December Happiness Calendar 
  • Help with Summit and Synergy: Any parents who need help with navigating the AIM Student Resource Page, Summit, and/or Synergy, please reach out to Dean Acevedo (jacevedo@distinctiveschools.org) for support.
  • School Store:  Students can earn great rewards for Summit goals and work completion (in all subjects), exhibiting the best CREATIVE character values, and being engaged during at-home learning.  All points earned will be tracked in DeansList (read below for info on DeansList).
  • DeansList: Parents should have received an email that explains how to sign-up for DeansList (DL).  We will be tracking student engagement and behavior in DL, so sign-up to stay up to date.  Students can also setup a DL account by following the instructions here.


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Name Your Emotions

At any time of day, pay attention to the emotions that come and go and give a name to what you are feeling. You don’t need to understand them completely, but just noticing them and giving them a name can help you accept them, process them, and let them go. - Mrs. Lee, Campus Social Worker

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If you know any students in grades 7, 8, 9 or 10 who would like to join the AIM Family, have them visit aimchicago.org for all information. Also, please invite them to our next virtual open house. Seats are limited and we are already developing a waitlist for next year!

Return to School Tentative Timeline
​
Our tentative timeline for returning to school based on public health guidelines is January 25, 2021, aligned with the start of Quarter 3, would be the first date we could possibly allow for Community Care, or potential in-person learning scenarios
​
- 
Our ability to reopen Community Care will be dependent on programming for Q3. 
- 
We are also planning for potential alternative return to school options (other in-person learning scenarios). 
- 
In-person learning scenarios are dependent on the status of COVID-19, the guidance we receive from our partners, and the health data trends. 
- 
Our school teams are designing what in-person or alternative learning options may be possible for January and beyond.

Based on those proposed ideas, we will send surveys in mid-December or early January to identify your preferences, interests, and feedback regarding Community Care or potential in person learning scenarios.
We plan to reopen schools as soon as it is safe to do so. We are working in close collaboration with CPS to understand plans. We will share more updates during the week of  January 11, 2021 to ensure families have enough time to plan. ​

Weekly Family Update 12.6.20

12/4/2020

 
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2nd Quarter Progress Reports Sent Home: Monday, December 14th, 2020.
Early Release: 
Friday, December 18th, 2020. 1:00PM.
Winter Break Starts: Monday, December 21, 2020.
Winter Break Ends: Friday, January 1, 2021.
Classes Resume from Winter Break: Monday, January 4. 2021.
GO CPS Deadline EXTENDED: Friday, January 8, 2021.
​MLK Day: NO SCHOOL -Monday, January 19, 2021.


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  • Technology exchanges are by appointment only on Mondays between the hours of 9am - 12pm
  • If you have have technology issues please submit a tech ticket using this link
  • Tech support is available via phone by calling 773-828-4221
  • The main office number is 773-820-9426, and is answered between 8am-4pm Monday-Friday. 
  • When your artist is going to be absent please email aim@distinctiveschools.org. Automatic attendance messages from Synergy will go to your email on file when your student is not present or on time for a class.

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2nd Quarter Progress Reports! 

Progress Reports will be sent via email by Monday, December 14, 2020.
Student mentors will be emailing progress reports to each family and student. 
All AIM students have a dedicated mentor throughout the year that meets with them at least once every two weeks to maintain a trusted relationship with a staff member, who serves as that student’s point person. If you do not know who your student's mentor is, please reach out to your student's community teacher. 
Supporting Your Student's Learning in a Click! 
Please utilize our www.aimchicago.org website for resources like all Student Links (including weekly assignment bulletins, schedules, program websites, teacher e-mails), these Family Updates, and more. Also, follow AIM on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news & celebration
NEED HELP? OFFICE HOURS!  On most days after 2:30pm, teachers will be hosting office hours as an additional time to connect with students and support them with their work. Teachers will be discussing office hours with their students this week. If you have any questions about office hours with your student, please email your student's teacher or reach out to them on Remind. ​

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  • 10 Ways Your Brain Reacts to Uncertain Times (article): Attention is a challenge during the pandemic. Learn more on your brain's reaction to this challenge and how to help.
  • December Happiness Calendar for December (also attached)
  • Student Support calls: AIM Deans have begun calling home to find out what types of support students need, for those students who have struggled to stay on track with their school attendance and work completion.  Be sure to answer calls, emails, and/or texts if you encounter such outreach.
  • School Store:  Students can earn great rewards for Summit goals and work completion (in all subjects), exhibiting the best CREATIVE character values, and being engaged during at-home learning.  All points earned will be tracked in DeansList (read below for info on DeansList).
  • DeansList: Parents should have received an email that explains how to sign-up for DeansList (DL).  We will be tracking student engagement and behavior in DL, so sign-up to stay up to date.  Students can also setup a DL account by following the instructions here.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR 8th Grade Families!

The GoCPS Deadline for high school applications has been extended until January 8, 2021.
NWEA: As we continue to navigate our response to COVID-19, our top priority is keeping our students and educators safe while we continue to support our students. As you know, the district made necessary changes to the 2021–22 high school admissions process to better meet our families’ needs during the current public health crisis, please see linked letter about upcoming winter NWEA MAP Growth test administration for GoCPS considerations. We will offer the winter NWEA MAP Growth test in person at our school during the week of January 11th for students in sixth, seventh, or eighth grades applying for academic centers or high school programs with academic criteria for the selection process. Examples of programs with academic criteria include selective enrollment programs as well as some IB programs, Career Technical Education programs, and military programs. For more information, please read this letter

2020.2021 Applications are NOW OPEN! 

If you know any students in grades 7, 8, 9 or 10 who would like to join the AIM Family, have them visit aimchicago.org for all information. Also, please invite them to our next virtual open house. Seats are limited and we are already developing a waitlist for next year!
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Return to School Tentative Timeline

Our tentative timeline for returning to school based on public health guidelines is January 25, 2021, aligned with the start of Quarter 3, would be the first date we could possibly allow for Community Care, or potential in-person learning scenarios
​
- 
Our ability to reopen Community Care will be dependent on programming for Q3. 
- 
We are also planning for potential alternative return to school options (other in-person learning scenarios). 
- 
In-person learning scenarios are dependent on the status of COVID-19, the guidance we receive from our partners, and the health data trends. 
- 
Our school teams are designing what in-person or alternative learning options may be possible for January and beyond.

Based on those proposed ideas, we will send surveys in mid-December or early January to identify your preferences, interests, and feedback regarding Community Care or potential in person learning scenarios.
We plan to reopen schools as soon as it is safe to do so. We are working in close collaboration with CPS to understand plans. We will share more updates during the week of  January 11, 2021 to ensure families have enough time to plan. 

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    AIM FAMILY UPDATES

    Weekly updates and important messages from AIM. 

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Art In Motion | Copyright ©  2020
7415 S East End Ave, Chicago, IL 60649
Email: aim@distinctiveschools.org
Phone: (773) 820-9426
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  • HOME
  • THE AIM WAY
    • About Us
    • Features
    • Student Gallery
    • 7-8 | Experience
    • 9-12 | Experience
    • Social Emotional Learning
  • ENROLLMENT
    • Apply Now
    • FAQs
  • TEAM
    • Directors
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Partners
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Resources
    • Student Links
    • Family Updates
    • Staff Resources
    • Self-Screener Form
    • Community Care Plan
  • Contact
  • COVID-19 Response
    • Community Care Plan
    • Self-Screener Form
    • Tech Help Center
    • Health & Wellness Resources