D-86 Coronavirus: No Spring Break

HINSDALE, IL — Like everywhere else in Illinois, students in Hinsdale High School District 86 have been out of school for two weeks because of the coronavirus. They have been getting instruction remotely, known as e-learning.

Spring break had originally been set for the week starting this Monday, but District 86 decided Thursday to do away with it and continue e-learning. This will mean the last day of school is May 21, rather than May 28. The cancellation of spring break is the result of consultation with students, staff and parent-guardian leaders, Superintendent Tammy Prentiss said in a mass email late Thursday night.

Normally, the cancellation of spring break would result in furor, particularly from families with planned vacations. But across the country, most vacationers have canceled trips because of the coronavirus. And most of their favorite destinations are on lockdown anyway.

Illinois schools are scheduled to reopen April 8, but District 86 is operating under the belief that schools will remain closed beyond that date, Prentiss said. Based on this belief, she said, the district has been working with its teachers to shift to a long-term remote learning plan that will include grading. This Monday and Tuesday will be remote planning days for teachers.

Despite the challenges, e-learning is providing a benefit for students in this crisis, Prentiss said.

"A number of individuals have told us that e-learning is providing our students with a strong feeling of connectedness and sense of normalcy in the face of the COVID-19 crisis," the superintendent said. Based on the strict limitations and emotional challenges, the structure of e-learning "will be more beneficial for our students than a week of at-home confinement with very few outlets for managing stress and anxiety or options for engaging in self-care."

Read more:

Illinois Coronavirus Update: 19 Deaths, Nearly 2,000 Cases

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