2020-21 School Year Planning
On June 23, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released guidance for schools on the 2020-21 school year. This 60-page document has been much anticipated and will go a long way toward answering critical questions all of us share about what the upcoming school year will look like in terms of in-person learning, scheduling, transportation, wearing masks, social distancing and other measures intended to keep everyone safe and healthy, while also re-engaging students in the learning process.
ISBE 2020-2021 School Year Guidance
Updates
- MyD97 Weekly Wrap-Up: Sept. 11, 2020
- MyD97 Weekly Wrap-Up: Sept. 4, 2020
- D97 Back to School Updates: Aug. 28, 2020
- D97 Back to School Updates: Aug. 21, 2020
- D97 Board Approves 2020-21 Calendar with Modified Winter Break (Aug. 21, 2020)
- D97 Back to School Updates: Aug. 14, 2020
- District 97 to Continue Weekly Meal Distributions through Aug. 24 (Aug. 6, 2020)
- Information from Community Child Care Providers for 2020-21 School Year (Aug. 2, 2020)
- 7/27 Remote Learning Town Hall - Recording and FAQ (July 28, 2020)
- D97 Reopening Update - July 23, 2020
- District 97 Back-to-School Update - July 9, 2020
- District 97 Board to Hold Special Meeting on Fall 2020 Planning (July 2, 2020)
- D97 Planning Update - June 30, 2020
- Illinois Releases Guidance for 2020-21 School Year - June 23, 2020
- Remote Learning Feedback from Spring 2020 - June 19, 2020
- An Update from Superintendent Carol Kelley - June 12, 2020
- Update on Summer Programming in District 97 - June 5, 2020
- Presentation: COVID-19 Transition Planning Update - May 26, 2020
- Presentation: Preparing for the Potential Financial Impact of COVID-19 - May 26, 2020
- "Planning Update for the 2020-21 School Year in District 97" - May 20, 2020
COVID-19 Transition Planning Team
In May 2020, District 97 assembled a transition planning team that is tasked with implementing a safe, efficient and equitable return to school in the fall. The team is focused on five key areas: Safety Protocols/Operations, District Calendar and Schedule Options, Learning Models, Social Emotional/Wellness Supports, Financial Impact.
The sub-groups are meeting weekly to plan a number of viable scenarios for opening school. To learn more about each team's work, please click the accordian below.
Updated July 1, 2020
Charge
- Adapt all processes and timelines necessary to prepare for the new school year.
- Create safety plans to limit symptomatic and asymptomatic spread.
- Develop and implement strategies to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Key Priorities
Next Few Weeks:
- Determining if we have the supplies we need to maintain heightened prevention measures and placing those supply orders for all buildings.
- Finalizing how we will screen employees and what procedures they should follow for safety purposes
- Identify obstacles to social distancing and establish ways to overcome them.
Next Few Months:
- Determining if we have the supplies we need to maintain heightened prevention measures and placing those supply orders for all buildings.
- Develop school-level procedures to limit sharing of high-touch items (classrooms, desks, supplies, student cubby areas, tools, etc.).
- Develop awareness campaign/training modules for staff, students, and parents/guardians.
- Develop safety plan for when a staff member, child, or visitor becomes sick.
Charge
- Prepare for the possibility that the start of the 2020-21 school year may need to be delayed, and design various school calendars if the start is delayed.
- Create plans to restore operations in phases.
Key Priorities
Next Few Weeks:
- Examine various calendar options—remote, hybrid, on-site or combinations.
- Evaluate various start/end dates of school year.
- Determine professional development needs in terms of the number of Teacher Institute days.
- Flesh out various calendar models.
- Collaborate with other sub-committees to ensure practicality of models and alignment with their work.
Next Few Months:
- Continue to collaborate with other sub-committees to ensure alignment.
- Present various models to all stakeholders and get feedback.
- Determine challenges of each model and collaborate to resolve (food service, transportation, facilities, bargaining agreements, childcare, etc.)
- Examine information to determine best options and timelines for each.
- Collaborate with the Communications Department to create communication.
Charge
- Develop a variety of plans to blend classroom and distance learning as an alternative to school closures.
- Consider the precautions necessary to protect students with special needs relative to the threat posed by COVID-19.
- Create plans to assess and respond to the uneven outcomes created by school closures.
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Develop a continuum of distance learning options (when we reopen).
Key Priorities
Next Few Weeks:
- Finalize the charge of the subcommittees (data gathering, learning models, accelerated learning plans, common assessments, professional learning, additional supports).
- Synthesize feedback from parents, teachers and students.
- Flesh out learning plans based on several return-to-onsite-learning scenarios.
Next Few Months:
- Develop scope and sequence with a focus on acceleration of student learning.
- Develop a diagnostic/common assessment system that can be administered flexibly.
- Deliver the professional learning needed for District 97 staff to continue to ensure that student learning models are reflective of our “new normal."
- Codify the strategies and supports needed to support students with disabilities and English learners.
Charge
- Develop plans to support the mental health of students and families.
- Continue/refine plans to provide access to school meal programs for qualifying students who are impacted by COVID-19.
- Develop procedures to identify and assist students who are experiencing homelessness.
Key Priorities
Next Few Weeks:
- Continue sub-team work with those members who are able to continue working beyond June 5.
- Engage teachers, school leaders, key community partners in providing iterative feedback on sub-team plans.
- By July 1, complete initial drafts from each sub-team.
- PBIS/Culture and Climate team planning days (June 15 and 16).
Next Few Months:
- Work with key community partners to determine how they will support the SEL needs of our students and staff.
- Based on district calendar, finalize meal delivery program.
- Finalize processes for supporting students and families experiencing homelessness.
- Make recommendations to Professional Learning Committee on SEL/Trauma-Informed Care professional learning for staff.
Charge
- Advocate with state legislators to provide funding to make summer acceleration programs available to all students.
- Collaborate with employee associations when developing plans that impact the work of their members.
Key Priorities
Next Few Weeks:
- Project financial impact of potential reducing funding from the state.
- Plan summer food services for the families. The current program expires on June 30.
- Identify potential barriers that are not allowing our families to access our services.
Next Few Months:
- Monitor Gov. Pritzker’s plan for reopening the state.Identify the employees who will serve in different roles to support students and families.
- Consider impact of more families deciding to pull their students out (virtual school district, homeschooling, private school).
- Consider financial impact of additional expenses due to pandemic.