Evanston-Skokie Community Consolidated School District 65 issued the following announcement on May 11.
Dear District 65 Community -
As we continue our preparation for the 2021-22 school year, I wanted to provide an important planning update and action item for some of our parents/caregivers. We are excited for the opportunity to welcome students and staff back for a full return to in-person learning. This includes five full days of live instruction at all grade levels. Students will have live instruction in all classes including fine arts, library, and PE. Middle school students will return to a traditional schedule of changing classes throughout the day.
Health and safety measures will remain a priority and will be aligned to the latest recommendations and guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This includes masking, social distancing (3ft during day; 6ft during meals), daily health certification, enhanced cleaning, and other safety measures. Our team is currently reflecting on success and challenges to ensure continuous improvement.
VIRTUAL LEARNING PATHWAY INTEREST FORM (DUE MAY 28)
The District is prioritizing in-person learning while recognizing that there may be some students who may be unable to return for various reasons. Today we opened an eform in SISK12 that will allow us to refine our planning efforts and better understand the number of families who are interested in virtual learning next school year. Families who believe this option may be best for their child(ren) are encouraged to review our Virtual Pathway At-a-Glance document which contains very important information to consider in your decision-making.
The District’s goal is to allow for parental choice of learning pathway to the greatest extent possible. If demand for virtual learning exceeds the district's ability to ensure adequate staffing (for both pathways), high quality programming and services based on student need, or class size guidelines, it may be necessary to prioritize seats based on medical need as documented in a 504, IEP, or student health plan. We will know whether or not this is necessary based on the level of response to the interest form.
The Virtual Learning Pathway Interest Form will be open through May 28, at 11:59pm and must be completed via the SISK12 Parent Portal (view instructions in English and Spanish). Please note that it is only necessary to complete this form if you are interested in the virtual learning program for your child next school year. If you would like your child to return in-person, there is no action needed. If this form is not completed by the deadline, students will be scheduled to the in-person learning pathway this fall. If you have technical questions about the virtual learning pathway interest form, please contact parents@district65.net. General questions may be directed to your child’s principal.
Next Monday, May 17, our leadership team will present a comprehensive overview of our 2021-22 return plans as part of the Regular School Board Meeting beginning at 7pm. Due to capacity guidelines for in-person gatherings, we encourage tuning into the livestream of the meeting. The meeting will be recorded for later viewing. I believe this presentation will answer many outstanding questions. We also look to host an upcoming community forum on the virtual learning pathway. More details will be forthcoming.
We are investing a great deal of time and resources in preparing for a smooth transition and return this fall - one that focuses on mental health, safety, and a high quality teaching and learning experience for all students and staff. Please stay tuned for more information. Thank you for your continued support.
Best,
Devon Horton
Superintendent
Original source can be found here.
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