Superintendent Update Mar. 26, 2021

To view past superintendent updates, please click here. To view weekly updates online, please visit our District Updates archive on our website.

“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” This inspiring quote from Harriet Ann Jacobs, fugitive slave, writer, and abolitionist, is the perfect sentiment to usher in spring after the year we have all experienced and close out Women’s History Month. She led an inspiring, courageous life and is just one example of the women who have impacted our history, culture, and society. Hopefully, you have been inspired this month by other women in your everyday lives who have encouraged or uplifted you.

As we continue to process the tragic events in Atlanta, our heartfelt thoughts go out to the victims of this hatred, their families, and the broader Asian community at home here in Urbana and Champaign County. To our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, families, and staff, I want you to know that you are a vital part of the Urbana family, and we stand with you in your grief and alarm over the recent attacks, and against the racist acts that are on the rise. As we ease back into our regular routines following spring break, I encourage everyone to check in on their AAPI friends, colleagues, students, etc., listen, acknowledge the hurt and be supportive. Show your solidarity by learning more about the Asian American experience and being an ally. Click here to read the entire "Standing in Solidarity with our USD-AAPI Family" letter that I shared with families and staff earlier in the week. I’d also encourage you to continue to read on for additional information and resources for K-12 students and families.

I want to thank all of the planning teams and groups from UECS/King (PreK), Elementary (K-5), and Secondary (6-12) who have been working hard to plan 4th Quarter student support programs and Summer Extended Learning Opportunities. We are shifting our focus to preparing for the 21-22 academic school year. Due to revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state, and public health guidance, coupled with high vaccination rates and low positivity rates, we are excited to share early plans to start the school year in person on a five days a week, full-day schedule. There are many details yet to be determined while we await further Fall guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). We are currently utilizing the Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools and eagerly anticipating movement into the state’s Bridge to Phase 5 level. The Bridge to Phase 5 level will allow for higher capacity limits for both indoor and outdoor settings. This phase will provide much more flexibility in planning activities like lunchtime, bus rides, arrival, dismissal, special events, etc. We plan to share preliminary goals for the Fall at our April 6th Board of Education Study Session. Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask questions as we begin to make more solid plans for the 2021-2022 school year.

We are very excited to see so many new students in our schools this week and are thankful that so many of our staff are vaccinated. I do want to remind all students, staff, families, and visitors that mask-wearing continues to be mandated no matter your vaccination status. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.

Be safe and stay well,

Dr. Ivory-Tatum

We all know that knowledge is power! I would like to thank William Villaflor, UHS English Teacher, for working with Golden Apple Scholars to compile the resources below for the Urbana Family to learn and grow together in our fight against racism. The bulleted list below includes resources for students, teachers, and family members in grades K-12. This link will take you to resources, specifically for grades 6-12. Mr. Villaflor is also available as a resource for those wanting to learn more at wvillafor@usd116.org.

- Teaching Tolerance [1] [2]

- Books for the classroom [1] [2]

- Sikh Coalition [1]

- Smithsonian (to be modified and tailored) [1]

- Advancing Justice (to be modified and tailored) [1]

April 1st is a Staff Development Day for PreK-5th grade teachers. There will be NO synchronous learning or asynchronous activities shared with EC-5 students on Thursday, April 1st. This is a regular student attendance day for grades 6-12. UMS and UHS students still need to log on for their synchronous activities at their regular times.

There is No School on Friday, April 2. There will be NO synchronous or asynchronous activities assigned, and all USD116 schools and buildings will be closed for the day.

Want to know more about the show? See the description below!

In the theatre, it is a tradition to leave a light glowing on the stage at all times. Some say that the light is meant to ward off evil spirits, while others say that it’s there to make the many theatre ghosts feel welcome, loved, and seen. Some would argue that the ghost light is a superstition that is just grounded in good sense. You never know what could happen in the dark of a theatre. In this original collection of monologues, written and performed by Urbana High School Students, see what happens when the lines blur between natural and supernatural, love and hate, the living and the dead. What will we see when we turn on the Ghost Light?

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/49170

Dr. Gene Amberg began his career in public education in 1972 as an elementary school teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as superintendent of Urbana School District #116 from 1992 until his retirement in 2007. In 2003, the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) Gene Amberg Excellence in Teaching Endowed Chair was established to honor Dr. Amberg’s leadership and dedication to children and educators throughout his career. Every three years, an Urbana School District #116 teacher is chosen to receive the Gene Amberg Excellence in Teaching Endowed Chair. This recognition comes with a monetary award from the Endowment held by the CUSF.

Nominations may be submitted by: 1) self 2) peer 3) student 4) former student 5) parent 6) supervisor 7) administrator.

There are many deserving USD teachers who could be nominated. The nominations require a letter of support from an administrator, and I hope you will have time between now and the end of April to make a nomination. The deadline is Friday, April 30, 2021, 4:00 pm. Please see the attached information linked here for more details.

Email: contactus@usd116.org
Website: usd116.org
Location: 205 North Race Street, Urbana, IL, USA
Phone: 2173843600
Facebook: facebook.com/usd116
Twitter: @urbana116