Naperville District 203 'on track' to offer hybrid learning next month

Naperville Unit District 203 is on track to begin a hybrid learning model in late January as COVID-19 case counts and local health metrics stabilize, Superintendent Dan Bridges said in a letter to parents.

Positive tests among students and staff members, as well as transmission of the virus within schools, have been consistently low in recent weeks, he said, suggesting that "our mitigation strategies are working and that we will be able to provide a healthy and safe learning environment."

Elementary through high school students are being asked to choose between in-person and online-only learning by Tuesday. Families are expected to receive separate emails for each child this week, Bridges said.

The transition to a hybrid format is slated to begin Jan. 25, at which point all early childhood students also are expected to transition to in-person learning four days a week, he said.

A timeline presented during a virtual school board meeting last week indicated an enhanced e-learning phase will continue until winter break, which takes place Dec. 23 to Jan. 4. All students will learn remotely from Jan. 6-8, followed by two more weeks of enhanced e-learning, in which some targeted students receive in-person services.

"It is the goal again that working and learning remotely will provide time after the holidays to adequately monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms and help reduce the spread of the virus within our schools," Bridges said.

Detailed information about the hybrid model is expected to be presented during Monday's board meeting.