Community Consolidated School District 89 has made changes to the half-day and “snow day” plans.
‘Snow days’ will become online learning days
When buildings cannot open due to severe weather, the district will now provide online learning throughout that day. This change will significantly reduce the likelihood that any days would need to be added to the end of the school year.
In the event that severe weather closes school buildings, teachers will provide live or recorded lessons that students would participate in through their Chromebook or iPad. The school day would follow regular school hours, including a break for lunch.
Over the next few weeks, students will practice logging on to Google Meets through their Chromebook or iPads so they are prepared ahead of any severe weather.
When there is a forecast of severe weather, students should plan to bring their Chromebook or iPad home the day before. The district will make every effort to communicate a potential online learning day as early as possible. If a student cannot connect to the internet for an online learning day, their guardian should call them in as absent.
This change in policy will not cause the district to close the buildings more often when there is bad weather. In-person learning is still the preferred instructional method when travel conditions are safe.
An eLearning plan was approved in the previous school year but was not put in use during the 2020-21 school year. You can read the resolution to adopt eLearning here.
Reducing the number of half days in 2022-23
More than 350 people shared feedback on the 2022-23 school calendar. (You can see that feedback here.) The district is reviewing all of the feedback that was shared. One area where there was wide agreement among families was reducing the number of school improvement and institute half-days on the calendar.
The district has filed a waiver with the state to convert four half days into two full days off for students. (Staff would still be in the buildings to work on school improvement plans and professional development.)
A 2022-23 calendar with these changes is expected to be presented to the Board of Education at the January meeting. The district will share that final calendar via email once it is approved.
