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U-46 now will start new school year with remote learning

Elgin Area School District U-46 is planning to start the school year next month with distance learning for all students, reversing an earlier decision to begin the fall semester using a hybrid model of in-person and online instruction.

After analyzing the results of a survey of parents and employees, district officials acknowledged there remains much apprehension about starting school in-person with lingering uncertainties over the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge in cases nationwide.

Superintendent Tony Sanders said the loss of a student or staff member as a result of the decision to reopen schools is unacceptable.

"Rather than flipping a switch like we usually do at the beginning of a school year where all the buses roll out of the transportation department, where every classroom teacher is back in a classroom, what I see this year going as is more of a dimmer switch," Sanders said. "We will remain predominantly in distance learning through the first quarter with schools bringing in students in much smaller groups in much more manageable sizes. In our planning, we continue to rely upon the guidance of federal, state, and local authorities."

Sanders said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois State Board of Education will be releasing further guidance for reopening schools this week, which may impact the district's plan.

"We recognize we must operate in concert with these agencies to best protect our students and our communities," he said.

More than 3,000 employees and 13,000 families provided feedback in the survey conducted last month. Staff members and families sought certain assurances for reopening schools, including strict 6-foot social distancing and limiting group sizes, the use of face coverings at all times, and clear protocols for communicating cases of COVID-19.

Nearly 40% of families said they would allow their children to return to school based on whatever safeguards the district implements. Roughly 31% said they would only allow a return to classrooms with strict 6-foot social distancing and possibly limiting the number of students in the building at one time, and mandatory masks. About 17% said they would only allow students to return once the state enters Phase 5 of its reopening plan, while 12% said they would not allow their children to return for any in-person instruction.

Among employees, 44% approved of returning to in-person classroom instruction, 34% said they would only return with strict social distancing, 16% favored returning to in-person classes only in Phase 5, and 5% were entirely opposed to in-person classes.

To reopen schools under the state's Phase 4 guidelines, U-46 must ensure everyone within a school is wearing a mask with rare exceptions, not allow more than 50 people to gather within a space, and require 6 feet of social distancing whenever possible. If the district can't adhere to that 6-foot rule, local health departments would require it quarantine any families that were in contact for more than 15 minutes at less than 6 feet. The district also must have a process for symptom screening and cleaning and disinfecting spaces, Sanders said.

“For these reasons ... we will start off with full-time online learning," Sanders said.

That will last through Oct. 9. During that time, access to buildings will be allowed for specific purposes, such as for lab work and Individualized Education Program requirements. Small groups of students will be brought in to acclimate them to what school looks like in the COVID-19 era, officials said.

Priority access will be allowed in small groups for English Language Learner, special education, early childhood and kindergarten students. The district also will work with Right at School and community partners to provide child care from its high schools, officials said.

Beginning Oct. 12, officials hope to move elementary and middle school students to hybrid learning, potentially allowing half the number of students in a school building at a time or on alternating days, and offering a combination of face-to-face instruction and online learning.

High school students would continue online learning with limited building access to small groups for career and technical education (CTE) programs, labs, specialized courses of study, and students needing interventions or supports.

"If cases continue to climb and we return to Phase 3, Phase 2 or Phase 1, we will be in all distance learning across U-46," Sanders said. "It is impossible to plan with any certainty beyond quarter one given the quick-changing landscape of this pandemic. It does not appear likely that we will be in a position to move to Phase 5 in the fall of 2020."

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