Along with official approval of plans for the 2020-21 school year, the Wheeling Township Elementary School Dist. 21 Board of Education Thursday (July 16) agreed to purchase $180,000 worth of audio visual equipment to aid instruction.
Options for in-person and remote learning were included in the approved plans.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, schools were closed from mid-March through the end of the 2019-20 school year to help slow the spread of the potentially deadly virus. Although students were not able to physically attend class, schools throughout the state implemented e-learning programs during the “stay-at-home” order issued by Gov. JB Pritzker.
By the end of June, the state had entered phase four of the five-phase “Restore Illinois” plan to reopen from the pandemic. In this phase, in-person instruction is allowed if classroom sizes are limited to 50, if students and teachers wear masks and other safety guidelines are followed, according to the “Starting the 2020-21 School Year” guide published by the Illinois State Board of Education.
In Dist. 21, guidelines call for: families to make sure their children are healthy every day before coming into class based on a district-provided checklist, all staff members to do the same, all persons in district facilities to wear face coverings, maximum possible social distance to be observed between persons at all times, minimal furniture, installation of plexiglass separators when necessary, reduced movement through facilities, no use of gym uniforms, a specific focus on hygiene and strict disinfection protocols.
Masks can be taken off to eat. Some may not be required to wear a face covering if a doctor’s note is provided. Those individuals are encouraged to wear a face shield.
Though the state guide “strongly encouraged” in-person education this fall, it acknowledged that schools may need to return to e-learning if COVID-19 cases increase again in Illinois.
Since the start of phase four, there has been at least one setback in the region. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced this week that Chicago would backtrack some of its phase four progress due to an increase of cases in the city with an order effective Friday (July 24) that bans all indoor service at bars that do not serve food.
In order to accommodate a return to in-person learning while also providing opportunities for e-learning, Dist. 21 first announced July 10 it would offer a blended approach to instruction.
All healthy students in first through eighth grades can begin in-person classes Aug. 20 and all healthy kindergarteners can begin in-person instruction Aug. 21.
For middle school students, school days will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for elementary school students, the day will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Preschool programs will also run five days a week with morning sessions from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and afternoon sessions from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Before school activities will be offered. Any student who is not enrolled in a before school program is not allowed on middle school grounds before 7:45 a.m. or before 8:40 a.m. at elementary schools. After school programs will also be allowed, as long as they adhere to safety procedures.
According to the district, the structure of the school day will be different compared to previous years due to new health and safety policies and procedures. Students are still expected to participate in language arts, math, social studies, science and physical education classes as well as exploratory classes. There will also be a focus on social emotional learning as well as health and wellness.
At the start of the year, all students will be assessed using a combination of NWEA MAP testing, skill diagnostic assessments, and locally developed assessments.
If any individual participating in in-person education contracts COVID-19 or is suspected to have the illness, he/she will not be able to return until meeting health and safety guidelines. Areas where individuals were will be closed until deep cleaned and classes will be moved to a new area or asked to participate in distance learning.
Any interested families can also enroll their students in distance learning instead of in-person instruction by 11:59 p.m. Aug. 2. A 12-week minimum commitment to distance learning is encouraged.
Dist. 21 distance learning will mirror the in-person school day and include daily live video conferencing for whole classrooms as well as specific subject small groups. English language and special education services will also be offered.
Since the program is being implemented district-wide, students participating in distance learning may not have a teacher from their home school. Additionally, until further notice, all classroom assignments of students — including in-person classroom assignments — are temporary.
Board of education members July 16 approved over $180,000 in VIEWpath audio visual systems equipment for classrooms from Tierney to improve distance learning.
According to a memorandum from Dist. 21 staff, this mobile equipment will allow the district to “deliver top class results to teaching and learning, while also integrating with existing platforms such as Google Meet and Schoology LMS.”
Included in the systems are high quality cameras and sound systems that can be placed in the back of classrooms or on mobile stands. In addition to delivering live content to distance learning and on-site students, the equipment can also deliver recorded content.
“The VIEWpath system is ideal and will enhance the district’s upcoming remote learning program, professional development, homebound students or students with a need to be home for periods of time, and evaluations and counseling,” said staff.
The cost of the systems includes hardware, virtual servers, licensing, services, installation and professional development. Overall, Dist. 21 will have 60 systems, four provided to each elementary school and six to each middle school.
Systems are expected to be installed in the coming weeks, with training and professional development for staff following shortly after.
Township High School Dist. 214, which Dist. 21 feeds into, plans to use the same system.
Dist. 21 Board of Education members also approved an emergency supply order to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves. This order was necessary because many items are still difficult to get through the process outlined in the state bid statute due to the high demand for PPE during the pandemic, staff explained in a memorandum.
More information about the Dist. 21 2020-21 school year is available here and at ccsd21.org.
Support local news by subscribing to the Journal & Topics in print or online."equip" - Google News
July 22, 2020 at 09:27PM
https://ift.tt/3hlvDQw
Dist. 21 Spends $180000 To Equip Classrooms For Distance Learning - Journal & Topics Newspapers Online
"equip" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35zdBFR
https://ift.tt/3fgZnOp
No comments:
Post a Comment