District 203 backs decision to begin hybrid learning next month

Weighing the risks of the COVID-19 virus with the potential impact of keeping schools closed has been a balancing act for Naperville Unit District 203.

Administrators say they have relied on the DuPage County Health Department, among other agencies, to help guide their decisions to date, landing the district in an enhanced e-learning phase roughly 10 months into the pandemic. But with local metrics and positivity rates trending in the right direction, Superintendent Dan Bridges said, the district is on track to transition next month into the third stage of its "Return to Learn" plan: hybrid learning.

"As we learn and understand more about how the virus is spread and how to mitigate it within schools, we can make different choices," Bridges said during a school board meeting last week.

The hybrid schedule is expected to take effect the week of Jan. 25 for kindergarten through high school students who choose in-person learning. An online-only option also is available for all families.

At the elementary level, students would be divided into two cohorts Tuesdays through Fridays, allowing half the class to attend school from 8:15 to 10:45 a.m. while the other half is assigned to an afternoon session from noon to 2:30 p.m., according to a Dec. 21 presentation.

Block scheduling will continue at the junior high and high school levels, where students are slated to return to in-person learning two consecutive days a week, administrators said. Time would be scheduled at the end of the day for small group learning, office hours, counselor meetings, college or career discussions, academic assessments and other student support services.

Students in specialized programs are expected to receive in-person instruction four days a week. Mondays will remain a designated e-learning day for all grade levels.

Livestream technology installed in each classroom serves as the "backbone of our hybrid learning model," allowing educators to blend in-person and online instruction, said Jayne Willard, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Independent learning opportunities also will be incorporated into students' schedules.

For months, District 203 has faced continued pressure from families criticizing the "Return to Learn" plan and advocating for in-person instruction. Parent AnnMarie Fetro was among those who addressed the board with written comments last week, expressing concerns that remote learning will leave kids with "irreversible damage."

"I am so disgusted and discouraged by this entire district and situation," she said. "My heart aches for my children and for this community."

But some commenters, including a few employees, urged the district to maintain its "adaptive pause" in the back-to-school plan. Washington Junior High teacher Tom Auld said the district should be "beyond cautious" from a health and safety perspective, while Naperville North teacher Amy Vogelsan said she fears offering a choice between hybrid and remote learning will further marginalize the most vulnerable students.

"Teachers will no longer be able to provide the same level of focused attention and care possible in e-learning when they are forced to simultaneously divide their energy between ... groups of students," Vogelsan said.

Board member Paul Leong also questioned the administration's plan, which he said does not align with the DuPage health department's recommendation to remain in a remote learning setting.

Though the county's transmission level remains at "substantial," metrics in the area and within the district are trending down, and increased evidence shows schools "do not appear to be a focal point of transmission," said Christine Igoe, assistant superintendent for student services.

Safety protocols are being implemented within each school to limit exposure, prevent the spread of the virus and ensure a safe learning environment, she said. Additional information is expected to be presented next week on a possible surveillance testing system.

"We now have more information about how to reduce the risk of the virus for both students and teachers, which informs our decisions," Igoe said.