Dear District 76 Families,
The district is currently putting together a comprehensive Return to School Roadmap guide for the 2020-21 school year, which will be based on guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addition, the district is reviewing feedback received from surveys administered to all parents and staff earlier this month, and continuing to meet with district stakeholders who are on the Planning Forward Task Force.
D76 will present its Return to School Roadmap at the July 21 Board of Education (BOE) meeting at 7:00 pm. Next week, we will send out two Zoom Meeting links so you may 1) attend the presentation at the BOE Meeting on July, 21 7:00 pm and/or 2) participate in a parent question/answer session(s) that will be held on July 28 at 6:00 pm (Spanish) and 7:00 pm in English. Both presentations will be virtual.
We understand some families may not feel comfortable sending their children back to school this fall. Each family will have the opportunity to indicate if they would like to opt out of In-Person Learning (IPL) and choose to remain home for all Distance Learning Opportunities (DLO) per child. Families will commit to one option or the other through the first semester. After January 2021, parents will have the option to make a different decision for the remainder of the school year. Depending on the circumstances with the pandemic, either locally, regionally, or across the state, the District may need to change to a part-time In-Person Learning for families that choose In-Person Learning, or a full Distance Learning experience for all students.
Please click on this link to indicate your family's preference for in-person or all distance learning by Monday, July, 20. This is not a formal commitment. This survey is to help us better plan for the return to school. As indicated above, more details of each plan will be made available at the 7.21 and 7.28 meetings to help you make the final declarations of your child’s return to school plans.
Please visit the new Planning Forward Task Force webpage on our district’s website. You will find the latest information and/or updates about our committee’s work and return to school plans and resources.
I appreciate your patience, understanding and support as we redesign schools and develop a responsive plan that focuses on everyone's safety, health and well-being. Please call and/or email me should you have any questions/concerns. Thank you!
Embrace Empower Excel...Each Child,Each Day
Bhavna Sharma-Lewis, Ph.D
Superintendent of Schools