Glenbrook District 225 adjusting to the temporary new reality of e-learning

When first-year Glenbrook North principal Jason Markey "hops into" a class to check it out, he can't hop too far. He might be accused of "Zoom bombing."

Seriously, of course, Markey knows what he's doing. The strange new world of remote instruction in Glenbrook High Schools District 225 is much less so after this spring and summer.

"Hopefully we're able to look back on it in a few years, or a decade from now, and say that we made the best of a tough situation and continued to provide as many experiences as we can for our students," Markey said.

While nearly each of the 38 phone messages from parents played at the Aug. 24 District 225 Board of Education meeting voiced a complaint, plans have been established to replicate an actual high school term as closely as possible.

"It's going fairly well for being in the pandemic state that we are," said Peter Bazianos, a senior who is Glenbrook North's Student Association Board President.

And the news just got better: An Aug. 28 email sent to families by the District 225 School Reopening Advisory Committee stated that, starting Sept. 8, the district will move into Step 2 of its reopening plan.

That phase, the email said, "will bring in several hundred students, divided up into cohorts, meeting in the morning or afternoon, and on alternating days."

To be determined by Student Services, the email stated students returning to campus will be those "with and without disabilities, who have identified support needs in the areas of attendance, grades, interventions, social/emotional well-being, medical, or academic supports."

Step 3 is a hybrid schedule; Step 4 is in-person instruction for all students. Further Advisory Committee updates will be issued Sept. 25, Oct. 9 and Oct. 23.

"The thing we don't want to do is go to a hybrid (system) and open and then have to close for two weeks," said Dr. Rosanne Williamson, District 225 assistant superintendent for educational services.

Under a more rigorous academic environment in which, unlike last spring, students' grades can go down rather than remain static or improve, teachers have made use of Zoom breakout rooms to enhance classes.

As additional security measures have gotten a handle on the "Zoom bombing" phenomenon, and students are now required to show their faces after some summer school attendees would seemingly disappear.

The amount of screen time students withstand to remains a concern.

A possible remedy is a maximum of 30 minutes of lecture per class, Williamson said, and strategies that include simply getting up and walking around.

"We know physical movement improves student engagement," she said.

Bazianos, working with broadcasting students to produce a Glenbrook North "Loyalty Day" video in time for a remote assembly Sept. 4, makes sure he has plenty of water on hand to sustain body and mind. To combat eye strain he'll focus on distant items for 20 seconds at a time.

Williamson also emphasized the need for student engagement, particularly for freshman new to the school.

In addition to popping into classes, Markey on Aug. 28 visited homes to hand out school spirit wear. Glenbrook North assistant principal Mike Tarjan, who oversees student activities, has been busy with that.

"The focus is trying to create a culture where the kids want to be together, sometimes in person, sometimes not," Tarjan said.

He said auditions have been held for pompons, Orchesis dance, the fall play - "The Laramie Project" - and students have gotten going on "One Act" plays. The first "Spartan of the Week" was held Aug. 28, and a virtual activities fair will be held Sept. 18. Some clubs have met after school on campus, socially distant and wearing masks.

"I know this is a challenge not just for our staff and students but for families as well," Tarjan said. "I'm so happy that I'm in a school where our staff and students have such a great relationship where we can collaborate, brainstorm and find a way to make the best lemonade out of lemons."