Evanston Schools Close To Combat Coronavirus Spread

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston public schools will be closed from Monday through the end of spring break as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, administrators announced Thursday evening.

Evanston Township High School Evanston Township High School Superintendent Eric Witherspoon and Evanston/Skokie School District 65 co-Interim Superintendents Phil Ehrhardt and Heidi Wennstrom said their districts would implement e-learning plans.

With the exception of designated Election Day polling places, all buildings will be closed to students, staff, families and visitors until April 12. All school activities and events have been canceled until further notice.

District 65's interim superintendents said schools will remain open to students and staff Friday to allow more time for families to make childcare arrangements, but any students who do not attend will be marked as excused. E-learning at District 65 will begin Monday, and "a communication with specific information about what this all looks like will be forthcoming to educators and families soon." For students that do not have an electronic device suitable for the e-learning plan at home, administrators said there would be a limited number of laptops available for check out.

"We recognize that these are extraordinary circumstances and the hardship of closing schools that will be felt by many families. We are working to collaborate with city officials and social service providers to seek solutions to provide food, support, and care for students and families," Ehrhardt and Wennstrom told the . "This is an incredibly difficult decision yet it is being made with the health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, families, and our most vulnerable residents. We recognize that this will present many challenges in the coming weeks and we must work collaboratively to support one another."

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At ETHS: all on-campus practices, events, activities are canceled starting at 4 p.m. Friday. Monday will be a non-attendance day for students as staff prepare for e-learning, which begins Tuesday and runs through April 5. The spring break building closure will remain in place during spring break, and a deep cleaning and disinfection of the building will be scheduled, according to Witherspoon.

Witherspoon said the Illinois State Board of Education has communicated with the U.S. Department of Education about potential disruption to the spring testing window. In a letter to students, families and staff, he asked students and staff to check their email for more information about plans during e-learning days and not to call the high school.

"Any decision to reopen the ETHS building to students, families, and visitors will be made with guidance from public health officials," he said, promising further updates as details develop. "We appreciate your support during this challenging time."

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There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus first identified last year in Wuhan, China, among Evanston residents or at Evanston schools.

The closures and cancellations — along with recommendations for social distancing and rigorous hygienic practices — are intended to lesson the burden of the disease on hospitals and medical professionals and avoid the kind of overload of the health care system currently being experienced in Italy, which reported its first case of a virus about two weeks before the United States.

To limit the community spread of the virus, the CDC recommends frequent handwashing, regularly disinfecting commonly used spaces, avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth, and — most importantly — staying home when sick. A hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol is recommended if hand-washing with soap and water is not available.

More information is available online from the Cook County Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Residents with questions or concerns may also call the Illinois COVID-19 hotline at 800-889-3931, or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.