District 230 Announces Remote Start To The 2020 School Year

ORLAND PARK, IL — Consolidated High School District 230 has officially announced they will be implementing fully remote learning for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, according to the district website.

The district will be heading into what they call "stage 1" of fully remote instruction for all students until Monday, Sep. 21. The district said when they enter "stage 2" students will have the option to receive instruction on campus, at a 25% capacity. Families have the option to remain fully remote.

"We remain committed to the plan which is firmly focused on providing the best possible academic experience for students safely while adhering to the academic, health, and safety requirements set by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),"Superintendent James Gay, and School Board President Tony Serratore wrote. "Our staged approach allows for flexibility to meet the needs of our community."

A list of considerations is included in the letter that provide context into what the district determines to be the best path forward.

According to the statement on the website, staff will be on campus beginning August 12 for an institute day, followed by planning days through the end of stage 1. Teachers will be teaching from their classrooms to have full access to materials and technology needed for instruction. Students will stay connected with their classes via Chromebook.

School counselors, psychologists, social workers, specialists and ESPs will also be onsite to help support staff and students, according to the statement.

Directions on how to access the school remotely for upcoming events scheduled prior to the announcement such as freshman and transfer student orientation, will be provided by Thursday, Aug. 20. The first day back to classes is Aug. 24.

Dr. Gay and President Serratore, wrote addressing the concern of academic and co-curricular experience many have during this time.

"Under the new guidance, we can implement the robust learning experience our students deserve and our community expects virtually that will meet the needs of all students without the restrictions that were identified as barriers in the spring," he said. "We will continue to implement programs that allow students to connect with each other, participate in co-curricular activities, and enjoy many of the aspects of high school that make it a memorable and rewarding experience."

The letter continued to ask for patience and support during this time. For more information, read the statement.