On June 23, 2020, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) published guidance for the transition back to in-person instruction during the fall 2020 semester. This guidance mandates, among other things, that during Phase 4, all Illinois schools serving Pre-K through 12th grade students:
- Require the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings;
- Prohibit more than 50 individuals from gathering in one space;
- Require social distancing be observed, as much as possible;
- Conduct symptom screenings and temperature checks or require individuals self-certify that they are free of COVID-19 symptoms before entering school buildings; and
- Increase school-wide cleaning and disinfection.
The ISBE is strongly encouraging that districts return to in-person instruction and has allowed each District to determine the extent to which this happens.
In anticipation of this guidance, since May, District administration, staff, and several other key stakeholders have been considering different scenarios for the re-opening of schools in August. The scenarios are as follows:
- We are not in school, and implementing remote learning for all students;
- We are in school with a blended hybrid of remote and in-person instruction, with social distancing and safety precautions in place.
- We open school with all students in attendance, all the time, while acknowledging a limited ability to social distance.
Throughout this process, our highest priority has been to ensure the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As such, we have conducted multiple stakeholder surveys, followed guidance from the ISBE, and meticulously planned and discussed for many weeks the best options and scenarios for returning in the fall. Through much deliberation, we are recommending a blended plan of remote and in-person instruction for the return to school in the fall. We will optimize student learning while minimizing health risks, by offering smaller class sizes, shortening the student’s day, and adapting models of instruction. We will meet the daily student attendance requirements with a combination of instruction and school work. Examples of possible learning activities are as follows:
- In-person instruction
- The teacher delivering instruction via recorded video or synchronous, live stream lessons
- Remote small group work via online conferencing or other platforms
- Independent/Flexible student work time
- Virtual/Telephone/Email teacher-student check ins
Our blended plan will divide students in every school into two groups based primarily on their last name. This will essentially create an “A” and “B” schedule for all students. Group “A” students will attend school two days a week and Group “B” students will also attend school two days a week. Wednesdays will be an all remote day for all students. District and building administrators will be careful to assign siblings to in-person days that align across all levels K-12. This blended model creates the flexibility to offer smaller class sizes and a greater ability to provide a six foot distance in the classroom. To the extent possible, we will also minimize student transitions by moving teachers between classrooms instead of moving the students.
We are still evaluating whether to permit families to choose an entirely remote learning option if they do not want their students to attend in person. Much will depend on the guidance provided by ISBE, IDPH, and possibly even the General Assembly. However, this remote option would likely not always align with the in-person hybrid instruction described above. We continue to discuss other options for our students with special needs or English learners’ who may need a more individualized attendance schedule.
There are multiple planning committees and teams working every week to finalize and fine-tune this plan. One of the District’s toughest challenges centers around our student transportation needs for thousands of Pre-K through 12th graders who will need to ride either a yellow bus or an MTD bus to get to and from school. We are evaluating staggered arrival and dismissal schedules district-wide to accommodate our transportation needs.
We will be adhering to the current ISBE requirement that everyone, including staff, students, and visitors to the buildings, wear a face mask while in school. We continue to discuss how we will meet the Phase 4 requirement for less than 50 people in one space while also maintaining a six foot distance whenever possible for lunch, hallways, classrooms, and more. We are developing procedures for wellness screenings for when students and staff arrive at school and prior to students getting on their school bus. We will follow all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) safety precautions for sanitizing and disinfecting our schools, classrooms, equipment, and supplies.
As you can see, there are still many additional details to be finalized, but the District is putting safety first, adhering to social distancing requirements, while continuing to provide high-quality education in as normal a school day as we possibly can. Please understand the guidance is continually changing, and we anticipate more changes as we approach the start of the school year. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to move forward with our planning work and we will share more information as it becomes finalized. Continue to stay connected with us via email, the website, and social media for more information.