Parents Asked For Input On Dist. 123's School Reopening Plan

OAK LAWN, IL — Oak Lawn-Hometown Dist. 123 registered families have until July 16 to respond to a survey to gather parental and community input as the district continues to develop a return-to-school plan to be implemented within state guidelines. The survey is designed to assess parents’ concerns about sending their children back to school in the fall.

Illinois’ rolling, seven-day coronavirus positivity rate is about 3 percent, down from more than 16 percent earlier this year, but up 0.6 percent from the week of July 6. Other states have reported huge spikes in COVID-19 infections and some areas of the United States have rolled back their reopening plans.

The Illinois State Board of Education has tasked school districts across the state to choose and implement an instructional model, including a full return to in-person instruction, a blended/hybrid model of remote and in-person instruction, or 100-percent remote learning.

The D123 survey asks parents how they feel about sending their students to school five days per week for a full day of classroom instruction (8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.). Parents are also asked to rank scheduling options should the district determine it needs to reduce the number pf students in school, such as remote learning, alternating weeks of in-person instruction and remote learning, and half-day morning and afternoon sessions.

The survey also wants to know why families may choose NOT to send their children back to school for in-classroom instruction, such as immediate family members at higher risk for COVID-19 and students own underlying health conditions, such as asthma, obesity and other chronic health conditions.

Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines include symptom screenings and temperature checks; face coverings for all students and staff; closing schools to visitors and volunteers; cohort groups and an increase in school wide cleaning and disinfection. The guidelines also prohibit more than fifty individual from gathering in one space, and social distancing to be observed as much as possible.

Responses will be accepted up to July 16. Take the survey here.