District 88 Return to School Plan

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2020-21 RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton.

As we continue to face the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, I would like to thank our stakeholders for your adaptability and support as we come together to overcome the adversity of this unprecedented situation.

As we plan for the 2020-21 school year, the safety, health and well-being of students and staff is our No. 1 priority, and we will continue to follow federal, state and local guidance to ensure the safest environment possible at our buildings. We will cooperate with Centers for Disease Control, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois and DuPage County health departments, the Illinois State Board of Education and the DuPage Regional Office of Education regarding social distancing, health and cleaning protocols.

2020-21 RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN
During a Special Board of Education meeting on July 27, the Board approved a resolution authorizing our administrative team to open and operate the district’s schools and programs for the 2020-21 school year, as outlined in the Return to School Plan.

The resolution was approved through Oct. 5, at which time the Board and administration will reevaluate the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Return to School Plan. See important highlights of the plan below, or at https://www.dupage88.net/site/public/files/?item=5344.

  • The Board approved starting the 2020-21 school year with Remote Learning through Oct. 5, at which time the Board and administration will reevaluate the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Return to School Plan. During this stage, all instruction and resource support will be remote (with exceptions for special student populations).

  • Students will follow a block schedule on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The schedule will consist of 80-minute periods and a resource (see below).
Time Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Minutes
7:00 - 7:40 Period 0 Period 0 Period 0 Period 0 40
7:45 - 9:05 Period 1 Period 5 Period 1 Period 5 80
9:15 - 10:35 Period 2 Period 6 Period 2 Period 6 80
10:45 - 12:05 Period 3 Period 7 Period 3 Period 7 80
12:15-1:35 Period 4 Period 8 Period 4 Period 8 80
1:40-2:25 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch 45
2:30-3:00 Resource Resource Resource Resource 30


* Please note: The period numbers above have been converted to help make the schedule more convenient and user friendly.

  • On Wednesdays, students will follow a traditional schedule with eight periods (see below). Each period will be 35 minutes. This will allow for deep cleaning/sanitation of the facilities and for weekly breakfast and lunch distribution for District 88 students and families.
Time Period Minutes
7:00-7:35 Period 0 35
7:45-8:20 Period 1 35
8:25-9:00 Period 2 35
9:05-9:40 Period 3 35
9:45-10:20 Period 4 35
10:25-11:00 Period 5 35
11:05-11:40 Period 6 35
11:45-12:20 Period 7 35
12:25-1:00 Period 8 35
1:05-3:00 PLC / Student lunch distribution 115


UPCOMING PARENT MEETINGS

  • On Aug. 6, we will host a meeting for parents/guardians in Spanish to discuss the 2020-21 school year. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with general information, and a session regarding special education will immediately follow. See details and register at https://forms.gle/1UnBrakTP2idnmpw5.

  • On Aug. 11, we will host a Parent Transition/Reopening Committee meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., and we will continue our discussions on planning for the 2020-21 school year. If you would like to attend, please contact me at shelton@dupage88.net or 630-530-3980.

AMENDMENTS TO THE 2020-21 SCHOOL CALENDAR
During the Special Board of Education meeting on July 27, the Board approved the recommended changes below to the 2020-21 school calendar.

  • Add three Remote Learning Planning Days on Aug. 18, 19 and 20 to provide support for staff as they prepare to engage students in robust synchronous learning in a virtual environment.

  • Move the first day of school for students to Aug. 24 (instead of Aug. 19).

  • Move Open House to Sept. 2 (instead of Sept. 3) to minimize disruption to academic learning. Open House will be virtual this year.

  • Move Parent-Teacher Conferences to Oct. 7 (instead of Oct. 8) to minimize disruption to academic learning. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be virtual this year.

* See the amended 2020-21 school calendar at www.dupage88.net/Calendars.

REGISTRATION AND RESIDENCY VERIFICATION

  • Registration for the 2020-21 school year is open. We are excited to provide a full online registration process for our families. See details at www.dupage88.net/Registration2020-21.

  • We will continue to implement residency verification to ensure we maximize our resources for families who reside within District 88 boundaries. Residency verification must be completed for all incoming freshmen, new students and transfer students before registering for the 2020-21 school year. To see the residency verification form in various languages, go to www.dupage88.net/residency.

ATHLETICS
On July 29, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) released a modified schedule for the 2020-21 school year. See the IHSA’s intended plans at https://tinyurl.com/IHSAJuly29. The plan has been sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for final approval.

OTHER AREAS OF FOCUS

  • District 88 will maintain its collaboration with Addison School District 4, District 45, Salt Creek School District 48, Arbor Management, Chartwells and Cottage Hill Operating Company to provide free meals to residents who are 18 years old and younger. Food will be distributed from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays through August, and five days’ worth of food will be provided (five breakfasts and five lunches). To see more details about our food-service program, including locations and how adults can volunteer to help, go to www.dupage88.net/Coronavirus.

  • District 88 will continue to support the social and emotional well-being of students, staff, families and community members. See a list of available resources (including resources in Spanish) at www.dupage88.net/Coronavirus.

  • We have been committed to creating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive environment for all students through Deep Equity and Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!) series for more than half a decade, and we have put in place many programs to support these initiatives. We know equity is a journey and won’t be reached quickly or easily. However, we need to be relentless in our pursuit of equity, inclusion and the elimination of racism in District 88 and our communities. Read more about our efforts at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/11685. We are continuing our work with Deep Equity, Youth Equity Stewardship, Trauma-Informed Practices and Restorative Practices, and we also have implemented the District 88 C.A.R.E. Team (Committed to Academics, Resiliency and Equity) for students and staff to expand and deepen our work in these areas.

  • Updates from the Illinois State Board of Education: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx and https://tinyurl.com/ISBEMessages 

Our mission is to work for the continuous improvement of student achievement, and we will remain focused on accomplishing that goal. Thank you for your continued support of District 88.

Respectfully,
Scott J. Helton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, DuPage High School District 88