Good Afternoon, District 109 Families:

We hope this email finds you well and enjoying the warmer temperatures. We are connecting with you to provide some updates as we enter our 5th week of eLearning and to seek feedback on our eLearning practices. We will continue to be in touch as the year unfolds remotely, and thank you immensely for your support, partnership, and dedication along this journey! 

Our Pledge to You
Per the Governor’s announcement on Friday, while we had hoped to return to in-person learning this year, we pledge to continue putting forth every effort to provide quality eLearning opportunities for our 3,000 students. We cannot replicate the high quality, in-person environment that you have come to expect; however, we are thankful for our teachers, support staff, instructional coaches, and building leaders who have worked tirelessly to make the best of an unprecedented situation. Our mission is to “provide innovative educational experiences of the highest quality that engage, inspire and empower each student to excel and contribute to improving the world.” We will strive to accomplish this goal remotely, and look forward to the day we can reunite with our students! 

Feedback Opportunity
District 109 values parent feedback and input. If you are interested in sharing feedback with us regarding the Remote Learning process or activities, please complete this feedback form by Thursday, April 23rd. We will be providing more opportunities to garner your input as the year unfolds remotely.

End-Of-Year Protocols
The district has several decisions to make now that it has been confirmed we will not be returning to in-person learning this school year. As we end 2019-2020 remotely, our school teams will be carefully considering year-end protocols that are in the best interest of our students and families, while also allowing staff to continue with preparations for the school year ahead. Please be on the lookout for updates in the upcoming weeks. We promise to communicate soon about cleaning out lockers, device collection, graduation, report cards, Extended School Year (ESY), 2020-21 placement decisions, etc.  

Student Services
If your child receives special education services, per an Individualized Education Program (IEP), please click here for additional information from our Student Services Department.

Parent FAQ
This document was previously shared by our building principals, but we hope this Parent FAQ answers some common questions. As always, if we can be of any assistance, please reach out to your child’s teacher, building leadership team, or a member of the Teaching and Learning Department. 

No eLearning on Friday, May 1st or Friday, May 15th
With Friday’s unfortunate announcement that Illinois schools will remain closed for the remainder of the year, Friday, May 1st and Friday, May 15th will be utilized as a professional learning and planning day for staff. On these days, your child will not receive any new assignments from their teacher(s) nor will teachers hold their office hours. Students can use these days to complete previously assigned material, work on extensions, or independently practice on some of the digital tools by clicking here.

Your partners in education,

Scott Schwartz and Danielle Arnold

Scott Schwartz, Ed.D. 
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning, & Innovation
847-945-1844 x7237

Danielle Arnold 
Director for Learning and Innovation
847-945-1844 x7220
darnold@dps109.org

Dear District 109 Staff, Families, and Community Members,

This afternoon, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the suspension of in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. 

The District will continue to operate our eLearning plan for the rest of the school year as well as provide meals and assistance to our families in need. We will continue to modify and improve eLearning as we go along. Look for more information as well as a survey from the Department of Teaching and Learning shortly.  

I know many of our families, students, and staff will have questions moving forward ranging from gathering materials from schools to honoring our 8th grade students. We will be working on these plans in the days ahead and promise to keep you posted.  

For updates, communication, and information about eLearning, please visit the COVID-19 Updates page of our website. 

I know this is not the school year that any of us imagined, but I want to thank you for your support and understanding as we have dealt with this unprecedented situation together. Please continue to stay safe and healthy by following social/physical distancing and other practices recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

Sincerely,

Anthony 

Dear District 109 Families and Community Members,

I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. Today, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker extended the Stay-at-Home order for Illinois until the end of April to slow the spread of COVID-19. This order covers school closures as well, meaning the earliest we will now be back in school is May 1st. 

During this time, on-site learning will remain suspended, but our schools’ commitment to learning and education will remain open and learning will continue for all students - just through a different format. The District will continue to operate our e-learning plan throughout our school closure as well as provide meals and assistance to our families in need.  

While it is not ideal, we want to assure you that at DPS109, our teachers and staff are fully engaged and willing to take on this challenge.

The Stay-at-Home order also continues the guidelines for physical and social distancing that are in place throughout the state. Thank you for doing your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to follow the guidelines from IDPH for social distancing. 

I know this is not the school year that any of us imagined, but I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we have dealt with this unprecedented situation together.  

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear District 109 Families,

Scott Schwartz, Ed.D. & Danielle Arnold

Dear District 109 Families,

I know this was not a traditional spring break for most of you, but nonetheless I hope it was a good and restful one. As we move into the next week, I wanted to share some information and updates with you, including new guidance we have received from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The information from ISBE all came in between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday night, so it is fresh off the presses and we are still working through it. 

ISBE is designating the rest of the days out of school as “Remote Learning Days.” These days will count as school days, and like the Act of God Days, will not need to be made up at the end of the year. Districts may create a remote learning plan or implement their e-learning plan if they already have one. District 109 already has an e-learning plan that has been in place since our schools closed March 13. In the guidance, up to 5 days can be used for teacher training and e-learning preparation. Here is a link to the emergency rule for the definition of Remote Learning Days.  

ISBE has also convened a committee of 63 teachers and administrators to create Remote Learning Recommendations to help schools navigate this time. These guidelines describe recommended time for remote learning, along with grading recommendations. Here is a link to the Remote Learning Recommendations. The Teaching and Learning Department is still working through these recommendations. Please look for communication coming soon from Scott Schwartz and Danielle Arnold on any applicable changes to our current e-learning plan. 

The district has created a dedicated page on our website, where we have communication updates, information on e-learning, and social-emotional resources for families. It is full of great information and resources, so please take a moment to review. 

On another note, the Board of Education has switched to virtual meetings in accordance with updated guidance from the Public Access Counselor related to the Open Meetings Act. Until further notice, meetings will consist of only items that are necessary and essential to the continued operation of the district. All building presentations and recognitions are postponed until further notice. Here is a link to the agenda for Monday, with instructions on how to call in and listen if you would like. 

As we prepare to welcome our students back virtually on Monday, let me say that I know how trying a time this is for students, families, and teachers. At home, I have a second grader and a sixth grader who are also out of school. Like many of your children, mine are asking a lot of questions, and my wife and I are doing our best to answer them. We are navigating our own e-learning journey, while obviously continuing to work, and, admittedly, some days are easier than others. Many of our teachers and staff are in the same situation.

Through all this, my wife and I are trying to remember that the absolute most important thing for our children right now is their physical and psychological safety. I want all our students to continue learning and growing during this time. However, e-learning will never be a replacement for being in school with peers and teachers. Our teachers are trying to make the learning meaningful and the assignments are important. At the same time, we understand the enormous burden this is placing on our parents, and I hope you give yourselves permission to be OK if your children do not complete every activity or check every box on any given day.   

We will continue working to find the appropriate balance for what we are providing for learning opportunities. In the end, if each day you can make sure your children feel safe and loved, are able to laugh a little, and perhaps learn a few things they did not know the day before, you are winning. 

Please continue to take care of yourselves and just do your best. Together, we will make it through this.

Sincerely, 

Anthony

Dear District 109 Community,

As we end this first week of school closure I wanted to say thank you to our staff, community, and students for adjusting to this new situation. I know this is not how any of us intended on starting spring break. 

On Friday, March 20th, Governor Pritzker issued an executive order requiring residents to “stay at home” effective Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 pm, through the end of April 7. For more information, please take a look at the Stay-at-Home FAQs put together by the governor's office.

As part of the governor’s order, he announced that school will remain closed, with a new tentative reopening date of April 8. In District 109, we have said we will be open no earlier than Tuesday, April 14. We anticipate further guidance and details from the Illinois State Board of Education next week.

In addition, the governor has made it clear that, while he’s serious about using social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, he wants residents to still be able to work, shop at grocery stores, put gas in their cars, take walks outside and get medication from the pharmacy. Rest assured, we are committed to doing our best to provide meals and deliver continuity of education. 

Over spring break, my team and I will be working on a variety of projects.  First, we want to make any needed changes to our E-Learning plan. Thank you for your feedback and suggestions as they will play an important role in any modifications.  Second, we want to work on resources that can be made available to parents and staff to support social-emotional learning and health for our students, staff, and families.  Third, we want to continue to create avenues for us to stay connected as a school and district community.    

Please remember that there will be no E-Learning next week, March 23-27.    E-Learning will begin again on Monday March 30th.  

Please use this opportunity to focus on staying safe and helping to slow the spread of the virus.  As always, thank you for your patience and support as we all work through the COVID-19 Pandemic. As you have seen, this situation is evolving rapidly. As events unfold, we will continue to communicate in a timely and transparent manner.

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear DPS 109 Families,

As we near the end of week one of eLearning, we wanted to say thank you for your partnership, flexibility, patience, and support. The district’s first priority has been to ensure the health and safety of our staff, students, and families. Everyone (including our 425 staff members and 3000 students) is dealing with uncertainties and navigating new territory with their families. We will continue to work through this unique time together, so please know it is okay to just DO YOUR BEST. 

As a second priority, the Teaching & Learning and Student Services Departments have been working closely with building principals, teachers, curriculum specialists, and instructional coaches to ensure the continuation of student learning. Providing your children with a sense of normalcy by maintaining connections with school and offering familiar activities is important to us. We realize that while you are supporting your children in eLearning, you are concurrently managing your own professional lives and personal responsibilities. Our staff is doing the same, so we understand and appreciate how complex it has been to find balance.

Here are a few things to note about the eLearning experience: 

• It is okay for you to work with your child to prioritize tasks. This may be especially important for children in the early grades. We know students are used to more activity, more interaction, and more direct instruction from their teacher. Feel free to create a manageable schedule that works for you and your child. 
• While away from school, it is more challenging for our teachers to evaluate the specific progress of each individual child. Typically, teachers are conferencing with students, supporting small groups, and regularly providing 1-1 feedback. In an electronic learning environment, feedback will be shared in Seesaw or through Google Classroom; however, it will not be as frequent as it would be in a regular classroom environment. Please reassure your child (and yourself, if needed) that they are doing okay.
• We are so proud and appreciative of all the hard work our staff has put into eLearning. We continue to work behind the scenes to connect new digital resources, update options for video conferencing, and refine lessons plans. As eLearning continues, we will work to improve the experience. 

To help our implementation and planning efforts, we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete this short eLearning Survey. We are invested in doing the best we can to make this time as meaningful as possible for everyone. 

Lastly, here are three final reminders:

• Please remember that NO eLearning opportunities will be provided next week (March 23rd-27th) during Spring Break. Communication will resume and you’ll have information necessary to continue eLearning on Monday, March 30th. 
• 24/7 technology support is available at customercare@net56.com OR by calling (847) 934-8100, Option 2. Net56 technicians, our internet partners, will make every effort to resolve your technology issue remotely. If that is not possible, they will share the process in place for your child to receive a replacement device to continue their eLearning experience. 

As previously shared, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your teacher(s), building principals, or us at sschwartz@dps109.org or darnold@dps109.org. Our teachers will be on Spring Break next week and will respond to any of your questions after break.

Sincerely,

Scott Schwartz and Danielle Arnold

Dear District 109 Community,  

First, I want to thank all of our staff, students and parents for doing a great job implementing our continuous E-Learning plan today. This is an unprecedented time in our community and across the country, and I know that this new reality brings challenges. That said, I could not be more proud of our teachers, students, and the entire Deerfield community.  

Today was considered an “E-Learning Day”, a specific state designation for online learning due to a school cancellation.  

Starting tomorrow, all schools in Illinois are being ordered to close by Governor Pritzker through March 30. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has mandated that the remainder of days this week (March 17-20) be considered “Act of God Days”.  

“Act of God Days” do not have to be made up at the end of the school year, however they differ from an Emergency Day or an E-Learning Day in the following ways: 

• No attendance is taken for students
• Any work assigned to students is graded for feedback only, not to reflect in final grades.

Even though attendance and grades will not be a factor in schools across Illinois for the rest of this week, in District 109 we believe it is important to continue engaging our students as best we can.  The Illinois State Board of Education also “strongly encourages all school districts to provide learning opportunities to all students during these Act of God Days through whatever means possible”. 

The teachers, staff, and administrators in District 109 are leaders in public education and we have a robust E-learning Plan in place, therefore our staff will continue to provide activities and assignments each day that advance student learning just like they did today. In short, tomorrow is another day of learning. 

We cannot tell you how days will be designated in the school calendar beyond March 30, as we await further guidance. What we can tell you is that we will remain committed to our students by providing them learning opportunities, connection, and some sense of normalcy while away from school.  

I also want to acknowledge that this is a trying time for parents and families. My message to all of you, our teachers, and our students is to simply do the best you can.  This is a situation that none of us anticipated.    

The District is also continuing to provide meals and support to families who may be in need during this time. We have reached out to many, but as this crisis continues and impacts more in our community, please know that we are here to provide assistance and support. I have always been overwhelmed by the generosity shown in District 109, so please do not hesitate to reach out if we can help.   

Thank you all for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.  Our mission in District 109 is to Engage, Inspire, and Empower, and that is exactly what we intend to continue doing.   

If you have questions on E-Learning please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s principal, Scott Schwartz at sschwartz@dps109.org or Danielle Arnold at darnold@dps109.org from the Teaching and Learning Department.  

This eLearning FAQ will also continue to be updated on the DPS 109 web page as the district obtains new information. 

Sincerely, 

Anthony

Dear District 109 Community,

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE ALL SCHOOLS IN DEERFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 109 ARE CLOSED

To safeguard the health and wellness of students, staff, and the community we have decided to close District 109 schools to students beginning tomorrow, Friday, March 13th with a projected return of Tuesday April 14th (this reflects a two week period following spring break and anticipated travel from our community).  This is a dynamic situation and the return to school date may change. 

The scale of national closure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and direct guidance for social distancing requires our local schools to also take action. By closing schools to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19, we help lessen the burden on hospitals, which will need to focus their energy on people who are ill.

We are not aware of anyone in D109 who has been infected or exposed to COVID-19. That said, this evening a suspected case of COVID-19 was reported to Deerfield High School administration and is awaiting confirmation from the Illinois Department of Public Health.  

E-LEARNING PLANS AND TECHNOLOGY

Starting on Monday, March 16th, the District’s e-Learning plan will be put into place. E-Learning will take place from Monday, March 16th to 20th, as well as from March 30th to April 9th. E-Learning days will not take place during Spring Break (March 23rd to 27th). Additional, and previously communicated, information can be found on our district’s website.

As you know, we have been preparing to continue the educational experiences of our students in the event COVID-19 affects our community by gathering educational resources for students to use at home. More specifics regarding the e-learning plan will be shared with parents through their child’s teacher(s) and building principal. If you do not receive communication from your child’s teacher on Monday March 16th, please email to let them know.

ACCESS TO BUILDINGS LIMITED 

As an additional precaution, and following the example of other institutions, we are implementing procedures to limit access to our buildings. We are canceling all before- and after-school activities from March 16th through April 9th. Beginning Monday, families are discouraged from visiting the schools until students return. The buildings will be open tomorrow, March 12th for parents to pick up their children’s medications and other necessary items.  All building administration and school nurses will be on hand.  

TRAVEL

As we approach Spring Break, we want to make you aware of the following guidance: Currently, the IDPH states that if you are returning from an area identified by the CDC as "Level 3" (currently China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran), you are required to self-quarantine for 14 days after the day you return to the United States. Please note that areas listed as Level 3 may change. It is your responsibility to check the CDC website (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices) every day for the latest updates regarding areas identified as Level 3.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

As a reminder, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to follow the standard preventive practices. There are a number of steps we can all take to minimize the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Since the public announcement of the outbreak of the coronavirus, District 109 has been taking additional proactive steps to ensure the safety and health of our students and staff. Our custodial has been hard at work using a variety of methods to ensure our buildings are clean and safe. They will continue to do this throughout the school year and take time over this extended break to do an even deeper clean of our facilities. 

D109 posts information to its Coronavirus Updates website page. More information about COVID-19 is available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC COVID-19. IDPH also has information available, including a coronavirus hotline, at this link: IDPH COVID-19.

As recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider immediately.

This is a very different time in our community than we have ever seen. It is important for all of us to do our part to ensure the health and safety of ourselves and our friends, neighbors, and community members. Kindness, compassion, and caring of others is imperative at this time.

We will continue to keep you informed throughout this process. Thank you for your partnership.

Sincerely, 

Anthony

Good Afternoon, District 109 Families:

We have received some good questions about what eLearning would look like in the event of a school closure. The Teaching and Learning Department and school teams have been preparing for this circumstance and we are pleased to provide the following guidance. 

If eLearning days are announced, you and/or your child will receive daily and more specific communication from classroom teachers. To provide a basic preview, here are some details of what an eLearning day will include in District 109: 

1. An eLearning day, per Illinois State Board of Education guidelines, is to include 5 hours of instructional time-on-task. This time can include a number of activities such as reading, using online tools, researching, completing practice assignments, watching educational videos, and more. These are the types of tasks teachers will be providing for students. While some assignments may require the use of a device, teachers will also provide balance by including offline learning opportunities.  
     
2. Students (and families) can expect to receive information about assignments from their classroom teachers each eLearning day through email, Seesaw, or Google Classroom. In the elementary schools, this email will come at the start of the school day. In the middle schools, each teacher will be communicating with students at the regularly scheduled class time. 
   
   
3. Families are welcome to support their child with assigned tasks; however, teachers will be available via email during normal school hours to provide assistance. Teachers will provide their email and any other contact information when they communicate about the assignments. 
   
   
4. Students may use any device to participate in the eLearning day(s). The Deerfield 109 Chromebook and iPad are preferred, as this will provide access to the appropriate digital tools. Our teachers are encouraging their students to bring home their devices and charging accessories nightly, if not already doing so.
   
   
5. Families who do not have access to wifi should contact their building principal for options, as we are prepared to provide a wifi hotspot for any family that requires one. 
   
   
6. Students who receive special education services, per an Individualized Education Program (IEP), will receive additional guidance from their case manager. Any learning that is not able to be completed independently will be supported by the classroom teacher, case manager, or related service providers upon the students’ return to school.
   
   
7. 24/7 tech support will be available via our network providers.

The goal of eLearning is to provide schools with uniterinterupted opportunities for teaching and learning even when a school closure is necessary. We recognize, however, that an eLearning day would be a unique and new experience for everyone. Each of us would continue to partner to make the time as meaningful and relevant for students as possible. Together, we would continue to evaluate the process and initiate any needed improvements along the way. 

Sincerely,

Scott Schwartz, Ed.D. 

Dear District 109 Community, 

As you know, we have been monitoring the quickly evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. To emphasize how rapidly this situation is changing, since my last email on this topic around 5 p.m. yesterday, the President has stopped air travel from Europe, the NBA has suspended its season, and numerous other measures are being enacted across the country.  

To mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure for our students and to help combat any community spread, the District is taking action by postponing or canceling all non-essential large group events—including in-district athletic competitions, musicals, music shows, art shows, etc.—that gather large groups of visitors into our school buildings. This will take effect immediately and last until at least Friday, March 27. We are also canceling all rentals in our buildings between March 12 and March 27. 

Our school principals will follow up with an email with more specific information about the events that are canceled or postponed at your child’s school. The following activities will carry on as scheduled: middle school and elementary after-school clubs, practices, and rehearsals. 

We are also curtailing volunteers and excluding visitors during school hours. The only volunteers who will be allowed in schools are those who serve in PTO-sponsored lunch and after-school programs throughout the district.

This decision was made after working with other area superintendents and carefully considering the news that yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID-19 is now officially a global pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has asked communities to reconsider non-essential large-group gatherings to minimize the potential spread of the virus. Several local elementary and high school districts (Winnetka, Bannockburn, Sunset Ridge,  Glencoe, as well as many others) are also taking similar measures. 

We understand that this decision may be disappointing for families and students. We will make every effort to reschedule events if possible. We are sensitive to the hard work and extra efforts put forth by our teachers, staff, and students. However, at this time, we must do our part to contain the spread of COVID-19. 

Finally, while our schools are now open, this could change at any time. The District is ready to implement our e-learning plans if needed. I encourage families to think ahead and begin making arrangements in the event our schools should close. 

After consulting with the superintendents of Districts 106, 112, and 113, we are staying in close contact regarding these decisions and their impact on our communities. 

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear District 109 Community, 

The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly and it’s incumbent upon us to stay up to date and informed.  The District continues to work with and follow the guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Lake County Health Department, and the Illinois State Board of Education for our area.  

We are also working with a Highland Park/Deerfield task force with representatives from the City of Highland Park, Village of Deerfield, Lake County Health Department, NorthShore Community Health Systems, fellow Superintendents from Districts 112 and 113, as well as other community and government bodies, for the purpose of sharing information and coordination.  

At this time, there is no recommendation for school closures.  However, on Monday evening the Board of Education approved an E-Learning plan for the District should our schools have to close at any time. 

We are also following any guidance from our local health authorities related to canceling school events, such as musicals and concerts. At this time there is no recommendation or direction that we need to cancel these events from our local health authorities. However, this is a dynamic and evolving situation and that guidance can change at a moments notice. We will inform the community as soon as we are able if there will be any disruptions to our scheduled activities.    

That said, based upon the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and government health departments, people with health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, or are immunocompromised might want to think twice about attending our planned school events. 

Please also remember to take care of your own health. If you're not feeling well, stay home. In addition, remember to continue to wash your hands and practice good hygiene per the CDC Guidelines.

I will continue to provide you with updates. This is a rapidly changing situation. I ask that we all remain informed and calm as we process through this unprecedented set of circumstances.

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear Parents and Guardians,

District 109 continues to monitor the health advisories and guidance issued by the Lake County Health Department (LCHD), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Regional Office of Education, and other state and federal agencies. At this time, IDPH states that the risk for coronavirus (COVID-19) in our area remains low. There is currently no recommendation to make changes to normal work and school activities.

We recommend our students, staff, and families continue to be mindful of preventive measures that can be taken. The CDC offers some helpful tips on its website.

Please remember that if your child is sick, they should not be at school. Students need to be fever free for 24 hours, without fever-reducing medication, before returning to school after any illness. Please refer to the health guidelines outlined on our district website. Keeping children home when they are sick is a critical prevention method. 

In addition to our cleaning protocols that I referenced in my email last week, we are also closely monitoring daily attendance and reasons for absences at our six schools so that we can spot any upticks in illness.  

In the unlikely event that our schools should need to close for an extended period, the District is preparing to provide learning resources for students in all grade levels that can be accessed from home. 

We have also created a page on our website where we will be posting helpful information for families and future updates. You may access the page at this link. 

IDPH, along with the Illinois Poison Center, has set up a hotline for residents to call with questions about COVID-19. You can call the hotline at 800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@illinois.gov.

If you have any questions specific to our district, please do not hesitate to contact me or our District Nurse, Mary Phelps, at mphelps@dps109.org. 

Sincerely,

Anthony

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Health, safety, and well-being are our highest priorities in District 109. As such, with the recently elevated discussion regarding the Coronavirus in the news, we want to take a moment to reinforce best-practice preventative safety measures and reference our process and communications.

First, it is important to remember that at this time, according to the Centers for Disease Control, there are only 60 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the United States. As a school district, we are closely monitoring the situation and are taking guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Lake County Health Department (LCHD). There is currently no recommendation to disrupt normal activities of work and school.

We encourage our students, staff, and families to be mindful of preventative measures that can be taken. The CDC offers some tips on its website that can be useful in preventing many types of illnesses, including the flu. 

In addition, please remember that if your child is sick they should not be at school. Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school after any illness. Please refer to the health guidelines outlined on our district website. Keeping your child home when they are sick is one of the critical pieces of prevention. 

The district is already enhancing our efforts to prevent the spread of illness, as we always do during the cold and flu season. We are working closely with our cleaning company, Harvard Maintenance, to step up our overnight cleaning by taking extra precautions such as employing electrostatic disinfection in our classrooms. In addition, we have asked our bus company, Olson Transportation, to clean and disinfect the buses and seats daily as well. You can help by encouraging your children to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. 

We will continue to take guidance from the IDPH and LCHD and communicate with families as appropriate. 

Here is a link to an updated FAQ on the Coronavirus from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or our District Nurse, Mary Phelps at mphelps@dps109.org. 

Sincerely, 

Anthony