HF School Districts Weigh Closings, Remote Learning Amidst COVID

HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR, IL — As more south suburban schools start the second semester remotely, elementary and high schools throughout Homewood-Flossmoor have followed suit. Below are the most recent updates on schools closures or remote learning among districts in the area.

District 153:

The district containing Willow, Churchill and James Hart schools pushed its first day back to Monday, Jan. 10 as COVID-19 cases rise throughout the south suburbs. On Friday, the district told Patch it will host a technology pick-up day for students who were not able to bring their computers home over winter break.

While district officials said students will be back in person by Monday, the additional push to pick up technology is just a precautionary measure. According to Scott McAlister, superintendent of the district, the school's COVID-19 positivity rate sites at 17 percent as of Sunday. Officials told Patch they will notify parents over the weekend if there are not enough healthy staff members to hold in-person learning on Jan. 10.

"We are truly sorry to have to throw this curveball at our families. We want our schools open, and our students in our classrooms! But at this point, we have no good options for doing that safely," McAlister said in a letter to parents.

District 233:

Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School continues to operate regularly as of Friday, administrators told Patch. The first day back to in-person learning was Wednesday with masking and social distancing enforced. According to district officials, the building saw a combined case number of seven positive COVID-19 cases — six from teachers and one student.

Similarly to District 153, Homewood-Flossmoor High School students and teachers who have elected to will fulfill regular SHIELD saliva testing with a two-day turnaround on results.

"As always — stay home if you are not feeling well, so we can be as safe as possible and continue moving forward in our learning," said a statement on the district's website.

District 161:

Flossmoor District 161 officials told Patch school returned safely on Tuesday but that they will continue to monitor community COVID-19 positivity rate throughout the weekend. The district will also be conducting SHIELD saliva testing throughout its buildings this week and next.