Lake Forest Schools Close To Limit Spread Of Coronavirus

LAKE FOREST, IL — Local public schools are closing classrooms and instituting e-learning for all students starting Monday in an effort to reduce the potential spread of the new coronavirus. The remote learning curriculum will remain in place until at least the week of April 5, according to administrators.

Classes are cancelled Friday as staff work to review remote learning plans. Students and their families will be allowed to pick up property and essential items, according to Superintendent Mike Simeck. After that, school buildings will be closed until further notice.

"We currently have no indication of the coronavirus in our school but are initiating our remote learning plan out of an abundance of caution," Simeck told District 67 and Lake Forest High School families.

The e-learning plan has been approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, according to the superintendent, so missed classroom time will not need to be made up in June.

"We will continue to follow [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and other epidemiological recommendations which support preventative measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in our community," Simeck told the school community.

Illinois Coronavirus-Related Cancellations, Closures Don't miss updates about precautions in the Chicago area as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

As of Thursday evening, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Illinois had risen to 32. So far, there was only one Lake County resident with a confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus first identified last year in Wuhan, China.

Simeck said he was unaware of any school or community member that had yet been diagnosed with the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health have recommended local authorities reconsider non-essential gatherings of large groups of people to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Gov. JB Pritzker called for the immediate cancellation or postponement of any events of more than 1,000 people Thursday. He strongly recommended any events with 250 people or more also be called off, appealing to the "civic, patriotic and humanitarian character of the residents of Illinois."

Related:
Events Over 250 People Banned As Illinois Coronavirus Count Rises To 32
Take Virus Seriously, But Don't Panic: Illinois Doctor
Dickinson Hall In Lake Forest Closes To Limit Coronavirus Spread

Other area school districts — including public schools in Deerifield, Highland Park, Lincolnshire, Evanston, New Trier and Northfield townships — have also announced the cancellation of on-campus activities and the implementation of remote learning. Municipal authorities in Highland Park, Northbrook, Glenview, Winnetka and Kenilworth and other communities have canceled non-essential public meetings. And Polling places at senior homes have been relocated and many North Shore senior centers have been closed until further notice. Senior citizens, along with people with pre-existing health conditions and weakened immune systems, are most at risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19.

More information about coronavirus prevention is available online from the Lake 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.