D-205 Remote Learning May Come Back – On Snow Days

ELMHURST, IL – Many families in Elmhurst School District 205 made their views clear about remote learning during the pandemic: They opposed it.

They preferred traditional, in-person education.

Now, the district is considering returning to remote learning on snow days. During a snow day in February, the district closed entirely, with no remote instruction.

At Tuesday's school board meeting, officials presented a plan for remote learning when bad weather happens.

Interim Associate Superintendent Scott Grens made one thing clear – the use of remote learning would be few and far between.

"This would be a rare, rare, rare option for us," Grens told the board. "It is another tool in the shed that would be utilized in the event of circumstances such as a possible polar vortex or another potential inclement weather situation that would cause us to be unable to go to the in-person school that we love in this district. Again, the emphasis here is on the rarity."

He called the option "rare" twice more in his presentation.

Nick Stoyas, director of instructional technology, said students without internet success would not be counted as absent during snow days.

At the same time, he said the district has more than 250 Wi-Fi spots available for students.

The board is expected to vote on the remote learning plan for snow days at a later meeting.