Dear Parents and Guardians,
IMPORTANT UPDATE IMPACTING HYBRID INSTRUCTION
I apologize for the late notice, but cases and exposures were reported to us throughout the afternoon today. 
As you may have seen in the news, there has been a significant increase of COVID-19 cases across the country, in the State of Illinois, in Cook County and in our local community. This fall and winter “surge” had been predicted by public health officials and epidemiologists. Our local public health officials have told us that based on current data they expect COVID-19 transmission rates in the coming weeks to reach the transmission rates we experienced last spring.
We communicate regularly with officials from the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH).At their recommendation, we closely monitor COVID-19 rates for our District 26 community and suburban Cook County. This regional and local data helps us to understand where the virus is spreading and make decisions on a safe instructional model. If you are interested, you can review data for suburban Cook County on the IDPH website.
Based on this alarming data, we will be implementing the CCDPH and IDPH recommendation of an “Adaptive Pause” to reduce virus transmission in our River Trails community. An “Adaptive Pause” is defined by the IDPH as “a strategy that allows for movement into virtual learning to prevent disease transmission during a pandemic.”
We will be pausing our current version of hybrid in-person learning.
 We will not continue our in-person programming for special populations and preschool.
Our principals and staff worked diligently to put together programming that could move from in person to remote and back without substantial disruption to student learning. We will be keeping our current elementary schedule regardless of where students are when they are learning. 
As we plan for the return of in-person hybrid instructional activities, we will continue to track and monitor the metrics and data. If you are interested in tracking and monitoring this data as well, you can do so from our homepage.
Please know that our administrative team, faculty and staff members are working extremely hard everyday to ensure that we are providing the very best teaching and learning experiences, given the difficult times in which we are living. At the same time, we are fully committed to bringing students back to campus for in-person teaching and learning experiences as soon as possible, but only when it is safe to do so.
Sincerely,
Dr. Nancy Wagner, Superintendent

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 23, 2020

Press Release 10.23.2020 Prairie Trails School - A Leader in Sustainability ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ August 17, 2020

Covid-19 Return to Learn Committee

Please email preyes@rtsd26.org if you are interested in joining us. Include why you would like to be included. Medical expertise a plus for parent / guardians

Responsibilities:

• Identify criteria for in-person instruction
• Monitor data and make recommendations for in-person instruction
• Meet virtually 2 times per month for 1 hour until all students are returned to in person instruction
• Meetings will be held on non-board meeting Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM

Membership:

• 3 Parents / guardians
• 1 Board member
• 3 District nurses
• 4 Staff members
• 3 Administrators
  
  

Potential Criteria for In Person Learning

1. Restore Illinois Phase 4 or 5
2. Local Covid 19 infection rate 5.0 or below
3. 14 day rolling average local Covid 19 infection rate decreasing or constant 
4. Local ICU beds at 75% capacity or below
5. Community ability to complete contact tracing 
6. 10 day supply of PPE and cleaning supplies for all staff and students
7. Ability to socially distance a minimum of 6 feet in instructional areas
8. Building safely staffed for in person instruction
9. Pool of substitutes willing to work in person at a rate of 1 substitute per every 8 staff members working with children on site

Timeline

Return to in person may be a partial day or whole day.  

Once guidelines are established, they will be tracked throughout the 2020-2021 school year, by an advisory committee of District and building administrators, teachers and support staff members, parents, a board member, and medical professionals.

__________________________________________________________________

July 28, 2020

Dear River Trails 26 Community,

After much debate and deliberation, taking into account feedback from parents and staff members, we have determined that any form of in-person learning in August will compromise the health and safety of our students, staff and the greater River Trails community.  In addition, we will be unable to provide beneficial social experiences that we would want students to have in school due to safety and social distance requirements.

We have made the difficult decision to begin the 2020-21 school year with Enhanced Remote Learning for all River Trails 26 students.  

Our first day of Enhanced Remote Learning for students in grades 1-8 will be Friday, August 21, 2020.  Pre-k and kindergarten students will begin on Monday, August 24. Based on the science and health data available, we will determine by October 2 if we are able to offer in person instruction for some or all students starting as early as October 12.  A high priority will be placed on providing in-person instruction for students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), 504 Plans, and English language learners who are not successful with remote learning. Based on guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, a remote learning option will be available as a choice for the entire 20-21 school year for those electing to participate. 

Remote learning in the spring of 2020 was emergency learning. We did not have time to plan ahead.  It is important to note that the Enhanced Remote Learning we have planned for this school year will be different and better for students.  We have had significant time to plan and listen to the great feedback from students, parents and staff.  We are confident that our Enhanced Remote Learning will provide our students with the academic and social emotional learning they need to live our mission “Head Ready + Heart Ready = Life Ready.”

Enhanced Remote Learning will include Increased instructional time, rigor and a focus on new learning.

• Students will engage in an approximately 7 hour school day with at least 2.5 hours of live “synchronous” instruction daily including whole class and small group discussion and activities, time for lunch, movement breaks and “asynchronous” independent work
• Students will follow a ‘typical’ daily schedule/routine
• Schools will provide instruction on new concepts and skills to meet this year’s grade-level standards with a focus on skill mastery
• Lessons will have an increased focus on student collaboration and socialization
• District and Schools will have an increased focus on parent communication, training, and collaboration
• Students will be graded/assessed by traditional methods (Letter Grades - Middle School; Standards Based Reporting - Elementary School)
  

Example Elementary Schedule:

Example Middle School Schedule:

We are working in partnership with the River Trails Park District to offer a supervised remote learning option for working parents. More information will be shared with you including classroom teacher assignments, updated supply lists, food service information, materials distribution and meet your teacher information.  Watch your email for more information coming soon.

Sincerely,

Nancy Wagner, Ed.D.

Superintendent

28 de julio de 2020

Querida comunidad de River Trails 26,

Después de mucho debate y deliberación, teniendo en cuenta los comentarios de los padres y los miembros del personal, hemos determinado que cualquier forma de aprendizaje en persona en agosto comprometerá la salud y la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes, el personal y la gran comunidad de River Trails. Además, no podremos proporcionar experiencias sociales beneficiosas que quisiéramos que los estudiantes tuvieran en la escuela debido a los requisitos de seguridad y distancia social.

Hemos tomado la difícil decisión de comenzar el año escolar 2020-21 con el aprendizaje remoto mejorado para todos los 26 estudiantes de River Trails.

Nuestro primer día de aprendizaje remoto mejorado para estudiantes en los grados 1-8 será el viernes 21 de agosto de 2020. Los estudiantes de prekínder y kínder comenzarán el lunes 24 de agosto. De acuerdo con los datos de ciencias y salud disponibles, determinaremos por 2 de octubre si podemos ofrecer instrucción en persona para algunos o todos los estudiantes a partir del 12 de octubre. Se otorgará una alta prioridad a la instrucción en persona para los estudiantes que tienen Planes de Educación Individualizados (IEP), Planes 504 y Estudiantes de inglés que no tienen éxito con el aprendizaje remoto. Basado en la guía de la Junta de Educación del Estado de Illinois, una opción de aprendizaje remoto estará disponible como una opción para todo el año escolar 20-21 para aquellos que elijan participar.

El aprendizaje remoto en la primavera de 2020 fue aprendizaje de emergencia. No tuvimos tiempo para planificar con anticipación. Es importante tener en cuenta que el aprendizaje remoto mejorado que hemos planeado para este año escolar será diferente y mejor para los estudiantes. Hemos tenido un tiempo significativo para planificar y escuchar los excelentes comentarios de los estudiantes, los padres y el personal. Confiamos en que nuestro Aprendizaje remoto mejorado proporcionará a nuestros estudiantes el aprendizaje académico y social emocional que necesitan para vivir nuestra misión "Head Ready + Heart Ready = Life Ready."

El aprendizaje remoto mejorado incluirá un mayor tiempo de instrucción, rigor y un enfoque en el nuevo aprendizaje.

• Los estudiantes participarán en un día escolar de aproximadamente 7 horas con al menos 2.5 horas diarias de instrucción "sincrónica" en vivo que incluye debates y actividades de toda la clase y grupos pequeños, tiempo para almorzar, pausas de movimiento y trabajo independiente "asincrónico"
• Los estudiantes seguirán un horario / rutina diaria "típica"
• Las escuelas proporcionarán instrucción sobre nuevos conceptos y habilidades para cumplir con los estándares de nivel de grado de este año con un enfoque en el dominio de habilidades
• Las lecciones tendrán un mayor enfoque en la colaboración y socialización de los estudiantes.
• El Distrito y las Escuelas tendrán un mayor enfoque en la comunicación, capacitación y colaboración de los padres.
• Los estudiantes serán calificados / evaluados por métodos tradicionales (Grados de letras - Escuela intermedia; Informes basados en estándares - Escuela primaria)
  

Ejemplo de horario elemental:

Ejemplo de horario River Trails Middle School

Estamos trabajando en asociación con River Trails Park District para ofrecer una opción de aprendizaje remoto supervisado para padres que trabajan. Se compartirá más información con usted, incluidas las tareas de los maestros de aula, las listas de suministros actualizadas, la información del servicio de alimentos, la distribución de materiales y la información de su maestro. Mire su correo electrónico para obtener más información próximamente.

Sinceramente,

Nancy Wagner, Ed.D.

Superintendente

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