D157-C Board of Education reviews Return to Learn Plan

FRANKFORT, IL — The Frankfort School District 157-C Board of Education reviewed a plan to reopen schools for the 2020-2021 school year at the Board’s July 15 special meeting.

The District is offering two different models that students and families may elect to follow — full-time in-person learning and full-time remote learning.

Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, which the state entered on June 26, allows for schools to reopen for in-person instruction. If the state were to regress to Phase 3 of the plan, all students would be required to shift to remote learning.

Families are asked to decide by midnight on Tuesday, July 21, their choice for in-person or remote learning for the start of the school year. If a student was to begin with remote learning, they may choose at quarter breaks to begin in-person learning. If a student was to begin with in-person learning, they may choose at any time to begin remote learning.

To proceed with in-person learning, families should complete online registration as normal. To proceed with remote learning, families should complete the remote learning form linked at www.fsd157c.org and return it to the District by midnight on Tuesday, July 21. To proceed with homeschooling, families must contact the school office to un-enroll their child as soon as possible. Homeschooling information is available here.

While schools are open, the District and all children and adults in its buildings will be required to follow safety measures required by the Illinois Department of Public Health, including the use of personal protective equipment, with mandatory face coverings; prohibiting more than 50 people from gathering in one place; requiring social distancing as much as possible; requiring symptom screenings and temperature checks or requiring people to self-certify that they are symptom-free before entering school buildings; and increasing school-wide cleanings and disinfection.

Prior to the July 15 Board meeting, the District sent out a survey to families. Approximately 53 percent of District families responded. Of the responses, between 85 and 89 percent of families with students in grades K-8 said their children would wear a face covering while at school, and about 65 person of families with preschool-aged students said their children would wear a face covering. Thirty-three percent of families indicated they need bus transportation, and 57 percent said they may be able to use other forms of transportation. Ninety-four percent of families said they would be willing to conduct COVID-19 symptom checks on their children prior to school each day, and 87 percent of families said they plan to send their children to school in the fall.

Any student attending school in person will attend for five days a week and must follow safety measures from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Students will be grouped to minimize exposure to people. Instruction will be provided in core classes and ENCORE classes each day, and modifications will be made to lunch, recess and extracurricular activities. Increased social and emotional support will be provided, and no field trips will be held until further notice.

Classrooms will be set up to promote social distancing, with students facing one direction. Hand-washing will be required frequently throughout the day, and hand sanitizer will be provided in all classrooms and common areas. Hallways will be marked to promote social distancing and encourage one-way traffic, with staggered passing periods. Locker use will be minimized, as students will carry their supplies with them in backpacks. Restrooms will be monitored to ensure students are social distancing. Outdoor social distance breaks will be provided throughout the day, during which face coverings can be removed. Additionally, cleaning and sanitizing will take place daily, in addition to comprehensive cleaning and sanitizing nightly.

Students will follow their typical schedules and will eat lunch in the classroom most days. Classes may rotate in the lunchroom, with no more than 50 people in the room at a time.

Parents will be expected to prescreen students, and staff will prescreen themselves for COVID-19 symptoms each morning before school. Students and staff must stay home if symptoms are present. These screenings will be done in the nurse’s office if the screening results were not reported prior to the school day. Each school will have an isolation room for students with COVID-like symptoms until they can be picked up. Nurses will maintain contact tracing absence logs and work with the Illinois Department of Public Health on absence trends, and the District will follow IDPH guidance when a positive or suspected COVID-19 case is reported. Medical confidentiality will be maintained and respected.

Buses will run regular routes, with a maximum of 50 people, including adults, on a bus. Students will be assigned a seat on the bus and must wear a face covering. For students being dropped off at school, additional time may be required for pick-up and drop-off due to volume. Students will enter through the door closest to their classroom.

Visitors will be required to have an appointment, follow IDPH guidelines and also self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to entry.

The District also surveyed certified staff and families about remote learning. Survey results indicated collecting and maintaining grades, summative and formative assessments, more professional development for technology, live instruction, and more teacher feedback are desired.

Any student who is participating in remote learning will be provided with a District-owned device and will engage in five hours of instruction five days a week. Families must provide internet connection, and parent/guardian participation is recommended for a successful experience. Students will be provided with live, teacher-led instruction each day, as well as pre-recorded video lessons and independent learning activities. Instruction and assessments will be aligned to grade-level content and expectations.

Looking ahead to the start of the school year, there are a few important dates coming up.

· Tuesday, August 18 – Virtual Meet and Greet

· Wednesday, August 19 – First Day of School for In-Person Learning for K-8

· Thursday, August 20 – First Day of School for In-Person Learning for Preschool

· Monday, August 24 – First Day of School for Optional Remote Learning

Future curriculum nights and parent/teacher conferences will be held virtually.

For more information about the Return to Learn Plan, families are encouraged to contact their student’s building principal. Hickory Creek Middle School Principal Tricia Dotson may be reached at tdotson@fsd157c.org; Chelsea Intermediate School Principal Doug Wernet may be reached at dwernet@fsd157c.org; and Grand Prairie Elementary School Principal Kirsten Frankovich may be reached at kfrankovich@fsd157c.org.

Additional information on the Return to Learn Plan is available on the homepage of the District website, www.fsd157c.org