Unit 5 plans to expand in-person instruction to four days a week for students in grades 6-12 starting April 5.Sixth grade students will shift from the hybrid format on March 30.
“The fact is, we know that most students do better academically and social-emotionally when attending school in-person, but safety has always been our overriding concern,” Superintendent Kristen Wiekle said in a message to parents that was posted on the district’s website.
Unit 5 already has moved its elementary school students into the classroom four days a week.
Each Wednesday will remain all virtual, Weikle said. The move doesn’t impact students who are in remote learning full time.
Weikle referenced results of a surveythat showed 84% of the district's junior high and high school parents want their children in school four days a week, and 80% were comfortable with students being seated 2 to 5 feet apart.
“There is a greater likelihood that your student may have to quarantine at some point because we have more students in the classroom,” said Weikle, adding that masks, hand-washing, frequent cleaning and improved ventilation should reduce the risks of COVID-19 spread.
Weikle said nearly 85% of parents said more time in the classroom would benefit their children socially, emotionally and academically, and noted coronavirus positivity rates have declined in McLean County in recent weeks.
“Vaccines are more readily available to educators, and other local schools have had success with in-person learning,” she said.
Unit 5’s COVID dashboard indicates five students and five staff members in the district tested positive for the coronavirus last week. That’s down from 19 students and eight staff the previous week.
Weikle said families that don’t want their child to stay with in-person learning must call their school office by Friday to request a change to remote learning.
District 87 announced Monday all students in the hybrid format would move to in-person instruction four days a week starting March 30.
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