2020-21 District 58 Instructional Model

This page currently reflects 2020-21 school year information. Please click here for the 2021-22 Instructional Plan.

Updated: April 7, 2021 District 58 is pleased to offer students a full day of instruction! Currently, 87% of students attend onsite instruction, and 13% participate in the District's full remote option.

This plan is based on guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and DuPage County Health Department (DCHD). In order to be consistent with the guidelines, this plan maximizes educational opportunities while keeping the safety and well being of our students, staff and families as the number one priority.

Currently, District 58 is implementing a full day of instruction for all students. Should the District need to shift to a Hybrid or Full Remote Learning environment, the District would promptly communicate this update to staff and families. Unless circumstances require the District to immediately shift learning models, we aim to provide staff and families with one-week's advance notice of any learning model shifts.

Health Guidance

The District works in tandem with the DCHD and the IDPH in monitoring COVID-19 transmission rates. District 58 considers many factors when deciding whether to keep schools open or move to a hybrid or fully remote learning environment. Some of the main factors considered include:

Is COVID-19 spreading in our schools?
Although COVID-19 cases have been reported in District 58, through contact tracing we have determined that the virus is currently being transmitted outside of our schools. At this time, we have no documented cases originating in the District. Please note, the District is not stating that this will never take place. There is no risk-free environment during the pandemic. However, we believe that the health and safety precautions we have instituted in our classrooms are helping mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in District 58 schools.

Is COVID-19 causing a significant disruption in our schools?
District 58 follows strict isolation and quarantine requirements for all individuals who test positive for COVID-19, who are close contacts to a confirmed or suspected positive COVID-19 case, and who display symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Therefore, when the numbers of quarantined students and staff grow, it can disrupt the District's ability to appropriately and safely staff its schools and coordinate temporary remote learning schedules. If a disruption grows beyond the District's capabilities, the District must return to a fully remote learning environment. This is what occurred for two weeks in November 2020.

What are the local COVID-19 metrics?
District 58 uses Northwestern University’s COVID-19 tracker to determine local COVID-19 metrics, as well as the Illinois Department of Public Health's COVID-19 data to review county, region and state COVID-19 transmission levels.

Is our community practicing safe behavior?
Ultimately, we can only provide safe in-person instruction if our entire community follows the 3Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance (keep 6 feet of distance from others at all times). Please follow this guidance both at school and outside of school. Our students and staff are engaging in safe behavior while at school, and we hope this behavior is continuing at home.

Here is District 58's Coronavirus Resource Toolkit, which includes county and state metrics; steps to take if your child may have COVID-19, a list of local testing sites; and more.

Our Goals

Keep our students and employees safe in accordance with the ISBE and IDPH guidelines.
Adhere to the ISBE and IDPH guidelines to return students to schools using a hybrid approach of in-person instruction and online asynchronous learning .
Provide families an option for full remote for those who choose to opt out of the hybrid model
Make decisions based on objective information provided by scientific, public health, and medical experts at the IDPH and DCHD.

In our planning, we continue to focus on providing an environment that is caring, supportive and compassionate, with the understanding that the health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and community is our highest priority. However, it is critical to acknowledge that there is no perfect instructional scenario during a pandemic; any potential instructional model requires us to sacrifice some element(s) of educational best practice. However, our experience during remote learning and Transition Days show us that students can thrive in these settings. We recognize that it is our responsibility to consistently make clear, thoughtful decisions that continue to appropriately challenge our children academically while meeting their needs.

Communications and Transparency

Dashboard

The District publishes a Dashboard that provides the community with information on positive and possible cases of COVID-19. View the Dashboard.

Communications about COVID-19 and Remote Learning in the District

Full Day Instruction Overview

New Schedule Beginning April 7:

Preschool Schedule: No change to the current schedule

Blended Sessions: 8:15-9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., 1:15-2:45 p.m.
Special Programs: 8:15-10:30 a.m., 12:30-2:45 p.m.

Full Day Elementary Schedule:

A.M. Kindergarten: 8:20-10:50 a.m.
P.M. Kindergarten: 12-2:30 p.m.
Grades 1-6: 8:20 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Full Day Middle School Schedule:

8:30 a.m.-2:20 p.m.
2:25-3:00 p.m.: Band/Choir/Orchestra

Full Day of Instruction Safety Mitigation Measures

The mitigation measures we have in place are working and there is no evidence of transmissions of COVID-19 that have occurred due to attendance at our schools. When students return following Spring Break, IDPH and ISBE recommended mitigation measures will remain in place. These include:

Social distancing of 3-6 feet will be maintained in all classrooms and indoor spaces.
District 58 will strive to provide 6 feet as much as possible. However, there will be spaces that are less than 6 feet. All spaces will be in accordance with the guidance, and families will be informed if their students’ instructional spaces are less than 6 feet of distance between students.
The IDPH and ISBE still defines a close contact at 6 feet of social distance. This means that District 58 may see an increase in close contacts at school. For example, if a student test positive for COVID-19 and is seated less than 6 feet from classmates, those classmates will be required to complete a quarantine.
Face coverings must be worn indoors at all times (except while eating).
Six feet of social distancing will remain in place for all times when face coverings are removed (including eating and outdoor mask/movement break).
Enhanced cleaning procedures of surfaces will continue to be followed.
Hand-washing/sanitizing will be encouraged throughout the day.
Quarantine/Isolation protocols will be followed based on ISBE guidelines.

Lunch at School

Designated spaces will be used for eating (this will include classrooms, gyms, and other areas).
Students will be seated six feet apart during lunch periods.
District staff will carefully plan with all families regarding health plans (i.e. food allergies).

Daily Health Self-Certification

Parents should continue to complete the daily health check of their student(s) to screen for any COVID-like symptoms.
Students should stay home if any symptom is present.

Transportation

Bus capacity will continue to be limited to 50 individuals, including the driver, per the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education guidelines.
Parents are encouraged to transport their children if possible to reduce the number of bus passengers.
Social distancing on the bus may not be possible depending on the number of passengers.
Masks must be worn at all times on the school bus.
No food or drink may be consumed on the school bus.
Bus routes will remain the same and new times will be sent out by the building principal.

Student Quarantine/Isolation

If a student is identified as a close contact to a positive case, he/she will need to quarantine for the required 14 days. Please refer to the Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools for quarantine/isolation procedures.

Hybrid Learning Overview

District 58 is not currently in a hybrid learning model.

Preschool – three time options, onsite 1 hour and 30 minutes with some asynchronous instruction
Kindergarten – half-day onsite for either morning or afternoon instruction 5 days/week; no asynchronous instruction
Grades 1-6 – half-day onsite for either morning or afternoon instruction 5 days/week; additional asynchronous instruction
Grades 7-8 – onsite instruction alternating days (2-3 days per week); asynchronous instruction

On-site and Asynchronous Instruction

Students will be grouped into cohorts so as to minimize movement in school during onsite learning.
Teachers will move among classrooms so as to minimize student movement.
Siblings will be scheduled, when possible, for the same days/times for onsite learning.
Students will continue to receive special education services, accommodations, modifications and supports.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) will be prioritized in general education classrooms with a shared focus with academics.

Transition from remote learning to hybrid model and full remote

Our goal in moving to the next phase is to provide robust in-person instruction, both onsite and offsite (called Hybrid Plan), and an equally robust Full Remote plan. In providing these two options we want to minimize disruptions for students and families and at the same time ensure that class sizes are small in order to accomplish social distancing needs. However, depending on the numbers of students enrolled in each model (Hybrid or Remote), it may potentially be necessary to change some teacher/classroom assignments so that numbers in classrooms are balanced. The impact of these changes will be minimized through grade level consistency, thoughtful planning and continued grade level team collaboration. In the event an assignment does change, we know that our staff will build relationships within new classes and that these relationships will emerge as strong and supportive of all students. The District will make every effort to keep current assignments to the greatest extent possible.

Preschool Hybrid Model

Blended Preschool Schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Morning session: 8:15-9:45 a.m.
Midday session: 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Afternoon session: 1:15-2:45 p.m.

* Asynchronous activities will also be offered.

Special Programs PreK DLP & RISE Schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Morning session: 8:15-10:30 a.m.
Afternoon session: 12:30-2:45 p.m.

* Asynchronous activities will also be offered.

Key elements of preschool:

The preschool start and end times are staggered to support families who will need to drop off students in multiple schools during their day. We will work to accommodate family preference for AM, Midday or PM slots as much as possible.
Class sizes will remain small and students will be assigned to an instructional area (this could be a desk, yoga mat, table or other clearly identified space). Students will be spaced 6-feet apart (no matter the class size).
We will work with students to ease the natural anxieties students feel as they transition to an onsite environment. We will creatively teach student-friendly ways to maintain 6-foot distancing, mask wearing, washing and disinfecting hands and other health and safety guidelines.
Classrooms will be cleared of non-essential furniture to allow for greater spacing.
Students in blended preschool classrooms will be onsite for 90 minutes. We will not be implementing snack time during our instructional day. Instead, a healthy snack will be available to be sent home with students for families who wish it. If your child has a medical condition that requires a nutrition break as a part of their IEP or health care plan, the staff will support a supervised and safe location for food consumption.
The hour between classes will allow for cleaning and disinfection of the room. Student materials will be individualized and any shared materials will be sanitized thoroughly between uses.
Mask breaks will occur outside when weather permits. Tents have been provided at each school to offer cover in inclement weather and to provide shade.
Hallways will be labeled to indicate traffic flow (when needed) and ensure distancing.
Building-specific procedures will be implemented for arrival and dismissal of students to ensure that distancing is maintained and entry protocols are able to be followed.
Building-specific restroom procedures will be implemented to minimize capacity and traffic.

Kindergarten Hybrid Model

District 58 is not currently in a hybrid model.

Kindergarten schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Morning session: 8:20-10:50 a.m.
Afternoon session: 12:20-2:50 p.m. (Bus only provided in PM session)

* No formal asynchronous instruction will be delivered

Key elements of kindergarten

Due to critical space constraints at Lester and Highland, Lester kindergarten students will attend school at Pierce Downer; Highland kindergarten students will attend Belle Aire. Transportation will be provided for these students.
Class sizes will remain small and students will be assigned to an instructional area (this could be a desk, yoga mat, table or other clearly identified space). Students will be spaced six-feet apart (no matter the class size) and non-essential furniture has been removed to allow for greater spacing.
We will work with students to ease the natural anxieties students feel as they transition to an onsite environment. We will creatively teach student-friendly ways to maintain six-foot distancing, mask wearing, washing and disinfecting hands and other health and safety guidelines. The hour between sessions will allow for cleaning and disinfection of the room.
Students will not share supplies or materials. Students will bring a backpack each day containing their own supplies and those supplies will not be shared and students will return them to their backpack, which they bring home at the end of the day.
Mask breaks will occur outside when weather permits. Tents have been provided at each school to offer cover in inclement weather and to provide shade.

Elementary Grades 1-6 Hybrid Model

District 58 is not currently in a hybrid model.

Grades 1-6 schedule
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Morning session: 8:20-10:50 a.m.
Afternoon session: 12:20-2:50 p.m. (Busing for PM only)

Key Elements of Grades 1-6

Students will attend 5 days per week for 2.5 hours in either the morning or afternoon. Offsite instruction (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction) will take place opposite onsite attendance (i.e., if a student attends onsite in the afternoon, there will be offsite instruction in the morning)
Groups are assigned based on a number of factors, including siblings, transportation needs and academic needs. Because of the complexity of creating student groupings that can accommodate the wide variety of student needs, students will be assigned into groups that are AM or PM. If there are extenuating circumstances, we will work with families individually.
Students will generally remain in their classrooms throughout the day so that movement within the schools is minimized.
Class sizes will remain small and students will be assigned to an instructional area (this could be a desk, table or other clearly identified space). Students will be spaced six-feet apart (no matter the class size) and non-essential furniture has been removed to allow for greater spacing.
Onsite and synchronous time will include mathematics, English-language arts, and social emotional learning. The offsite portion of the day will include asynchronous learning in addition to specials (art, music, P.E., library skills) delivered synchronously. Science and social studies instruction will continue to be a part of our instructional day, and may be part of onsite or offsite instruction depending on the specific units of study.
We will work with students to ease the natural anxieties students feel as they transition to an onsite environment. We will creatively teach student-friendly ways to maintain six-foot distancing, mask wearing, washing and disinfecting hands and other health and safety guidelines.
The asynchronous instruction will look different than it has during remote learning because when students are in the onsite portion of the day, teachers will be instructing their morning or afternoon group of students.
Students will not share supplies or materials.

Snacks, Lunch and Recess

Because of the shortness of the onsite day, snacks and lunch will not be built into the 2.5 hour onsite day. If your child has a medical condition that requires a nutrition break as a part of their IEP or health care plan, the staff will support a supervised and safe location for food consumption.
Students may bring water bottles to school. Water fountains will be turned off but bottle fillers will remain open.
Mask and movement breaks can occur outside when weather permits. Tents will be provided for inclement weather.

Middle School Hybrid Model Grades 7-8

District 58 is not currently in a hybrid model.

Alternating day model with an 8-period day from 8:30 a.m. and 1:05 p.m.
Asynchronous instruction occurs for the remainder of the day (after a lunch break)

7th grade:

Attends onsite Monday, Wednesday, every other Friday
Attends offsite (remotely) Tuesday, Thursday, every other Friday

8th grade:

Attends offsite (remotely) Monday, Wednesday, every other Friday
Attends onsite Tuesday, Thursday, every other Friday

Key Elements of Grades 7-8

Students will be grouped into cohorts and content teachers will rotate through classrooms for onsite instruction.
There will be 30 minute class periods. Students will still continue to have approximately one hour of asynchronous work at the conclusion of the schedule.
The creation of student cohorts will cause a change in schedule for students and teachers. This one-time change will allow the District to maintain cohorts if there is a need to transition into full remote learning in the future.
Students will be assigned to a desk or table and students will be spaced six-feet apart.
Lockers will not be utilized at school. Students will carry and use their own supplies in all classes. Students are encouraged to utilize backpacks to transport their materials to and from school.
For PE students will not be required to change clothes nor utilize the locker room for PE. They will also not use any shared equipment. PE may be held outside, weather permitting.
Transportation (busing) will be available to those who qualify.
Band, Choir and Orchestra will be offered.

Snack, Lunch, Mask breaks

Lunch will not be held. A snack break will be scheduled during Homebase with appropriate hygiene measures followed, including remaining in their seats.
Students may bring water bottles to school. Water fountains will be turned off but bottle fillers will remain open.
Students will also have opportunities in PE to go outside and take off their mask while remaining at a 6 foot distance outside.

Full Remote Option

A Full Remote option is offered at every grade level preK-8th grade. The Full Remote option will be taught by District 58 teachers using the District 58 curriculum. At the middle school level, offsite/remote instruction will follow the same 8-period schedule as the onsite day.

The asynchronous time will be structured differently than in our current remote plan as teachers will be working directly with students onsite throughout the day. This arrangement provides more synchronous or live instruction than our current remote learning plan; while some asynchronous activities may be independent, the ability for our teachers to provide onsite instruction and feedback on those independent activities will create a supportive, rich learning environment both onsite and off.

Key Elements of Full Remote

District 58 instructional content will be delivered by District 58 certified teaching staff.
Students will receive the same content as students who would be on site. For example, while District 58 is in the hybrid plan, a third grade student who elects fully remote will be placed into a group of third grade students who would attend synchronous remote lessons for 2.5 hours in the morning (covering the same content as students who would be onsite in the morning) and then receive 2.5 hours of offsite instruction in the afternoon (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities) in the same fashion as the students who were onsite in the morning.
For middle school, students will maintain the same 30 minute class periods as the onsite schedule. Both French and Spanish will be offered for middle school students in Full Remote learning.
Attendance will be taken for the online option and daily student attendance/participation is expected for all classes.
While we will make every effort to minimize teacher changes, changes may occur in order to group students into cohorts.
Students will have access to the same supports as those in the hybrid model. The social and emotional well-being of our students is vitally important. The District employs social workers, psychologists, and other support personnel who will work with staff to monitor students’ well-being.
Teachers will include a social emotional curriculum and individual student check-ins.

Transportation

Bus transportation will continue for those who qualify due to distance from their home to school or the crossing of any designated safety hazard. Families who qualify for bus transportation needed to commit by Oct. 5. During this time, we have made some adjustments as follows:

Bus transportation will be offered to those who qualify who are in the PM elementary session. (Unfortunately, we cannot offer transportation to both AM and PM elementary onsite sessions as that will double the District’s transportation costs).
Bus transportation will be offered to middle school families who qualify.
Bus transportation will be offered to kindergarten students from the home schools of Lester and Highland who need to relocate this year to Pierce Downer and Belle Aire due to space constraints.
Buses will be cleaned and disinfected every night and between routes.
All individuals on a bus must wear a face covering. Any student without a mask will be provided a disposable mask.
Seating charts will be used on all routes. To the greatest extent possible, schools will place students in the same household in a seat together. There may be instances where students from different households will be placed on a seat together.

Onsite Health and Safety Precautions for Students and Staff

This plan reflects the most recent guidelines and recommendations by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In addition, we have consulted with legal counsel to ensure that the practices and procedures developed meet federal, state, and local rules and regulations.

These guidelines have continued to change throughout the summer and school year. If there are further changes, or the region reverts back to a different mitigation level, we may need to adjust our practices or alter this plan. Future compliance could include pivoting to full remote learning for all students at all grade levels.

Additionally, cleaning protocols and verification processes may be adjusted as advised by public health experts. Here are health and safety protocols currently in place and/or planned.

Social Distancing

Social distancing has been identified as a key to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Social distancing is defined as keeping space between yourself and others at between 3 and 6 feet, with a preference for at least 6 feet of distance when possible. In District 58, the following procedures and protocols will be used to promote social distancing:

Hallways have been labeled to indicate traffic flow (when needed) and ensure distancing.
Because each school building’s layout is different, each school is implementing specific procedures for arrival and dismissal of students to ensure that distancing is strictly maintained, crowding is controlled and entry protocols are followed.
Building-specific bathroom procedures have been implemented to minimize capacity and traffic.
Students will be instructed about social distancing in an age-appropriate manner and given frequent reminders.
Desks and tables will be arranged in classrooms to maximize distance between students and will face the same direction as much as possible. Students will be spaced 6 feet apart from one another when possible, but no closer than 3 feet. (While eating, students will always be at least 6 feet apart).
Plexiglass barriers have been installed for protection at reception desks and other areas as appropriate.
Only essential visitors will be permitted. No outside visitors, including parents/guardians and contractors, will be allowed unless there is an emergency.
Families and/or caregivers must adhere to social distancing on school property when dropping off and/or picking up students.
School playgrounds and grounds will not be accessible to visitors during school hours (including but not limited to younger siblings).
Traditional field trips, assemblies and performances have been canceled or, if appropriate, will become virtual events.

Face Coverings

As members of a school community, students, staff, and families must exercise care for themselves and for the health of their classmates and teachers. Here are our safeguards regarding face coverings:

District 58 has adopted a temporary rule that requires all individuals entering a school to wear a mask that completely covers their mouth and nose. Masks must adhere to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.
Students and staff may wear their own mask (so long as it meets CDC requirements). Additionally, the District will provide at least one cloth mask to each student and staff member. Additional masks will be available if a student does not have one.
While on school property during arrival and dismissal, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask regardless of being outside and/or meeting social distancing requirements.
While at a bus stop during arrival and dismissal, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask regardless of being outside and/or meeting social distancing requirements.
Staff will provide age appropriate instruction on the wearing of masks and issue frequent reminders on how to wear them properly.
Face shields may be worn in some specialized situations but are not as a substitute for masks.
Disposable masks that are snug and cover the mouth and nose can only be used once and must be thrown out at the end of the day.
Cloth masks must be washed after each use in a bleach solution in accordance to CDC guidelines.
The wearing of an N95 or KN95 mask by staff will require a signed waiver as it may restrict oxygen levels for a wearer. This form is available on request in the District’s Personnel Office.

If a family does not strictly adhere to the face covering requirement, their child(ren) may be placed in full remote learning and have their bus privileges revoked.

Self Certification, Symptom Checks and Daily Temperature Checks

Per the state and health department guidance, families are required each day of on-site school to self certify that their child is symptom-free, has not been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and also record their child’s temperature. Please note that these are current IDPH guidelines as of April 7, 2021 and in the past have frequently changed.

Fever greater than 100.4 F
New onset of moderate to severe headache
Shortness of breath
New cough
Sore throat
Vomiting
Diarrhea
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue from unknown cause
Muscle/body aches from unknown cause

Parents will receive a daily email every morning with a self-certification form. Parents must submit this form daily prior to students entering the building. As students arrive, staff will ensure that the self-certification forms are complete. Students will be asked to stay at least 3-6 feet apart at all times in and out of the building.

Contract Tracing and Communications

Per the IDPH guidance, if a child (or adult) displays a symptom consistent with COVID 19 within a classroom, he or she would be moved to the designated quarantine area until a parent/guardian could pick the child up. Our health services team will instruct the family on the recommended next steps and share the IDPH’s exclusion guidelines. The child’s class would be moved to an alternate learning location and the previous space would be disinfected in line with IDPH guidance. At this time, it is not recommended that students and staff be tested unless they are symptomatic.

If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the District will work with the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) to identify all close contacts (as defined by IDPH), conduct contact tracing, and notify all close contacts by phone. Privacy will be maintained and no names will be shared during the contract tracing process. In addition, if a student or staff member tests positive, all school families will be contacted that there is a positive case within their child’s school.

Parents/guardians must report whether students have had close contact (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes) with a person with confirmed COVID-19, had close contact (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes) with a person under quarantine for possible exposure to COVID-19, or traveled to an area with reported high rates of COVID-19 cases.

Families and staff must be aware of any travel restrictions and/or quarantine requirements. Students and staff will not be permitted to enter a bus and/or District 58 building if they are under a mandatory quarantine order from a physician, called for in the state guidance or due to travel.

IDPH COVID-19 Exclusion and Quarantine Guidance

The following protocols will be followed by District 58 when a student or staff member tests positive or has symptoms consistent with COVID-19. These procedures are developed by the IDPH in connection with the CDC and are outlined here.

Reporting Absences

When reporting an absence, families will be required to answer a series of questions as to whether their child’s illness is related to COVID-19. If a child’s absence is related to COVID-19, families will be required to adhere to the quarantine requirements listed above. If there are changes to this area, we will notify families.

Cleaning and Hygiene

The coronavirus is thought to be spread through respiratory droplets released when people talk, cough, or sneeze. The virus may spread to hands from a contaminated surface and then to the nose or mouth, causing infection. That’s why personal hygiene practices such as hand washing, hand sanitizing, staying home when sick, social distancing and environmental cleaning and disinfecting are very important. In an attempt to reduce the potential spread of the virus, the following measures will be taken.

During hybrid learning, classrooms will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between AM and PM sessions for elementary and between AM/Midday/PM for preschool, and again in the evening. During full day instruction, all classrooms will be cleaned every evening.
There will be hand sanitizing stations throughout the building, in classrooms, on buses and at entrances to each school.
Building-specific guidelines have been instituted to limit entry to restrooms. Social distancing requirements must be followed at all time in restrooms and all other areas.
Lockers will not be used.
The District has updated its cleaning processes to follow COVID-19 recommended cleaning protocols and have trained custodians on the new processes and products.
The District will clean and disinfect all classroom, offices and common areas daily in accordance with IDPH guidelines. Commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, pencil sharpeners, lights switches, etc., will be cleaned more frequently.
The District has procured and will use EPA-approved products to disinfect surfaces.
Non-essential soft surfaces like rugs and toys that can’t be cleaned are removed from classrooms.
Staff will review proper hand-washing techniques with students and allow for hand washing breaks.
Misting machines with proper disinfection material approved by the EPA will be used to disinfect large surface areas.

Water and Ventilation Systems

School buildings in District 58 have a variety of different HVAC configurations. We have increased natural ventilation by opening windows as much as possible and where there are air handling units we have increased fresh air intake. We are increasing the frequency of air filtration changes and are installing higher grade ventilation filters. In addition:

In the nurses’ offices and special quarantine areas, we are installing HEPA air filtering machines.
All water fountains will be turned off.
Bottle fillers will remain on.
Students, teachers and staff are encouraged to bring their own water bottles for personal use.

Other Safety Measures

Rental Groups

Rentals to outside groups are not allowed, except for approved before and after school care. They will follow the same guidelines regarding social distancing, mask wearing, and cleaning protocols instituted by the District. Rental to outside groups of outdoor spaces may be permitted.

Quarantine Area

Each building will also designate an area(s) where, in the event a student displays a symptom(s), they can stay until a parent arrives to pick them up. This area(s) will be separate from the nurse’s office. In addition, each school will have an additional room to use if a classroom must be disinfected during the school day. In the event a classroom must be disinfected during the school day, the District will wait as long as possible to address the room in accordance with the guidance.

As there is greater potential for exposure in these areas, each quarantine room and health office has a HEPA air filter machine installed. The District will also install partitions within the quarantine space so that multiple students exhibiting symptoms can be kept separated to the greatest extent possible.

Onsite or Full Remote

For the 2020-2021 school year, families were required to choose an instructional model for each child in the family. Families must remain with their instructional model choice, and can only change it during designated periods communicated by the District.

Before and After School Childcare

The District has been working with its partners Champions and The Downers Grove Park District to provide childcare opportunities and before and after school options. Champions will be available on a limited basis for elementary students. Students in the AM section at the elementary school will be able to attend prior to the start of the day (if space is available). Students in the PM section will be able to attend after the school day (if space is available). The District is also working with the Downers Grove Park District to explore additional options. Please contact these organizations with further inquiries.

Champions link

Downers Grove Park District link

Teaching and Learning

Social/Emotional learning standards will be a part of daily instruction and will be used to address the unique learning environment, the latest transition and any life changes resulting from the pandemic.
Off-campus field trips are canceled for the school year.
English Learners (EL) services will continue.
Special Education services will continue.

Athletics and Extracurriculars

In-person extra-curricular activities and sports and academic competitions will not occur in this phase.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Fall parent-teacher conferences took place in December 2020 via Zoom. Spring conferences took place March 9 and March 11, 2021 via Zoom.

Social Emotional Learning

The outbreak of COVID-19 is stressful for many. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Schools play an important role in helping students and staff cope by offering support in a variety of ways. Counselors and social workers are available to support students as needed.

We encourage staff, students, and families to talk with those they trust about their concerns about COVID-19 and how they are feeling. During the first weeks of remote learning, teachers focused on building trusting relationships, addressing social emotional standards and helping support students during this difficult time. This will continue during the transition to Hybrid and Full Remote models.

Special Services

Due to the pandemic, a change in the delivery of educational services will be based upon your family’s choice of available instructional models. The student’s special service team (such as the case manager, speech therapist, social worker, etc.) has created, in concert with the family, a unique learning plan that serves as an amendment to the student’s existing IEP or 504 plan. This amended plan addresses goals, accommodations, service minutes, etc. across all possible learning scenarios. The student’s original plan will be returned to when full, in-person instruction is able to resume.

During remote learning this fall, some special programs like BEST, DLP and RISE met in person. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has asked Districts to prioritize onsite instruction for students with disabilities. As a result our special programs staff and administrators have refined and implemented these protocols based upon the unique needs of the students they support. For students with special needs, many new protocols need to be in place to support student and staff safety for onsite instruction. Students with special needs often require personalized instruction and support that can require an adult to be within 6 feet. We have provided and continue to provide explicit training in these safety protocols and focused and structured attention in these measures in order to ensure the ongoing safety of our students and staff.

The District is providing additional communications directly to families whose children receive special services.

Stakeholder Input

We highly value stakeholder input in District 58. Throughout this process, the involvement of parents, teachers, staff and community has been paramount in developing these plans and procedures. Most recently, teachers, staff members and administrators have developed plans and measures to address this move to Hybrid and Full Remote. Earlier in the summer, an 80-member Remote Learning Task Force, composed of staff, teachers, administrators and families reviewed options, feedback from surveys and current state health and ISBE guidance, to determine the questions and areas of consideration for each potential return-to-school scenario. In addition, working groups of 175 staff members and parents carefully studied four areas of the plans: Remote Learning; Blended Learning; Onsite Learning; and Health, Safety and Well-being. In its review, the working groups considered communication; instructional practices; social-emotional learning and needs; logistics; guidance from ISBE/IDPH; personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings; protocols for sick staff members or students; transportation; cleaning protocols; and instructional safety.

Parent and staff surveys are also integral to this process. To gauge commitment level for Hybrid and Remote in order to effectively develop the plan, the District in late September asked parents for their feedback. In all, 3,609 survey responses were received: 66.1% said that intend to send their child for onsite instruction regardless of the plan. Another 26.6% said the specific timing and details of the offsite plan will impact their decision; 7.3% said they favor the full remote option.

In an earlier survey conducted July 15-20, we received 3,589 responses from parents. (We asked parents to take one survey per child). Approximately 79% indicated that their child would attend modified onsite instruction and 19.5% would attend online instruction. A similar staff survey was conducted and 499 responded. Of those, 5.6% indicated a medical condition that may require accommodations or may limit the ability to work onsite.

As with any new initiative, we plan for continuous review and reflection upon all of the plans outlined in this document.

Definitions

Asynchronous - learning typically used online and can occur at different times and which students engage with at their own pace.

Close contact – With COVID-19, close contact is defined as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

Blended/Hybrid - Any model that includes onsite and offsite learning for students.

Offsite - The portion of instruction in a blended model that is delivered to students while not physically present at school.

Onsite - The instruction that occurs inside the physical classroom in any model.

Remote - the instruction that occurs during full remote learning. This will be deployed when the District shifts away from the Hybrid Model either temporarily (due to extreme weather) or for a longer period of time if we move to . During the implementation of this plan, nearly all of District 58’s instructional staff will be available to support remote learning.

Synchronous - learning in which learner(s) and instructor(s) are in the same place, at the same time, in order for learning to take place. This includes in-person classes, live online meetings when the whole class or smaller groups get together.