Palatine District 15 task forces making plans for students' return in the fall

With the state now encouraging school districts to resume in-person classes this fall, Palatine Township Elementary District 15 has six active task force groups planning for the 2020-21 academic season.

District 15's groups are exploring social emotional learning and mental health; technology and distance learning; health and safety; learning loss and recovery; workforce needs; and financial implications related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Superintendent Laurie Heinz said at a recent District 15 board meeting that she's been meeting with Director of Transportation Thomas Bramley on what busing about 10,000 students to school per day might look like in 2020-21. The health and safety group also is studying the busing issue.

Heinz said the district uses about 850 buses in a hybrid two-tier system.

"We're trying to figure out what social distancing will look like on a bus," she said. "How many kids can we get on a bus? Can we transport these 10,000 students and just have two start times or are we going to need to go to a three-tier model?"