Rockford Public School District 205 released its plans for back to school last week. Now, Harlem School District 122 has released its back to school plan, which is offering two different choices of in-person learning or remote learning.

The school district says it has received guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Winnebago County Health Department for coming up with the procedures for reopening the schools.

Guidelines:

• Each student will be required to use personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings
• They will prohibit more than 50 individuals from gathering in one space
• Social distancing be observed and enforced as much as possible
• Schools will be required to conduct symptom screenings and temperature checks or require that individuals self-certify that they are free of symptoms before entering school grounds
• The school will increase in school-wide cleaning and disinfection

Districts all across the state must prepare an alternative option for students with health risks as well as a plan for returning to remote learning if we see a  resurgence or second wave of COVID. The Illinois State Board of Education says they highly encourage in-person instruction for students.

Option 1: In Person Learning

• In-person learning but will look very different for each grade level.
• In-person learning for early childhood education: The schedule would consist of 5 days a week with an option to either have your child go to school for the morning classes, 7:50-10:30 am, or the afternoon classes from 12:00- 2:35 p.m.
• Kids who are in kindergarten through 6th grade would attend in-person classes from 7:50 am to 2:35 pm for 5 days a week.
• Middle schoolers and high school students will have a hybrid type session under an in-person plan. For 2 days a week, the students will have in-person instruction and then the other three days would be remote learning. Schools will also divide the students, so that half will attend the in-person instruction on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the other half will attend on Wednesdays and Fridays or vice versa.
• Employees and visitors will be required to complete the District 122 COVID-19 Symptom and Temperature Screening each day in order for your child to participate in the in-person plan and fully attend school.
• Unless a medical condition is verified by a physician, face masks will also be mandatory for all students, employees, and visitors.

The Harlem School District says that they will be limiting the number of students that are in hallways at a time and restroom procedures will be established at each school to limit the number of students in the hallway and in restrooms at a time. The Harlem School District also has said that “the use of lockers will be suspended,” and students will be able to carry the backpack with them instead.

Some students will remain in classrooms for the duration of lunch but will be spaced out. This will apply to elementary, middle and high school students. They may be assigned to the cafeteria or a classroom.

Elementary students will still have recess, but the District says there will be limits enforced on the number of students that can be on playground equipment at one time. No more than 50 students may gather in one section of a playground and students will be required to wash their hands before and after using.

Buses will be deep-cleaned before and after kids get on and off. New routes will be created with a maximum number of 50 students on each bus and students from the same household will be assigned to sit together and buses will be sprayed with an electrostatic cleaner as a disinfectant.

Field trips, assemblies, and other gatherings will not be allowed this year and 6th Grade Band will also not be offered for the 2020-2021 school year.

Second Option: Remote Learning

• Remote learning is available for any District 122 student with health and safety concerns, elevated health risks, or a family member with health risks.
• Students will be assigned to virtual classrooms with other students who are in their grade level from schools across the district.
• Teachers will lead these classes but your child’s teacher may not be from their school.
• Teachers will have a daily presence through Google Meet, Google Classroom, and/or Seesaw.
• Remote Learning days will include 5 instructional hours and will follow the District’s curriculum, using textbooks, workbooks, and digital instruction. Early Childhood will have 2.5 hours of instruction.
• Daily and weekly social-emotional learning lessons will be included in the curriculum. This is to support the students and what they are facing during this pandemic.
• Dates will be set for supply pickup so the students can receive any technology, textbooks/ workbooks and other supplies necessary to ensure they are engaged in virtual learning.
• Grading will be the same as in-person instruction. The District will follow the guidance of the Illinois State Board of Education with grading during remote learning and students who are in remote learning will receive traditional grades.

Families who do choose remote learning will commit to this learning option for a full semester.

The Harlem School District says that families must make a selection on which plan they want by Monday, July 27 and plans may be updated with a complete guide for reopening schools that will be shared with staff and families by August.