As we move into the third week of the State Mandated school closure our staff has compiled course work in anticipation of an extended closure period.   Currently we have asked our staff to create work that would be sufficient through April 8th, 2020.  In most cases, teachers are creating that work and sharing it through various websites/apps and other technology and those who have limited or no access to internet at home are provided work packets.  Our early Elementary students are primarily provided work packets and this practice will continue.
 
Beginning Monday March 30th, we will begin distributing new work packets according the following schedule. Additionally, any completed work that students would like to turn in may also be handed in at this time.  Moving forward if students would like to hand in completed work they may do so Monday-Friday at PORTA Central from 9-11am.
 
Work Packet pick-up
 
Jr/Sr High—9-11 AM—Monday March 30 at the High school Main Entrance—Only those who need paper only work packets due to lack of internet access need to pick up at this time. Those students whose teachers have communicated to them that the work for their class is in paper form should come in for pick up Monday morning.
 
PORTA Central—9am-1PM—Monday March 30 at PORTA Central main entrance—Again paper only packets will be picked up at this time. Report cards will be mailed to all grade levels and 3rd grade paper only packets will be mailed with those report cards.  So no pickup will be necessary for third grade students.
 
Petersburg Elementary-9-11 AM and 5-7PM on March 30th at the AM/PM parent drop off and pickup doors on the south side of the gym. 
 
Completed work packet drop-off
 
Completed packets can be dropped off during the listed pick-up times or M-F 9-11AM at PORTA Central.
 
Please remember that the goal in providing these educational opportunities is to create some continuation of education for our students, work will not negatively impact your student’s grade and in fact can only help your grade improve.
 
If you currently have no access to internet the following information may be beneficial while our school closure continues.  We understand that having internet access can be costly and in many of our rural areas we find access is very limited at best regardless of a families desire to have internet access.  We will continue to find ways to help our families through these unusual times.
 

• Information on Free Internet service--
• CASSCOMM-- will be offering their basic speed internet package to residents who are not current customers at a rate of 9.95 a month for 3 full months. For more information please visit CassComm’s website at casscomm.com or call 1-800-252-1799.
• AT&T
  • AT&T is expanding “Access from AT&T,” our low-cost home internet offering to qualifying households AT&T will continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through our Access from AT&T program.
  • They’ve expanded eligibility to Access from AT&T to households participating in the National School Lunch Program and Head Start.
  • Additionally, they are offering new Access from AT&T customers two months of free service.
  • All AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers can use unlimited internet data.
  • AT&T is redirecting more resources to provide communication services and tools for first responders, health care professionals, educators and other essential customers. This additional support will help ensure these customers can continue providing critical support to the country and their communities, particularly to first responders using the FirstNet network.
• Spectrum Free Broadband: Spectrum is offering free internet to students in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Starting March 16, 2020 the company will offer free broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription.  Installation fees will be waived for new student households.  To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395.
• Comcast is taking steps to implement the following new policies for the next 60 days, and other important initiatives:
  • Comcast has opened their Home Hotspot network for all non-Comcast customers. If you rent router/WiFi equipment from Comcast, you can enable it to help out those around you in this unprecedented time of need. Comcast promotes it as secure and will not impact your own network experience. Plus, they have removed any network caps for the next two months. Considering all Illinois schools will be closing for the next few weeks, sharing your resources with your neighbors could help students out (regardless if they are our specific students). Please consider turning this option on at the following: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/disable-xfinity-wifi-home-hotspot 
  • Xfinity WiFi Free For Everyone: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots, and then launch a browser.
  • Pausing Our Data Plan: With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to access the internet without thinking about data plans. While the vast majority of our customers do not come close to using 1TB of data in a month, we are pausing our data plans for 60 days giving all customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.
  • No Disconnects or Late Fees: We will not disconnect a customer’s internet service or assess late fees if they contact us and let us know that they can’t pay their bills during this period. Our care teams will be available to offer flexible payment options and can help find other solutions.
  • News, Information and Educational Content on X1 and Flex: For those with school-age students at home, we’ve created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media. Just say “education” into your X1 or Flex voice remote. To help keep customers informed, we also have created a collection of the most current news and information on Coronavirus. Just say “Coronavirus” into your X1 or Flex voice remote. 
  • 24x7 Network Monitoring: Underpinning all of these efforts, Comcast’s technology and engineering teams will continue to work tirelessly to support our network operations. We engineer our network capacity to handle spikes and shifts in usage patterns, and continuously test, monitor and enhance our systems and network to ensure they are ready to support customer usage. Our engineers and technicians staff our network operations centers 24/7 to ensure network performance and reliability. We are monitoring network usage and watching the load on the network both nationally and locally, and to date it is performing well.
• Mediacom - In response to the covid-19 virus, Mediacom's "Connect2Compete" plan is free for 60 days and they're increasing speeds. This is available to families with students on free/reduced lunch. Regular price is $10/month and there's no installation fee. Website is https://mediacomc2c.com/​ or 1-855-904-2225 to sign up.

Good Morning,
With Governor Pritzkers “Stay at Home” order we felt it was important to both support his decision and explain what we will be doing in the days to come.  The purpose of such an order is to enforce social distancing or to keep people away from each other to limit the spread of the virus. There is nothing inherently dangerous about going outside. The danger is in being close to other people who are infected, whether they know it or not. 
Having said that the Governor has listed many things as “essential” and allowable during this time and as such our daily meal service will continue as it has this past week Monday –Friday from 9-11.
Meal Pick-up Information:

Times and locations for pick-up
Central --9am--11:00am
Oakford Town hall--9am-11:00am
Tallula Park/Grade School--9am-11am
NSPOA/Jellystone--9am-10am
Menard Electric--10:15-11:15
 
Early this coming week the Administrative team will develop the next steps in our plan to continue educational opportunities for PORTA families.  We are gathering information from our staff so that we can develop a reasonable and effective delivery of home work during this prolonged time away from school.  Please be patient we are considering several factors including appropriateness of lessons, expected length of time away from school, home technology effectiveness and actual delivering of any hard copies of work packets. 
In closing, I am sure you are aware that the extension of our current school closure to April 7th is not likely going to be the final extension of a school closure.  With that in mind we have to be considering long term approaches to educating your children that will likely focus on retention and practice of current knowledge.
As always if you have questions, concerns or just need help with work sent home please feel free to call your school principal and we will do our best to reassure you and seek answers to your questions. 

Meal Pick-up Information:

ADJUSTED Times beginning March 19, 2020
Central --9am--11:00am
Oakford Town hall--9am-11:00am
Tallula Park/Grade School--9am-11am
NSPOA/Jellystone--9am-10am
Menard Electric--10:15-11:15
 
PORTA has started serving Breakfast and Lunch to those who wish to participate and will continue to offer meals M-F until March 30th.  The Meal program will be offered to all PORTA Families with Children under 18 in the household and those meals will be free.  Meals will be grab and go and will include a breakfast and lunch in each bag.
 
Meals will be prepared at PORTA Central and should be picked up there.  A drive up grab and go method will be used at PORTA Central.  While we prefer that meals are picked up at PORTA Central we also understand that not all families have the ability to travel to the school to gather meals. As such, we will travel to Oakford Town Hall and Tallula Grade School, NSPOA (Jellystone) and Menard Electric and pass out meals according to the schedule above.  In special circumstances we will deliver to households if that household will call their school office and ask for specific deliver instructions.
 
If you would like to participate in the free meal program please email lunch@porta202.org  and give the number of individuals who are under 18 in your household. At any point our families may opt to take the free meal, please feel free to send your info to the lunch email. If you are unable to email please call your Building office and your information will be passed along.

Thank you for the tireless efforts of our amazing staff.  Our Kitchen staff has produced 1000s of meals and will continue to do so as we need, transportation, teachers, aids and custodial staff have been working very hard to make this huge undertaking come to life.  #BecauseWeAreBluejays.

​Breakfast and Lunch Service for PORTA Families—As of March 16, 2020 12:00 PM
 
Free Lunch and Breakfast
Who:                                     PORTA Families with Children under Age 18
When:                                  Monday-Fri starting March 17 through March 30---We will offer through Spring Break
When/Where:                  PORTA Central---Drive thru pickup from 10am to 1 PM
Alternate Pickup points: Oakford Town Hall 10:00 Am-Noon
                                                Tallula Park/Grade school 10:00AM –Noon
                                                NSPOA/Jellystone—10AM-11AM
                                Menard Electric—11:30Am-1pm.             
 
PORTA will begin offering Breakfast and Lunch to those who wish to participate beginning Tuesday March 17, 2020.  The Meal program will be offered to all PORTA Families with Children under 18 in the household and those meals will be free.  Meals will be grab and go and will include a breakfast and lunch in each bag, with the exception of Tuesday March 16, 2020 which will include two breakfast meals for the 17 and morning of the 18th.
 
Meals will be prepared at PORTA Central and should be picked up there between the hours of 10AM-1PM.  A drive up grab and go method will be used at PORTA Central.  While we prefer that meals are picked up at PORTA Central we also understand that not all families have the ability to travel to the school to gather meals. As such, we will travel to Oakford Town Hall and Tallula Grade School, NSPOA (Jellystone) and Menard Electric and pass out meals according to the schedule above.  In special circumstances we will deliver to households if that household will call their school office and ask for specific deliver instructions.
 
If you would like to participate in the free meal program please email lunch@porta202.org before 8 am on Tuesday, March 17th and give the number of individuals who are under 18 in your household. At any point our families may opt to take the free meal, please feel free to send your info to the lunch email. If you are unable to email please call your Building office and your information will be passed along.

School Closure UPDATE!!!
 
Students will not be in Session on Monday, March 16th. 
 
Teachers will be allowed into buildings from 7 AM to 3 PM to finalize homework plans, etc.
 
Students who have not already had the opportunity to take work packets, technology, textbooks etc. may come to the Jr/Sr High to pick those items up between the hours of 10AM and 2 PM on Tuesday March 17th or at another arranged time if a family is unable to arrive at the listed time.  Please work out those details with your school administrator.
 
Continuation of Lunch Service.  It is our goal to institute a grab and go lunch/breakfast program on Tuesday, March 18th, but it may need to be moved back a day depending on several factors in our cafeteria program.  The lunch program will run March 18 (still a question on this date), 19 and March 24-27 and March 30.
We will set up a time to grab and go lunch and breakfast pickup at the High school and determine other delivery methods on Monday and will report out Monday afternoon. 
 
Any family who would like access to the School lunch program may email their students names to lunch@porta202.org.  
Correction: All students and anyone in their household 18 or under may access the Free School Lunch program offered March 18 (still a question on this date), 19 and March 24-27 and March 30.
​

Initially it was reported that students would return on March 30, 2020, after a clarification the return date for all students at this time is March 31, 2020.  School will be in session on Monday March 16, 2020.  Teachers and students will prepare for a home learning scenario and the remaining staff will plan for deep cleaning of schools, lunch production and delivery and homework collection, delivery and assistance.  The district will open a new email account beginning Monday to collect family interest in receiving lunches and breakfasts.  Families who qualify for Free and Reduced lunches may still receive those services for all persons in the household under 18 years old.  Additionally, all activities and practices are cancelled at this juncture and the Prek Screening scheduled for next week will be postponed and rescheduled.  Pre-k Staff will call each candidate and reschedule within the next two weeks.  

​By now you have likely heard that all schools in Illinois will be closed starting March 17 and students are set to return on March 31st.  While we are still determining the expectations of this closure we are currently planning on using two emergency days on the 17th and 18th leading into our schedule spring break.  Those two emergency days will extend our current school calendar until June 1, with the last day of student attendance occurring on May 29th.  Graduation for HS will remain on the 29th of May and we anticipate 8th grade commencement will remain on May 28th.
Following Spring Break students will have work that will be completed at home starting on the 24th of March thru the 27th with an expected return to school on the 31st.  We are unsure if school closures will be extended at this time but please be prepared for such a case.  We will continue to offer information in regards to homework plans, school closure and other important services the district provides as we move through the week next week.
Thank you and please stay healthy.

PORTA Families and Community,
As a School District who has no indication of a Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in our community, it would be simple to only focus on our immediate issues and wait for what looks to be an inevitable case of coronavirus in the future.  Unfortunately, we are forced to have a much broader perspective in these unprecedented times.  During a meeting today Menard/Sangamon County School leaders met and discussed options available to help curtail the inevitable spread of the Coronavirus.  It became evident that a rapid increase of cases would very quickly overwhelm our medical facilities, as it has in Italy, if we are not willing to take action that limits the spread of the virus.  As such the rapidly developing circumstances of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may require changes to our usual practices, even if there are no known cases in our area.  Being prepared is of utmost importance for all of our families at this juncture.  If schools close for an extended period of time families need to have a plan for their children’s daycare.  Please plan and prepare for such an eventuality.
 
But if COVID-19 isn’t here, why should we change our usual practices?
 
Our greatest concern is not just about the threat/risk to individual students, but also about doing all that we can as a community to minimize the impact as a whole. This is best accomplished through something known as “social distancing.” Public health authorities advise that practicing social distancing is the best way to slow the spread of infection and prevent the challenges of providing care for many people being infected at once and overwhelming our healthcare system. More on this here:
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/10/21171481/coronavirus-us-cases-quarantine-cancellation
 
We need to be prepared:
 
With the rapid spread of the virus and its proximity to Springfield, we know from public health authorities, epidemiologists, and our own advisors that it is best to assume that the virus will eventually reach Petersburg and surrounding areas. Based on recommendations from health authorities, our district may enact temporary procedural changes, which could include restrictions on visitors to school buildings, possible cancellation or rescheduling of large gatherings or events, and even closing school buildings. Social distancing is an important component of pandemic planning, reducing the potential for exposure of the virus if found in our community. The decision to close schools is made with guidance from IDPH, ISBE, and our local health department. Even though, at this time, IDPH is not recommending closing schools, we need to be prepared.
If schools were to close due to circumstances related to COVID-19, we would first use the remaining two (of five) emergency days allocated to us. If closures were to continue beyond these days, they would be considered Act of God Days, and would not be made up at the end of the year if approved by the regional superintendent and the State Superintendent of Education.
If schools are closed for extended periods of time, the district would encourage continued learning activities as promoted by district and/or building leadership, including but not limited to e-Learning.
 
 
One last thing as spring break approaches
 
Any student or staff member traveling to a country rated under awww.vox.com/2020/3/10/21171481/coronavirus-us-cases-quarantine-cancellation level 2 or 3 travel advisory by the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html)  will be subject to a 14 day quarantine before returning to school. Please find more information on travel and a PORTA travel survey at https://www.portasuptsblog.org/superintendents-blog/traveling-for-spring-break-please-read-and-complete-the-enclosed-survey
 
We will continue to provide you with any new information we receive regarding this situation, or any changes made to our normal operations. We will contact staff and parents via phone and email, social media and website postings, and local media notification to report any important information regarding closures or cancellations.
We have heard from families who are seeking guidance on precautions, and we have heard from those who are expressing concerns. We all have a social responsibility to each other in situations like this insure the safety of others by being prudent in our decision making processes.
 
Wishing you good health,
 
Matt Brue
Superintendent.

​To our PORTA Family and Community,
 
PORTA Travel Survey

​Like so many of you, we have spent the last several days and weeks learning about the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), which has spread throughout China and to 71 other countries and territories, including the United States.
While there are no reports of COVID-19 in Sangamon/Menard/Cass Counties, our school district is preparing for the possibility that the disease could make its way to our area. The district already has many protocols in place due to the cold and flu season, which we will continue to follow, including periodic deep cleaning of high-touch areas of our building and playgrounds.
With spring break coming up, many of our families may have travel plans. If this applies to you, we strongly encourage you to follow these guidelines:
●Consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information for travelers who currently recommends avoiding all nonessential travel to China and South Korea. The CDC has recommended enhanced precautions for travel to Italy, Iran, and Japan.
●Closely monitor Travel.state.gov to review current travel restrictions from the U.S. Department of
State during this public health emergency. Anyone returning to the U.S. from mainland China is required to self-isolate for 14 days; this includes people with or without symptoms. These recommendations may be extended to travel from other countries with ongoing transmission of
COVID-19.
●Regularly check with your commercial airline carrier for changes to outbound and inbound flights.
●Consult with your health care provider or your school nurse before and upon return from travel outside of the U.S., particularly if you plan to visit an area with confirmed COVID-19 cases.
 
Please know that traveling into areas with confirmed COVID-19 cases could pose a risk of potentially being quarantined for a minimum of 14 days.  AS Such, we would ask that you complete our travel survey https://forms.gle/noJW19Cg1yYXxFwH9 so that we can be share information with local health departments in the rare instance one of our students or staff have come into contact with a COVID-19 virus carrier.
Updated information can be found at following links:
● CDC Coronavirus (COVID-19)
● IDPH Coronavirus (COVID-19)
● WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19)
● Sangamon County Department of Public Health
● Sangamon County Department of Public Health COVID-19 Phone Line (217) 321-2606 (Monday
–Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm)
If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call your healthcare provider or our school nurses, Brie and Stephanie at (217) 632-3803.  As we receive updates, we will continue to communicate and post information on the PORTA Social Media sites.
 
Stay safe and healthy,
 
Matt Brue
Superintendent

PORTA Students, Staff and Families,
Over the next few weeks all of our community will be affected in some way by the coronavirus that has entered the State of Illinois and the United States.  Currently, we have no active cases in Menard County and to our knowledge no staff, student or member of our school community has been in the presence of a known carrier of the Covid-19 virus.  As a school district, our goals for the next few weeks are:

1. To make sure our students and families are informed.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact your child’s school office, school principal, or superintendent.  
2. To spend extra time daily using disinfectant on student desks, door knob, bathrooms and other flat surfaces.
3. To implement an emergency plan involving E-Learning to handle any situations should the virus impact the State of Illinois and create a State-wide shutdown or specifically our district.  
4. To educate and remind students the proper way to wash hands, sanitize, and protect themselves   

The health and safety of our students is our top priority, so we want to share with you information that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has published for schools throughout the state. 
The good news at this time is that the health risk to the general public from coronavirus remains low. Currently, the IDPH recommends schools hold classes and events as usual, and follow routine cleaning and disinfecting procedures; no special measures are necessary.
The IDPH also recommends the best way to protect against coronavirus is by taking the same everyday precautions against getting sick in general. These include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

We will continue to closely monitor recommendations regarding coronavirus and will update you as soon as there are any significant changes in recommendations for schools. If you would like more information in regards to the COVID-19 virus the following link is a great resource https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.  Thank you for your support in helping to keep our school community healthy.
Sincerely,
Matthew W. Brue
Superintendent

As a preventative measure we will be sharing updates on the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and any advice that can be shared with our public to keep everyone informed and quell any rumors.

Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help stop the spread of rumors.For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 situation summary page.

Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity.People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American. Help stop fear by letting people know that being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19.

The risk of getting COVID-19 in the U.S. is currently low.Some people who have traveled to places where many people have gotten sick with COVID-19 may be monitored by health officials to protect their health and the health of other people in the community.

Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infection to other people.For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease situation summary page.

You can help stop COVID-19 by knowing the signs and symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Seek medical advice if you

• Develop symptoms

AND

• Have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

We are acutely aware of the impending weather projected for Wednesday Evening into Thursday Morning along with cold temperatures to follow.  If the weather projections come to fruition and we feel the need to cancel Parent/Teacher conferences we will plan on moving those conferences to Wednesday February 19th and Thursday February 20th.  In this case we will have 2 PM dismissals on those days and conferences will be held from 4-7 each evening.  If you have a scheduled conference time, that time will transfer to the alternate Parent/Teacher nights on the 19th and 20th.  We appreciate your flexibility and realize the importance of maintaining our conference meetings so our parents are well informed on student progress.  We will make a final decision in regards to moving the conferences early in the day on Wednesday February 12, 2020.  As always, we will monitor the weather conditions and make decisions about potential school closings as we always do and will report that information via social media, and our direct call system.

January, 2019
Fine Arts at PES
​


January, 2019:  Students are learning the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and how his legacy affects them today.  This unit of cultural, social studies based learning provides incredible opportunities to enhance student understanding through the fine arts standards.

Music Students listen to the words of Dr. King’s recorded speeches and then observe a performance of a choir that performs the song “We Shall Overcome”...putting the words of Martin Luther King into music.  Students identify thematic elements of music (as well as tempo, pitch, volume, etc.) and learn to perform this piece of music.
Music And Dance Students recall learned rhythm and use their bodies to create a steady beat to accompany the chanting and singing of some of MLK, Jr.’s speeches and music.
Drama Students watch a live actor reenactment of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech.  Students discuss the passion with which speeches are given that are meant to inspire.  Students brainstorm dreams...particularly dreams that young people can have to change the world.  Students then stand together to perform a “beat poetry” rendition of “I Have A Dream” using choral speaking and individual performing to speak their dreams as part of a poem.
Visual Arts Students use learned art elements of line and space to use filter paper to trace an outline of Martin Luther King.  The students work quietly, thinking of using their art as a statement.  Once they complete the outline silhouette they are free to use choice and expression to add detail with color, and encouraged to recall words from Dr. King’s speeches to add detail and meaning to their work.
 
*because this particular unit is related to a holiday and all grade levels are incorporating it into study - each class lesson was modified for age level to varying degrees of independence and student/teacher engagement.
​

​Latest Outbreak Information 
 

• As of October 15, 2019, 1,479* lung injury cases associated with-cigarette use, or vaping, have been reported to CDC from the District of Columbia, 1 U.S. territory (USVI), and 49 states (all except Alaska).
• Thirty-three deaths have been confirmed in 24 states: Alabama, California (3), Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia (2), Illinois, Indiana (3), Kansas (2), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota (3), Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon (2), Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. More deaths are under investigation.
  • The median age of deceased patients was 44 years and ranged from 17 to 75 years.
• Among 1,358 patients with data on age and sex:
  • 70% of patients are male.
  • The median age of patients is 23 years and ages range from 13 to 75 years.

o 79% of patients are under 35 years old.

• By age group category:
  • 15% of patients are under 18 years old;
  • 21% of patients are 18 to 20 years old;

• 18% of patients are 21 to 24 years old;
  • 25% of patients are 25 to 34 years old; and
  • 21% of patients are 35 years or older.

• To date, national and state data suggest that products containing THC, particularly those obtained off the street or from other informal sources (e.g., friends, family members, or illicit dealers), are linked to most of the cases and play a major role in the outbreak.
• All patients have a reported history of e-cigarette product use, or vaping, and no consistent evidence of an infectious cause has been discovered. Therefore, the suspected cause is exposure to a chemical or chemicals.
• The specific chemical exposure(s} causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping, remains unknown at this time.
• Among 849 patients with information on substances used in e-cigarette, or vaping, products in the 3 months prior to symptom onset**:

o About 78% reported using THC-containing products; 31% reported exclusive use of THC-containing products.
0 About 58% reported using nicotine-containing products; 10% reported exclusive use of nicotine-containing products.

• This complex investigation spans almost all states, involves over a thousand patients, and involves a wide variety of brands and substances and e-cigarette, or vaping, products. Case counts continue to increase and new cases are being reported, which makes it more difficult to determine the cause or causes of this outbreak.

 
 
What CDC is Doing? 

• CDC is working 24/7 to identify the cause or causes of this outbreak through partnerships with states and other federal agencies.
• CDC has activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate activities and provide assistance to states, public health partners and clinicians around the nation.
• CDC's Lung Injury response efforts are committed to:

• Identify and define the risk factors and the source for lung disease associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping.
• Detect and track confirmed and probable cases in the US.
• Communicate actionable recommendations to state, local, and clinical audiences.
• Establish lab procedures that can assist with the public heath investigation and patient care.

Dear Parent(s)/Legal Guardian(s):
 
For school year 2019 – 2020, the students will be dismissed every Wednesday at 2:00 pm for the purpose of early release time for teachers.  During this time, teachers will be engaged in continuous professional learning.  Teachers, paraprofessionals and administration will be engaged in data analysis, curriculum development and instructional strategies designed to meet the academic, social and emotional needs for ALL students.  The time our staff spends honing the art and science of teaching will ensure our students continue to meet and exceed expectations in order to perform at high levels.  
 
The decision to move ahead with regular early dismissals was not made without the understanding that the decision will likely inconvenience some families.  The Board debated this decision for several board meetings this spring with a final decision at our regular May meeting and put the calendar into action at our June meeting when the final 2019-20 calendar was available to Illinois school districts.
 
Frequently Asked Questions
 
What are early release days?
 
Traditionally, teachers have been isolated in their classrooms because time was not available for them to meet as an entire grade level, course and/or department.  The early release schedule enables educators to work and learn from each other.  Professional learning allows teachers to align, revise and develop curriculum, assessments and learning activities. The ultimate goal of professional learning is to improve student learning by teachers identifying best instructional practices and using them consistently. 
 
Currently, local districts that incorporate early release days into their school calendars are Ball-Chatham CUSD #5, Riverton CUSD #14, Springfield District #186, Tri-City, A-C Central and now PORTA . 
 
Why do we have early release days?
 
Education, like many other occupations and professions, is changing rapidly.  The district recognizes that in order to continue to focus on improved student learning to address our educational priorities and goals that time is needed for planning, collaboration, professional development and communication. 
 
Students will be dismissed at 2:00 pm each Wednesday to allow teachers, paraprofessionals, and administration to engage in planned meaningful activities for the purpose of improving student learning.  Such activities could include:

• school improvement planning
• review and analysis of standardized assessments
• district academic improvement initiatives
• grade level meetings
• cross grade level meetings
• curriculum development and assessment
• data analysis
• professional development
• problem solving meetings
• staff meetings
• group consultation, etc. 

 
All planned activities will be developed around building, grade and/or unit level student achievement data. 
 
Why does the District choose Wednesdays for all their Professional Learning Time?
 
When considering the different days of the week, the administration attempted to identify a day with the least number of conflicts throughout the school year.  Wednesdays are typically less impacted by holidays and have fewer athletic competitions and co-curricular activities scheduled that may conflict.
 
How will we know if Early Release Days Work? 
 
The District administration will evaluate the effectiveness of the early release programming and will report to the Board of Education at the conclusion of the 2019 – 2020 school year. 
 
The District’s mission: “Dedicated to providing the environment vital for student success” is consistent with the decision to implement early release time.  Making this commitment means that we recognize the relationship between professional learning time and improved student achievement.  The District appreciates your support of our educators and our students.  If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the district at 217-632-3803.
 
Educationally yours,
 
 
 
Matthew W. Brue, Superintendent

​Dear PORTA Family:
​
Every May, we celebrate and honor teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week for their commitment to our students. As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to an end, the PORTA Board of Education would like to take a moment to thank our staff and express our gratitude for your hard work and dedication. Teachers are the backbone of this district. You are the reason for our students’ success and it is your dedication to your profession and to our students that makes you so important.
You are making a difference in every student’s life by guiding them to accomplish whatever he or she may choose to do in life. You are truly amazing and continue to influence the world by educating our youth.
We know how hard you work and we thank each and every one of you for everything you do to create a better future for our students.
Thank you for teaching our students.
 
PORTA Board of Education

​Local candidates running for PORTA CUSD District 202 School Board will join us for an interview session at the PORTA High School Library. We invite you to attend our “Meet the Candidate Night” so you will  have the opportunity to meet the candidates for the Board of Education, have an opportunity to hear responses to a defined set of questions and if time allows ask specific questions of the candidates. Forum moderator will be Neil Gurnsey, Assistant Vice-President of Petefish Skiles and Company Bank. We hope our “Meet the Candidates Night” will give everyone the opportunity to be a well-informed voter, so please come out and hear what the candidates have to say about a variety of issues and how they plan to serve the PORTA District.
 
The PORTA Board of Education will have 4 four year seats and 1 two year unexpired term seat open for election on April 2, 2019.  Returning members of the current Board of Education include Robert “Toby” Turek who resides in voting district T18NR7W, which includes the City of Petersburg and Lake Petersburg and Jeff Smith who resides in voting district T18NR8W on his family farm West of Petersburg.
 
The current election will have two separate contested seats which include a 4 year seat in which returning Board Member Craig Reincke will be opposed by Chris Henderson, both of whom reside in the Petersburg City and Lake voting area.  The second contested seat is a 2 year unexpired term seat that was created with the resignation of Jason Burris in August of 2018.  Candidates running for the 2 year seat are Jeremy Garner and William “Bill” Shaub both once again from the City of Petersburg and Lake voting area. 
Other candidates running for 4 year terms include incumbent Kevin Bettis and Brandy Zanger who both reside in the T18NR6W voting district or more commonly known Woodland Lakes and East of Petersburg voting area.  The final candidate and newly appointed member to the Board is Jeff Schoneweis who resides on his family Farm in the Tallula voting area. 
When the PORTA District was formed through consolidation it was determined that no more than three Board Members could reside inside any one voting district, ie T18NR7W.  During this election there are only two seats open in the Lake/City of Petersburg voting district and as such Henderson and Reincke will effectively be running for the same seat, as will Garner and Shaub for the 2 year unexpired term.  All others running for the Board of Education are running uncontested. 

​Jeremy Garner

​My name is Jeremy Garner and I want to be a part of the PORTA school board.  I am employed by the State of Illinois Department of Corrections as a lieutenant for the past 22 years.  I have lived in Petersburg for 5 years and I am very active in the community by coaching youth sports football, basketball and baseball.  My wife is a kindergarten teacher at PORTA elementary. I have two children my daughter is a sophomore at PORTA and my son is in first grade. Prior to living in Petersburg, we lived in Chandlerville and I was a member of the AC Central school board for 7 years. While serving on the AC central school board I had to learn how to do more with less in this ever changing financial crisis the State of Illinois has created.  If elected to the PORTA school board I know my experience as a previous school board member would make a difference.  I do this for the right reasons, the future of the community. Your whole community will either prosper or fold depending on what your school district can provide for today’s youth and it is not going to get any easier with state unfunded mandates on our district. My son has 11 more years of school ahead of him and my hope is that this district can gain academically and athletically every single year he has at PORTA and every year beyond. I am also sure every parent or grandparent wants the same for their family. I believe as a community we can do it.

​Chris Henderson
​
I have been a lifelong resident of Petersburg where I live with my wife Angie, our children Ashton and Paige as well as my nephew, Carson.  I graduated from PORTA with the Class of 1998.  I attended Lincoln Land Community College and University of Illinois in Champaign studying Communications and Fire Science as well as completing the Advanced Firefighter curriculum.  For the last ten years, I have been employed by the American Tower Corporation, headquartered in Boston.  American Tower is one of the largest global Real Estate Investment Trusts and leading independent owner, operator and developer of wireless and broadcast communications real estate.   In the last four years I have been in the role of Site Operations Manager and Project Manager dealing with very large budgets where allocating funds is crucial to the financial success of the company. 
  I have been very active in the community over the years and support several organizations.  I have been a Firefighter/EMT since 2010 and currently hold the rank of Captain for the Petersburg Fire Department. I was humbled to be voted Officer of the Year in 2014, 2016 & 2018 by my colleagues.  I am also Vice President for the New Salem Shrine Club.  Past volunteer opportunities have included: member of the Menard County Rescue Squad and PORTA JFL Coach.  I am also an active member of my Church where I have been a longtime member.
  I am very passionate about volunteering in our community and hope to continue doing so as a member of the School Board.  Working together, I believe our efforts will ensure a better education for our children and in turn an amazing environment for them to flourish.  Building a prosperous future for the District should be paramount and the growth and success of our students as well as their families should always be our focal point.

​Craig Reincke                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 
Craig was born and raised on a family farm in Nokomis, IL. Him and his older brother helped raise cattle and were involved in the FFA. Craig was involved in Baseball, Basketball and Football receiving achievements in all.  Craig was also involved in a Building Trades program that built houses for the community. Craig and his brother spent a lot of time in the summer on the ITPA Tractor pulling circuit, traveling around Illinois attending county fairs. Tractor pulling was a big part of his life, we made it our business to run with the Big Dawgs in the sport. Buying parts to building tractor frames to re-building  WWII v-12 allison aircraft engines and being one of the youngest pullers to ever pull in the National Farm Machinery Show In Louisville Ky. We built and sold a tractors, engines, and parts all over the world. Craig was recognized for Modified Puller of the Year, Best in Show and Points Champion during the 8 years of dedication.
 Attended Lake Land Community College for one year with a major in Ag Business. Due to his father having a major injury he took over the responsibilities of the family farm for a couple of years before his Dad was able to get all healed up. Running a business just came natural, so after attending Lincoln Land Community College and achieving a Horticulture Certificate. Image Design and Landscaping was started in 2002.
Craig and Rachelle Reincke got married and not long after and blessed to have Krayon (13) and Kip (9). Making a business move to Petersburg happened about 8 years ago. Where we got busy building our business and volunteered in youth programs, coaching, community events, church and 4 years ago got elected to the Porta school board. In the past four years Craig has been able to get a better understanding of how the District is operating. Been involved with Teacher Negations (1), Building and grounds committee (4), fundraising and or corporate sponsor committee (3) and have attended Board Conferences to encourage and enlighten what opportunities might be valuable. Craig has also been part of the potential Menard County CEO program and is working with the community to help bring an Economic Development conversation (PREP) back into a public forum.
 Message from the candidate:
I would like to help our community develop a more unified Strategic Plan also like to help with Succession Planning for our District administrators by creating transition committees, teacher lead programs, and other ideas we need to be considering. I would like to be part of a unified Board that utilizes everyone’s strengths and wants to work together to unify and strengthen the overall direction of the District. I would like to help introduce different ways we can become more efficient as a community and continue to build on relationships we have all while exploring new opportunities that can be valuable for our youth.

​Jeff Schoneweis

​
I was born and raised in Tallula, Illinois, where I attended Tallula Grade School, and graduated from Porta High School in 1978. I then attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins Colorado for two years majoring in ag-business, finance, and marketing. I continue to farm in and around Menard County, striving to be a good neighbor, and steward of the land.
My wife works for the State Board of Education in the special education services division.  We have two daughters; one in the fourth, and the other in sixth at Porta Central.  Both girls are active in our PAA sports program, playing softball, soccer, and basketball of which I’ve had the opportunity to help coach. I am very proud that both girls are on the honor roll, which I attribute to the great teachers and staff they have had growing up in the Porta School system and Petersburg community.
We attend Tallula Christian Church, where I have previously held the office of Vice Chairman of the board, head of the property committee, and served as a deacon and elder. I am a member of the Menard County Farm Bureau, previously serving as chairman or the Young Farmer’s Committee.
I was appointed to the school board recently to fill a seat where a previous board member moved out of the district.  I’ve really enjoyed being on the board so far, getting to work with some outstanding teachers, principals, staff, and a great superintendent, who are trying to educate our youth.
I feel very strongly that our early education programs are vital to our children’s overall education. If the kids have not learned the difference between right and wrong at home at an early age, then they and their parent’s need to know that there are consequences to their actions at school. We can’t expect our teachers to raise these kids; that is the parent’s responsibility. We are paying our teachers to TEACH, not run a day-care. If we can’t do that because of school policy, then maybe we need to change our policy. Maybe we need to teach more common sense, and less common core.
I realize that not everyone agrees with my views, which is great, because we need a variety of different opinions to make good decisions as a board.  I feel we should work together, to get the brightest ideas, to make the best decisions, and do what is right the first time around. It’s a lot easier and less expensive to do it right the first time.                                  

Bill Shaub

​Bill Shaub and his family moved to Petersburg in the summer of 2015.  Bill works as a District Manager for Walgreens, his wife, Lindsey, is a substitute teacher for PORTA schools, his son, Trace is in eighth grade at PORTA Junior High, and his daughter, Tristan, is in fifth grade at PORTA Central.  Bill and his wife quickly became involved in the community upon moving here, through their church, school, and sports.  Bill has been active in working with the youth of the community though coaching and other school related events.  Most often, he can be found working with the football and wrestling teams.
Bill graduated from Lockport High School in 1997, and went on to play football for and graduate from Millikin University in 2002 with degrees in both History and Secondary Education. Bill and his wife Lindsey lived in Springfield after college, moving to Bourbonnais, IL in 2009.
Bill‘s active involvement and service to the community was instilled in him by his parents in childhood and has continued throughout his adult life. He has served on numerous boards of directors including The Kankakee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the Bourbonnais Bears, Riverside P.U.L.S.E., and Kankakee County Drug Court, of which he was elected president.
Before taking a full time position with Walgreens, Bill worked at Decatur MacArthur High School. Though he is no longer working in education, it is where his passion remains. He takes every opportunity to support the PORTA School District and its students. 
Bill would like to become a school board member as a means of further adding value.  His level-headedness and openness to learning new perspectives makes him an ideal candidate. He looks forward to continuing to meet members of this community, and helping to grow the list of our district’s accomplishments. 

​
Brandy L. Zanger, MBA
​
Born and raised in Quincy, IL, my husband, Mark Zanger, and I moved to Petersburg in 2002 to start our family.  We have a freshman son, Wolfgang, and an eighth-grade daughter, Ripley, both of whom are actively involved in the PORTA district.  I have worked with HSHS Medical Group for nearly five years, and I currently serve as an Outreach Representative with functional roles as a Practice Manager and Project Manager.  I have worked in the healthcare industry for 17 years, where I have gained significant experience in marketing, finance and management.
Aside from my family, I have two very definite passions - education and serving the community.  I have a Bachelor of Science from University of Illinois at Springfield (Chemistry major with a Biology minor) and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Benedictine University at Springfield.  While I am likely finished with my formal education, I consider myself a lifelong learner, and continually look for ways to broaden my understanding of various topics.
In high school and college, I was heavily involved in school and community activities, and I continue to be as involved as my free time will allow.  I have served as President of Town & Country Women’s Club, President of PORTA PTA (now PTO), Girl Scout Leader, Assistant Cub Scout Leader, Petersburg Girls’ Softball League/Petersburg Athletic Association Softball Coach, and I have volunteered at more school events/concession stands than I probably realize.  Each of these opportunities has been so fulfilling and I enjoy getting to know the people of our community through these activities. 
About two years ago, I attended my first School Board meeting, and I knew immediately I had a desire to serve in this manner.  As a Board Member for PORTA C.U.S.D. #202, I will serve our community by ensuring our students are receiving the best education possible while remaining fiscally-responsible for our tax payers.  I will also work to ensure the teachers, staff and administrators are given the support they need to provide an environment that is optimal for learning.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me (217-971-1146 or brandyzanger@yahoo.com). I would greatly appreciate your support at the April 2nd election.  

​We want to inform you that we are aware of the “Momo Challenge” that is circulating on the Internet and News media. The district technology department constantly monitors inappropriate content that targets our students to ensure that our students are protected from such information.  While many reports related to the “Momo Challenge” cannot be verified, we non-the-less want our parents to be vigilant in monitoring their children’s access to various apps and programs.
 
We advise parents to take the following precautions:
 
• Become familiar with the “Momo Challenge” and talk to your children about the dangers involved and remind them that “Momo” is not real.
• Remind your child/children that if they come in contact with a “Momo” video, they should tell their parents, guardian or another adult.
• Supervise games that your children are playing.
• Ensure that electronic devices are restricted to age-appropriate content.
• Be especially mindful of videos your children are watching on YouTube or YouTube Kids.  Seemingly, age appropriate video portraying nursery rhymes, songs and popular cartoon characters have reported explicit and dangerous suggestions for young children.
• Remind your children not to give out personal information online to anyone that they do not know.
 
As always, if you have questions or concerns please feel free to call your child’s building administrator to share any information you might have regarding this topic.
 
Thank you
 
Matthew W. Brue
PORTA Supt.