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ORIGINAL MESSAGE
Posted 3/13/20, 10:30 a.m.
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, Huntley 158 will close all of our schools and utilize e-Learning days all of next week, March 16-20. In addition, starting Monday, March 16, all extracurricular activities will be cancelled through Spring Break, and there will be no public access to our buildings during this time.
While we currently do not have any known active cases of COVID-19 within our school community, after consulting with public health agencies, local authorities, and other area school districts, we have decided that this cautious path is the best one for our students, families, community, and country.
As you know, this e-Learning week will be followed by the week of Spring Break, March 23-27. After that time, decisions about how we operate will be made on a week-to-week basis based on the best information and recommendations we receive over this time. We will continue to communicate with families as useful information becomes available. As always, decisions will be made prioritizing health and wellbeing.
We appreciate our families’ flexibility as we continue to navigate this fluid and rapidly evolving situation. We understand that each family’s situation is different, and we do not take this step lightly. However, we are confident that our e-Learning plan will enable students to continue the learning process in a meaningful way while prioritizing health and wellbeing.
E-LEARNING INSTRUCTIONS FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS
For students in all grade levels, there is a common set of expectations:
- We understand that every student and family will be in a different situation with differing levels of access to connectivity, schedules, and parental support.
- We have instructed our staff to make accommodations as needed to ensure that all students are able to successfully engage in learning.
- Students will have 5 days from the end of the 5-day e-learning period to complete the assigned activities.
- These days will count as attendance days, and will not need to be made up at the end of the year. Student attendance will be determined based upon satisfactory completion of assignments.
- Staff members will communicate with students/families regarding their schedules and preferred communication methods and availability each day.
Please stay tuned for daily communication from your child’s teacher(s). Assignments will be distributed to students in different grade levels as follows.
Pre-K and Elementary
At the Pre-K and elementary levels, families will receive an email each morning from their classroom teacher by 9:00 a.m. Each daily email will include links to lessons that have been prepared for each level and special class. Each day will include meaningful work in both reading and math.
Middle School
- Teachers in each course will create lessons for uploading to Powerschool Learning (Haiku) for each day.
- Lessons will be loaded by 9:00 a.m.
- Each team will use their team homework page in Powerschool Learning as the “landing page” for students on that team
- Exploratories, PE, and Health teachers will link assignments to each team’s homework page
High School
- Teachers in each course will create lessons for uploading to Powerschool Learning (Haiku) for each day.
- Lessons will be loaded by 9:00 a.m.
- Most blended classes and traditional classes will proceed as normal within Powerschool Learning
FREE LUNCH AND INTERNET ACCESS NEEDS
To ensure that all students have the nutrition and access they need to successfully navigate the e-Learning environment, we will be making available breakfast and lunch packs and internet hot spots for those in need of these resources. Breakfast and lunch packs will be produced by our food services staff and available for pickup daily at Marlowe Middle School between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and noon. If these hours are unworkable for you, please contact your principal to have other arrangements made.
In addition, those who will be without internet access at home should contact their teacher or principal to arrange for hot spots to be provided. If you experience other unmet needs that are barriers to successful learning during this period, please contact your principal, and the District will work to accommodate your needs.
All calls to the District or schools during this time should be made to the main line (847) 659-6158 to be routed to the appropriate person. District Office will remain open with limited staff. Otherwise, email is the best method to contact specific staff members.
Thank you again for your flexibility during this unprecedented time. If you have immediate questions regarding your child’s participation in e-Learning, please contact your child’s teacher(s).
Sincerely,
Scott N. Rowe, Ed.D.
Superintendent
