Bryan Middle Seems Shorted Under In-Person Plan

ELMHURST, IL — With in-person learning set to return Jan. 11, most Elmhurst public schools are expected to maintain similar schedules as they had earlier this semester. Bryan Middle School is the exception.

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One of the biggest factors, officials said, is that Bryan has a larger percentage of students choosing in-person learning — 86 percent. At Churchville and Sandburg middle schools, the percentages are 70 percent and 82 percent, respectively, according to surveys.

As a result, while the other schools are separated into two groups for in-person learning, Bryan is divided into three.

Under the district's plan, Bryan students would get one less in-person day every three weeks and less time each day of in-person instruction.

Officials said they didn't want the situation at Bryan to affect the other two middle schools' schedules. They warned Sandburg Middle School is close to the tipping point of dividing into three groups.

Overall, Bryan's number of in-person hours would drop to 17½ hours, from 30 hours, over a three-week period, officials said.

"That's a significant drop-off from what happened this past semester," member Courtenae Trautmann said at Thursday's school board meeting. "That doesn't sit right with me. Something is off there."

She acknowledged it was personal for her because she has a student at Bryan.

Officials noted that parents had given feedback that students needed snack time, which is one of the reasons for a shortened in-person day.

Board member Karen Stuefen asked whether the district is presenting the trade-offs to the public.

"To me, the priority seems to be in-person," she said.

Assistant Superintendent Scott Grens said everything has been a "constant trade-off."

"When you pull one piece away, another one falls," he said. "This is the best we can offer in my professional opinion."

Trautmann said people should recognize what is at stake.

"I'm just going to say it: The community needs to understand everybody has done everything to hear all the voices. Everybody can't have their cake and eat it, too," she said. "If you want your kids in the buildings for five hours, there has to be something we have to give up."