Weekly Family Update 12.18.20

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​

---

• 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

---

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.

---

• 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

---

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.

---

---

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.

---

• 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!​