Joliet District 86 Students To Start School in Remote Learning

The safety of students and staff members remains the top priority in Joliet Public Schools District 86. With that in mind, after monitoring the continued rise of COVID cases across Illinois and reviewing updated data and guidelines, District 86 administrators have announced that all students will now begin the 2020-2021 school year in Remote Learning at home.

“This decision was not made lightly,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse. “We cannot risk the safety and well-being of our students and employees as the uncertainties of the coronavirus continue to evolve.”

The District emailed a letter to all parents and guardians on July 27 notifying them of the change. A copy of the letter is posted on the Joliet Public Schools District 86 website at https://www.joliet86.org/assets/1/17/Parent_Staff_Letter_July_27_2020_FINAL_eng_span.pdf?24032

The Joliet Grade School District will reassess the situation half way through the first trimester to see if they can safely transition into their Hybrid Learning Model for the second trimester. In the Hybrid Learning Model, student learning occurs both in the school classroom and through remote learning at home.

In the next few weeks, District 86 parents will receive student classroom assignments and schedules. ALL District 86 students (PreKindergarten through Eighth Grade) will receive a District-issued technology device to use at home for the school year. In addition, we will host a Town Hall Zoom meeting on Monday, August 3rd at 12 noon to share more details about this revised Back to School plan. Information on the Zoom meeting will be posted on the District website (www.joliet86.org) and social media accounts.

The first day of school for students is Monday, August 24, 2020. Joliet Public Schools District 86, the fourth largest elementary school district in Illinois, serves over 11,000 students from PreKindergarten through eighth grade at 21 schools in the city of Joliet.