Stevenson H.S. Closing Until At Least April 6

LINCONLSHIRE, IL — Stevenson High School has cancelled classes on Friday and will begin providing instruction online starting next week as school officials aim to safeguard the health and wellness of students and staff and prevent the continued spread of coronavirus, school officials announced Thursday evening. A tentative return date following the prolonged closure of the high school is April 6.

"While we know this is an unprecedented decision, these are unprecedented times. We are committed to following CDC recommendations and to do our part in taking preventative measures to mitigate the impact of this pandemic," District 125 Superintendent Eric Twadell said in a statement.

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Starting on Saturday, all co-curricular activities, including athletics, will be postponed or canceled until further notice and the school building will also be closed. Students will be allowed to stop by the school between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday to get items they may have left in their lockers, Twadell said.

Teachers will also return on Friday as they prep to move their curriculum online. The regular class schedule will be followed during the e-learning days and "teachers and students will be expected to be online and available to one another during the times when they would normally be accessible," Twadell said.

The E-Learning Days will run from March 16 through March 20 before spring break, which runs from March 23 to 27. School officials tentatively plan to resume on-campus classes on Monday, April 6.

"Closing the school reduces the incubation effect that occurs when 4,300 students and more than 600 adults gather in the school on a daily basis," he said in Thursday's statement. While the district has not been notified of any students or staff testing positive for COVID-19, Twadell said evidence has made it increasingly clear "that it is better for schools to close sooner rather than later to slow the spread of the disease."

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