Amid Coronavirus Closures, Some Dist. 202 Students To Get Laptops

PLAINFIELD, IL — With the coronavirus crisis keeping students away from school, numerous school districts are looking to provide their students with different home learning tools. In Plainfield, some 1,500 students will receive laptops from District 202 this Sunday, April 5. While not every student in the district will get one, district officials said they tried to prioritize their supply based on students' economic needs.

"Anyone could request [a laptop]," District 202 Community Relations Director Tom Hernandez told Patch via email, "but priority consideration was given to homeless, free and reduced lunch recipients and families getting fee waivers."

District 202's home learning program officially starts Monday, April 6. The laptops will not be given to families to keep; instead, they are loans due back after the end of that home learning program on June 1. Hernandez said the district will try to provide more laptops to students in the future, if possible, but those students who end up not getting one will still have at-home learning materials provided to them. These paper materials can be picked up at students' regular schools starting Monday, April 6. More information is also available on the District 202 website.

"Parents can still request printed materials from their student’s teacher next week when Remote Learning starts," Hernandez said.

Families slated to receive laptops from the school district will receive an email on Friday evening, April 3, telling them when and where they can pick up the computers on Sunday. Per social distancing procedures, no parent or student should exit their vehicles when picking up. District staff will place the laptops directly into recipients' cars.

Parents and guardians are reminded to bring their children's student IDs with them, or they may not be able to receive their device.

For more information, visit the District 202 website or contact district administration at (815) 577-4000

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