Flossmoor District 161 board members approved a plan on Monday that provides families a choice between all-remote learning and a hybrid approach to school attendance for the 2020-21 academic year.
A third option — returning to in-person school five days per week — did not receive strong support from parents or staff on recent surveys conducted by the district. About 27 percent of parents preferred that option, but only 15 percent of staff opted for it.
Superintendent Dana Smith said he was struck by one survey result, to a question about whether parents would send their children to school if safety precautions were required. More than 38 percent said they would not.
Board members still have quite a few questions about implementation — as do parents and staff — but they found the administration’s recommendation compelling enough for unanimous approval.
The hybrid structure will include in-person classes two days per week, two days of independent online activities and one day of live remote instruction. For example, students who attend classes at school on Mondays and Tuesdays will work independently on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and on Fridays they will attend live online classes.
Students using the remote learning option will receive live online instruction five days per week.
Smith said the district would provide more information in two days about how parents can choose the option they prefer. They will have about a week to ask questions before deciding. He said the administration will provide as much information as possible so parents can make the best decision for their children.
Board President Michelle Hoereth thanked the district community for its many questions, and said she was receiving more up to the moment the meeting started.
“We value each and every one of them. We may not get to them on this call but Dr. Smith will respond to each and everyone of them,” Hoereth said on the phone meeting.
Smith also promised a draft version of extensive guidelines will be ready by Monday, July 20. He said administrative staff would offer as much detail as possible about how both options will be implemented.
The guideline document, when finished, will include a detailed reopening plan, along wtih answers to frequently asked questions.
The hybrid option was the most popular in the surveys, with almost 44 percent of parents and more than 43 percent of staff choosing it. Smith noted that, while it will include in-person instruction, it will be very different from pre-pandemic school.
“Masks aren’t optional. Social distancing will not be optional. People are focused on safety, and rightfully so,” he said. “We’ll be moving very slowly. we want to make sure those buses and classrooms are sanitized.”
Remote learning has been improved based on the district’s experience in the spring, when schools were abruptly closed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Smith said remote learning would be rigorous.
“We’ve made changes to make remote learning a viable alternative to traditional instruction,” he said, while acknowledging that it couldn’t achieve the same quality as in-person instruction.
He said the two options would work independently, like two different schools within one, with different teachers in each.
Following a motion to accept the two-option proposal, board members discussed the options for more than an hour.
Board member Cameron Nelson said he was not convinced the hybrid option would be effective enough to justify the cost. He noted that the necessary safety precautions would use up considerable instructional time.
Smith said the compensation for the hybrid option would be much smaller class sizes, which would enable more teacher attention for each student. He said teachers would receive training on how to adjust their practices to make the most of that opportunity.
Board member Stephen Paredes asked whether students could switch between options if the first choice didn’t work as planned. Smith said that would not be practical in mid-quarter.
Board member Christina Vlietstra asked what would happen if a teacher tested positive for COVID-19. Those situations might have to be handled on an individual basis, but Smith said the district will monitor state guidelines and local case rates, and remain ready to respond as needed.
“We have to be prepared at the drop of a hat to be able to go (all) remote,” he said. “Our contingency plan is to make remote as robust as possible.”
Hoereth said the district and the community would have to work together to meet the challenges the new school year presents.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to make sure we are ready in time for school to start,” she said. “I don’t think any of the options are great options. If we all had our choice and things were different, we would all choose to have our kids back in school. I am willing to figure out a way to make this work and make sure our kids are getting what they need.”
More than 320 people joined the more than 90-minute virtual meeting, including staff and board members. The board will meet at Monday, July 20, but the meeting will be in-person. Smith said the capacity of the meeting will be limited by state guidelines and attendance will be first-come, first-served.