News and Updates

Dear D205 Parents and Staff,

Last Friday, I announced that Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 will transition from hybrid to remote instruction for two weeks beginning October 21-November 4, 2020, implementing an Adaptive Pause in accordance with IDPH guidelines. 

The pause to in-person instruction comes because DuPage County has entered into Substantial Community Transmission. COVID-19’s presence in the community has increased to a level that stands to expose our families and staff to health risk. Although most of our students are from Elmhurst, according to the Northwestern University COVID-19 Dashboard, the communities that make up D205 have experienced a positivity rate of 7.09% and the number of cases per 100,000 people was 209.7. Under these conditions, remote learning is the instructional model outlined by the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) according to the Illinois Department of Public Health Adaptive Pause Guidelines. While school districts are afforded some level of discretion, every indicator - positivity rates, number of cases, number of youth cases - is headed in the wrong direction and that is why we made the decision to pause our in-person instruction for all students. 

Throughout the months of this pandemic, D205 has been a leader not only in opening for in-person instruction, but also in keeping both our students and staff safe. Given the strong focus on safety and health procedures, District 205 has managed to maintain school operations to the extent possible, despite positive cases of COVID-19 occurring in areas of the community outside of school.

However, lowering the substantial rates of transmission in our community will require more support than in-school mitigation efforts can always provide. Today, in the latest DCHD media release, the health department is calling for our community to adhere to the following measures during this period of “substantial community transmission”:

• wearing a mask whenever outside your home,
• maintaining at least six feet of distance from others,
• regularly washing hands, and
• avoiding in-person gatherings, particularly where all of these practices are not followed. 

Furthermore, DCHD states:

“Lowering rates of community transmission is essential to achieving our goal of safely reopening all schools,” said Karen Ayala, Executive Director at DuPage County Health Department. “School leaders in DuPage County are working to do everything they can to take all necessary precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in our schools, but each member of our community must do their part to support them. As the number of cases in DuPage County rises, it becomes more challenging for schools to prevent transmission in school settings.” 

I do understand that the idea of an “adaptive pause” for a two-week period is an unfamiliar concept. D205 is likely to draw attention and speculation from both news and social media, as it did for being the first school district in the area to return all general education students to in-person/hybrid learning. The same commitment holds true today as existed at the start of the school year, I will work unwaveringly with my team and health officials to ensure that this pause is solely to allow COVID-19 transmission rates to recede. Students and staff will return to the classroom as soon as it is safely possible to do so.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit District 205

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Next Steps:

As a point of reiteration, the schedule for the next two weeks will be as follows:

• October 19, Group A, YHS Green Schedule, and AB students attend in-person. Madison Early Childhood Center students also will attend in-person.
• October 20, Group B, YHS White Schedule, and AB students attend in-person. Madison Early Childhood Center students also will attend in-person.
• October 21-November 4 remote learning for all students (Note: November 3 is a day of non-attendance due to Election Day. No remote learning). 

Remote Learning:

• Parents who would like their students to stay home on October 19-20 may opt to participate remotely on those days as scheduled by teachers.
• Families should expect to receive communication from their respective schools and teachers concerning remote learning schedules. In addition, families of EL students as well as students with disabilities will receive an update from the D205 Student Services Department concerning services and resources during the remote learning period this week.
• On Friday, October 30, staff and parents will receive additional communications from the District, indicating if a return to hybrid learning is possible (based on health and safety metrics) beginning on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

Athletics:

• Fall sports that are still in the state series (Boys and Girls Cross Country and Girls Swimming and Diving) will compete in sectional and regional competitions as scheduled. As of Wednesday, October 21, 2020, all other practices have been suspended until further notice.

SAT Make-Up Day:

• York High School’s SAT Make-Up Day will take place on October 27 as scheduled. A notice to those specific students is forthcoming. Families are encouraged to connect with York Assistant Principal for Student Services Meredith Sheriff at msheriff@elmhurst205.org with questions.

D205 Meal Services:

• D205 Meal Services will continue as currently scheduled. Please click here for more information.

District 205 Administration Center Services:

• The D205 Administration Center, 162 S. York St., will be closed to the public during the remote learning period from October 21-November 4. However, the public may call the D205 main office number to (630) 834-4530 or contact departments and administrators by email with questions and business concerns.
• D205’s COVID-19 dashboard is now live and updated weekly. The dashboard tracks district, county and state information from one central hub.

Dear District 205 Families,

Over the past several weeks, each of you has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving the students and community of District 205. The outcome of our students returning to school is something we should each be proud of achieving together.

District 205 was extremely excited to be the first unit district in DuPage County to welcome back all students to campus for hybrid learning during the week of October 5. However, I shared candidly during the D205 Board of Education meeting Tuesday evening that DuPage County is experiencing an increase in positive COVID-19 cases and signaled the possible need to shift to remote learning in the near future as a result. 

As you know, the D205 Leadership Team continues to monitor the county’s prognosis and follow the requirements and guidance of the Illinois Department of Public Health Adaptive Pause Guidelines, Regional Office of Education, and the DuPage County Health Department’s COVID-19 Return to Schools Framework as well as D205 legal counsel during this health crisis.

I also have been forthright about the need for families and staff to move quickly and flexibly between the learning models of the Open D205 Plan (in-person, hybrid and remote) should the spread of COVID-19 in DuPage County reach the “Substantial Community Transmission” category, according to the DuPage County COVID-19 School Metrics Guidance. The framework identifies three levels of risk: Minimal, Moderate, and Substantial.

Earlier today, DuPage County moved into the Substantial Community Transmission Category, as the weekly case count rose to 119 cases per 100,000 people in the county population, which is a 34% increase from last week. Cases have risen for young people under the age of 20 by 46.7%. This means that the presence of COVID-19 is on a large scale and is widely spreading throughout our community at a rapid pace that jeopardizes the health and safety of our families. One-hundred percent (100%) remote learning is recommended by the DuPage County Health Department at this time.

Given this, D205 will transition from hybrid to remote instruction for two weeks beginning Wednesday, October 21, 2020, implementing an Adaptive Pause in accordance with IDPH guidelines. All students will transition to instruction via Remote Learning, consisting of daily synchronous (real-time live) and asynchronous (recorded and/or self-guided) learning opportunities based on daily schedules provided by teachers.

The schedule for the next two weeks will be as follows:

• October 19, Group A (YHS Green Schedule) and AB students attend in-person. Madison Early Childhood Center students also will attend in-person.

• October 20, Group B (YHS White Schedule) and AB students attend in-person. Madison Early Childhood Center students also will attend in-person.

• October 21-November 4 remote learning for all students (Note: November 3 is a day of non-attendance due to Election Day. No remote learning). 

Next Steps:

• Parents who would like their students to stay home on October 19 and 20 may opt to attend school remotely on those days.

• The District will issue a follow-up communication on Monday, October 19 with information on logistics such as meal and technology services, school and D205 administration center office hours, D205 kindergarten residency verification, and athletic updates.

• On Friday, October 30, staff and parents will receive additional communications from the District, indicating if a return to hybrid learning is possible (based on health and safety metrics) beginning on Thursday, November 5, 2020. 

This decision is not an easy one in a community that so highly values education and in-person learning. The District 205 Leadership Team, our teachers, and staff have worked hard to keep our schools physically open and we look forward to our students’ return to the classroom as soon as possible. The health and safety of our students, staff, and families must always come first.

Again, be well, and stay safe. You can follow the weekly County updates and the daily City of Elmhurst updates on the District’s COVID-19 Dashboard. 

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 is a special place. Certainly, COVID-19 has presented our school community with the challenge of a lifetime. Our commitment to health and safety must be stronger than ever. It also is important to remember that we are resilient and devoted to excellence in education. On Monday, we were fortunate enough to welcome our final group of students -- 8th, 11th and 12th graders -- back to our buildings. As of October 6, more than 80 percent of students have chosen hybrid learning for this semester. 

Whether in a hybrid setting or learning remotely, our administrators, teachers, counselors and staff are supportive, creative and dynamic. Daily, they empower our students to realize their full potential. Typically, at this time of year, we would gather in-person for a State-of-the-Schools event in order to celebrate that high level of student achievement and chart the course for the school year. In lieu of coming together, we ask that you set aside some time to watch this special video edition of the 4th annual State of the Schools Address. We could not be more proud to live or work in District 205 and believe that you feel the same.

As we prepare for the extended weekend, please be reminded that tomorrow, Friday, October 9 is a non-attendance day for students due to Teacher Institute Day. Our teachers will participate in professional development sessions remotely from home while our custodial teams clean and disinfect the buildings. All D205 Administration Center staff will work from home as well for the same reason. The office building will be closed to the public. In addition, there will be no school on Monday, October 12 for the Columbus Day holiday. All D205 schools and buildings will reopen on Tuesday, October 13.

Moving forward, there are days off that impact our school schedule. We would still like to offer two in-person days of instruction so we have adjusted our school schedule accordingly to ensure that equitable opportunities are available to our students:

• October 23 -  No school for all middle school students only due to parent teacher conferences.
• November 3 - No school for all D205 students and staff due to Election Day.
• November 4 - "A" day due to being off on Election Day. 
• November 18  - No school for all D205 students. Staff will have a Remote Blended Learning Professional Learning Day. This day will not need to be made up at the end of the year. 
• November 23 - Remote Learning Day for all elementary students only due to parent teacher conferences.
• November 24 - No school for all elementary students only due to parent teacher conferences.
• November 23  - “A” day for all 6-12 students to compensate for the short week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. 
• November 24 - “B” day for all 6-12 students to compensate for the short week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. 
• November 25 - No school for D205 students and staff due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Break
• November 26 - No school for D205 students and staff due. Happy Thanksgiving!
• November 27 - No school for D205 students and staff due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Break

The fall season also brings with it many celebrations from parties to Halloween Trick-or-Treating to Thanksgiving. As you enjoy, please incorporate health and safety -- wearing a mask, social distancing and frequent handwashing -- into your plans. We want positive memories and not a spike in COVID-or-flu-related illness to be the hallmark of these momentous occasions. Please see the District’s latest COVID-19 data. The D205 COVID-19 Dashboard is updated every Friday.

Enjoy your long weekend. Be safe in order to stay well.

October 2, 2020

Dear D205 Families and Staff,

As the fall season has arrived, the constant realization that our school community has been grappling with the impact of COVID-19 since spring weighs heavily on us all. Our families and staff want nothing more than to return to the days when things were “normal.” Yet, the rising positive case rates in Elmhurst and in DuPage County are a stark reminder that we must be ever vigilant in our fight to prevent the spread of this unpredictable virus. 

Over the past month, COVID-19 cases in Elmhurst have increased by approximately 30%, and we have seen potential exposures in our schools that are linked to community activity, including the recent local OrangeTheory outbreak. Many students and staff have had to self-isolate or quarantine and, as a result, some students and staff who had originally returned to the classroom for the school year are now learning or working remotely. Beginning today, our community can now track the same metrics that our administrative team does using our new Open D205 COVID-19 Dashboard. The Dashboard tracks the District’s positive cases and quarantine data since the start of school to date and weekly beginning September 21. The dashboard has been updated updated today and every Friday going forward throughout the school year.

To this point in time, the spread of COVID-19 in DuPage County has been considered “Moderate” and the actual number of D205 students and staff who have tested positive for the virus is low. However, in order to keep our numbers low, we have had to quarantine, per IDPH guidelines, a higher number of students and staff who would be considered close contacts to those COVID-positive individuals. 

Close contacts to COVID-positive individuals help to stop the spread of the virus by quarantining for 14-days. The Illinois Department of Public Health defines a close contact as: 

• Anyone (with or without a face covering) who was within 6 feet of a confirmed case of COVID-19 (with or without a face covering), for a cumulative period of at least 15 minutes over the course of 48 hours. Additionally, a close contact could be a person who had physical contact or had contact with the bodily fluids of a COVID-positive individual.

• The period of close contact begins 2 calendar days before the onset of symptoms (for a symptomatic person) or 2 calendar days before the positive sample was obtained (for an asymptomatic person).

• If the person was symptomatic (e.g., coughing, sneezing), people with briefer periods of exposure may also be considered close contacts.

• If there was poor adherence to social distancing or challenges with face coverings, people with briefer periods of exposure may also be considered close contacts.

In addition, exposures and cases are reviewed with IDPH and DCHD to ensure that contact tracing is accurate and to determine if additional measures need to be implemented to prevent further spread of the virus.

At times it may appear that our approach to mitigating risk and containing spread is conservative, yet the health and safety of our students and staff must remain our top priority. We also understand the importance of returning healthy students and staff to school, activities and work as soon as is safely possible. In turn, we are asking for your complete honesty on a daily basis when self-certifying a health status for yourself or your student. We also are asking for your cooperation and respect should one of our medical professionals or administrators communicate with you in writing or by phone regarding a health investigation or notification to quarantine.

Again, our school community has been relatively spared thus far, but cases are on the rise locally and countywide. Following CDC guidelines in school, during our social time and travels and at home is not a suggestion; it is a requirement. We are confident that we can keep people safe in school. There are no cases in which a positive test or the spread of the virus is attributable to our classrooms or school activities. The school environment only remains strong if we continue to adhere to the safeguards, controls and protocols put in place.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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2 de octubre, 2020

Estimadas familias y personal de D205:

A medida que llega la temporada de otoño, la realización constante de que nuestra comunidad escolar ha estado lidiando con el impacto de COVID-19 desde la primavera nos pesa a todos. Nuestras familias y el personal no quieren nada más que volver a los días en que las cosas eran "normales". Sin embargo, las crecientes tasas de casos positivos en Elmhurst y en el condado de DuPage son un claro recordatorio de que debemos estar siempre atentos en nuestra lucha para prevenir la propagación de este virus impredecible.

Durante el mes pasado, los casos de COVID-19 en Elmhurst aumentaron aproximadamente un 30% y hemos visto posibles exposiciones en nuestras escuelas que están vinculadas a la actividad comunitaria, incluido el reciente brote local de OrangeTheory. Muchos estudiantes y personal han tenido que aislarse o ponerse en cuarentena y como resultado, algunos estudiantes y personal que originalmente habían regresado al salón de clases para el año escolar ahora están aprendiendo o trabajando de forma remota. A partir de hoy, nuestra comunidad ahora puede realizar un seguimiento de las mismas métricas que hace nuestro equipo administrativo utilizando nuestro nuevo Panel de control Open D205 COVID-19. El Tablero rastrea los casos positivos del Distrito y los datos de cuarentena desde el inicio de la escuela hasta la fecha y semanalmente a partir del 21 de septiembre. El tablero se actualizará hoy y todos los viernes a lo largo del año escolar.

Hasta este momento, la propagación de COVID-19 en el condado de DuPage se ha considerado “moderada” y la cantidad real de estudiantes y personal del D205 que dieron positivo en la prueba del virus es baja. Sin embargo, para mantener nuestros números bajos, hemos tenido que poner en cuarentena, de acuerdo con las pautas del IDPH, un mayor número de estudiantes y personal que se consideran contactos cercanos con esas personas positivas a COVID.

Los contactos cercanos con individuos COVID positivos ayudan a detener la propagación del virus al ponerlos en cuarentena durante 14 días. El Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois define un contacto cercano como:

• Cualquier persona (con o sin cubierta facial) que estuvo a 6 pies de un caso confirmado de COVID-19 (con o sin cubierta facial), durante un período acumulativo de al menos 15 minutos en el transcurso de 48 horas. Además, un contacto cercano podría ser una persona que tuvo contacto físico o tuvo contacto con los fluidos corporales de una persona con COVID positivo.

• El período de contacto cercano comienza 2 días naturales antes del inicio de los síntomas (para una persona sintomática) o 2 días naturales antes de que se obtenga la muestra positiva (para una persona asintomática).

• Si la persona presentaba síntomas (por ejemplo, tosía, estornudaba), las personas con períodos de exposición más breves también pueden considerarse contactos cercanos.

• Si hubo poca adherencia al distanciamiento social o desafíos con cubrirse el rostro, las personas con períodos de exposición más breves también pueden considerarse contactos cercanos.

Además, las exposiciones y los casos se revisan con IDPH y DCHD para garantizar que el rastreo de contactos sea preciso y para determinar si es necesario implementar medidas adicionales para evitar una mayor propagación del virus.

A veces puede parecer que nuestro enfoque para mitigar el riesgo y contener la propagación es conservador, sin embargo, la salud y la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal deben seguir siendo nuestra principal prioridad. También entendemos la importancia de devolver a los estudiantes y al personal sanos a la escuela, las actividades y el trabajo tan pronto como sea posible. A su vez, le pedimos a diario su total honestidad al autocertificar su estado de salud o el de su estudiante. También pedimos su cooperación y respeto en caso de que uno de nuestros profesionales médicos o administradores se comunique con usted por escrito o por teléfono en relación con una investigación de salud o una notificación de cuarentena.

Nuevamente, nuestra comunidad escolar se ha salvado relativamente hasta ahora, pero los casos están aumentando a nivel local y en todo el condado. Seguir las pautas de los CDC en la escuela, durante nuestro tiempo social y viajes y en casa no es una sugerencia; es un requisito. Confiamos en que podemos mantener a las personas seguras en la escuela. No hay casos en los que una prueba positiva o la propagación del virus sea atribuible a nuestras aulas o actividades escolares. El ambiente escolar solo se mantiene fuerte si continuamos adhiriéndonos a las salvaguardas, controles y protocolos implementados.

Sinceramente,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendente
Distrito Escolar 205 de la Unidad Comunitaria de Elmhurst

September 30, 2020

Dear D205 Elementary School Parents,

Thank you for your patience and support as D205 has worked through the challenges, nuances and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our schools. The health and safety for our staff and students remains first priority and daily concentration. At the same time, we are very proud of our D205 staff and families, who are working together to provide strong instruction to students, whether in-person or logging on remotely. 

As many of our students return to in-person instruction, the D205 Leadership Team has been candid with our school community that one of the impacts of COVID-19 would be a teacher and substitute teacher shortage. While sub openings have been advertised, we have had very few applicants apply for those positions. In an effort to ensure coverage of classrooms, the elementary principals and District leaders have agreed to a process for shifting staff from other assignments to fill vacancies.

In many instances in our elementary buildings, principals have had to utilize our Spanish teachers to cover classroom positions. The need to repurpose Spanish teachers to be itinerant classroom teachers within their buildings has created a situation where we do not have the staff to continue to offer Spanish as an elective in the elementary schools at this time. 

As a result, D205 has made the difficult conclusion to suspend elementary Spanish instruction, effective immediately through January 1, 2021, at which point the decision will be revisited. The restoration of elementary Spanish will be reevaluated if it is determined we have the appropriate staff to provide equitable services across the District. This decision does not impact the Dual Language Program.

We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience of this decision. It was not an easy one to make. However, we appreciate your understanding during these unprecedented times.  

Sincerely,

The Elmhurst CUSD 205 Leadership Team

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30 de Septiembre de 2020

Estimados Padres de Familia de la Escuela Primaria D205:

Gracias por su paciencia y apoyo mientras D205 ha superado los desafíos, los matices y el impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en nuestras escuelas. La salud y seguridad de nuestro personal y estudiantes sigue siendo la primera prioridad y la concentración diaria. Al mismo tiempo, estamos muy orgullosos de nuestro personal y las familias del D205, quienes están trabajando juntos para brindar una sólida instrucción a los estudiantes, ya sea en persona o iniciando sesión de forma remota.

Dado que muchos de nuestros estudiantes regresan a la instrucción en persona, el Equipo de Liderazgo del D205 ha sido sincero con nuestra comunidad escolar en el sentido de que uno de los impactos de COVID-19 sería la escasez de maestros y maestros sustitutos. Si bien se han anunciado las vacantes secundarias, muy pocos solicitantes se han postulado para esos puestos. En un esfuerzo por asegurar la cobertura de los salones de clases, los Directores de las escuelas primarias y los líderes del Distrito han acordado un proceso para cambiar al personal de otras asignaturas para llenar las vacantes.

En muchos casos en nuestros edificios de primaria, los Directores han tenido que utilizar a nuestros maestros de español para cubrir puestos en el aula. La necesidad de reutilizar a los maestros de español para que sean maestros de aula itinerantes dentro de sus edificios ha creado una situación en la que no tenemos el personal para continuar ofreciendo español como una materia optativa en las escuelas primarias en este momento.

Como resultado, el D205 ha llegado a la difícil conclusión de suspender la instrucción en español en las escuelas primarias, con vigencia inmediata hasta el 1 de Enero de 2021, momento en el cual se revisará la decisión. La restauración del español en las escuelas primarias será reevaluada si se determina que tenemos el personal apropiado para brindar servicios equitativos en todo el Distrito. Esta decisión no afecta el Programa de Lenguaje Dual.

Pedimos disculpas por la decepción y los inconvenientes de esta decisión. No fue fácil. Sin embargo, agradecemos su comprensión durante estos tiempos sin precedentes.

Sinceramente,

El equipo de liderazgo de Elmhurst CUSD 205

Dear District 205 Families, On Monday, September 21, District 205 became the first district in DuPage County to welcome back general education high school students when 6th and 9th grade general education students returned for in-person learning as defined by the District’s hybrid model. I have been overcome with emotion as I see the happiness of students returning to school and interacting with their peers and overwhelmed in ways for which there are no words as I see teacher after teacher breaking new ground to help ensure that students learn. On behalf of my administrative team, thanks to everyone for both your hard work and your patience. D205 will continue to welcome students back to campus for hybrid learning as follows: Monday, September 28: All remaining 7th and 10th Grade Students (Hybrid) Monday, October 5: All remaining 8th, 11th,  and 12th Grade Students (Hybrid) Details will come from your respective schools.  Additional Calendar Updates During the weeks of October 5 and October 12, students who traditionally attend school the first two and last two days of the week will attend in-person as follows: October 5 and 6 and 13 and 14: Group A Students and York High School Green Schedule Students October 7 and 8 and 15 and 16: Group B Students and York High School White Schedule Students On September 22, the Board of Education declared Wednesday, November 18, a Remote Learning Professional Learning Day for staff.  This will be a day of non-attendance for students, but, consistent with Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order, will not result in a day being added to the calendar at the end of the school year. District COVID-19 Dashboard The plan to support hybrid instruction and extracurricular participation is contingent on the District’s ability to staff and the DuPage County Health Department’s metrics for risk assessment. Keeping people healthy and minimizing community transmission is a collective responsibility. Please do your part to social distance, mask, and practice regular handwashing, especially as we begin to spend more time indoors and flu season approaches. In an effort to keep the community informed of local transmission data, the District has created a Dashboard that includes information on county, district, and city data. The Dashboard will be updated every Friday, beginning October 2, on the Open D205 section of our website, and shared publicly at regularly scheduled Board of Education meetings. It is anticipated that the county will be classified in the Moderate Risk Category for the foreseeable future, which means that the hybrid model will be the primary mode of learning for students who do not opt for remote learning. District 205 is committed to improving its ability to support learning in a hybrid environment, and will continue to elicit feedback from students and parents.   Families who elected remote learning did so knowing that they committed to that option until January. Later this fall, families will be contacted again to request their preference for hybrid or remote instruction from January through the end of the year. Sincerely, Dr. David Moyer Superintendent Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Estimadas Familias del Distrito 205, El lunes 21 de septiembre el Distrito 205 se convirtió en el primer distrito en el Condado de DuPage que dio la bienvenida a la escuela a los estudiantes de educación en general comenzando con los estudiantes de 6to y 9no grado los cuales están de regreso para el aprendizaje en persona como se define el modelo híbrido del Distrito. Me he llenado de emoción al ver la felicidad de los estudiantes que regresan a la escuela e interactuar con sus compañeros y me siento con una gran emoción que no encuentro palabras para explicar, ya que veo a un maestro tras otro abriendo nuevos caminos para ayudar a garantizar que los estudiantes aprendan. En nombre de mi equipo administrativo, gracias a todos por su arduo trabajo y su paciencia. El D205 continuará dando la bienvenida a los estudiantes al campus  para el aprendizaje híbrido de la siguiente manera: Lunes 28 de septiembre: Todos los estudiantes restantes de 7to y 10mo grado (Híbrido) Lunes 5 de octubre: Todos los estudiantes restantes de 8vo, 11vo y  12vo grado ( Híbrido)   Los detalles provendrán de sus respectivas escuelas.  Actualizaciones Adicionales del Calendario Durante la semana del 5 y el 12 de octubre, los estudiantes que tradicionalmente asisten a la escuela los dos primeros y dos últimos días de la semana asistirán en persona de la siguiente manera: 5 y 6 de octubre y 13 y 14: Estudiantes del Grupo A y Estudiantes Horario Verde de la Preparatoria York 7 y 8 y 15 y 16 de octubre: Estudiantes del Grupo B y Estudiantes Horario Blanco de la Preparatoria York   El 22 de septiembre, la Junta de Educación declaró el miércoles 18 de noviembre, Día de Aprendizaje Profesional Remoto para el Personal. Este será un día de no asistencia para los estudiantes, pero, de acuerdo con la Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador Pritzker, no resultará en que se agregue un día al calendario al final del año escolar. Panel de Control del Distrito COVID-19 El plan para apoyar la instrucción híbrida y la participación extracurricular depende de la capacidad del Distrito para contar con personal y las métricas del Departamento de Salud del Condado de DuPage para la evaluación de riesgos. Mantener a las personas sanas y minimizar la transmisión comunitaria es una responsabilidad colectiva. Por favor, haga su parte con la distancia social, usen sus máscaras y practique el lavado de manos con regularidad, especialmente a medida que comenzamos a pasar más tiempo en interiores y se acerca la temporada de gripe. En un esfuerzo por mantener informada a la comunidad sobre los datos de transmisión local, el Distrito ha creado un Tablero que incluye información sobre los datos del Condado, Distrito y Ciudad. El Tablero se actualizará todos los viernes, a partir del 2 de octubre, en el Open D205 Microsite y se compartirá públicamente en las reuniones de la Junta de Educación programadas regularmente. Se anticipa que el condado se clasificará en la categoría de riesgo moderado en el futuro previsible, lo que significa que el modelo híbrido será el modo principal de aprendizaje para los estudiantes que no opten por el aprendizaje remoto. El Distrito 205 está comprometido a mejorar su capacidad para apoyar el aprendizaje en un entorno híbrido y continuará obteniendo comentarios de los estudiantes y los padres.   Las familias que eligieron el aprendizaje a distancia lo hicieron sabiendo que se comprometieron con esa opción hasta enero. A finales de este otoño, las familias serán contactadas nuevamente para solicitar su preferencia por instrucción híbrida o remota desde enero hasta fin de año. Atentamente, Dr. David Moyer El Rector Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

Dear D205 Families,

Seeing our students begin the rolling return to school has been rewarding. D205 is one of the first school districts in DuPage County to lead a return to in-person learning, the first high school to bring general education students back to campus, and one of four districts in the 14-high school Western Suburban Conference to allow outdoor athletic practices.

The return to in-person or hybrid instruction is a sign of positive -- yet cautious -- forward movement after a long spring and summer season spent close to home. However, we also respect and support those families who have made the deeply personal choice to attend school remotely this fall semester.

Please see the schedule as our remaining students in grades 6-12 begin their return to school starting next Monday, September 21 - Monday, October 5, 2020 on the Open D205 section of our website.

Whether in-person, hybrid or remote, thank you for your continuous commitment to health and safety. Your devotion to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our school community is what has allowed us to open D205, and will allow us to remain open in the days and months to come.

Based upon the guidelines and regulations of the DuPage County Health Department and Illinois Department of Public Health, we will continue to monitor data, review all practices and implement any additional recommendations to assist in preventing further spread of the virus. 

Specifics on D205’s COVID-19 data will be presented to the Board during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. Originally slated for this week, D205’s COVID-19 dashboard will instead be shared during the board meeting and made public after obtaining feedback that evening.

Be reassured that D205 will continue to do its part to create the healthiest and most safe school environment possible, including requiring the daily health certification of employees, students and visitors when working, attending class or conducting business in person. Also, please review our newly updated Stay at Home and Illness Procedure. When potential exposures or cases are reported, please see the D205 COVID-19 Resources Page to learn how the District screens for symptoms, assesses risk and minimizes impact.

Make no mistake. Aggressively fighting the spread of COVID-19 is the most important school and community partnership of our time. If in-person classroom, athletic and extracurricular opportunities are our priority, these privileges must be protected and the school community must be willing to temporarily curtail plans for optional group gatherings and activities that could place our students and staff at risk. Our collective actions -- frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, and social distancing -- when at home or socializing with friends and family can help drastically prevent the spread COVID-19 when we come together at school.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Estimadas Familias del D205

Ha sido gratificante empezar a ver de regreso a algunos de nuestros estudiantes en el campus escolar. El D205 es uno de los primeros distritos en el Condado de DuPage en liderar la reapertura y nuestra preparatoria ha empezado el regreso a clases presenciales. De hecho, el distrito es uno de cuatro distritos y la preparatoria una de entre 14 en la Conferencia Suburbana del Medio Oeste en permitir prácticas al aire libre de deportes y atletismo.

El regreso a las clases presenciales o a un modelo de aprendizaje híbrido (combinado) es un signo positivo, pero cauteloso y de avance después de haber pasado por un largo período de encierro en casa durante la primavera y verano. Sin embargo, también queremos expresar nuestro respeto y apoyo a aquellas familias que han tomado la decisión muy personal de mantener a sus niños en casa y usar el sistema de aprendizaje en línea exclusivamente durante este semestre escolar de otoño. 

Por favor revise el horario escolar de regreso a clases presenciales y paulatino para el resto de los estudiantes del grado 6º al 12º en la siguiente conexión, Open D205. El mismo empezará gradualmente dependiendo del grado escolar a partir del lunes 21 de septiembre y continuará hasta el lunes 5 de octubre del 2020. 

No importando lo que usted haya escogido; ya sea clases presenciales, o un sistema de aprendizaje híbrido o combinado (en línea y presencial), o con un sistema 100% remoto y en línea, le agradecemos infinitamente de antemano su apoyo continuo para mantener la salud y seguridad de todos nosotros. Su ahínco y énfasis previniendo el esparcimiento del COVID-19 en toda nuestra comunidad escolar, ha sido lo que nos ha permitido mantener la apertura del D205 y nos seguirá permitiendo mantener la misma en los días que vienen y en los próximos meses.

Basados en los lineamientos y regulaciones del Departamento de Salud del Condado de DuPage en Illinois, continuaremos monitoreando los datos, revisando las prácticas e implementando las recomendaciones adicionales para ayudar a prevenir el esparcimiento del virus. 

Los datos específicos del virus COVID-19 en nuestro D205 serán presentados al Consejo de Educación en su junta regular del próximo martes 22 de septiembre a las 7:00 pm. Originalmente teníamos programado compartir dicha información esta semana, en vez de ello, la misma será compartida en la junta del Consejo y hecha pública después de haber obtenido la retroalimentación del Consejo mismo. 

Por favor tenga la seguridad de que el D205 continuará haciendo su parte en crear un medio ambiente de aprendizaje lo más saludable y seguro posible. Ésto incluye la auto certificación de salud diaria ‘daily health certification’ tanto de empleados, como de estudiantes y visitantes al campus escolar, ya sea atendiendo clases o conduciendo algún tipo de asunto profesional y en persona. Por favor revise también la conexión ‘Stay at Home and Illness Procedure’ para checar procedimientos actualizados sobre cómo quedarse en casa cuando se está enfermo. Cuando se reportan casos de exposición potencial al virus, se toma en cuenta los síntomas y se evalúan los riesgos para minimizar el impacto de dicha exposición. Para mayor información, por favor visite la siguiente página, ‘D205 COVID-19 Resources Page”

No tenga duda que la lucha de manera agresiva contra el esparcimiento del virus COVID-19 es lo más importante para nuestra escuela en estos momentos. Si nuestra prioridad es mantener las clases presenciales, actividades deportivas y oportunidades con actividades extracurriculares, estos privilegios deben de ser protegidos en nuestra comunidad escolar, pero para ello todos deben de estar dispuestos a acortar los planes o conglomerados de grupos, o actividades que puedan poner en riesgo a nuestros estudiantes y personal. Nuestros esfuerzos y acciones colectivas como el lavado frecuente de las manos, el uso de cubrebocas y el distanciamiento social, ya sea en casa o cuando estén socializando con amistades y familiares puede prevenir drásticamente la propagación del virus COVID-19 cuando se reúnan en la escuela. 

Atentamente,

Dr. David Moyer
Rector Escolar
Distrito Comunitario Escolar de Elmhurst, 205

Dear District 205 Families,

District 205 has been working arduously to meet the goal of bringing students back to campus as soon as safely possible and staffing permits. In recent weeks, many students have returned to their respective schools for in-person or hybrid instruction. 

On Wednesday, September 2, the District successfully returned the following students to their attendance centers for in-person or hybrid instruction:

• Self-Contained Special Education Classes at Madison (5-days/week) 

• Multi-Needs Classrooms at Edison (Hybrid)

• Transition Programming (5-days/week)

 On Tuesday, September 8, the following students returned to our campuses: 

• All Pre-Kindergarten Classes (5-days/week) 

• All Kindergarten Classes (Hybrid)

• Cross-Categorical/Self-Contained Classes at Emerson, Jackson, Jefferson, Bryan, Churchville, and Sandburg, (Hybrid) 

• ABC Classroom at Hawthorne and Sandburg (Hybrid) 

• Self-contained Math and English Classes at York 

• Multi-Needs Classrooms at Sandburg (Hybrid)

We are thankful for the hard work of our students, staff, parents, and community members to get us to this point where we have been able to provide in-person instruction for our students.  Our next steps are outlined below:

On Monday, September 14, 2020, we will welcome the following groups of students to campus:

• All students in grades 1-5 (Hybrid)

• Multi-Needs students at York (5-Days)

• All students with IEPs in grades 6-12 (based on the days/program selected, 2, 4, 5 days, etc.) AND select students in EL programming (Hybrid)

We are also pleased to announce the following rolling return schedule for the remaining students:

• September 21 - 6th and 9th Grade General Education (Hybrid Schedule)

• September 28 - 7th and 10th Grade General Education (Hybrid Schedule)

• October 5 - 8th and 11th/12th Grade General Education (Hybrid Schedule)

Special details will come from your respective schools no later than the Thursday of the week prior to the scheduled return date (i.e. 6th grade parents should expect to receive communication on or before 9/17/2020).

As always, these plans are contingent on the District’s ability to staff our buildings appropriately and are provided to you with the current assumption that DuPage County will remain in the Moderate Risk category for transmission of the COVID-19 virus.  Should DuPage County or Elmhurst see an increase in COVID-19 cases, in positivity rates, in youth cases, or if our Region requires additional mitigation, these plans will be delayed and our current plans for in-person instruction will be revisited.

Other Information 
D205 Health Dashboard

The D205 Student Services Department is in the process of developing a COVID-19 dashboard to track the following information district-wide:

• Number of Staff Quarantined Presently

• Number of Students Quarantined Presently

• Number of Symptomatic or Positive Staff

• Number of Symptomatic or Positive Students

• Total Number of Staff Quarantined to Date

• Total Number of Students Quarantined to Date

• Total Number of COVID-19 Cases Presently

• Total Number of COVID-19 Cases to Date

It is important for the District to lead the school community in an honest conversation about health and safety if we are to successfully return to in-person learning. Again, it is not enough to follow guidelines and wear masks when in school. Our collective actions -- frequent hand washing, wearing a mask, and social distancing -- when at home or socializing with friends and family can help drastically prevent the spread COVID-19 when we come together in the buildings.

The D205 Health Dashboard will be shared in next Thursday’s District communication to the school community. 

Registration for D205 and Elmhurst Park District’s Club-Ed (EC-5) Program Opens Sept. 10. As a reminder, Club Ed online registration opens at 9:00 am on Thursday, September 10 at epd.org. Programming is slated to start on Monday, September 21, and will be held Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The weekly cost will be $315 per child. 

The start of the school year has been stressful for many families as parents struggle to balance work with remote and hybrid learning. Staff at the Elmhurst Park District and Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205  have been working behind the scenes for weeks to come up with the best solution to help as many families as possible during this tough transition. 

More information about the Club Ed program is available on the D205 website.

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Estimadas familias del Distrito 205:

El Distrito 205 ha estado trabajando arduamente para cumplir con la meta de traer a los estudiantes de regreso a la escuela tan pronto como sea posible de manera segura y con los permisos de personal. En las últimas semanas, muchos estudiantes han regresado a sus respectivas escuelas para recibir instrucción en persona o híbrida.

El miércoles 2 de septiembre, el Distrito regresó exitosamente a los siguientes estudiantes a sus centros de asistencia para recibir instrucción en persona o híbrida:

• Clases independientes de educación especial en Madison (5 días a la semana)

• Aulas de necesidades múltiples en Edison (híbrido)

• Programación de transición (5 días / semana)

 El martes 8 de septiembre, los siguientes estudiantes regresaron a nuestras escuelas:

• Todas las clases de preescolar (5 días a la semana)

• Todas las clases de Kinder (híbridas)

• Clases inter categóricas / autónomas en Emerson, Jackson, Jefferson, Bryan, Churchville y Sandburg, (híbrido)

• Aula ABC en Hawthorne y Sandburg (híbrido)

• Clases autónomas de matemáticas e inglés en York

• Aulas de necesidades múltiples en Sandburg (híbrido)

Estamos agradecidos por el arduo trabajo de nuestros estudiantes, personal, padres y miembros de la comunidad para llevarnos a este punto en el que hemos podido brindar instrucción en persona a nuestros estudiantes. Nuestros próximos pasos se describen a continuación:

El lunes 14 de septiembre de 2020, daremos la bienvenida al campus a los siguientes grupos de estudiantes:

• Todos los estudiantes en los grados 1-5 (híbrido)

• Estudiantes con necesidades múltiples en York (5 días)

• Todos los estudiantes con IEP en los grados 6-12 (según los días / programa seleccionado, 2, 4, 5 días, etc.) Y estudiantes selectos en la programación EL (híbrido)

También nos complace anunciar el siguiente programa de regreso continuo para los estudiantes restantes:

• 21 de septiembre - Educación general de sexto y noveno grado (horario híbrido)

• 28 de septiembre - Educación general para grados 7 y 10 (horario híbrido)

• 5 de octubre - Educación general para grados 8 y 11/12 (horario híbrido)

Los detalles especiales vendrán de sus respectivas escuelas a más tardar el jueves de la semana anterior a la fecha de regreso programada (es decir, los padres de sexto grado deben esperar recibir comunicación el 17/9/2020 o antes).

Como siempre, estos planes dependen de la capacidad del Distrito para dotar de personal a nuestros edificios de manera adecuada y se le proporcionan con la suposición actual de que el condado de DuPage permanecerá en la categoría de riesgo moderado para la transmisión del virus COVID-19. Si el condado de DuPage o Elmhurst ven un aumento en los casos de COVID-19, en las tasas de positividad, en los casos de jóvenes o si nuestra región requiere mitigación adicional, estos planes se retrasarán y se revisarán nuestros planes actuales para la instrucción en persona.

Otra información

Panel de salud D205

El Departamento de Servicios Estudiantiles del D205 está en proceso de desarrollar un tablero COVID-19 para rastrear la siguiente información en todo el distrito:

• Cantidad de personal actualmente en cuarentena

• Número de estudiantes en cuarentena actualmente

• Número de personal sintomático o positivo

• Número de estudiantes sintomáticos o positivos

• Número total de personal en cuarentena hasta la fecha

• Número total de estudiantes en cuarentena hasta la fecha

• Número total de casos de COVID-19 actualmente

• Número total de casos de COVID-19 hasta la fecha

Es importante que el Distrito lidere a la comunidad escolar en una conversación honesta sobre salud y seguridad si queremos regresar con éxito al aprendizaje en persona. Nuevamente, no es suficiente seguir las pautas y usar máscaras cuando se está en la escuela. Nuestras acciones colectivas (lavarse las manos con frecuencia, usar una máscara y distanciamiento social) cuando estamos en casa o socializamos con amigos y familiares pueden ayudar a prevenir drásticamente la propagación de COVID-19 cuando nos reunimos en los edificios.

El Tablero de Salud D205 se compartirá en la comunicación del Distrito del próximo jueves a la comunidad escolar.

 La inscripción para el programa Club-Ed (EC-5) de D205 y Elmhurst Park District comienza el 10 de septiembre

Como recordatorio, el registro en línea de Club Ed se abre a las 9:00 am el jueves 10 de septiembre en epd.org.

La programación está programada para comenzar el lunes 21 de septiembre y se llevará a cabo de lunes a viernes de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. El costo semanal será de $315 por niño.

El comienzo del año escolar ha sido estresante para muchas familias, ya que los padres luchan por equilibrar el trabajo con el aprendizaje remoto e híbrido. El personal del Distrito de Parques de Elmhurst y del Distrito Escolar 205 de la Unidad Comunitaria de Elmhurst ha estado trabajando detrás de escena durante semanas para encontrar la mejor solución para ayudar a tantas familias como sea posible durante esta difícil transición.

Más información sobre el programa Club Ed está disponible en el Sitio web D205.

The start of the school year has been stressful for many families as parents struggle to balance work with remote and hybrid learning. Staff at the Elmhurst Park District and Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 have been working behind the scenes for weeks to come up with the best solution to help as many families as possible during this tough transition. 

Club Ed. is a new program for children K-5 that will offer a convenient, self-directed E-Learning opportunity at various D205 and Park District locations. This program will provide a structured schedule that alternates designated time for self-directed E-Learning and recreational activities including indoor/outdoor games, arts and crafts. Children will be in a group of 15 participants or less in a format that meets all CDC health and safety guidelines. Face coverings will be required at all times except while eating. 

Club Ed. is slated to start on Monday, September 21 and will be held Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The weekly cost will be $315 per child. Online registration will be held at 9:00 am on Thursday, September 10 at epd.org. If you do not currently have a household account, please be sure to create one prior to registration.
 
Club Ed. staff will coordinate the day’s activities around E-Learning schedules. Staff will not be able to assist or instruct children during E-Learning but will monitor them while on their chrome books. 

This program will be able to accommodate children whether Elmhurst School District 205 is on a remote or hybrid learning schedule. The number of available spaces for the program will be limited.

Efforts are underway to set up facilities, order supplies, and hire and train the appropriate number of staff. The Park District is making every effort to hire the necessary number of staff required to run the program but cannot guarantee that this goal will be achieved in time for the anticipated start date of September 21.  If you or someone you know may be interested in a position, please visit epd.org/jobs.

Locations are as follows:

Students from                                    Club Ed. location
Conrad Fischer                   Conrad Fischer multi-purpose room
Edison Edison School        Multi-purpose Room
Emerson                              The Abbey at 407 S. St. Charles Rd. (EPD site)*
Field                                     The former Redeemer Center (155 E. St. Charles Rd)(EPD site)*
Hawthorne                         Hawthorne School multi-purpose room
Lincoln                                Lincoln School gymnasium
Jefferson                             Lincoln School multi-purpose room*

*Transportation will be provided by D205 to the coordinating site only on scheduled in-person hybrid learning days.

For more information, please contact Program Supervisor Joanne Lamb at jlamb@epd.org or 630-993-8678 or visit the Club Ed. page at epd.org.

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El Distrito de Parques de Elmhurst se asocia con El Districto de Escuelas #205 para ofrecer el Club Ed. una programa de aprender electrónicamente (e-learning)

El comienzo del año escolar ha sido estresante para muchas familias, ya que los padres luchan por equilibrar el trabajo con el aprendizaje remoto y híbrido. El Distrito de Parques de Elmhurst y el Districto de Escuelas de Elmhurst (D205) ha estado trabajando durante semanas para encontrar la mejor solución para ayudar a tantas familias como sea posible durante esta transición difícil.

Club Ed. es un nuevo programa para niños de jardín de infancia (K-5) a cinco grado que ofrecerá una conveniente oportunidad de aprendizaje electrónico autodirigido en varias ubicaciones del D205 y del Distrito de Parques. Este programa proporcionará un horario con el tiempo designado para el aprendizaje electrónico autodirigido y actividades recreativas, que incluyen juegos en el interior y al aire libre, artes y manualidades. Los niños estarán en un grupo de 15 participantes o menos en un formato que cumpla con todas las pautas de salud y seguridad del CDC. Se requerirá cubrirse la cara en todo momento, excepto al comer. 

Club Ed. está programado para comenzar el lunes 21 de septiembre y se llevará a cabo de lunes a viernes de 8 de la mañana hasta las 5 de la tarde. El costo semanal será de $315 por niño. El registro en línea se llevará a cabo a las 9 de la mañana el jueves 10 de septiembre en la pagina www.epd.org. Si actualmente no tiene una cuenta familiar con el Districto de Parques de Elmhurst, asegúrese de crear una antes de registrarse. Se necesita ayuda, por favor llamar (630) 993-8900.

El personal de Club Ed. coordinará las actividades del día en torno a los horarios de aprendizaje electrónico. El personal no podrá ayudar ni instruir a los niños durante el aprendizaje electrónico, pero los supervisará mientras estén en sus libros Cromados.

Este programa podrá acomodar a los niños ya sea que el Distrito Escolar #205 de Elmhurst se encuentre en un horario de aprendizaje remoto o híbrido. El número de espacios disponibles será limitado.

Se están realizando esfuerzos para establecer los ubicaciones, ordenar suministros escolares y contratar personal al número apropiado para este sirvicio. El Distrito de Parques está haciendo todo lo posible para contratar la cantidad necesaria de personal requerido para el programa, pero no puede garantizar que esta meta se logre a tiempo para la fecha de inicio anticipada del 21 de septiembre. Si usted o alguien que conoce puede estar interesado en un puesto, visite www.epd.org/jobs. 

Las ubicaciones son las siguientes:

Estudiantes de  la escuela:	Club Ed. ubicación será
Edison	Edison Escuela sala multipropósito
Emerson	The Abbey at 407 S. St. Charles Rd. (sitio del Districto de Parques de Elmhurst)*
Field	Anteriormente conocida como el Redeemer Center at 155 E. St. Charles Rd. (sitio del Districto de Parques de Elmhurst)*
Conrad Fischer	Conrad Fischer sala multipropósito
Hawthorne	Hawthorne Escuela sala multipropósito
Jackson	Eldridge Park Recreation Building at 363 Commonwealth Lane (sitio del Districto de Parques de Elmhurst)*
Lincoln	Lincoln Escuela gimnasio
Jefferson	Lincoln Escuela sala multipropósito*

*El Districto de Escuelas #205 proporcionará transporte al sitio de coordinación solo en los días programados de aprendizaje híbrido presencial.

Para obtener más información, comuníquese con la Supervisora del Programa Joanne Lamb por correo electronico a jlamb@epd.org o por telefono a 630-993-8678 o visite el Club Ed. página en www.epd.org.

Dear District 205 Families,

This week, I am excited to welcome the first group of D205 students back to the buildings. As a reminder, the following students will return to school on Wednesday, September 2:

• Self-Contained Special Education Classes at Madison (5-days/week)
• ABC Classroom at Hawthorne and Sandburg (Hybrid)
• Multi-Needs Classrooms at Edison and Sandburg (Hybrid)
• Transition Programming (5-days/week)

And, the following students will return to school on Tuesday, September 8:

• All Pre-Kindergarten Classes (5-days/week)
• All Kindergarten Classes (Hybrid)
• Cross-Categorical/Self-Contained Classes at Emerson, Jackson, Jefferson, Bryan, Churchville, Sandburg, and York (Hybrid)

I also am pleased to announce that the next phase of the D205’s rolling return to in-person learning will include focus on elementary learners. Students in grades 1-5 will begin hybrid instruction effective Monday, September 14. This includes the remainder of the students with IEPs as previously announced. Also, the plan to bring our students in the multi-needs classrooms at York High School back on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 as originally scheduled has been delayed until September 14, 2020.

Additional information will be forthcoming from your child’s school.

Information for students in grades 6-12 will be forthcoming no later than Thursday, September 10.

Important Health and Safety Information
As with any plans, the health and safety of the D205 staff and students always comes first. The District’s plans must align with guidance and regulations for the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois School Board of Education as well regional and county education and health officials. 

On Friday, the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) released a “Return to School Framework”.

There are three levels of transmission that we will be monitoring in cooperation with the DCHD: Minimal, Moderate, or Substantial Community Transmission. Each of these levels is determined by a variety of factors including weekly cases per 100,000 people, changes in case numbers, changes in county youth case numbers, positivity rates, and rate of community spread. As health experts learn more about COVID and community spread these metrics may be modified or changed. 

The current level of transmission in DuPage County is considered MODERATE. The DCHD will update the data weekly to help guide schools in their decision-making regarding which students can safely attend some form of in-person or hybrid learning.

Table 1: DuPage County COVID School Metrics Guide

The following guidance is intended to provide flexibility for school districts, recognizing that each district has unique concerns and characteristics, and that the guidance may not apply uniformly to every district.

Minimal Community Transmission (Yellow)	Moderate Community Transmission (Orange)	Substantial Community Transmission (Red)
Encourage in-person learning with at least six feet of physical distancing between students and faculty/staff*   Consider opt-in remote option for students   * All IDPH/ISBE health & safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings	Encourage learning models that maintain at least six feet of physical distancing* Some-to-no mixing of groups of students and teachers throughout/across school days Some students participate in virtual and some participate in-person School officials should use their discretion and expertise to determine which populations of students should receive in-person instruction whose needs are less likely to be met by virtual instruction; maintain essential services in-person and/or with remote access. *All IDPH/ISBE health & safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings	Encourage 100% remote learning*   School officials should use their discretion and expertise to determine which populations of students should receive in-person instruction whose needs are less likely to be met by virtual instruction.   * All IDPH/ISBE health and safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings and at least six feet of physical distancing
Alert for one metric but remained BLUE (IDPH-defined) at any point in the last 4 weeks Weekly county case rates <= 50 per 100,000 Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >5% to <=10 increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >5% to <=10 increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity <=5%   Neighboring county in orange once in the last four weeks	Transitioned to ORANGE (IDPH-defined) once in last 4 weeks   Weekly county case rates >50 to <= 100 per 100,000   Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >10 or <=20% increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >10 or <=20% increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity >5% but <=8%	Remained in ORANGE (IDPH defined) for >2 consecutive weeks   Weekly county case rates above > 100 per 100,000   Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a > 20% increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >20% increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity >8%   Region moved to Tier 1 mitigation
Return to full in-person learning as before COVID-19 will be based on broad access and uptake of a safe, effective vaccine to prevent additional spread of COVID-19 and/or when there are no new cases over a sustained period. This corresponds to Phase 5 of Restore Illinois Plan

What does this mean for D205?*

County classification Minimal	D205 will be in-person and Madison and some groups of students and hybrid at all other grade levels.
County classification Moderate	Same as Minimal, but the district will be extra sensitive to preserving and maintaining student cohorts.
County classification Substantial	D205 will be fully remote, and extracurricular activities will be suspended.

*Dependent on the District’s ability to properly staff its programs

District 205 in partnership with other school districts in DuPage County have been advocating for the development of these metrics since the guidance on returning to school was released in June. The DuPage County Health Department’s assistance in helping us understand the metrics, and their ongoing work to get our students back to school in-person is greatly appreciated. These new metrics will better help D205 accomplish this safely.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Estimadas familias del Distrito 205:

Esta semana, estoy emocionado de dar la bienvenida al primer grupo de estudiantes del D205 a los edificios. Como un recordatorio, los siguientes estudiantes regresarán a la escuela este Miércoles 2 de Septiembre:

• Clases autónomas de Educación Especial en Madison (5 días a la semana)
• Aula ABC en Hawthorne y Sandburg (híbrido)
• Aulas de necesidades múltiples en Edison, Sandburg y York (híbrido)
• Programas de Transición (5 días a la semana)

Y, los siguientes estudiantes regresarán a la escuela el Martes 8 de Septiembre:

• Todas las clases de Pre Kínder (5 días a la semana)
• Todas las clases de Kínder (híbridas)
• Clases Intercategóricas/Autónomas en Emerson, Jackson, Jefferson, Bryan, Churchville, Sandburg y York (híbrido)

También me complace anunciar que la próxima fase del regreso continuo del D205 al aprendizaje en persona incluirá el enfoque en los estudiantes de primaria. Los estudiantes en los grados 1-5 comenzarán la instrucción híbrida efectiva el Lunes 14 de septiembre. La escuela de su hijo proporcionará información adicional. La información para los estudiantes en los grados 6-12 se dará a conocer a más tardar el Jueves 10 de Septiembre.

Información importante de salud y seguridad
Como con cualquier plan, la salud y la seguridad del personal y los estudiantes del D205 siempre es primero. Los Planes del Distrito deben alinearse con la orientación y las regulaciones del Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois y de la Junta de Educación Escolar de Illinois, así como funcionarios de educación y salud regionales y del condado.

El Viernes, el Departamento de Salud del Condado de DuPage (DCHD) publicó un “Marco de Regreso a la Escuela”. Hay tres niveles de transmisión que estaremos monitoreando en cooperación con la DCHD:

Transmisión comunitaria mínima, moderada o sustancial. Cada uno de estos niveles está determinado por una variedad de factores que incluyen casos semanales por cada 100,000 personas, cambios en el número de casos, cambios en número de casos de jóvenes del condado, tasas de positividad y tasa de propagación comunitaria. A medida que aprenden los expertos en salud más sobre COVID y la difusión de la comunidad, estas métricas pueden modificarse o cambiarse.

El nivel actual de transmisión en el condado de DuPage se considera MODERADO. El DCHD actualizará datos semanales para ayudar a guiar a las escuelas en la toma de decisiones con respecto a qué estudiantes pueden asistir de manera segura alguna forma de aprendizaje en persona o híbrido.

Tabla 1: Guía de métricas escolares COVID del condado de DuPage
La siguiente guía está destinada a brindar flexibilidad a los Distritos Escolares, reconociendo que cada Distrito tiene preocupaciones y características únicas, y que la guía puede no aplicarse uniformemente a cada Distrito.

Minimal Community Transmission (Yellow)	Moderate Community Transmission (Orange)	Substantial Community Transmission (Red)
Encourage in-person learning with at least six feet of physical distancing between students and faculty/staff*   Consider opt-in remote option for students   * All IDPH/ISBE health & safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings	Encourage learning models that maintain at least six feet of physical distancing* Some-to-no mixing of groups of students and teachers throughout/across school days Some students participate in virtual and some participate in-person School officials should use their discretion and expertise to determine which populations of students should receive in-person instruction whose needs are less likely to be met by virtual instruction; maintain essential services in-person and/or with remote access. *All IDPH/ISBE health & safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings	Encourage 100% remote learning*   School officials should use their discretion and expertise to determine which populations of students should receive in-person instruction whose needs are less likely to be met by virtual instruction.   * All IDPH/ISBE health and safety precautions in place, including universal use of face coverings and at least six feet of physical distancing
Alert for one metric but remained BLUE (IDPH-defined) at any point in the last 4 weeks Weekly county case rates <= 50 per 100,000 Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >5% to <=10 increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >5% to <=10 increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity <=5%   Neighboring county in orange once in the last four weeks	Transitioned to ORANGE (IDPH-defined) once in last 4 weeks   Weekly county case rates >50 to <= 100 per 100,000   Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >10 or <=20% increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >10 or <=20% increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity >5% but <=8%	Remained in ORANGE (IDPH defined) for >2 consecutive weeks   Weekly county case rates above > 100 per 100,000   Weekly county overall case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a > 20% increase occurring each week   Weekly county youth case numbers increase for two consecutive weeks with a >20% increase occurring each week   Weekly test positivity >8%   Region moved to Tier 1 mitigation
Return to full in-person learning as before COVID-19 will be based on broad access and uptake of a safe, effective vaccine to prevent additional spread of COVID-19 and/or when there are no new cases over a sustained period. This corresponds to Phase 5 of Restore Illinois Plan

¿Qué significa esto para D205?*

Clasificación de Condado Mínima	D205 será en persona y Madison y algunos grupos de estudiantes e híbridos en todos los otros niveles de grado
Clasificación de Condado Moderada	Igual que Mínima, pero el Distrito será extra sensitivo en preservar y mantener los grupos de estudiantes
Clasificación de Condado Sustancial	D205 será totalmente remoto y las actividades extracurriculares serán suspendidas.

*Depende de la capacidad del Distrito para dotar de personal adecuado a sus programas

El Distrito 205, en asociación con otros Distritos Escolares en el Condado de DuPage, ha estado abogando por el desarrollo de estas métricas desde que se publicó la guía sobre el regreso a la escuela en Junio. Se agradece enormemente la ayuda del Departamento de Salud del Condado de DuPage para ayudarnos a comprender las métricas y su trabajo continuo para que nuestros estudiantes regresen a la escuela en persona. Estas nuevas métricas ayudarán mejor a D205 a lograr esto de manera segura.

Sinceramente,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendente Escolar
Unidad Escolar Comunitaria Distrito 205 de Elmhurst

Note: Please view our special COVID-19 health and safety video, featuring D205 Facilities Department Director Todd Schmidt, as a precursor to today’s message from Superintendent Dr. David Moyer.

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August 28, 2020

Dear D205 Families,

The first priority for District 205 is always the health and safety of our students and staff. The D205 Board of Education has made funds available to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ready our buildings for in-person learning. The District has invested nearly half a million dollars and counting in layered control measures -- over and above normal cleaning procedures -- in order to provide a safe environment for staff and students. All measures are in alignment with regulations and guidance from local, state, and federal education, health and safety agencies. 

We have instituted the following procedures and provisions when students, staff and families are in any of our buildings: 

• Face Coverings. Face coverings are required for all students, staff, and visitors. The District has purchased masks, face shields and gloves for students and staff. 

• Protective Shields. Protective shields have been installed for secretaries and frontline staff who interact with the public.

• Self-Certification. The daily self-certifying of temperatures is required by staff and students prior to work or school. If students or staff are ill, they must stay at home. Anyone having a temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or other symptoms of COVID-19 at school will be sent home.

• Waiting Areas. Isolation areas have been established in every building should students or staff experience any COVID-19 symptoms.

• Airflow Maximized. D205 crews will flush out the air inside the building prior to occupancy and one (1) hour after occupancy, with the dampers open fully to maximize fresh air intake in our buildings.

• Safe and Social Distancing. Classroom spaces, common areas, and hallway traffic patterns have been reimagined to promote safe physical distance of six feet to the greatest extent possible.

• Increased Signage. We have posted signs on the walls and in other common areas to help remind students and staff of the importance of wearing masks and maintaining their distance from others. Signs also remind students and staff of common warning signs of COVID-19 and how to wash your hands.

• Cohort Groupings. Consistent cohort groupings of individuals have been established and will be maintained. Group gatherings also will be curtailed in size as much as possible and the duration of interaction between individuals outside of cohort groupings will be limited. Where possible, we will host breaks in tents and classes like physical education and choir outside.

• Handwashing. The focus on handwashing has increased greatly. Hand sanitizer stations are easily accessible when soap and water is unavailable. Each classroom is stocked with Virex, disinfectant spray, paper towels, wipes, extra masks, hand sanitizer and gloves.

• Cleaning for Health and Safety. Our crews adhere to the highest regulations for cleaning, and we have become well-versed in the current protocols for cleaning and disinfecting from the Centers for Disease Control. D205 Custodial Services cleaning practices will be increasingly focused on cleaning for health, which includes an emphasis on disinfecting surfaces and high touch areas on a frequent and routine basis daily. Surfaces will be deep cleaned and sanitized daily using an electrostatic sprayer.

Preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools is a community partnership and shared responsibility. We also encourage you to do your part at home by wearing face coverings, regular hand washing, keeping a safe distance and following CDC guidelines.

As a community, Elmhurst has already experienced cases of COVID-19, and it is important that you understand how the virus is spread and act appropriately if you have any symptoms. Most importantly, please seek medical attention and contact your school so that D205 can begin contact tracing, determine close contacts and begin the notification process as appropriate, disinfect classrooms/work areas and work with the public health department to determine next steps.

Our commitment is to protect our staff and students across any learning situation, in-person, hybrid, or remote. Our goal is to support a return to in-person learning as soon as safely possible. 

In the meantime, we are seeking parent feedback on current remote learning experiences.This first survey asks a short series of questions designed to gain overall input. Future surveys will include more detailed questions on specific aspects of remote learning. In order to make this information as actionable as possible, we are asking parents to complete the survey via a new forms feature in PowerSchool. This approach links your response to your child. Your responses will remain confidential, but having specific information by grade and school will help us target supports and identify successful practices. If you are a parent/guardian with more than one student in the district, you may complete the survey separately for each student or submit for the whole family if your experiences were similar across students.

To complete the survey, log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal, go to the Forms link, and find the Remote Learning Parent Survey (Week 1) under General Forms.  Note that the PowerSchool mobile app will NOT display Forms; you must navigate to the full site even if you are using a phone or tablet to respond.  For more detailed instructions, click here.

Visit the Open D205 section of our website for additional plan details at elmhurst205.org. 

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Nota: Vea nuestro video especial de salud y seguridad COVID-19, que presenta el Director del Departamento de Instalaciones del D205, Todd Schmidt, como precursor del mensaje de hoy del Superintendente Dr. David Moyer.

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28 de Agosto, 2020

Estimadas familias de D205,

La primera prioridad del Distrito 205 es siempre la salud y seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal. La Junta de Educación del D205 ha puesto fondos a disposición para prevenir la propagación de COVID-19 y preparar nuestros edificios para el aprendizaje en persona. El Distrito ha invertido casi medio millón de dólares y contando en medidas de control en capas, además de los procedimientos de limpieza normales, para brindar un ambiente seguro para el personal y los estudiantes. Todas las medidas están en consonancia con las regulaciones y la orientación de las agencias de educación, salud y seguridad locales, estatales y federales.

Hemos instituido los siguientes procedimientos y disposiciones cuando los estudiantes, el personal y las familias se encuentran en cualquiera de nuestros edificios:

• Revestimientos faciales. Todos los estudiantes, el personal y los visitantes deben cubrirse la cara. El Distrito ha comprado máscaras, protectores faciales y guantes para los estudiantes y el personal.

• Escudos protectores. Se han instalado escudos de protección para las secretarias y el personal de primera línea que interactúa con el público.

• Auto certificación. El personal y los estudiantes requieren auto certificación diaria de las temperaturas antes del trabajo o la escuela. Si los estudiantes o el personal están enfermos, deben quedarse en casa. Cualquier persona que tenga una temperatura de más de 100.4 grados Fahrenheit u otros síntomas de COVID-19 en la escuela será enviada a casa.

• Áreas de espera. Se han establecido áreas de aislamiento en cada edificio en caso de que los estudiantes o el personal experimenten algún síntoma de COVID-19.

• Flujo de aire maximizado. Los equipos del D205 expulsarán el aire dentro del edificio antes de la ocupación y una (1) hora después de la ocupación, con las compuertas completamente abiertas para maximizar la entrada de aire fresco en nuestros edificios.

• Distanciamiento social y seguro. Los espacios de las aulas, las áreas comunes y los patrones de tráfico en los pasillos se han reinventado para promover una distancia física segura de seis pies en la mayor medida posible.

• Señalización aumentada. Hemos colocado letreros en las paredes y en otras áreas comunes para ayudar a recordar a los estudiantes y al personal la importancia de usar máscaras y mantener la distancia de los demás. Las señales también les recuerdan a los estudiantes y al personal las señales de advertencia comunes de COVID-19 y cómo lavarse las manos.

• Agrupaciones de cohortes. Se han establecido y se mantendrán agrupaciones de personas. Las reuniones grupales también se reducirán en tamaño tanto como sea posible y la duración de la interacción entre individuos fuera de los grupos de personas será limitada. Siempre que sea posible, organizaremos descansos en carpas y clases como educación física y coro al aire libre.

• Lavarse las manos. El enfoque en el lavado de manos ha aumentado considerablemente. Las estaciones de desinfectante de manos son fácilmente accesibles cuando no hay agua y jabón disponibles. Cada salón está equipado con Virex, spray desinfectante, toallas de papel, toallitas, máscaras adicionales, desinfectante para manos y guantes.

• Limpieza para la salud y la seguridad. Nuestros equipos se adhieren a las más estrictas normas de limpieza y nos hemos familiarizado con los protocolos actuales de limpieza y desinfección de los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades. Las prácticas de limpieza de los servicios de conserjería del D205 se centrarán cada vez más en la limpieza para la salud, lo que incluye un énfasis en la desinfección de superficies y áreas de alto contacto con frecuencia y rutina diaria. Las superficies se limpiarán en profundidad y se desinfectarán diariamente con un rociador electrostático.

Prevenir la propagación de COVID-19 en las escuelas es una asociación comunitaria y una responsabilidad compartida. También lo alentamos a que haga su parte en casa usando cubiertas para la cara, lavándose las manos regularmente, manteniendo una distancia segura y siguiendo las pautas de los CDC.

Como comunidad, Elmhurst ya ha experimentado casos de COVID-19, y es importante que comprenda cómo se propaga el virus y actúe de manera adecuada si tiene algún síntoma. Lo más importante es buscar atención médica y comunicarse con su escuela para que D205 pueda comenzar a rastrear contactos, determinar contactos cercanos y comenzar el proceso de notificación según corresponda, desinfectar las aulas / áreas de trabajo y trabajar con el departamento de salud pública para determinar los próximos pasos.

Nuestro compromiso es proteger a nuestro personal y estudiantes en cualquier situación de aprendizaje, en persona, híbrida o remota. Nuestro objetivo es apoyar el regreso al aprendizaje en persona lo antes posible de manera segura. 

Mientras tanto, estamos buscando comentarios de los padres sobre las experiencias actuales de aprendizaje remoto. Esta primera encuesta hace una serie breve de preguntas diseñadas para obtener información general. Las encuestas futuras incluirán preguntas más detalladas sobre aspectos específicos del aprendizaje a distancia. Para que esta información sea lo más procesable posible, pedimos a los padres que completen la encuesta a través de una nueva función de formularios en PowerSchool. Este enfoque vincula su respuesta a la de su hijo. Sus respuestas se mantendrán confidenciales, pero tener información específica por grado y escuela nos ayudará a identificar apoyos e identificar prácticas exitosas. Si usted es un padre / tutor con más de un estudiante en el distrito, puede completar la encuesta por separado para cada estudiante o enviarla para toda la familia si sus experiencias fueron similares entre los estudiantes.

Para completar la encuesta, inicie sesión en el Portal para padres de PowerSchool, vaya al enlace de Formularios y busque la Encuesta para padres de aprendizaje remoto (semana 1) en Formularios generales. Tenga en cuenta que la aplicación móvil PowerSchool NO mostrará formularios; debe navegar hasta el sitio completo incluso si está usando un teléfono o tableta para responder. Para obtener instrucciones más detalladas, haga clic aquí.

Visite la sección de Open D205 para obtener detalles adicionales del plan en elmhurst 205.org.

Sinceramente
Dr. David Moyer
Superintendente
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

Dear D205 Families,

As the first week of school in remote learning comes to a close, I want to thank our teachers, staff and families for their continued investment in the success of our students. Your commitment and resilience was on full display even through the international Zoom outage on our opening day together. I was encouraged as I toured buildings and saw teachers in action. Smiles and energy exuded from our incoming freshman as they were able to enjoy an in-person orientation experience at York High School this week. The hope, power and impact of education on our D205 school community cannot be underestimated during this unparalleled and arduous COVID-19 season.

Harnessing that same hope and enthusiasm, I am pleased to announce that D205 will begin welcoming back students to in-person instruction on a “rolling-reopening” basis, beginning with our most impacted students for whom remote learning has presented the greatest challenge on the following schedule:

Beginning on 9/2/2020, students in the following classrooms will be able to return to in-person learning:

• Self-Contained Special Education Classes at Madison (5-days/week)

• ABC Classrooms at Hawthorne and Sandburg (Hybrid)

• Multi-Needs Classrooms at Edison, Sandburg, and York  (Hybrid)

• Transition Programming  (5-days/week)

Each building principal will communicate the information and details of returning on Monday, August 31, 2020

Beginning on 9/8/2020, students in the following locations will be able to return to in-person learning using the hybrid model:

• All Pre-Kindergarten Classes (5-days/week)

• All Kindergarten Classes (Hybrid)

• Cross-Categorical/Self-Contained Classes at Emerson, Jackson, Jefferson, Bryan, Churchville, Sandburg, and York (Hybrid)

Each building principal will communicate the information and details of returning on Thursday, September 3, 2020

On September 10, 2020, we will communicate with all parents and families about dates for in-person instruction for the remainder of our schools including:

• All Students in Grade 1-5

• All Students in Grades 6-12

• All remaining special education classrooms

As the D205 Leadership Team and our principals work tirelessly to fulfill the promise of in-person learning to our students and families, health and safety will continue to be our foundation. All rolling return dates are contingent on the metrics and regulations of the Illinois Department of Health and Illinois State Board of Education. Information is being closely monitored and adjustments will be made to keep our students and staff safe.

I look forward to seeing students back in the buildings as early as next week. Tomorrow, I will share a message with the school community about the procedures established district-wide to further ensure safety.

Please continue to stay well and remain committed to wearing your face masks, washing your hands frequently and keeping a safe distance when in the presence of others. What we do outside of school impacts the ability to safely open our doors next week and beyond.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

August 21, 2020

Dear Elmhurst 205 Families:

Our D205 Remote Learning Resources and Tutorials for Parents website has been updated with important information about Zoom_EDU. In it, families will find specific guidance regarding:

• What to expect when using web conferencing for synchronous learning,
• How students will attend virtual meetings, and
• Expectations for families and students when participating in a Zoom_EDU virtual class session.  

Please see the D205 Remote Learning Guidance for Families for specifics.

Have a great weekend. We look forward to logging on for the first day of school on Monday!

Sincerely,

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Guía de aprendizaje remoto para familias D205

 21 de agosto de 2020

Estimadas familias de Elmhurst 205: 

Nuestro sitio web D205 Recursos de aprendizaje remoto y tutoriales para padres se ha actualizado con información importante sobre Zoom_EDU. En él, las familias encontrarán orientación específica con respecto a:

• qué esperar al usar conferencias web para el aprendizaje sincrónico,
• cómo los estudiantes asistirán a las reuniones virtuales y
• expectativas para las familias y los estudiantes al participar en una sesión de clase virtual de Zoom_EDU.  

Consulte la Guía de aprendizaje remoto para familias D205 para obtener más información.

Que tengan un excelente fin de semana. ¡Esperamos poder verlos en nuestra primera sesión el lunes en nuestro primer día de clases. 

Atentamente,

Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

Dear District 205 Families,

As we ready ourselves for the first day of school on Monday, August 24, I would like to acknowledge that I understand how challenging it has been for you to adjust. The health and education outlook for DuPage County is still evolving as we await updates and clarifications from officials and experts. However, the start of any school year remains a special moment for our families and staff.

I would like to thank all of our staff across the District who have worked so hard to prepare for the start of the year, including administrators and teachers, but also the unsung heroes in our maintenance, technology, food service, and other departments, who are too often overlooked and underappreciated. 

Together, we are opening the doors and classrooms of District 205 virtually next week. Our excitement and expectation for student growth is high. It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 2020-21 school year and welcome each of you back to learning! We hope that the D205 Remote Learning Resources & Tutorials for Parents website will assist families in preparing to logon for the first day of school. 

As superintendent of this great district, I would like to assure you that the administrators and staff have been working day and night to focus on the learning needs of our students. The District has invested heavily in professional resources and support for our teachers to help ensure that students receive a high-quality education, whether in a remote, hybrid or in-person setting.

It is also my commitment and mission to welcome you back to our buildings as soon as it is safe to do so. The District’s goal is to bring students back for in-person or hybrid learning no later than September 14, with some students possibly returning sooner. This is highly dependent on the District’s ability to staff appropriately as well as local health and safety metrics.

This week, I received draft metrics from the IDPH outlining guidelines for adaptive pause, the strategy that school districts will employ to pivot between and among the three learning scenarios listed above. Local school districts, in cooperation with the DuPage County Health Department, are currently processing the information, and I will share a follow-up communication with you next week summarizing this 11-page document.

Even during this remote learning period, do not let up in your efforts to follow CDC guidelines for gathering, social distancing, cleanliness, and wearing masks. A safe return to in-person learning depends largely on what we are willing to do at home and socially. Wearing personal protective equipment and keeping a safe distance are not just requirements while at school. COVID-19 does not discriminate against age; our young people are contracting the virus at a growing rate. Let us all continue to do our part to stay healthy and be well.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Estimadas Familias D205,

Mientras nos preparamos para el primer día de clases el Lunes 24 de Agosto, me gustaría reconocer que comprendo lo difícil que ha sido para ustedes adaptarse. La perspectiva de salud y educación para el condado de DuPage aún está evolucionando a la espera de actualizaciones y aclaraciones de funcionarios y expertos. Sin embargo, el comienzo de cualquier año escolar sigue siendo un momento especial para nuestras familias y personal.

Me gustaría agradecer a todo nuestro personal en todo el Distrito que ha trabajado muy duro para prepararse para el comienzo del año, incluidos los Administradores y Maestros, pero también a los héroes anónimos de nuestro mantenimiento, tecnología, servicio de alimentos y otros departamentos, que con demasiada frecuencia se pasan por alto y se subestiman.

Juntos, abriremos las puertas y las aulas del Distrito 205 prácticamente la próxima semana. Nuestro entusiasmo y expectativa por el crecimiento de los estudiantes es alto. ¡Es un placer darles la bienvenida al año escolar 2020-21 y darles la bienvenida a cada uno de ustedes nuevamente al aprendizaje! Esperamos que el sitio web  Tutorial y Recursos de Aprendizaje Remoto para Padres D205 ayudará a las familias a prepararse para iniciar sesión el primer día de clases. 

Como Superintendente de este gran Distrito, me gustaría asegurarles que los Administradores y el personal han estado trabajando día y noche para enfocarse en las necesidades de aprendizaje de nuestros estudiantes. El Distrito ha invertido mucho en recursos profesionales y apoyo para nuestros maestros para ayudar a garantizar que los estudiantes reciban una educación de alta calidad, ya sea en un entorno remoto, híbrido o en persona.

También es mi compromiso y misión darles la bienvenida de nuevo a nuestros edificios tan pronto como sea seguro hacerlo. La meta del Distrito es traer a los estudiantes de regreso al Distrito para el aprendizaje en persona o híbrido a más tardar el 14 de Septiembre, y algunos estudiantes posiblemente regresen antes. Esto depende en gran medida de la capacidad del Distrito para dotar de personal adecuadamente, así como de las medidas locales de salud y seguridad.

Esta semana, recibí un borrador de métricas de IDPH que describe las pautas para la pausa adaptativa, la estrategia que los Distritos Escolares emplearán para cambiar entre los tres escenarios de aprendizaje enumerados anteriormente. Los Distritos Escolares locales, en cooperación con el Departamento de Salud del Condado de DuPage, están procesando la información actualmente, y compartiré una comunicación de seguimiento con ustedes la próxima semana resumiendo este documento de 11 páginas. 

Incluso durante este período de aprendizaje remoto, no ceda en sus esfuerzos por seguir las pautas de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) sobre reunión, distanciamiento social, limpieza y uso de cubre bocas. Un retorno seguro al aprendizaje en persona depende en gran medida de lo que estemos dispuestos a hacer en casa y socialmente. Usar equipo de protección personal y mantener una distancia segura no son solo requisitos en la escuela. COVID-19 no discrimina por edad; nuestros jóvenes están contrayendo el virus a un ritmo creciente. Continuemos todos haciendo nuestra parte para mantenernos saludables y estar bien.

Sinceramente,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendente Escolar
Distrito Escolar de la Unidad Comunitaria 205 de Elmhurst

Dear D205 Families,

Breakfast and lunch options are now available for purchase for all D205 students during the remote learning period through the PushCoin Webstore! Meals may now be ordered on a weekly basis and may be picked up on the following schedule:

D205 Remote Learning Meal Service Pick-Up Schedule:
Pick-up days/times are Monday and Wednesday from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Purchased items are only available for pickup at the three middle schools (Bryan, Churchville, Sandburg) and at York High School. You must indicate which pickup location you prefer before you checkout.

Please know your child(ren)'s student ID number as the student's ID number will be required at pickup.

• Pick up Date: Monday, August 24, 4-6 p.m. - Items ordered for August 25th and 26th 
• Pick up Date: Wednesday, August 26, 4-6 p.m. - Items ordered for August 27th, 28th, and 31st 

Each breakfast will include a serving of fruit and a carton of milk. Each lunch meal also will include a serving of fruit, vegetable and a carton of milk. Please indicate your milk preference prior to checkout.

Menus will be updated each week and pick-up days and times will remain consistent throughout the remote learning period.

D205 Remote Learning Meal Service Payment:
Meals must be ordered through the PushCoin Webstore using your PushCoin account when ordered. Charges will be deducted from the balance in your PushCoin wallet.

If you do not have a PushCoin account, click the link below for more information. By signing up, you can add lunch money to your child's account, view balances and will also be notified of purchases. To set up an account and for more information go to the D205 website at: www.elmhurst205.org/resources/pushcoin 

Students receiving free and reduced lunch services will enjoy the same benefits during remote learning:

• Reduced Breakfast - .30
• Reduced Lunch - .40
• Free Breakfast - No charge
• Free Lunch - No charge

Students MUST be enrolled in District 205 to participate. Orders must be placed by Thursday at 3:00 p.m. for Monday and Wednesday pick up. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Food Services 630-617-2467 or 2436

Sincerely,

Elmhurst CUSD 205

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Estimadas Familias D205,

¡Las opciones de desayuno y almuerzo ahora están disponibles para su compra para todos los estudiantes del D205 durante el período de aprendizaje remoto a través de la tienda web PushCoin! Las comidas ahora se pueden pedir semanalmente y se pueden recoger en el siguiente horario:

Horario de recogida del servicio de comidas de aprendizaje remoto D205:
Los días y horarios de Recoger Comida son Lunes y Miércoles de 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Los artículos comprados solo están disponibles para recoger en las tres escuelas secundarias (Bryan, Churchville, Sandburg) y en la preparatoria York. Debe indicar qué lugar va a recoger comida antes de pagar.

Por favor, recuerde el número de identificación de estudiante de su hijo (s), ya que se requerirá el número de identificación del estudiante al recogerlo.

• Fecha de Recoger: Lunes, 24 de Agosto 4-6 p.m. - Artículos pedidos para el 25 y 26 de agosto 

• Fecha de Recoger: Miércoles 26 de Agosto, 4-6 p.m. - Articulos pedidos para el 27, 28 y 31 de Agosto 

Cada desayuno incluirá una porción de fruta y un cartón de leche. Cada comida del almuerzo también incluirá una porción de fruta, verdura y un cartón de leche. Por favor indique qué preferencia de leche antes de someter su pedido.

Los menús se actualizarán cada semana y los días y horas de recogida permanecerán constantes durante todo el período de aprendizaje remoto.

Pago del servicio de comidas de aprendizaje remoto D205:
Las comidas se deberán ordenar a través de PushCoin Webstore usando su cuenta de PushCoin cuando se ordenó. Los cargos se deducirán del saldo en su billetera PushCoin.

Si no tiene una cuenta PushCoin, haga clic en el enlace a continuación para obtener más información. Al registrarse, puede agregar dinero para el almuerzo a la cuenta de su hijo, ver los saldos y también se le notificará de las compras. Para configurar una cuenta y obtener más información, visite el sitio web de D205 en: www.elmhurst205.org/resources/pushcoin  

Los estudiantes que reciben servicios de almuerzo gratis o reducido disfrutarán de los mismos beneficios durante el aprendizaje remoto: 

• Desayuno Reducido - .30

• Almuerzo Reducido - .40

• Desayuno Gratis - No hay cargo

• Almuerzo  Gratis - No hay cargo 

Los estudiantes DEBEN estar inscritos en el Distrito 205 para participar. Los pedidos deben realizarse antes del Jueves a las 3:00 p.m. para recogida de Lunes y Miércoles. Si tiene alguna pregunta o necesita más información, comuníquese con Servicios de Alimentos al 630-617-2467 o 630-617-2436 

Sinceramente,

Distrito Escolar Comunitario 205 de Elmhurst

Dear District 205 Families,

After careful consideration of all available options, the Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board of Education authorized the D205 administration to begin the 2020-21 school year as scheduled on Monday, August 24 in remote learning. D205’s Remote Learning 2.0 presentation to the BOE is now available to review. Specific remote learning schedules also will be coming from principals shortly. 

All D205 schools will then shift into hybrid learning at all grade levels, with the exception of Madison Early Childhood Center, which plans to open with full in-person learning, on Monday, September 14, 2020 if the health metrics for DuPage County and D205 staffing availability permit. All other grade levels, with the exception of half-day kindergarten, will operate on a five-hour day, eliminating lunch on site. 

The District remains committed to ensuring, to the maximum extent possible, the health and safety of all of its students and employees. It is expected that some students will begin returning to the building for specific purposes prior to September 14 (e.g. students with IEPs, speech services, interventions, diagnostic testing, etc.). 

Families in grades EC-8 will receive information on their teacher assignments and A/B designation on Friday, August 21 (for use when hybrid learning begins). Schedules for high school students went out earlier this week. Please see below for hybrid learning scheduling information.

There also will be an orientation day for freshman and new students on Monday, August 24, and for sixth grade and new students at a date to be determined in September. Additional information for affected families will follow soon.

As more than 6,000 members of our school community watched last night’s YouTube livestream of the board meeting, it is important to understand that the BOE has worked diligently to examine every possible scenario to support a return to in-person instruction to the greatest extent possible. The District Office administration also has been working tirelessly with building administration to overhaul master schedules, revise facility utilization plans, develop safety plans for students and employees, revamp staffing, and expand the quality of remote learning for any student, who learns in this modality at any point throughout the year.

Without question, planning for this school year has been complicated. However, opening school with remote learning and moving to a hybrid model will allow administration to bring students back into the building more seamlessly with less disruption to instruction. With deference to the evolving health landscape, the district will make every effort possible to implement an in-person schedule in early childhood and a hybrid schedule in all other grades beginning September 14.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Additional Updates:

Parent Handbooks
Parent Handbooks for each school will be posted online by noon on Wednesday, August 19. You will receive an email from your school with a link to the handbook and a second link to a virtual presentation by your principal highlighting the start of school information. The virtual presentation will include the opportunity for families to submit questions for further clarification.

District Schedules on In-Person and Hybrid Learning Days

• York High School hours of student attendance: 7:40 AM -12:40 PM
• Elementary School hours of student attendance: 8:15 AM -1:15 PM
• Middle School hours of student attendance: 8:30 AM -1:30 PM
• Early Childhood hours of student attendance: 8:50-11:20 AM, 12:30-3:00 PM

York High School Block Schedule (During Periods of Hybrid Learning)

Monday Green Schedule	Tuesday Green Schedule	Wednesday REMOTE Check-in or Freshman, EL, IEP In-person support day	Thursday White Schedule	Friday White Schedule
Period 4 (In-Person) 7:40-8:50	Period 5 (In-Person) 7:40-8:50	Period 1    7:40-8:10 Period 2    8:15-8:45 (Remote)	Period 4 (In-Person) 7:40-8:50	Period 5 (In-Person) 7:40-8:50
Period 3 (In-Person) 8:55-10:05	Period 7 (In-Person) 8:55-10:05	Period 3    8:50-9:20 Period 4    9:25-9:55 (Remote)	Period 3 (In-Person) 8:55-10:05	Period 7 (In-Person) 8:55-10:05
Period 2 (In-Person) 10:10-11:20	Period 8  (In-Person) 10:10-11:20	Period 5    10:00-10:30 Period 6    10:35-11:05 (Remote)	Period 2 (In-Person) 10:10-11:20	Period 8  (In-Person) 10:10-11:20
Period 1 (In-Person) 11:25-12:35	Period 6 (In-Person) 11:25-12:35	Period 7    11:10-11:40 Period 8    11:45-12:15 (Remote)	Period 1 (In-Person) 11:25-12:35	Period 6 (In-Person) 11:25-12:35
DISMISSAL 12:35	DISMISSAL 12:35	Lunch 12:15-1:15	DISMISSAL 12:35	DISMISSAL 12:35
Student Check-in (Remote) 1:30-3:06	Student Check-in (Remote) 1:30-3:06	PLC/Department Time 1:15-3:06	Student Check-in (Remote) 1:30-3:06	Student Check-in (Remote) 1:30-3:0

Rec Station and Child Care
We have had ongoing conversations with the Elmhurst Park District about Rec Station and the potential for expanded child care during periods of remote learning. Now that a schedule has been finalized, additional information regarding child care options related to this intergovernmental partnership will be forthcoming soon.

Illinois Department of Public Health Guidelines Updated
The District had expected specific criteria from the Illinois Department of Public Health for operating schools safely last week. As soon as it is released, the D205 Decision Criteria will be updated and shared again publicly.

Substitute Teachers and Lunchroom Supervisors Needed for the 2020-21 School Year
D205 is looking for substitute teachers for the 2020-21 to help fulfill the Open D205 Plan. Consider becoming a substitute teacher and becoming certified to be a substitute teacher in the State of Illinois and applying for a position in our District.

Due to the change to a five-hour day, additional lunch supervisors are not needed, but additional supervisors may be needed in other capacities. Human Resources or building principals may reach out to lunch supervisor applicants to ascertain if applicants are interested in other supervision assignments that may be necessary to support the hybrid model of instruction.

If you have questions, please contact Director of Human Resources, Helen Romios, at hromios@elmhurst205.org.

REACH Programming Update
REACH services will continue to be provided to students during the 2020-21 school year regardless of the chosen learning model.

At the middle school level, REACH courses are built into a student’s schedule and they will continue to follow their schedule and courses as stated in the remote learning plan. 

At the elementary level, REACH services will still be provided to students who qualify in math and/or language arts. 

The REACH appeal process for elementary students will resume at the beginning of the school year and MAP testing will take place within the first few weeks of school. Remote learning students will have access to any testing needed for REACH initial identification or appeals. Testing will be completed remotely and/or students may be invited in small groups to test in-person depending on the circumstances.

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Estimadas Familias del Distrito 205: Después de considerar cuidadosamente todas las opciones disponibles, la Junta de Educación del Distrito Escolar 205 de la Unidad Comunitaria de Elmhurst autorizó a la administración del D205 a comenzar el año escolar 2020-21 cómo era programado para el lunes 24 de agosto en aprendizaje remoto.  La presentación deD205 Remote Learning 2.0 de la BOE ya está disponible para su revisión. En breve, los directores también proporcionarán programas específicos de aprendizaje remoto.  Todas las escuelas del D205 pasarán al aprendizaje híbrido en todos los grados el lunes 14 de septiembre de 2020 si las métricas de salud del condado de DuPage y la disponibilidad de personal del D205 lo permiten, con la excepción de Madison Early Childhood Center, que planea abrir en persona. Todos los demás niveles de grado, con la excepción del kindergarten de medio día, operarán en un día de cinco horas. eliminando el almuerzo en el lugar.  El Distrito mantiene su compromiso de asegurar, en la mayor medida posible, la salud y seguridad de todos sus estudiantes y empleados.  Se espera que algunos estudiantes comiencen a regresar al edificio para propósitos específicos antes del 14 de septiembre (por ejemplo, estudiantes con IEP, servicios del habla, intervenciones, pruebas de diagnóstico, etc.).  Las familias en los grados EC-8 recibirán información sobre sus asignaciones de maestros y la designación A/B el viernes 21 de agosto (para usar cuando comience el aprendizaje híbrido). Los horarios para los estudiantes de preparatoria se publicaron a principios de esta semana. Consulte a continuación la información sobre la programación del aprendizaje híbrido. También habrá un día de orientación para estudiantes de primer año/freshman y nuevos estudiantes el lunes 24 de agosto y para sexto grado y nuevos estudiantes en una fecha que se determinará en septiembre. Pronto recibirá información adicional para las familias afectadas. Dado que más de 6,000 miembros de nuestra comunidad escolar vieron anoche la reunión de la junta en la transmisión en vivo en YouTube , es importante entender que la BOE ha trabajado diligentemente para examinar todos los escenarios posibles para apoyar el regreso a la instrucción en persona en la mayor medida posible. La administración de la Oficina del Distrito también ha estado trabajando incansablemente con la administración de los edificios para revisar los horarios maestros, revisar los planes de utilización de las instalaciones, desarrollar planes de seguridad para estudiantes y empleados, renovar el personal y expandir la calidad del aprendizaje remoto para cualquier estudiante que aprenda en esta modalidad en en cualquier momento del año.   Sin preguntar, la planificación para este año escolar ha sido complicada. Sin embargo, la apertura al aprendizaje remoto y el cambio a un modelo híbrido permitirá que la administración lleve a los estudiantes al edificio de manera más fluida y con menos interrupciones en la instrucción.  Con deferencia al panorama de salud en evolución, el Distrito hará todo lo posible para implementar un horario en persona para preescolar  y un horario híbrido en todos los demás grados a partir del 14 de septiembre. Atentamente, Dr. David Moyer Superintendente Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Actualizaciones Adicionales Manuales para los Padres Los manuales para padres de cada escuela se publicarán en línea antes del mediodía del miércoles 19 de agosto. Recibirá un correo electrónico de su escuela con un enlace al manual y un segundo enlace a una presentación virtual de su director destacando la información del el inicio de la escuela. La presentación virtual incluirá la oportunidad para que las familias envíen preguntas para mayor aclaración. Horarios del Distrito para los Días de Aprendizaje en Persona e Híbridos Horas de asistencia de los estudiantes de la escuela preparatoria York 7:40 AM -12: 40 PM Horas de asistencia de los estudiantes a las escuelas primarias 8:15 AM -1: 15 PM Horas de asistencia de los estudiantes a las escuelas secundarias 8:30 AM -1: 30 PM Horas de asistencia de los estudiantes en la primera infancia (8: 50-11: 20 AM, 12: 30-3: 00 PM) Horario en Bloques Escuela Preparatoria York (Durante los Períodos de Aprendizaje Híbrido) Lunes Horario Verde Martes Horario verde Miércoles Registro REMOTO Freshman, EL, IEP Día de Apoyo en Persona Jueves Horario Blanco Viernes Horario Blanco Período 4 (En persona) 7: 40-8: 50 Período 5 (En persona) 7: 40-8: 50 Período 1 7: 40-8: 10 Período 2 8: 15-8: 45 (Remoto) Período 4 (En persona) 7: 40-8: 50 Período 5 (En persona) 7: 40-8: 50 Período 3 (En persona) 8: 55-10: 05 Período 7 (En persona) 8: 55-10: 05 Período 38: 50-9: 20 Período 49: 25-9: 55 (Remoto) Período 3 (En persona) 8: 55-10: 05 Período 7 (En persona) 8: 55-10: 05 Período 2 (En persona) 10: 10-11: 20 Período 8 (En persona) 10: 10- 11:20 Periodo 510: 00-10: 30 Periodo 610: 35-11: 05 (Remoto) Período 2 (En persona) 10: 10-11: 20 Período 8  (En persona) 10: 10-11: 20 Período 1 (En persona) 11: 25-12: 35 Período 6 (En persona) 11: 25-12: 35 Período 7 11: 10-11: 40 Período 8 11: 45-12: 15 (Remoto) Período 1 (En persona) 11: 25-12: 35 Período 6 (En persona) 11: 25-12: 35 SALIDA 12:35 SALIDA 12:35 Almuerzo 12: 15-1: 15 SALIDA 12:35 SALIDA 12:35 Registro de Estudiantes (Remoto) 1: 30-3: 06 Registro de Estudiantes (Remoto) 1: 30-3: 06 Horario del Departamento /PLC 1: 15-3 : 06 Registro de Estudiantes (Remoto) 1: 30-3: 06 Registro de Estudiantes (Remoto) 1: 30-3: 06 Rec Station y Cuidado Infantil Las pláticas han estado en curso con Elmhurst Park District sobre Rec Station y el potencial para el cuidado infantil ampliado durante los períodos de aprendizaje remoto. Ahora que se ha finalizado un cronograma, próximamente se publicará información adicional sobre las opciones de cuidado infantil relacionadas con esta asociación intergubernamental. Actualización de las Pautas del Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois La semana pasada, el Distrito esperaba criterios específicos del Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois para el funcionamiento seguro de las escuelas. Tan pronto como se publique, los criterios de decisión D205 se actualizará y se volverá a compartir públicamente. Se Necesitan Maestros Sustitutos y Supervisores de Comedores para el Año Escolar 2020-21  D205 está buscando maestros sustitutos para el 2020-21 para ayudar a cumplir con el Plan Abierto D205. Considere convertirse en maestro sustituto y certificarse para ser maestro sustituto en el estado de Illinois y solicitar un puesto en nuestro distrito. Debido al cambio a un día de cinco horas, los supervisores de almuerzo adicionales no se necesitaran, pero es posible que los supervisores adicionales sean necesitados  en otras capacidades o asignaciones. Los directores de recursos humanos o del edificio pueden comunicarse con los solicitantes de supervisores de almuerzos para determinar si los solicitantes están interesados ​​en otras asignaciones de supervisión que puedan ser necesarias para respaldar el modelo híbrido de instrucción. Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese con la Directora de Recursos Humanos, Helen Romios, en hromios@elmhurst205.org. Actualización de la Programación de REACH Los servicios de REACH continuarán siendo proporcionados a los estudiantes durante el año escolar 2020-21, independientemente del modelo de aprendizaje elegido. En el nivel de la escuela secundaria, los cursos REACH están integrados en el horario del estudiante y continuarán siguiendo su horario y cursos como se indica en el plan de aprendizaje remoto.  En el nivel de primaria, los servicios REACH se seguirán brindando a los estudiantes que califiquen en matemáticas y/o artes del lenguaje.  El proceso de apelación REACH para estudiantes de primaria se reanudará al comienzo del año escolar y las pruebas MAP se llevarán a cabo dentro de las primeras semanas de clases. Los estudiantes de aprendizaje remoto tendrán acceso a cualquier prueba necesaria para la identificación inicial de REACH o las apelaciones. Las pruebas se completarán de forma remota y/o se puede invitar a los estudiantes en grupos pequeños a realizar la prueba en persona, según las circunstancias.

 

Dear District 205 Families,

The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Leadership Team and Board of Education continues to support the Open D205 Plan as the best path to instruction and learning this fall. Within the scope of the plan, 85 percent of parents have resoundingly chosen in-person instruction to start the 2020-21 school year.

As previously communicated, however, we must stand ready to make adjustments to plans when the learning environment is compromised due to changes in the health landscape or the District’s ability to deliver quality instruction. 

As of today, D205 does not have a sufficient number of teachers who are committed  to report to work on August 24, 2020, in order to fully support any form of in-person learning. We are committed to ensuring compliance with ISBE, IDPH and CDC guidance for a safe return to in-person learning, and equally committed to allaying the ETC’s concerns related to the District’s ability to adhere to health and safety regulations and guidance. To this end, we are negotiating with the ETC, and we are making every effort to get the ETC leadership to commit to criteria for returning to in-person instruction if possible.  

The D205 Board will meet on August 11 to discuss potential solutions, including a possible delay to the start of the school year. August 11 is a regularly scheduled meeting for the D205 Board of Education. The session will be live streamed via YouTube at 7 p.m.

Delaying the start of the school year would afford the District more time to secure the staff necessary to properly supervise students and support its instructional programming. The District will make a concerted effort to hire the requisite number of additional employees but cannot guarantee that it will be able to achieve this goal. Therefore, multiple options will be discussed by the Board on August 11.

Additionally, based on the number of families selecting in-person instruction in grades K-5,  the District will not be able to provide daily in-person instruction at that level and maintain the requisite 6 feet physical distancing recommended by ISBE. (See an example of one of our physically-distanced elementary classrooms). Therefore, students in grades K-5 will have to switch to a hybrid model of instruction. Madison Early Childhood Center will remain in-person as originally outlined in the Open D205 Plan. Programming requests for four days of in-person instruction for IEP and EL students will be accommodated if possible.

Due to this change for grades K-5, D205 is allowing any elementary parent who is interested in switching their choice from remote to hybrid learning until Tuesday, August 11, at 5:00 p.m., to make that request. If possible, the District will accommodate these requests. Per Illinois State Board of Education mandates, if a family at any grade level wishes to request a change from the hybrid model to remote learning, such requests will be granted. In either case, please contact your child’s school to request a change.

We are deeply disappointed at this latest roadblock to moving forward with the Open D205 plan.  We understand the cost to the school community when a decision of this magnitude is delayed, and we will continue to work as expeditiously as possible to successfully start the school year. Please be assured that we will not hesitate to move to all-remote learning if local medical professionals deem it unsafe for schools to reopen. We remain firmly committed to Open D205 this fall, and we know our community does as well.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Additional Updates:

Interscholastic Athletics
Boys/Girls Golf, Girls Tennis, Boys/Girls Cross Country, and Girls Swimming and Diving will be offered per Illinois High School Association guidelines, consistent with Governor Pritzker’s recent declaration, provided that conditions and/or future guidance from the State of Illinois or related agencies or governing bodies allow for these activities to continue. Likewise, consistent with high school guidelines, cross country will be offered at the middle school level.

York High School will begin fall sports on August 17, 2020. An update from the high school with additional information will be forthcoming next week.

Substitute Teachers Needed for the 2020-21 School Year
D205 is looking for substitute teachers for the  2020-21 school year to help fulfill the Open D205 Plan. Consider becoming a substitute teacher as well as becoming certified to be a substitute teacher in the State of Illinois and applying for a position in our District.

If you have questions, please contact Director of Human Resources, Helen Romios, at hromios@elmhurst205.org

Parent responses related to remote learning and busing as well as schedule preferences for students with IEPs were due on Friday, July 31. The community expressed an overwhelming desire for starting the 20-21 school year with in-person instruction. The results can be accessed here.

Staff requests for accommodations related to in-person learning were also due on July 31. One hundred fifty-nine requests were submitted, and the Human Resources Office has been analyzing the requests as a part of the planning process to launch the 2020-21 school year and implement the Open D205: A Plan for Safe, Healthy, and Rigorous Learning for the 2020-21 School Year plan.

The D205 leadership team developed Decision Criteria to help determine the extent to which in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction is possible and/or indicated. The team has been meeting regularly and working through the criteria. We hoped to share more complete information today, but it is taking longer than anticipated to plan for how to appropriately staff programs and supervise our buildings. A thorough update to the school community will be forthcoming on Friday, August 7.

As a reminder, we ask the community to engage in a collective effort to continue to follow CDC guidelines on social distancing, masks, and handwashing, in particular. This collective effort will assist in opening our schools for any in-person learning. 

According to the CDC, traveling increases the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. We are recommending that families begin staying at home as much as possible as an additional safety precaution no later than Monday, August 10, to minimize contact with others for a full 14-days prior to the first day of school. 

Thank you for doing your part to remain well and to stay safe.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Estimadas Familias del Distrito Escolar 205,

Las respuestas de los padres relacionadas con el aprendizaje remoto y el transporte, así como las preferencias de horario para los estudiantes con IEP debían presentarse antes del viernes 31 de Julio. La comunidad expresó un deseo abrumador de comenzar el año escolar 20-21 con instrucción en persona. Se puede acceder a los resultados aquí .

El 31 de Julio, las solicitudes de acomodo de personal relacionadas con el aprendizaje en persona debían presentarse también. Se presentaron ciento cincuenta y nueve solicitudes, y la Oficina de Recursos Humanos ha estado analizando las solicitudes como parte del proceso de planificación para la apertura escolar 2020-21 e implementar el plan Open D205/ Apertura D205: Un Plan Seguro, Saludable y de Aprendizaje Riguroso para el año escolar 2020-21.

El Equipo de Liderazgo D205 desarrolla Criterios de Decisión para ayudar a determinar la medida en que la instrucción en persona, híbrida o remota es posible y/ indicada. El equipo se ha estado reuniendo regularmente y trabajando a través de los criterios. Esperábamos compartir información más completa hoy, pero está tomando más tiempo de lo previsto para planificar cómo asignar personal adecuadamente a los programas y supervisar nuestros edificios. El viernes 7 de Agosto se enviará una actualización exhaustiva a la comunidad escolar.

Como recordatorio, para que las escuelas estén abiertas a cualquier forma de aprendizaje en persona, la comunidad debe participar en un esfuerzo colectivo para seguir las pautas de los CDC (Centros para el control y la prevención de enfermedades) sobre distanciamiento social, máscaras y lavado de manos, en particular.

De acuerdo a CDC, viajar aumenta el riesgo de contraer y propagar COVID-19. Quedarse en casa es la mejor manera de protegerse y proteger a otros del COVID-19. Recomendamos que las familias comiencen a quedarse en casa tanto como sea posible como medida de precaución adicional a más tardar el lunes 10 de Agosto, para minimizar el contacto con otros durante 14 días completos antes del primer día de clases.

Por favor haga su parte para mantenerse bien y mantenerse seguro.

Sinceramente,

Distrito Escolar Unidad Comunitaria 205, Elmhurst
Superintendente Escolar
Dr. David Moyer

Dear District 205 Families and Staff,

Friday, July 31, at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for families to complete their intent to opt for the Remote Learning Option, indicate preferences for students with IEPs, and interest in utilizing D205 busing services for the 2020-21 school year. D205 staff also have until the end of the business day on Friday to submit medical exemption notices.

If you have responded, you do not need to resubmit. If you change your mind from your initial response, please resubmit. Your most recent response will be time stamped, and that will be the response that is counted. In order to register your initial response or resubmit a response, the form is available in both English and Spanish. Please see a list of Open D205 information resources at the end of this letter that will be helpful in making your final decisions.

Based on the questions that we are receiving and the progress we are making in finalizing plans to launch the 2020-21 school year, the following updated/additional information is being shared with you this week:

Student, Teacher and Staff Safety
The health and safety of our students, teachers and staff is the first foundational principle of the Open D205 plan. To date, the District is projecting that it will invest approximately a half million dollars this school year to provide for the safety of all students and staff. Examples of measures being implemented or considered include but are not limited to:

• Developing a health/self-certification app for parents and staff to verify wellness daily.
• Increasing space in classrooms to support proper social distancing by storing extra classroom furniture and equipment in trailers.
• Creating hybrid schedules to support social distancing.
• Establishing district-wide criteria to change to remote learning if in-person or hybrid conditions are deemed unsafe
• Revising building operations to support social distancing and prevent transmission, including prohibiting the usage of lockers, signage, adjusting traffic patterns, changing room assignments, modifying pick-up and drop-off procedures, hosting virtual orientation and community events, changing out tables for desks and reconfiguring classrooms. See sample classroom configurations as drafted by Wight & Co., the architects for D205.
• Supporting medical exemptions for employees who are in a high-risk category
• Intensifying cleaning protocols to follow prescribed guidelines (e.g., lunch rooms cleaned in between shifts, wiping down classrooms any time new groups use a room, intense daily disinfecting of public areas as well as routine and frequent cleaning/disinfecting of high touch areas, etc.)
• Establishing isolation rooms if people begin to feel ill, quarantine procedures for students and employees, who may feel ill or are awaiting test results
• Purchasing district-provided masks for employees and students
• Distributing sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in all classrooms
• Using tents to extend the cafeteria/eating area to expand the social distancing space to include outdoor lunch opportunities when weather permits.
• Hiring additional lunch supervisors
• Allowing elementary specials to be held in classrooms and other measures to prevent co-mingling of groups

Health/Self-Certification
The health and wellness of our students, teachers and staff depends on a daily symptom assessment and verification before leaving home. A remote app has been developed for families to complete the health/self-certification process. Information on specific school-based procedures will be included in parent handbooks. In general, students will be assigned specific doors for entry and self-certification will be verified. Students who have not completed the process will be directed to a second location for an active temperature check by the school nurse or another school employee before they will be allowed to enter the building. 

We have received many questions about communication in the event of a COVID-19 exposure or positive case. Per CDC guidelines, D205 will coordinate with local health officials to communicate possible and confirmed COVID-19 exposures and cases. Any communication will adhere to the following measures:

• Avoid potential stigma and discrimination.
• Maintain confidentiality of the student or staff member as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

Face Coverings
Face coverings/face masks provide a simple barrier that has been proven to greatly reduce the spread of COVID-19. The use and wearing of masks and face coverings by all persons in the school building will be strictly enforced. Students and staff with disabilities who are unable to wear a face covering may be provided reasonable accommodations per the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable law. 

The Open D205 plan speaks to face masks on pages 5 and 6 if you would like more information. 

Remote Learning
Based on recent guidance from the ISBE, families requesting Remote Learning must be offered the option to do so. Therefore, families who initially select in-person or hybrid instruction will be able to change to remote learning at any time. However, families who elect for remote instruction will not be able to change to in-person instruction until January 2021.

To date, approximately 85% of our parents would like to see in-person or hybrid learning environments for their children. However, this will only be possible if there are enough teachers willing to report to work. A number of teachers have or intend to participate in site level planning to implement the Open D205 plan. However, to date, after several attempts by the administration to initiate a conversation about how to safely open schools and plan for optimal student learning, union leadership has not been willing to come to the table to reach a mutual agreement about how to best achieve this goal.

The District will continue to work through the logistics of providing a safe environment for students, teachers, and staff and supporting grade level schedules. It is possible that some adjustments to the original plan will be required when this information is available. For example, based on class sizes, the elementary schools may need to move to a hybrid schedule to ensure proper social distancing in grades K-5. 

Teachers will be offered the opportunity to participate in Remote Learning professional development sessions this summer and Professional Learning Days on August 19-21 are dedicated exclusively to Remote Learning, including working with Zoom as a distance learning tool to increase synchronous instruction. District administration will provide a full report on Remote Learning, summer professional learning, and the professional learning plan for the 2020-21 school year at the August 11, 2020 D205 Board of Education meeting.

All-Day Kindergarten
Currently, in-person instruction five days/week is an option for students in grades EC-5. Remote Learning for kindergarten students will be consistent with the all-day curriculum. Families who were accepted in the all-day kindergarten program and wish to change to the half-day program may do so but they will lose their $270 deposit. The student will also have to remain at the school that they are currently assigned for this year of kindergarten, and busing will not be provided. The full-day program will be implemented in both the in-person and remote model. The full-day remote program for children will be the equivalent of five hours of learning and instruction daily. The half-day remote program will be the equivalent of 2.5 hours of learning and instruction. For more information about what the students will experience as a part of this program, visit remote all-day program.

Lunch
The District will continue to provide meal service to students. The meal service program will be a combination of in-school serving and a “grab & go” program similar to the one implemented in spring of 2020. However, due to safety considerations, students will not be able to leave campus during lunch. The D205 Facilities Department is working to extend and maximize the social distancing spaces needed during lunch/meal service. Tents have been ordered for elementary schools to allow for as many students as possible to eat lunch outdoors when weather permits.

We also are committed to hiring additional lunch supervisors to ensure proper supervision and cleaning. If you or anybody you know is interested in serving in this capacity and helping ensure that in-person and hybrid instruction is possible, please apply or encourage others to apply here.

Fall Sports
The IHSA Board of Directors met today and an announcement on fall sports was planned for this afternoon. Prior to its scheduled press conference, Governor Pritzker announced his guidelines for youth sports. Recently, the IESA, an organization for elementary sports participation similar to the IHSA, announced that its fall sports series' have been canceled. Though D205 is not officially a member of the IESA, it is following its position that middle school sports are canceled for the fall.

As it currently stands, D205 will follow the Governor's and IHSA guidelines for participation, provided that York High School is in session for hybrid instruction. If it is deemed unsafe for hybrid learning that includes appropriate social distancing guidelines, then the District will correspondingly deem it unsafe for non-virtual extracurricular participation.

An official District statement on high school participation will follow, but the District is bound by the parameters of the Governor's position. The latest restrictions are available on the Restore Illinois website.

Planning Ahead
Thank you for completing the Remote Learning Opt-In and Busing selection Form for the 2020-21 school year by the deadline this Friday, July 31 at 5 p.m. We understand the importance of this choice. It is very personal for each family and unique for each child. As the results from families and staff are processed, District leadership will be able to determine any staffing shortfalls for the upcoming school year. Coupled with DuPage County health data, a recommendation will be made to the D205 Board of Education on whether it is safe and possible to staff appropriately in order to open as planned for in-person and hybrid instruction on August 24. As charged by ISBE and Governor Pritzker, we will do our best to ensure in-person learning for the start of the school year, while we balance the learning and safety needs of students, teachers and staff.

Looking forward, we also continue to ask our community to make a collective effort to comply with CDC guidelines on social distancing, masks, and hand washing, in particular. Please do your part and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Open D205 Information Resources:

• Open D205: A Plan for Safe, Healthy, and Rigorous Learning for the 2020-21 School Year
• Open D205 Instructional Models: In-Person EC-5, Hybrid 6-12, Remote Learning
• Open D205 Responding to COVID-19 Reports and Exposures
• Open D205 Microsite and Open D205 FAQ. Please also note that the District has created an Open D205 microsite that includes an FAQ page, both of which will be updated in real time. If you have a question that has not been addressed on the FAQ page, submit it to openD205@elmhurst205.org. Please allow 48 to 72 hours for processing due to the volume of questions currently being received. There also have been recent questions about all-day kindergarten. Please go to the FAQ page for answers to those questions.

Dear District 205 Families,

The District 205 Board of Education on July 14 voted on a resolution to approve the Open D205: A Plan for Safe, Healthy, and Rigorous Learning for the 2020-21 School Year plan. The Open D205 document is a planning guide that will serve as a resource to develop detailed plans at each school site. As was stated at the July 14 meeting, additional and ongoing information will be forthcoming from the District Office and local building sites with specific details between now and the first day of school on August 24.

On July 17, the District sent a letter to families with a request for three pieces of information. One to determine the number of families that intend to opt for the Remote Learning Option for their children. A second question regarding preferences for students with IEPs. The third to determine the number of eligible families that intend to utilize D205 busing to transport their children to and from school. 

Since that time, people have reached out with requests for additional information to help them determine the best decision for their children. Therefore, we are including two additional pieces of information in this communication, which we hope will be helpful and have extended the deadline for responding to July 31 at 5 p.m. All responses will be considered final at that time, and you will receive an email from D205 confirming your submission after the results have been reviewed.

If you have responded, you do not need to resubmit. If you change your mind from your initial response, please resubmit. Your most recent response will be time stamped, and that will be the response that is counted. In order to register your initial response or resubmit a response, the form is available in both English and Spanish. 

The first piece of information outlines the three instructional models, (in-person in grades EC-5, hybrid in grades 6-12, and Remote Learning in all grades), with particular emphasis on guidelines for Remote Learning.

The second piece of information outlines safety protocols for daily wellness self-certification and procedures that will be followed in the event of a positive test for COVID.

The District has created an Open D205 microsite that includes an FAQ page, both of which will be updated in real time. If you have a question that has not been addressed on the FAQ page, submit it to openD205@elmhurst205.org. Please allow 48 to 72 hours for processing due to the volume of questions currently being received. There also have been recent questions about all-day kindergarten. Please go to the FAQ page for answers to those questions.

Our planning teams continue to work around the clock to finalize plans for the first day of school. All orientation activities for the 2020-21 school year will be virtual. A parent handbook also is being developed that will include the specific details you will need to know about the expectations and daily routines at each school. Look for more information from your school principal regarding the handbook and upcoming events.

Hopefully, you will find the following dates helpful as we move closer to the start of school:

• Aug. 11 - Handbooks released to parents and posted online.
• Aug. 11-13 - Principals hold individual school meetings to review the parent handbook.
• Aug. 13 - Transportation information sent to qualifying families of in person students. A/B lists released to families in grades 6-12.
• Aug. 17- Elementary class lists released.

Looking ahead, the D205 leadership team is monitoring the recent increases in positive COVID-19 cases nationally and in DuPage County and is prepared to adjust plans for the start of the school year in order to further protect the wellbeing of students and employees as needed.

In order for schools to be open to any form of in-person learning, the community will need to make a collective effort to follow CDC guidelines on social distancing, masks, and hand washing, in particular. Please do your part and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Estimadas Familias del Distrito Escolar 205

El Consejo de Educación del Distrito Escolar 205 votó el pasado 14 de julio para aprobar una resolución, conexión adjunta, ‘resolution’ de apertura del distrito mejor conocida como ‘Open D205A Plan for Safe, Healthy, and Rigorous Learning for the 2020-21 School Year’. El documento de apertura es una guía de planeamiento que servirá como recurso para desarrollar los planes detallados de apertura en cada escuela. Como fue discutido el pasado 14 de julio, habrá mayor información disponible en las próximas semanas a partir de hoy hasta el primer día de clases que será el próximo 24 de agosto.

El pasado 17 de julio, el Distrito escolar mandó una carta con una petición que consiste en sondear tres componentes de información. Uno es determinar el número de familias que les gustaría escoger la opción de Aprendizaje Remoto. La segunda opción es para sondear las preferencias de los estudiantes que tienen Planes de Educación Individualizada mejor conocidos como IEPs. La tercera opción es para determinar cuántas familias decidirán que necesitan usar el Sistema de Transportación en autobuses del Distrito para que sus niños vengan y vayan de la escuela. 

Ya en este momento, las familias se han acercado para pedir información adicional con el objetivo de determinar cuál es la mejor decisión para sus niños. Por lo tanto, estamos incluyendo dos piezas adicionales de información en este comunicado, esperamos les sean útiles y además, hemos extendido el plazo para responder al sondeo hasta el 31 de julio a las 5:00 pm. Todas las respuestas serán consideradas como su decisión final en el momento de recibirlas y usted recibirá un correo electrónico del D205 confirmando su respuesta y la información cuando los resultados del sondeo hayan sido revisados. 

Si usted ya respondió, no necesita añadir más nada. Si Usted cambió de opinión en relación a su respuesta original, por favor vuelva a someter otra respuesta. Su última respuesta será registrada con el día y la hora recibida y será la contada. En orden de registrar su respuesta original o volver a registrar otra respuesta, puede usar la siguiente conexión en inglés ‘English’ o en español ‘Spanish’.

La primera pieza de información señala los tres modelos de instrucción docente (Educación en persona de los grados de preescolar hasta el quinto grado EC-5º; el sistema combinado híbrido en los grados de sexto a doceavo, 6º a 12º; el sistema de aprendizaje remoto en todos los grados), haciendo énfasis en particular a los lineamientos de Aprendizaje Remoto. 

La segunda pieza de información señala los protocolos de seguridad para mantener la salvaguarda y bienestar diario, señalados en la siguiente conexión, ‘self-certification and procedures’ mismos que serían seguidos en el evento de que alguna persona tuviera un diagnóstico positivo del virus del COVID.

El Distrito escolar ha creado una pequeña página web donde pondrá toda la información de apertura y relacionada con la misma, también conocida como, ‘Open D205 microsite’; ahí encontrará una sección de preguntas y respuestas  ‘FAQ page’. Toda la información será actualizada conforme la situación  vaya cambiando. Si usted tiene una pregunta que no haya sido contestada, por favor mande un correo electrónico a: openD205@elmhurst205.org. Por favor espere de 48 a 72 horas para procesar su pregunta, ésto es debido al volumen de preguntas que en estos momentos estamos recibiendo. Hay también preguntas en relación al día completo de kínder. Por favor vaya a la sección de FAQ (preguntas y respuestas) para obtener información y respuesta a dichas preguntas. 

Nuestro equipo de planeamiento continúa trabajando alrededor del reloj para finalizar los planes que se llevarán a cabo en el primer día escolar. Todas las actividades de orientación para el ciclo escolar 2020-2021 serán este año de manera virtual. Se está desarrollando también un manual como guía para el estudiante y los padres de familia que incluirá toda la información específica de cada escuela y de cada director, la misma incluirá también las expectativas que esperamos, las rutinas diarias, etc. Por favor espere información adicional de su director sobre dicho manual y los eventos que se aproximan.

Esperamos que las siguientes fechas sean de su ayuda conforme nos acercamos al comienzo del ciclo escolar:

• Agosto 11: Publicación en línea del Manual para el Estudiante y para los Padres de Familia
• Agosto 11-13: Todos los directores escolares tendrán juntas escolares para revisar dicho manual.
• Agosto 13: La información sobre el Sistema de Transporte estará disponible para aquellas familias que califiquen. Será publicada también las listas de los los grupos A/B en las que su estudiante fue colocado si está entre los grados 6º al 12º.
• Agosto 17: Las listas escolares de los profesores asignados de primaria serán publicadas. 

Mirando al futuro próximo, el equipo de liderazgo está monitoreando los recientes incrementos en los caso positivos de COVID-19 en el Condado de DuPage y está preparado para ajustarse conforme sea necesario en los planes de apertura para el comienzo del ciclo escolar con el objetivo de proteger el bienestar de los estudiantes y empleados. 

En orden de que las escuelas puedan abrir para un aprendizaje en persona, la comunidad necesitará hacer un esfuerzo colectivo para seguir los lineamientos del Centro de Control de Enfermedades, CDC sobre el distanciamiento social, el uso del tapabocas y en particular, el lavado constante de las manos. Por favor, haga su parte y mantenga la seguridad y salvaguarda de todos.

Sinceramente,  

Dr. David Moyer
Rector Escolar
Distrito Escolar Comunitario 205, Elmhurst

Dear D205 Families,

Mid-Summer Greetings to All!

The District 205 Board of Education on Tuesday voted on a resolution that approved the Open D205:  A Plan for Safe, Healthy, and Rigorous Learning for the 2020-21 School Year plan.  An executive summary of the plan  also is available.

There is a significant amount of planning required to implement the plan between now and the first day of school.  The first day of school has been moved to Monday, August 24, to allow for three days of Blended Remote Professional Learning for teachers, allowed by Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order, to ensure that the District can effectively implement the plan.

A first step in that planning is to determine the number of families that intend to opt for the Remote Learning Option for their children.  Another important first step is to determine the number of eligible families that intend to utilize D205 busing to transport their children to and from school. Click the links to begin the interest survey in either English or Spanish. Please complete a separate survey for each child. This critical information is due no later than July 24, at 5:00 p.m. 

Remote Learning Option (During In-Person and Hybrid Availability)

In order to provide choice and support parents in making an informed decision regarding their child’s instructional experience this fall, the following are the central elements of the fully Remote Learning Option. Please note, that each of the elements are dependent upon staffing availability and subject to possible changes as planning evolves:

• Parents may enroll in the Remote Learning Option on a semester basis (i.e. opting for remote learning at the beginning of the year would remain the selection through January). 

• Parents who enroll their student(s) in the Remote Learning Option will use a district-provided device throughout the remote learning experience. 

• Students enrolled in the Remote Learning Option will have an assigned teacher and learning schedules to follow in alignment with the district calendar, days, and hours. 

  • The assigned teacher and course may involve faculty and students from across District 205.

• Students opting for the Remote Learning Option will be required to check into courses daily and complete assigned work. The current guidance from ISBE states that student engagement during remote learning will include 5 clock hours per day, consisting of instruction and school work.

• The majority of the five hours of instruction will be conducted online through a blend of virtual learning opportunities for students, such as synchronous (real-time) instruction and other creative engagement opportunities (e.g. various pre-recorded models and opportunities with the teacher - based upon the grade level and developmentally appropriate practice).

• Daily attendance and feedback on student work will occur with assessment results (and, grades) taking place where applicable.

• In grades EC-5, the intention at this time is for students to receive instruction in math, English, science, and social studies (as well as PE and some predetermined special classes, as staffing allows).

• In grades 6-12, there is a possibility that course offerings at certain grade levels will be limited, due to staffing availability, yet efforts will be made to honor student schedules to the fullest extent possible. 

Thank you again for completing the Remote Learning and Transportation interest survey by July 24 at 5 p.m.

The Open D205  plan is based on the best available current information and allows for the agility to make adjustments in real time to both support learning and protect the health of our students and employees.

With that in mind, a critical factor in the opening for in-person learning this fall is taking the necessary precautions to make this aspiration a reality. In Governor Pritzker’s July 15 address, he indicated that COVID-19 test positivity rates have been rising to the current level of 3.1%. If they reach 8%, the State will revert back to Phase 3, which will negate the possibility of in-person instruction.

Proactively, the District has suspended IHSA summer participation due to a positive COVID-19 test and concerns of potential spread to other athletes. The D205 leadership team will continue to monitor the impact COVID-19 on the school district and is prepared to take further action to protect the health and safety of students and employees as needed.

Following CDC guidelines, self-quarantining if returning from summer travel and using face coverings and practicing social distancing when participating in group gatherings is imperative. If we do not remain vigilant, the odds of returning to school in-person decreases significantly.  

Please be safe,

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendent
Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205

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Queridas familias D205.

¡Saludos de Mediados de Verano a todos!

La Junta de Educación del Distrito 205 votó el martes por una resolucion que aprueba el plan  D205 Abierto:  Un Plan para un Aprendizaje Seguro, Saludable y Riguroso para el año escolar 2020-21.  Un Resumen Ejecutivo del Plan  tambien se encuentra disponible.

Se requiere una gran cantidad de planificación para implementar el plan desde ahora hasta el primer día de clases. El primer día de clases se movió al Lunes 24 de Agosto, para permitir tres días de Aprendizaje Profesional Remoto Combinado para maestros, permitido por la Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador Pritzker, para garantizar que el Distrito pueda implementar el plan de manera efectiva.

Un primer paso en esa planificación es determinar la cantidad de familias que tienen la intención de optar por la Opción de Aprendizaje Remoto para sus hijos. Otro primer paso importante es determinar la cantidad de familias elegibles que tienen la intención de utilizar el autobús D205 para transportar a sus hijos hacia y desde la escuela. Haga clic en los enlaces para comenzar la encuesta de interés en Ingles o Espanol. Por favor complete una encuesta por separado para cada niño. Esta información crítica debe presentarse antes del 24 de Julio a las 5:00 p.m. 

Opción de Aprendizaje Remoto (durante la disponibilidad en persona e híbrida)

Con el fin de proporcionar opciones y apoyar a los padres para que tomen una decisión informada con respecto a la experiencia educativa de sus hijos este otoño, los siguientes son los elementos centrales de la Opción de Aprendizaje totalmente remoto. Tenga en cuenta que cada uno de los elementos depende de la disponibilidad de personal y está sujeto a posibles cambios a medida que evoluciona la planificación:

• Los padres pueden inscribirse en la Opción de Aprendizaje Remoto por semestre (es decir, optar por el aprendizaje remoto al comienzo del año seguiría siendo la selección hasta Enero). 

• Los padres que inscriben a sus alumnos en la Opción de aprendizaje remoto utilizarán un dispositivo aprobado por el Distrito durante toda la experiencia de aprendizaje remoto. 

• Los estudiantes inscritos en la Opción de Aprendizaje Remoto tendrán un maestro asignado y horarios de aprendizaje para seguir en alineación con el calendario, días y horas del Distrito. 

  • El maestro y el curso asignados pueden involucrar a profesores y estudiantes de todo el Distrito 205.

• Los estudiantes que opten por la Opción de aprendizaje remoto deberán registrarse diariamente en los cursos y completar el trabajo asignado. La orientación actual de ISBE establece que la participación de los estudiantes durante el aprendizaje remoto incluirá 5 horas de reloj por día, que consisten en instrucción y trabajo escolar.

• La mayoría de las cinco horas de instrucción se llevarán a cabo en línea a través de una combinación de oportunidades de aprendizaje virtual para los estudiantes, como la instrucción sincrónica (en tiempo real) y otras oportunidades de participación creativa (por ejemplo, varios modelos y oportunidades pregrabados con el maestro). sobre el nivel de grado y la práctica apropiada para el desarrollo).

• La asistencia diaria y la retroalimentación sobre el trabajo de los estudiantes ocurrirán con los resultados de la evaluación (y las calificaciones) que tengan lugar donde corresponda.

• En los grados EC-5, la intención en este momento es que los estudiantes reciban instrucción en matemáticas, inglés, ciencias y estudios sociales (así como educación física y algunas clases especiales predeterminadas, según lo permita el personal).

• En los grados 6-12, existe la posibilidad de que las ofertas de cursos en ciertos niveles de grado sean limitadas, debido a la disponibilidad de personal, pero se harán esfuerzos para cumplir con los horarios de los estudiantes en la mayor medida posible.

Gracias nuevamente por completar la encuesta de interés sobre Aprendizaje remoto y transporte antes del 24 de Julio a las 5 p.m.

El plan D205 Abierto (Open) se basa en la mejor información actual disponible y permite la agilidad de hacer ajustes en tiempo real para apoyar el aprendizaje y proteger la salud de nuestros estudiantes y empleados.

Con eso en mente, un factor crítico en la apertura para el aprendizaje en persona este otoño es tomar las precauciones necesarias para hacer realidad esta aspiración. En el discurso del Gobernador Pritzker del 15 de Julio, indicó que las tasas de positividad de la prueba COVID-19 han aumentado al nivel actual del 3,1%. Si alcanzan el 8%, el Estado volverá a la Fase 3, lo que negará la posibilidad de instrucción en persona.

Proactivamente, el Distrito ha suspendido la participación de verano de IHSA debido a una prueba COVID-19 positiva y las preocupaciones de posible propagación a otros atletas. El equipo de liderazgo de D205 continuará monitoreando el impacto de COVID-19 en el distrito escolar y está preparado para tomar medidas adicionales para proteger la salud y la seguridad de los estudiantes y empleados según sea necesario.

Siguiendo las pautas de los CDC, es imprescindible la auto cuarentena si regresa de un viaje de verano y usa coberturas faciales y practica el distanciamiento social cuando participa en reuniones grupales. Si no permanecemos atentos, las probabilidades de regresar a la escuela en persona disminuyen significativamente.  

Por favor, cuídense

Dr. David Moyer
Superintendente
Unidad Escolar Comunitaria Elmhurst Distrito 205

As recently approved by IDPH and the IHSA, group activities of 50 persons or less are allowed and IHSA school based sport camps have been opened. Based on the social distancing and other practices that are mandated for sports camp programs, the situation for exposure provides less risk of exposure. However, all risk cannot be avoided and the possibility for transmission of COVID-19 does exist.

Over the past few days, several instances of possible COVID-19 exposure and positive cases have occurred. We have investigated further to review all of the circumstances surrounding the situations. Based on what we have been able to determine, there is great potential for the expansion of transmission among our athletes.

Out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our student athletes and coaching staff we are proactively canceling all York High School sport camps and athletics beginning tomorrow July 17, 2020 until August 9, 2020. No decision on fall sports has been made. Families will be refunded at a prorated rate for the days camps were in session. The York High School Athletic Department will begin processing refunds next week. Please allow five business days for the refund to appear on the credit/bank card used.

Our community is tight knit and above all, the protection of the health and safety of our community is our first priority. As we cautiously proceed toward re-opening, our focus must be starting school on August 24, 2020 as safely as possible. We are asking that families and staff exercise caution and adhere to safety guidelines and regulations when gathering and traveling. Social distancing remains the best advised approach to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and we must continue to be as proactive as possible by exercising social distancing and healthy hygiene practices.

If you have concerns about your possible exposure or are not feeling well, we encourage you to contact your medical provider to discuss testing recommendations, the need for medical evaluation, and quarantine requirements. In the event your student develops Symptoms of COVID-19 or has a positive test result, please follow the recommendations for Isolation Quarantine and Isolation.

Here is a downloadable graphic from the Illinois Association of School Administrators that will be helpful as you are making decisions in your own home. Beyond social distancing, please continue to incorporate the following measures in your family’s daily health maintenance routine:

Consult your healthcare provider if you have a concern for yourself or a family member shows symptoms of illness, or if you are notified that you have possibly been exposed to a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

Staying home if you have been exposed to a friend, family or household member who is ill with COVID-19.

Staying home if sick until at least 72 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications).

Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Wash your hands following the use of a tissue.

Washing hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available.

Wearing a face covering over your nose and mouth is required for any individual who is over age two and is able to medically tolerate a face covering (a mask or other face-covering) when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance. Face coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores.

Cleaning and disinfecting your home on a routine basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following guidance.

Eliminating all non-essential travel. Please consult the CDC travel advisories when planning. At this time, many states have widespread community transmission. The CDC has guidelines and consideration for those planning to travel within the United States.

As we process the news that this unprecedented disease has directly impacted our community, it is easy for fear and anxiety to rise. It is vital that we support one another with kindness and tolerance. Please check in on family and friends to make sure they are staying healthy.

District 205 is dedicated to keeping the school community updated as well. Please consult the Health Resources page of the District’s Open D205 microsite for updates.