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