Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced all schools in the state, private and public, will be closed Tuesday through the end of the month. Some schools, like those in Springfield, have decided to close starting Monday, March 16.
For now, District 186 has announced the following:
Closure Details
Our schools are closed for students beginning Monday, March 16. Limited staff will be in our buildings in case students have any remaining belongings they will need for the duration of the closure, but Monday is NOT a student attendance day. Currently, we anticipate reopening on March 31. Monday will be considered a Teacher Institute day, with teachers having the option to work remotely. Per the latest state guidance, the remaining days of closure will be considered Act of God days, which means that we will NOT have to make them up at the end of the year.
Meals
Free bagged, grab-and-go breakfast and lunch will be available for pick up beginning on Tuesday, March 17, from 8:30 AM to 10 AM at Lanphier High School, Southeast High School, Springfield High School, and Franklin Middle School. We are also finalizing other sites and options at this time and will send follow-up communication on that soon.
Planning for Child Care
This is a major disruption to everyday life and we understand that making child care plans is challenging. We take our community responsibility seriously during these trying times, and the intent of school closure is to minimize the spread of coronavirus. These social distancing tactics do not work if people are still congregating in groups, and the state has indicated we cannot provide child care in our buildings during this time. This is the latest guidance from the state on this fluid issue. Staying home is the best course of action.
Home-Based Learning
We are committed to keeping students engaged in their learning during this statewide school closure. We are offering home-based learning on our website accessible through any device beginning on Monday, March 16, and teachers will be available to answer questions through electronic means for the duration of the closure. Many teachers have also opted to provide additional resources on their webpages. None of the work completed during this time will be used for grading or assessment purposes. No student can be penalized or receive extra credit for work during this time. Additionally, Comcast is offering free internet for 60 days. More information on that can be found here https://www.sps186.org/communications/?p=135654.
This article appears in Women on the March.
