Momence CUSD 1

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this letter finds you and your families safe and well. I want to thank you for all of your continued support and patience during this time. Last night, our Board of Education gave our administration authority to move forward with a reopening plan to start the 2020-2021 school year. The Board also approved the District calendar for 2020-2021.

With the frequent changes in guidance from the various state agencies, please understand the following information is tentative and may be subject to change.
As we continue preparing for the upcoming school year, we will share with families the detailed transition plan as we move forward for opening our schools. Here is a brief summary of the plan:

● District Calendar
o August 4: Registration 9 a.m-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.- 3.p.m.
o August 5: Registration 12 p.m.-3 p.m. and 4 p.m.- 7 p.m.
o August 6: Registration 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.- 3 p.m.
o August 17: 1st Day of School (K-12, Last names A-L)
o August 18: 1st Day of School (K-12, Last names M-Z)
o August 24: 1st Day of School (All Pre-K Classes)

● Student Schedule
o Students A-L will go to school in-person Monday and Wednesday for four hours.
o Students M-Z will go to school in-person Tuesday and Thursday for four hours.
o Students will complete remote learning in the afternoon at home and their teacher will be in communication as needed during that time.
o All Pre-K, IEP, 504, and ELL students will go to school in-person Monday-Friday for four hours.

● Remote Learning Option
o Parents will have an option of complete remote learning for their child(ren) if they don’t feel comfortable attending school in-person. The deadline to notify your building administration is Friday, August 7th and the commitment will be for a semester or trimester to do so.

● School Times (In-Person Blended)
o MECC – 7:45 am – 9:15 am (Early Session) & 10:25 am- 11:55 am (Late Session)
o JeNeir – 8:00 am – 11:30 am (Instruction Day) & remote learning at home in the afternoon.
o MJHS – 8:00 am – 11:55 pm (Instruction Day) & remote learning at home in the afternoon.
o MCHS - 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (Instructional Day & remote learning at home in the afternoon.

● Masks
o Masks will be required for all staff and students at all times.

● Meals
o Breakfast will be served at schools in classrooms. Lunches will be Grab and Go before
students leave for the day to go home.

● Transportation
o Busing will be available (limit to 50). Parents are encouraged to bring their child(ren) to school if possible.
o Students and staff on buses must wear face coverings.

● Health & Safety
o Parents are responsible for keeping child(ren) home if they show any signs of COVID-19 including but not limited to fever of 100.4 or higher, cough, shortness of breath, chills, fatigue, body aches, and headaches.
o Cleaning and sanitizing. of classrooms, bathrooms, equipment, and other common areas will take place on a daily basis. Hand sanitizers and wipes will be available in classrooms
and throughout the building.

The following has been implemented for In-Person Learning:
● Face coverings must be worn at all times inside school buildings and when riding the school buses (State Mandate).
● Social distancing will be observed, as much as possible (State Mandate).
● No more than 50 individuals will gather in one space; including the school buses (State Mandate).
● Symptom screenings and temperature checks will be conducted, using a self-certification system that is documented. All individuals must be free of symptoms before entering school buildings
(State Mandate).
● New visitor procedures will be in place. Only essential visitors will be allowed to enter the buildings. All visitors must be screened before entry into the building.
● Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the building. All rooms will also have hand sanitizer available.
● Handwashing will be scheduled into the daily routine.
● Traditional drinking fountains will be closed. Water bottles and water bottle fill stations only will be used.
● Eliminate the sharing of technology, supplies, and materials whenever possible.
● Develop a protocol for possible COVID exposure, including related to the communication with families and self-quarantine expectations.
● Increased schoolwide cleaning and disinfection will occur.
*This information subject to change based on State guidance.

The District Pandemic Team will continue meeting to monitor and make plan revisions as necessary. New information will be communicated once it is completed.
We thank you for all of your support and we move forward to start the school year. Please reach out to your building administration if you have questions or you can call me at 815-472-3501.

Sincerely,

Mr. Shannon Anderson, Superintendent

Please see the updated Guidance document regarding the reopening of schools.

Fall-2020-Learning-Rec.pdf

School Reopening – Phase 4

IDPH Guidelines

In-person school instruction may resume as regions transition to Phase 4. Districts must follow IDPH guidelines, which provide the following: 

• Require use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including face coverings;

• Prohibit more than 50 individuals from gathering in one space;

• Require social distancing be observed, as much as possible;

• Require that schools conduct symptom screenings and temperature checks or require that individuals self-certify that they are free of symptoms before entering school buildings; and,

• Require an increase in school-wide cleaning and disinfection.

All public and nonpublic schools in Illinois serving Pre-K through 12th grade students must follow these guidelines.

IDPH has also published guidance, in conjunction with ISBE, regarding health and safety protocols for specific activities and areas of the school. This includes new recommendations regarding illness and diagnoses monitoring, mental health, nap time, libraries, auditoriums and multi-purpose rooms, self-contained classrooms, related services, before- and after-care programs, health offices, extracurriculars, playgrounds, dual credit and career and technical education, and field trips.

Blended Learning and Grading

Schools and districts are strongly encouraged to provide in-person instruction to students. 

However, schools and districts that are unable to adhere to IDPH requirements may choose to implement Blended Remote Learning Days, which are authorized by P.A. 101-643. During these days, schools and districts may utilize hybrid models of in-person and remote instruction. A high priority should be placed on providing in-person instruction for students who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 Plans, and/or who receive English language supports when building an equitable schedule for Blended Remote Learning Days

Remote and Blended Remote Learning Days must ensure at least five clock hours of instruction or school work for each student. Districts can be flexible in determining how to best meet the requirement in their own context by counting all learning activities toward the five clock hour expectation.  

Regarding grading, ISBE recommends school districts return to traditional grading policies and make modifications as necessary. ISBE strongly recommends that any return to traditional grading policies ensures that students have all the necessary tools, technology, and teacher supports at school and at home to complete all assignments, take assessments, and complete projects in a timely manner.

In our effort to keep everyone as informed as possible, we are sharing the latest update from ISBE.  It is included below.  We are confident this will not be the last change and appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to create and adapt plans.

Sincerely, 

Mr. Anderson

Following the release of our Transition Joint Guidance for Starting the 2020-21 School Year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has engaged in fruitful dialogue with educators and stakeholders concerning the use of face shields in lieu of face coverings (e.g. masks). Since that time, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has communicated that face coverings and social distancing are the goal whenever and wherever possible. Face shields have not been deemed effective for source control and are only to be used when other methods of protection are not available or appropriate. IDPH arrived at this determination after lengthy additional collaboration with the communicable disease team, infection preventionists, and infectious disease specialists and after reviewing available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

In cases where individuals need facial visualization for instruction and communication, IDPH recommends video instruction to promote social distancing. If video is instruction is not available or appropriate, face shields may be used with the understanding that they have not been deemed effective for source control. As such, heightened attention and adherence to 6-foot social distancing is critical for individuals using face shields. Examples of limited situations when face shields may be necessary, if video instruction is not possible, include for teachers of English Learners or world languages, whose students may need to see their mouths form words to facilitate language acquisition.

IDPH also appreciates that there may be a small minority of individuals who have a medical contraindication to using face coverings. If face shields can be tolerated, face shields might be utilized in these situations, understanding their limitations and the heightened need for strict adherence to social distancing. ISBE recommends that schools review information, such as a physician’s note, documenting the medical contraindication for any individual who is not able to wear a face covering.

ISBE has updated our supplementary FAQ with this clarification that face shields are not effective protection against coronavirus and should only be used in situations when other methods of protection are not available. Please review at www.isbe.net/Documents/FAQ-Part-3-Transition-Guidance.pdf.

We understand the difficulty that educators face as our FAQ and the joint guidance are updated to reflect best practice. However, in this rapidly evolving crisis, we are committed to ensuring that Illinois schools operate under the most current information, guided by science and data. We appreciate the strong partnership with IDPH and your continued diligence in following effective health and safety measures. 

ISBE has developed a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet that provides information about face coverings and social distancing.  We are sharing this in the link below.  This is another resource that we hope will be helpful in our decision making in the best interests of student safety while following state mandates.

Sincerely,

Mr. Anderson

Part 3 Transition Guidance: Starting the 2020-21 School Year
FAQ
Last updated: June 29, 2020
The Part 3 Transition Guidance: Starting the 2020-21 School Year can be viewed at the following link: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Part-3-Transition-Planning-Phase-4.pdf.

FACE COVERINGS
1. Are all individuals in a school building required to wear a face covering at all times?
Yes. As required by IDPH, except while eating and during band, face coverings must be worn at all times in school buildings, even when social distance is maintained. All individuals in a school building must wear a face covering unless they have a medical contraindication, are under 2 years of age, have trouble breathing, or are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the face covering without assistance.

2. Are face coverings required when individuals are outside?
Face coverings are not required outside if social distance is maintained (if individuals remain 6 feet apart from each other).

3. How should schools and districts verify a student meets an exception to the face covering requirement?
It is recommended that schools require physicians notes for students and staff who are not able to wear a face covering.

4. How should schools and districts handle individuals who refuse to wear face coverings?
It is recommended that schools and districts update policies to require the wearing a face covering while in school buildings and handle violations in the same manner as other similar policy violations.

5. Will face coverings be provided by the State of Illinois to schools?
The Emergency Management Agency is providing 2.5 million cloth masks to Illinois public schools with the goal of ensuring all public school students and staff receive a mask. If you are a K-12 public education entity (public school district, state-authorized charter school, special education cooperative, lab school, vocational center, or regional office operating an alternative program) and have not yet completed the survey to assist IEMA with mask delivery, please do so here.

6. Can dividers be placed around student and staff desks in lieu of face coverings?
No. Schools and districts may opt to utilize dividers around desks, especially for those individuals who have a face covering exemption; however, the dividers may not be used in lieu of face coverings for students without an exemption.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

7. Are all individuals in a school building required to maintain social distance (remain 6 feet apart) at all times?
Social distance must be observed as much as possible. Desks do not need to be spaced 6 feet apart; however, it is recommended that excess furniture be removed from classrooms to allow for as much space as possible in between desks.

8. Is social distance required to be maintained on school busses?
No. No more than 50 individuals may be on a bus at one time. All individuals on a bus must wear a face covering, unless they meet a face covering exception. Allow as much space as possible between each individual on a bus. It is recommended that students from the same household sit together on a bus.

9. How should schools handle passing periods and allowing students to move from class-to-class?
Consider the following hallway procedures to adhere to social distancing requirements and IDPH limitations on gathering sizes, when possible:
• Limit the number of persons within hallways at any given time to the greatest extent possible.
• Limit required movement of students between classes. Consider having teachers and staff rotate through classes rather than requiring movement/mixing of student groups.
• Provide hallway supervision using hall and bathroom monitors to ensure a limited number of persons enter bathrooms at one time.
• Use marking to designate one-way paths in hallways and designate certain staircases one-way only, as possible.
• Place floor markings to delineate 6-foot distance between students in locations where they line up.
• Remove furniture or other items that may encourage congregating in certain areas.
• Limit number of riders in elevators to one or two students with an additional adult (when student needs continuous support or supervision).
• Suspend the use of lockers, if possible. Sharing lockers should be prohibited. If lockers must be used, consider staggering locker assignments and creating schedules to stagger locker access to allow for 6-foot distancing between students. For example, students could be assigned to every other or every third locker depending on their width.

CAPACITY LIMITS

10. What does ‘one space’ mean?
Examples of one space may include one school bus, one classroom, or areas of a hallway. Capacity restrictions do not apply to an entire school building.

11. What does ‘one space’ mean when outside?
Each group of 50 or fewer individuals must remain 30 feet apart. If individuals are 6 feet apart at all times, face coverings do not need to be worn.

SYMPTOM SCREENINGS/TEMPERATURE CHECKS
12. How should symptom screenings be administered?
Schools and districts must conduct temperature and symptom screenings or require self-certification and verification for all staff, students, and visitors entering school buildings. Schools not requiring self-certification should check for a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit/38 degrees Celsius and currently known symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, fatigue, muscle and body aches, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Individuals who have a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit / 37 degrees Celsius or one known symptom may not enter buildings. Individuals who exbibit symptoms should be sent home and referred to a medical provider for evaluation and treatment and be given information about when they can return to school.

13. Can schools and districts utilize self-certification to verify that individuals in a school building are symptom free?
Yes. Schools and districts can require individuals to self-certify that they are fever- and symptom free before entering a school building, in lieu of conducting symptom and temperature checks at the school building. Self-certification could consist of a simple electronic form that an individual must complete on each day that they will enter a school building. A self-certification may not be completed at the beginning of the year for the entire year.

14. Who can perform symptom screenings?
Any staff member may perform in-person temperature checks and symptom screenings. It is not required that a certified school nurse perform these checks and screenings. If schools have established a self-certification process, parents, guardians, or other individuals can perform the temperature and symptom checks.

SELF-QUARANTINE

15. When must an individual self-quarantine?
Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who are suspected of having COVID-19 infection should seek medical attention, self-isolate, and follow CDC guidelines for discontinuation of isolation. Individuals who have had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is suspected of having COVID-19 infection should isolate at home and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Individuals who did not have close contact can return to school immediately after disinfection.

16. What is considered “close contact”?
Close contact means the individual was within 6 feet of the individual who tested positive for COVID-19 or is suspected of having COVID-19 infection for more than 15 minutes.

17. What is the procedure if a student were to show symptoms mid-day?
Schools should provide a supervised quarantine space for students/staff who are experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms and may be awaiting evaluation and/or pickup. Students must never be left alone and must supervised at all times while maintaining necessary precautions within the quarantine space. Judgment of nursing professionals or the administrator/designee (in the absence of a nurse) must determine who is placed in the quarantine space and the level of supervision (e.g., supervised by nurse or unlicensed personnel) required for persons within the quarantine space.

REMOTE LEARNING
18. Can parents opt-in to full remote instruction for students?
This is a local decision. It is recommended that districts include a policy on this in their Remote and Blended Remote Learning Plan. Schools and districts should also consider planning for remote instruction for students who are medically fragile, at a higher risk of severe illness, or who live with individuals at higher risk of severe illness. Students receiving remote instruction count for attendance.

19. Is a school required to transition to remote instruction if an individual who was in the building tests positive for COVID-19?
No. Only those individuals with close contact with someone who tested positive or who is suspected of having COVID-19 are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. The school should provide remote instruction to students who are self-quarantining, if they are well enough to engage in learning. Teachers and staff who are self-quarantining may continue to work remotely if they are well enough to do so.

NOTE: Requirements are subject to change pursuant to updated public health guidance and changing public health conditions.

6-23-2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. Today, the Illinois State Board of Education released guidance for schools on the 2020-21 school year. 

This 60-page document has been much anticipated and will go a long way toward answering critical questions all of us share about what the 2020-21 school year will look like in terms of in-person learning, scheduling, transportation, wearing masks, social distancing and other measures intended to keep everyone safe and healthy. It has been our goal since the beginning to do everything we can to resume in-person instruction when it is allowable to do so. While no plan will please everyone, rest assured we are doing all that we can to plan for good experiences moving forward.

Today, the Governor and State Superintendent discussed the need for our schools to follow mandated guidelines such as social distancing, wearing of masks, and limiting groups to 50 or below in spaces within each school. The Governor and ISBE spoke about a hybrid model of instruction that may need to be implemented given the guidelines above. This would force students to go to school on different or staggered days and times. We know this places a potential major burden on parents. The Governor also stated the need for schools to be flexible and be ready to return to remote learning if the metrics state the need to do so. Again, now more than ever, we will need your patience as we plan for and navigate these changes based on the guidelines we received.  

Right now, we don’t have all the answers to the questions in this document as it was released to school districts at the same time it was released to the public. Therefore, we kindly ask for your patience as we thoroughly review this detailed guidance and implement the suggestions into our district’s own transition plan. We know some of the information and implementation measures contained in this document may be out of our control, but it is intended to keep our students safe, as difficult as the messages and allowances may be.

MCUSD#1 is aware of the need to communicate to families about what to expect next school year and anticipate releasing our own transition plan as soon as possible, most likely around the middle or end of July. As soon as we are comfortable with the plan, we will release it to parents and try to provide as many answers to questions that may be out there. We are not holding back information, but simply trying to send out our procedures without having to change them. Items to be discussed range from transportation guidelines, effective sanitization measures, and potential school closures and quarantine issues. There is so much we will need to review and plan for to get this right for our community.

The administrators have been working to brainstorm multiple scenarios and discuss considerations as we move forward with the guidelines and what we must now implement. We know that our environment may need to look different as we transition through the different phases, but we are committed to the continued education of the whole child. Our commitment to providing opportunities will continue.

Thank you again for your patience, understanding, and flexibility as the district navigated a situation together that none of us could have imagined or planned effectively for.

We appreciate your support!

We are in this together!

Sincerely, 

Shannon Anderson