Adaptive Pause in District 35

11/20/20
Despite the accomplishments and our community’s efforts during the opening twelve weeks of our year, as the holidays approach and COVID numbers rise, we expect our ability to safely and effectively operate our schools to be impacted. Therefore, after full consideration at our Committee of the Whole meeting last evening, we are proactively shifting to remote learning from November 30, 2020 through January 15, 2021. Click here to read the full parent notification.

COVID-19 Dashboard

Please visit the new section of the District 35 website where we are posting the weekly overview of our data review - COVID-19 Dashboard. While this represents a snapshot in time of the data, we continue to reflect upon the trends and are monitoring all factors as we make informed decisions about the learning model in our schools. The review of these metrics and consideration of the operations within District 35 must guide the sustainability of our in-person learning within our schools.

Parent Guide to Schoology

This year all our Kindergarten through 8th-grade students have been issued District 35 iPads and our teachers will be using several tools to streamline information and resources for students and families. Watch this short video for an overview of Clever and Schoology information on parent access to Schoology. Additional information on Schoology can be found in A Parent's Guide to Schoology.

If you need assistance accessing your parent Schoology account, please email edenk@glencoeschools.org.

Exclusion Guidance from IDPH

On January 4, 2021, the school guidance for responding to COVID-19 cases or symptoms was updated by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Our schools will work with the Cook County Department of Public Health to respond using the following criteria:

- IDPH Decision Tree for Symptomatic Individuals
- IDPH FAQs

If a student is sent home sick with suspected COVID-19 symptoms during a school day the IDPH guidelines also require that all siblings must also be sent home and quarantine until an alternative diagnosis is made or a negative COVID test result is received. Due to community transmission levels, if an individual is a close contact to a confirmed case or experiencing symptoms, documentation of a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test result is needed. Our school nurse will provide all information when a child is sent home. Our nurse will also remain in contact with the family to ensure appropriate next steps are followed to return to school.

Health and Safety Pledge

Our community’s shared commitment to health and safety during the COVID-19 global pandemic is a priority. As a community, we are connected. ALL families and students will be asked to read the expectations below carefully in order to understand the commitment we are asking of all school community members. We must work together to model healthy choices and show care for all in our District 35 community.

- District 35 Health and Safety Pledge

Reopening Plans

At our August 6th Board of Education Meeting, the School Board approved moving forward with the hybrid model for fall 2020. Please note that the implementation of our hybrid learning plan is contingent upon the Suburban Cook region's (region 10) health metrics maintaining a Phase 4 status and our local compliance with all protocols for safety. The data surrounding COVID-19 changes frequently and we will continue to monitor health guidelines to ensure a safe start to school. Our careful and measured approach to reopening will also allow the Board to thoughtfully consider a path to more in-person learning should all factors support this safely.

Our video of the Board of Education meeting slides and audio may be accessed here. In addition, our parents and family members are invited to review the presentations of our school-based Reopening Plans which were shared by our building principals. Please take time to review the building-based sessions to learn more details of our opening plans.

Kindergarten: Presentation Video
1st and 2nd Grade : Presentation Video
3rd-4th Grade: Presentation Video
5th Grade: Presentation Video
6th-8th Grade: Presentation Video

Each session was hosted to provide additional details of the protocols and plans with the schools. In addition, the District 35 FAQ document provides additional detailed information regarding reopening plans and procedures. Should you have specific questions about plans within your child's school, please reach out to your building principal to discuss specific details.

South School: Dr. Kelly Zonghetti
West School: Dr. David Rongey
Central School: Dr. Ryan Mollet and Mr. Eddy Kim

The 2020-2021 Planning Team

We share our gratitude with our 2020-2021 Planning Committee for their dedication to create scenarios to reopen our schools for in-person learning that comply with the guidance we have received from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In addition, our work has been grounded in the recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), CDC, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Our efforts brought together diverse viewpoints as our planning team included teachers, teacher associates, nurses, support staff, parents, additional community members, and our administration. Our focus has prioritized the health, safety, and wellness of our students, staff, and families. Click here to see the complete list of planning team members.

We are balancing the educational goals and the health/safety requirements for our school community. This includes the needs of our children and staff members across the three District 35 schools. In doing so, we abide by the following objectives:
• Provide a safe school environment for staff and students
• Provide an in-person learning environment to the greatest extent possible
• Ensure compliance with all ISBE requirements and alignment with CDC guidelines

Health Guidelines during COVID

It is our shared responsibility to ensure we practice good hygiene and maintain a healthy environment for our students and staff. The steps to mitigate risks and care for our students and staff may be found here. In addition, the detailed FAQ from IDPH contains the latest information on health requirements in the schools.

• Updated IDPH Health FAQs (updated 9/9/20)
• Travel Guidance from the Cook County Department of Public Health (updated every Tuesday)
• COVID-19 Surveillance Data (search by town)
• Region 10 COVID-19 Data

Review the IDPH exclusion document to consider when a student or staff member may return to school after exposure to COVID-19. All information reflects the requirements of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for schools.

- Criteria to return to school for non-COVID related illnesses

What will happen if there is a +COVID case in my child’s class?

1. District 35 will work with the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) to share information on all details (classroom setup, PPE in place, dates of attendance, etc.) and receive guidance on next steps. 2. All parents in the classroom will be notified and given additional direction on next steps. Determination will be made on shifting a class to remote should quarantine be required. 3. All families and staff will be notified of a positive case in the school (while abiding by all privacy requirements). 4. Enhanced COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting will occur in any impacted area. Our nurses will assist us in reviewing contacts and additional students/staff requiring detailed notification. We will work directly with the health experts at the CCDPH to determine any additional needs to quarantine, isolate, or close our school facilities. No such decision would be made without the guidance of our local health department.

What are the cleaning and sanitation procedures for all areas of the schools?

Our custodial team has been fully trained in new protocols for cleaning high-touch and high-traffic areas based on the CDC Cleaning guidance. In addition, all cleaning products have been reviewed and updated to ensure the potency for COVID. The cleaning routines within classrooms, bathrooms, and high-touch surfaces have been increased should we be in the in-person or hybrid mode. Within the hybrid mode, all classroom spaces will receive an additional level of cleaning of the high touch surfaces in the mid-day period. Students will not share desks or devices while in either the in-person or hybrid mode. In situations where a table or work surface is used by multiple students or staff, the surface will be wiped down using a disinfectant cloth in between users. In addition, the district is adding additional EPA approved cleaning multiple times each week throughout the schools. The same service will be utilized should additional cleaning/disinfecting be required in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.

What enhancements have been made to the ventilation in the schools?

Within District 35, energy recovery ventilator systems have been in place for several years based on the requirements for schools. There is fresh air brought into all learning spaces in all three schools. We will also promote open windows across all classrooms to ensure the highest level of fresh air is available throughout the school day. At West School, the building is almost exclusively ventilated by a dedicated outdoor air system with an energy recovery wheel with the geothermal system. At Central School, approximately 1/3 of the building is ventilated in a similar manner while the remainder of the school is provided with outdoor air in response to occupancy per the recommendation of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidelines with the geothermal system. South School is exclusively ventilated with outdoor air in response to occupancy per the recommendation of ASHRAE guidelines. In addition, the district staff maintain a rigorous filter replacement schedule in all locations. The current systems and replacement procedures have all been designed and supported by a team including HVAC specialists, engineers, and Environmental Services specialists.

How will you address the social-emotional needs of students and staff?

The social-emotional well being of our school community is a critical area to support as we welcome our children and staff to the new school year. We are committed to the following steps across District 35:

How else may I support my own child’s social-emotional wellness?

Please enjoy these resources from the Yale Child Study Center and the Child Mind Institute to help families foster resilience in the face of stress and adversity. • First Aid for Feelings During COVID-19 • Managing at Home Learning • Regulating our Emotions The following additional resources can support healthy conversations with your child about the pandemic and the changes in daily life: • Has Anyone Seen Normal? • Tools to Handle Anxiety around the Coronavirus • Lessons on Parenting through a Crisis

Will all remote portions of the day be via Zoom?

It is not our expectation that all sessions are hosted via Zoom. Our spring remote learning experience challenged us to rethink how we may maintain connections with our students. You may see Zoom, Loom, Flipgrid, and other online tools to support visual and auditory connection with our teachers. We all acknowledge our students and staff crave the in-person opportunity for learning and community. As we support our students and staff members to feel connected and safe, we have heard from all stakeholders regarding the positive value of live connections in these difficult times. During any remote portion, your child’s school day is designed to include a number of activities to access content such as reading, using online tools, researching, completing practice assignments, outdoor activities, watching educational videos, and creative experiences. Each grade level will have an assigned schedule with sessions to attend during the remote portion of the day. REMOTE 2.0 Should we require a shift to the Remote 2.0 across the schools, while ISBE recommends 2.5 hours of synchronous learning per day, we recognize this level of screentime is not appropriate for all learners. Students in Kindergarten will have 2 hours of synchronous learning available to them each day, while students in grades 1-4 will have 2.5 of synchronous learning available to them each day. Students in grades 5-8 will have a minimum of 2.5 hours of synchronous learning each day. The synchronous time will be spread across a child’s day, rather than continuous live screentime.

Is our school calendar still the same?

The Board of Education has approved the 2020-2021 school year calendar. Winter break and spring break are common across New Trier Township. Click here to view a one page listing of major events for the upcoming school year. Please note, this calendar now reflects the November 3, 2020 federal holiday for election day.