Return to In-Person Learning

2nd Semester 20-21 School Year

There has been a lot of good in District 99 this year.

It is, and always has been, the goal to safely return to In-Person Learning.

D99 Guide Document Published on July 20, 2020

“Keep the schools open

if you possibly can.”

Dr. Anthony FauciNIAID Director

“K-12 schools can operate safely and

responsibly.”

Dr. Robert R. RedfieldCDC Director

“Keep the schools open if you possibly can”...“to the best of your ability.”

Dr. Fauci

"There may be some areas where the level of virus is so high that it would not be prudent to bring the children back to school."

“You can't make one statement about bringing children back to school in this country, it depends on where you are.”

Dr. Redfield “We should be making data-driven decisions when we talk about what we are doing for institutions.”

"Schools are not islands unto themselves, they are connected to the communities around them."

“We need schools to be opening in communities when it is safe to do so but we cannot forget the protection of our teachers and school staff”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html

CDC: Local Considerations

Schools should determine, in collaboration with state and local health officials to the extent possible, whether and how to implement each of these considerations while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the needs of each community.

Different schools & different communities will have different programming.

CDC: Community Transmission

It is also critically important to develop strategies that can be revised and adapted depending on the level of viral transmission in the school and throughout the community and done with close communication with state and/or local public health authorities and recognizing the differences between school districts, including urban, suburban, and rural districts.

Strategies should be adapted based on community transmission levels.

CDC: State and Local Regulations

These considerations are meant to supplement - not replace - any Federal, state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which schools must comply.

We must still comply with IDPH and DCHD guidelines - which are almost entirely based on CDC guidelines.

Instructional Programming

Community Transmission

Strategies & Guidelines

Core Beliefs of District 99 Hybrid Programs

● We need enough students in the classroom to have meaningful interactions and

experiences (50% in-person)○ Considered smaller ¼ & ⅛ models - not enough students in person to conduct activities of value

○ Student and teacher survey feedback: classes with small numbers of students were not as valuable

○ Need a consistent number of students to create a quality learning environment

● Teachers will tailor the experience for each class based on the students’ needs and

curricular objectives○ Lessons and Activities

○ Structure of Time

○ Format and Grouping of Students

○ Homework and Assessments

● We have never done this before and we are learning each day how to improve the

experience for students

Semester 2 Programming

Key Changes for Second Semester: 2021 Hybrid

● 4 days of In-Person Learning opportunities each week (Tuesday - Friday)○ Group A: T/W Mornings and Th/F Afternoons

○ Group B: T/W Afternoons and Th/F Mornings

● Attend every class once per week In-Person with no planned fully remote weeks

● Passing periods shortened to 10 minutes

● Lunch block extended by 10 minutes

● Resource periods always follow morning courses

● Students opt-in to remaining on campus for lunch/study periods

● Additional supports

● NORTH ONLY: Group A: A-K & Group B: L-Z (South High Remains A-L & M-Z)

● Additional nursing support at both schools

● Changes in metrics

● Commit to this model through Spring Break if metrics allow

What Remains the Same

● Fully Remote Learning option - Form Required If Changing

○ Form submitted through student email accounts (Due 12/18)

○ Must commit to Fully Remote through Spring Break

● All safety measures for in-person

● Bus transportation (drivers are monitoring symptom slips and PPE)

● Teacher office hours

● Resource periods

● Staff with approved accommodations will continue to work off-site

● Connections/Access continue

This is a Novel Virus: The Unknowns

● When the current wave will end

● The impact of vaccines○ Effectiveness of the Vaccines

○ Duration of Protection

○ Distribution and Prioritization (School Employees in Group 1b)

○ Pediatric Efficacy

● What will be learned and how guidelines might change

● How the rate of community transmission will fluctuate in our

community

● The possibility of increased testing in the community and in our schools

Testing Possibilities

● Beginning to investigate surveillance testing

● Possibility of targeted testing of those with symptoms to increase

effectiveness of contact tracing and exclusionary protocols

● Have started the process for CLIA certificate of waiver requirements to

perform school-based testing

● Plans early in development - more information to come in January

● Would likely serve as another metric initially to help monitor community

transmission

1st Semester = Changing Guidelines and Metrics

June 23: Initial Guidance During Phase 4

August 12-17: Initial IDPH Guidance & Transmission Levels Introduced - Move Fully Remote

August 28: DCHD Interim Guidelines for DuPage County Schools Released

September 21: DCHD Emphasis on Returning to Support Student SEL Needs

October 6: 9th Grade Returns

October 16: DCHD Emphasizes Following IDPH and DCHD protocols

October 19: DCHD recommends 100% Remote Learning

October 20: Week 1 of Hybrid

October 23: DCHD Recognizes local metrics and factors

October 26: District 99 Metrics and Factors Released - Week 2 of Hybrid

November 2: Metrics rapidly get worse after Halloween - Pass 8% positivity and 100/100K

D99 moves to Fully Remote Learning for most students

November 30: Metrics do not improve & worsening trend continues. All students remote.

CDC: Guiding Principles

Everyone’s goal is to prioritize the reopening of schools as safely and as quickly as possible given the many known and established benefits of in-person learning. In order to enable this and assist schools with their day-to-day operations, it is important to adopt and diligently implement actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 inside the school and out in the community. Vigilance to these actions will moderate the risk of in-school transmission regardless of the underlying community burden – with risk being the lowest if community transmission is low and there is fidelity to implementing proven mitigation strategies.

CDC: Children and COVID-19

In general, children with COVID-19 are less likely to have severe symptoms than adults or experience an asymptomatic infection – meaning they do not have any signs or symptoms of disease.

To be sure, the best available evidence from countries that have reopened schools indicates that COVID-19 poses low risks to school-aged children – at least in areas with low community transmission. That said, the body of evidence is growing that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, contrary to early reports, might play a role in transmission.

CDC: Students and COVIDFrom: CDC Report COVID-19 Trends Among School-Aged Children

● COVID-19 incidence among adolescents aged 12–17 years was approximately

twice that in children aged 5–11 years.

● Although mortality and hospitalization in school-aged children was low,

Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and underlying conditions were more commonly

reported among children who were hospitalized or admitted to an ICU.

● It is important for schools and communities to monitor multiple indicators of

COVID-19 among school-aged children and layer prevention strategies to

reduce COVID-19 disease risk for students, teachers, school staff, and families.

● School studies suggest that in-person learning can be safe in communities with

low SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates but might increase transmission risk in

communities where transmission is already high.

CDC: Risks to Students and Staff from COVID-19

Hospitalization among children was over 20 times lower compared to adults. Although the cumulative rate is low, one in three children hospitalized with COVID-19 was admitted to an intensive care unit so the risk is not negligible. Similarly, the death rate among school-aged children is much lower than the rate among adults. Also, the comparatively low risk for hospitalization and death among children themselves must be contextualized to the risk posed to teachers, school administrators, and other staff in the school environment. The risk of teachers, school administrators, and other staff in the school is expected to mirror that of other adults in the community.

CDC: Returning to In-Person Instruction

Make decisions about school reopening based on available data including levels of community transmission and their capacity to implement appropriate mitigation measures in schools to protect students, teachers, administrators, and other staff. Schools should also consider other aspects of students’ risk and wellbeing that arise when schools do not reopen for in-person classes. This includes the potential adverse impacts on students’ social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health, as well as the critical services provided to students to help mitigate health disparities and serve children in need, such as school lunch programs, special education services, after-school programs and mental health services.

CDC: Plan and Prepare

Develop a protocol for monitoring local COVID-19 data in your community to keep track of the level of community transmission, to make decisions about changes to mitigation strategies, and to help determine whether school closures may be necessary.

Adopt mitigation strategies to promote healthy behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19, maintain healthy school environments and operations, and plan what to do if a student, teacher, or staff member gets sick.

In consultation with local officials, establish transparent criteria for when the school will suspend in-person learning to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as transparent criteria for when to resume in-person learning.

Risk and Instructional Models

Lowest risk: Students and teachers engage in virtual-only classes, activities, and events. (Remote Only)Some risk: Hybrid Learning Model: Some students participate in virtual learning and other students participate in In-Person Learning. Small, in-person classes, activities, and events. (Cohorts)Medium risk: Hybrid Learning Model: Most students participate in In-Person Learning, some students participate in virtual learning. Some mixing of groups of students and teachers throughout/across school days. (Hybrid)Higher risk: Students and teachers engage in In-Person only Learning, activities, and events. Students minimally mix between classes and activities. (Everyone In-Person with Limitations Vaccine/Treatment/Testing Stabilizes Conditions)Highest risk: Students and teachers engage in In-Person only learning, activities, and events. Students mix freely between classes and activities. (Everyone In-Person Back to School COVID Fully Controlled)

CDC IndicatorsLink to Details

Higher Risk of Transmission Highest Risk of Transmission

Primary IndicatorsNumber of new cases per 100,000 persons within 14 days 50 to <200 >200

Percentage of RT-PCR tests that are positive during the past 14 days 8% to <10% >10%

Ability of the school to implement the 5 key mitigation strategies:

● Consistent and correct use of masks

● Social distancing to the extent possible

● Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette

● Cleaning and disinfection● Contact tracing in

collaboration with local health department

Implemented 1-2 strategies correctly and

consistently

Implemented no strategies correctly and

consistently

Community Transmission & Instructional Programming

Higher

Community Transmission

Hybrid

50% of Students

Remote Learning

Highest

Community Transmission

Cohorts

Most Students

Remote Learning

Above Highest

Community Transmission

Fully Remote

All Students

Remote Learning

UNLIKELY TO SPREADNO CHANCE OF

SPREAD

Indicators of Safety

CDC suggests decision-makers use one or both of the first core measures of community

burden (Number of Cases per 100K or Positivity Rate) in addition to a third core

indicator, the self-assessed measure of school implementation of key mitigation

strategies. These key mitigation strategies should be implemented to the largest extent

possible.

Core Measures ● Number of new cases per

100,000 persons within 14 days

● Percentage of RT-PCR tests that are positive during the past 14 days

Key Mitigation Strategies ● Consistent and correct use of masks● Social distancing to the extent possible● Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette● Cleaning and disinfection● Contact tracing in collaboration with

local health department

The Second Semester Hybrid Model will be offered under the following conditions:

● Positivity below 9% in the District 99 Community OR <125/100K

New Cases based on rolling average past 14 days recorded each

Friday (Core Metric)● Able to follow all safety protocols (Key Mitigation Strategies)

● No ongoing outbreaks at a school (Second Metric)

● Able to follow up on student/staff illness and close contacts in a 24 hour period

and follow all exclusionary protocols (Third Metric)

● Adequate staff and students available (Always a Factor)

The Second Semester Cohorts will be offered under the following conditions:

● Positivity below 12% in the District 99 Community OR <200/100K

New Cases based on rolling average past 14 days recorded each

Friday (Core Metric)● Able to follow all safety protocols (Key Mitigation Strategies)

● No ongoing outbreaks at a school (Second Metric)

● Able to follow up on student/staff illness and close contacts in a 24 hour period

and follow all exclusionary protocols (Third Metric)

● Adequate staff and students available (Always a Factor)

Other Programming Considerations

● Cohorts may include T99, driver education behind the wheel, activities,

athletics, multi-needs, English Learners, and other similar programs.

○ The types of programs, schedules, and instructional models may

vary and change over time

● TCD, Work Programs, SASED, Partners, and outplaced students will

continue to attend based on the programming at these locations, unless

we learn that location is not following safety protocols.

● Connections and Access programs may continue as long as Illinois is in

Phase 4

Core Metrics:District 99Positivity Rate ORCases/100K

9.49 %

396.4

Data for 12/11/2020 (14 Day)

What Transparently Represents Our Community?

Option 1: All 8 Zip Codes

Advantages

● Represents every community our

students live in

● Easily accessible data

● Allows community to easily see

trends

● Largest sample

Disadvantages

● Can skew data towards

communities with fewer D99

students

City Zip # of Students

% of Students

# of Residents

Residents/Student

Bolingbrook 60440 94 1.90% 52,246 556

Downers Grove 60515 1418 28.73% 28,566 20

Downers Grove 60516 1135 22.99% 29,268 26

Woodridge 60517 1467 29.72% 32,328 22

Oak Brook 60523 43 0.87% 10,136 236

Lisle 60532 59 1.20% 28,178 478

Westmont 60559 379 7.68% 24,529 65

Darien 60561 316 6.40% 23,168 73

Others Various 25 0.51% N/A N/A

Total 4936

9.90 %

396.4

Data for 12/13/2020 (14 Day)

Option 2: All 8 Zip Codes Weighted by Attendance Area

Advantages

● Represents every community our

students live in

● Metrics based on actual enrollment

● Ease of access helps transparency

Disadvantages

● Data requires calculation and is not

easily accessible

● Not necessarily the demographics

of students attending each day

● Difficult to map trends

● Could make communities in District

99 targets based on data

City Zip # of Students

% of Students

Positivity 12/11 Weighted %

Bolingbrook 60440 94 1.90% 11.59 0.22

Downers Grove 60515 1418 28.73% 6.60 1.90

Downers Grove 60516 1135 22.99% 9.45 2.17

Woodridge 60517 1467 29.72% 10.60 3.15

Oak Brook 60523 43 0.87% 11.82 0.10

Lisle 60532 59 1.20% 8.52 0.10

Westmont 60559 379 7.68% 5.88 0.45

Darien 60561 316 6.40% 13.51 0.86

Others County 25 0.51% 12.50 0.06

Total 4936 9.02 %

Option 3: The 3 Largest Communities

Advantages

● Represents the majority of student

enrollment (81%)

● Eliminates overrepresentation of

communities with less enrollment

● Easily accessible data

● Ease of access helps transparency

● Allows community to easily see

trends

Disadvantages

● Leaves out 5 of the 8 communities

● Removes the communities that 19%

of our students live in

9.43 %

765.2

Data for 12/13/2020 (14 Day)

Option 4: All Zip Codes Greater than 5% of Enrollment

Advantages

● Represents 5/8 communities

students live in

● Reduces overrepresentation of

communities with less enrollment

● Easily accessible data

● Ease of access helps transparency

● Allows community to easily see

trends

● Represents 96% of enrollment

Disadvantages

● Removes the communities that 4%

of our students live in

9.46 %

793.2

Data for 12/13/2020 (14 Day)

Administration Recommends Option 4

Can support Option 2 or another direction from the Board

Administration Recommends Option 4 OR Board Direction

Option # Option #

Second Metric: No Outbreaks

An outbreak is defined as five or more cases that are linked to a common

location during a 14-day period. These linked cases also must be from

different households and not already connected from other sources.

Additionally, outbreaks do not include secondary cases from those originally

linked to the outbreak (e.g., person who becomes infected from their

workplace and then passes the infection onto a household member).

Third Metric: Contract Tracing and Medical Follow Up

Our ability to follow up with

any known or possible COVID

illness within a 24 hour

period and explain

exclusionary protocols.

Key Mitigation Strategies

● Consistent and correct use of masks● Social distancing to the extent possible● Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette● Cleaning and disinfection● Contact tracing in collaboration with local health department

Availability of Staff or Students

● Too many student absences could lead to a recommendation of an adaptive pause

at one or all schools in the District.

● Staff absences due to illness or quarantine could lead to a transition to remote

learning for a short period of time, especially in certain areas:

○ Nursing department

○ CMG

○ Transportation

○ Administration

○ Substitutes

○ Teachers or support staff

If Conditions Allow:We Begin the Hybrid Model on

Tuesday 1/5/21Group A: Periods 1 & 3 in the Morning

Group B: Periods 5 & 7 in the Afternoon

Questions