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St. Charles schools going all remote starting next week

Because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in Kane County, St. Charles Unit District 303 announced Monday night that all its students will learn remotely starting next Monday and continue through the winter break.

The announcement came after a lengthy discussion at a board committee meeting, where Superintendent Jason Pearson said he had received a recommendation from the Kane County Health Department to pause in-person learning for two weeks.

Pearson said he didn't want students and staff switching back and forth between remote and in-person learning, prompting the decision to suspend in-person learning through the end of the semester.

"Today was the first time that I have ever heard (Kane County Health Department Executive Director Barb Jeffers) say we really need to take a pause," Pearson said. "I just want to mention that because I do feel like she's been very supportive of us being open. But she does feel like we're reaching a critical mass in the number of people in the community that are experiencing COVID cases."

According to the District 303 online COVID-19 dashboard, there have been 280 total cases among students and staff members since the start of the school year, including 116 confirmed cases the last two weeks.

Elementary school students have had in-person learning since the start of the school year while middle-school students have been in a hybrid model. High school students entered a hybrid model last month after beginning the school year all remote.

In a letter sent to District 303 families after Monday's meeting ended, Pearson and Nicholas Manheim, the school board president, said the goal is to return to in-person learning at the start of second semester for families that choose that model.

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