Dixon Public Schools

DPS #170 staff, students, and families: We need your help and input on a project. This applies to everyone no matter your grade level. We need to hear your voice in regard to thoughts on changing school start times. Over the last year and a half, the district Community Engagement Committee has been researching the effect of school start times on student achievement and student’s social-emotional well-being. On our website (www.dps170.org) you will find a link that will take you to a video explaining the work that has been done, an informational page about school start times, and a survey asking for your input on changing school start times. We ask that you first watch the video, then read the one-page informational sheet, and finally complete the survey. The survey will be available through January, and will be sent directly to RMS and DHS student school emails. We need your voice! Please help us in our decision making process to know if this should be a consideration for the Board of Education to determine an outcome for the upcoming school year. Contact the District Office if you have any questions.

We are looking for a full time custodian for Dixon High School #gopurple

SVCC's Impact Program allows for earned tuition for eligible students for up to 3 years or until their certificate/degree is completed. Click below for more info. DPS #170 will be providing information to families at future events - conferences, open houses, registration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wkyn7goTqU https://www.svcc.edu/impact/

The Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP) provides financial assistance for rent to income-eligible Illinois renters and their landlords who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are a renter in Illinois and are behind on rent due to COVID-19, you may be eligible for up to $25,000 and 18 months of emergency rental payments. Both renters and landlords can apply for assistance. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, January 9, 2022. https://www.illinoishousinghelp.org/

Sauk Valley Community College will be hosting virtual information sessions about the Impact Program on Monday, January 10th at 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday, January 12th at noon. The Impact Program allows students in the Sauk Valley Community College district the opportunity to earn up to three years of tuition and fees in exchange for volunteering in our community. To register for an information session, please use this google form or visit www.svcc.edu/impact. Participants will be emailed the Zoom link the weekday before the session. If you have any questions, please email impact@svcc.edu.

DPS #170 will be back in session on Thursday, January 6, 2022 for a full day. The School Improvement half-day will be rescheduled in the future. RMS & DHS students-remember to bring your fully charged Chromebooks tomorrow to class. #GoPurple

DPS #170 is closed today due to the inclement weather which includes blowing and drifting snow. Be safe out there today and we will see you tomorrow.

DHS & RMS students – Remember to charge your Chromebook so you are ready for school on Wednesday. Don’t leave your Chromebook in a vehicle. The extreme cold will drain the battery and could damage the device.

Parents this is a reminder that school will be in session with in person learning Wednesday, January 5th. This will be a half day. Students will be dismissed at 11:00 a.m. If you have not seen the letter from Mrs. Empen it is on our website and social media pages. We are following the Covid 19 protocols that have been in place since the beginning of the school year and will continue to do so. Free Rapid Testing will be available tomorrow, Tuesday Jan. 4th at DHS Cafeteria Door 12 again see Mrs. Empen’s letter for details on the testing. Thank you.

School resumes on Wednesday, January 5, 2022! Click on the link below for a message from Supt. Empen about returning and free COVID testing tomorrow for students and staff at the DHS cafeteria from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm if you are interested. https://5il.co/13ong

January 3, 2022 Dixon Public Schools families and staff, Happy New Year! There is a lot of information since the CDC has issued new guidance regarding isolation for positive cases and changing protocols for those that have received the first two doses of the vaccine, but not a booster - as of now, none of it applies to Pre-K – 12 schools in Illinois according to the IDPH and the Illinois State Board of Education. I believe this will continue to be a topic of discussion throughout the state next week and I will issue a revision to this letter when more information is available. Until then, our protocols for positive cases remain the same as the first semester. If we are issued additional guidance, we will apply it. Parents need to be ready to pivot to remote learning should our numbers warrant it. I will continue to monitor our numbers daily. If we need to move to remote learning, the turnaround will be quick. Please get your plans in place now to ensure a smooth transition for you and your students. We will continue to be vigilant in our layered mitigations in the days to come in order to continue in-person learning. While I understand our community has different views on how COVID should be handled, I am extremely concerned about not having the requisite staff available to continue in-person learning if we let down our guard at all. We are asking for continued patience and support as we come back to in person learning this week. We all know that COVID numbers are very high in our region and this is impacting our health care system tremendously per my conversations with local health officials. The good news is that in the readily available data, we are currently maintaining or decreasing our case prevalence compared to when break began. Free rapid testing for staff and students will be available Tuesday, January 4, 2022 for anyone who may need it. Rapid testing will occur at the Dixon High School cafeteria from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. tomorrow. A parent must be present for a student to be tested. Testing takes at least 15 minutes, so plan to be at DHS while you await your results. Social distancing and masks will be required prior to entering door 12 at Dixon High School. Thus, to start the new year, I have a few requests for you. 1) I can’t stress this next statement enough….if your child has symptoms DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL!!! 2) If your child has symptoms, please take advantage of our on-site, free COVID testing, or seek offsite testing through your physician or local COVID testing sites. 3) If someone in your home has symptoms or has COVID, follow the protocols that have been sent by our nurses and err on the side of caution 100% of the time. 4) If you have questions, please contact our nurses. They will be on-site beginning Wednesday, and are a great source for guidance and information. One thing I believe everyone can agree on is that we want to continue in-person, daily, face-to-face instruction. As we navigate changing guidelines, please understand that our administrators and health services staff are absolutely doing the best they can. I’m asking everyone to please be kind to our teachers, principals, and nurses as they try to navigate ever-changing CDC, IDPH, and ISBE changes and updates. As we move into 2022, I am confident that we will meet the challenges that lie ahead. I’m looking forward to starting our second semester together, and will continue to communicate as we carefully monitor COVID cases in our buildings. Thanks for your continued support. #GoPurple #DPS170 Sincerely, Margo Empen Superintendent

Duchesses are tournament champions!

Dixon High School is currently seeking applicants for the position of Athletic Director / Assistant Principal for the 2022-2023 school year.

Check out the 2021 Jefferson School 12 Days of Christmas video #gopurple https://youtu.be/qcNx6OE0ed0

Click on the links below for this week's COVID data. This data reflects those out due to being positive or quarantined. RMS is on remote learning for the next two days due to high numbers and known internal spread. https://5il.co/13dcw https://5il.co/13dcx

The phone message sent to families on Friday, December 17th at 4:15 p.m. stated that final exams are optional. If a parent wishes to have their child take their final exams, please have them come to Dixon High School on Monday and Tuesday.

Important information for Reagan Middle School staff, students, and parents…. Reagan Middle School (Grades 6-8) will be going on an Adaptive Pause for Monday, December 20th and Tuesday, December 21st. Please view attached letter and remote learning schedule for those days.

Madison School students reached their goal (and then some) for the coin drive for United Way. Their principal, Mr. Sagel, agreed to be duct taped to the wall if they reached it. It took us 3 large rolls of duct tape and we are happy to report - he stuck to the wall. Thank you Madison School for your support to United Way.

Dixon High School is taking applications for the Athletic Director / Assistant Principal position now.

Please click on the link below from Superintendent Empen regarding the District's response to a Tik Tok Challenge. https://5il.co/13b04