Woodland District 50 to return to partial in-person learning on March 1

Students in Gurnee-based Woodland Elementary School District 50 will return to in-person learning starting March 1.

Under the model adopted by the school district Thursday, first- through eighth-grade students will have the option of alternating between in-person and remote learning. All students will be remote on Mondays, but students whose last names begin with A to L will be able to attend in-person the first week, and the rest of the students can attend in-person the following week.

Students may also continue to learn remotely as well.

There are no changes planned for students in kindergarten or younger except for changing the start of school so all students, remote and in-person, have class at the same time.

A detailed calendar of the new model is on the district's website, dist50.net.

The board in December approved a hybrid learning plan but did not set dates for a return. In January, the board voted to delay the in-person return for students until after spring break on March 29 to allow time for the staff to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to information posted on the district's website.

About 20 people including district parents rallied last Saturday in the snow to call for an accelerated in-person learning timeline. Some signs read "in-person learning is essential" and "hybrid needs to start now."

The original plan was for the majority of the student body to be split in thirds so students would spend one week in the classroom before two weeks at home.

Parents will have until Wednesday to request a change in their child's learning model.

In a letter sent to the district community Friday, Superintendent Lori Casey said the board's decision was informed by new data from federal and state agencies, an increase in safety mitigation measures and the fact that teacher vaccinations are now underway.

"I can't wait to see our students return and I appreciate your patience as we continue to navigate this health crisis," Casey said.

Among the COVID-19 mitigation strategies employed by the district are new air purifiers as well as the use of masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, regular cleaning and disinfecting, and contact tracing in collaboration with the Lake County Health Department.