Round Lake District 116 unveils reopening options
Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct Sharon Burger's title and her position on online learning.
Round Lake Unit District 116 officials say they are considering three reopening options for the new school year: in-person instruction with safety restrictions, remote learning for its more than 7,300 students or a blend of the two.
District officials met Monday during a virtual school board meeting to discuss the "Return to Learn" initiative, which includes education options being studied for the new school year and steps the district will take to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus between students and staff if in-person classes are held.
Superintendent Donn Mendoza said no final decision has been made, as he is prioritizing the concerns and choices of parents and their concern for safety.
Final measures are expected to be approved by the end of July. The first day of classes for District 116, regardless of the choices made, is scheduled for Aug. 17.
"This is a fluid, dynamic, and ultra-challenging process," Mendoza said Tuesday. "It is a very complex puzzle to solve. It is incumbent we put the best options forward."
District 116 is among many districts across the suburbs crafting reopening plans based on state guidelines that allow schools to operate starting next month in one of three ways -- entirely in person, fully remote or through a blended model.
Several districts are considering a hybrid approach, offering families a choice between virtual learning and in-person instruction with limited capacity and precautions. A few districts are returning to fully in-person or online instruction.
A survey conducted by District 116 showed 54% of parents in the district want their children to return to school in person this year compared to 46% of parents who do not. There is a larger consensus for remote learning and a hybrid method: 72% of parents support hybrid learning and 72% support full online instruction.
More than 70 comments were left by students, parents and faculty during Monday's virtual meeting. Comments and questions ranged from school safety to productivity in the classroom.
Sharon Burger, a library media specialist at Village Elementary School, spoke about the affect children will feel physically and mentally through this pandemic.
Burger, whose daughter attends Round Lake High School, said she supports remote learning to start the school year and that model should continue until Illinois reports no new coronavirus cases for 14 days.
"What kind of social and emotional benefit will they receive if they can't hug their friend, or hug their teacher?" Burger said. "I am not convinced it is safe for her to return to school, regardless of the smaller class sizes."
Under the District 116 options, hybrid plans proposed for elementary students are two days of in-person learning each week with remote learning three days per week. In-person class sizes would be reduced by half, roughly allowing an average of 12 to 13 students per class for the day.
Sixth- through 12th-graders would meet in person once a week and attend four days of classes virtually. In-person class sizes would be reduced to a quarter of the normal capacity, or an average of roughly 7 to 9 students in a classroom for the day.
Teachers would use the student information system Infinite Campus to record virtual attendance and track student engagement. Round Lake's Director of Engagement and Community Relations Heather Bennett said students should expect grading to be similar to normal school procedures.
The "Return to Learn" plan also outlines steps that will be taken to prevent the spread of the virus if in-person learning resumes, ranging from temperature checks to disinfecting classrooms throughout the day. Lockers will no longer be used by the students.