Indian Prairie School District 204 shared the dates of when students will return to in-person learning, five days a week at all grade levels and how long the in-person school days will be.
Starting in April, elementary, middle, and high school students will begin five days of in-person learning. Early childhood and STEPS program students will not have any changes to their current schedules.
Elementary School
Elementary school students will go to school Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting on Tuesday, April 13. April 12 is a scheduled day of state standardized testing.
During this time both in-person and remote students will receive the same instruction from their teacher with in-person students in the classroom and remote students on Zoom. Students will remain with their same teacher. The district is also planning to provide additional help for remote students.
“We realize our remote elementary students may have needs best addressed individually or in a smaller group setting as we transition to this expanded schedule,” said Dr. Adrian Talley, superintendent of Indian Praire School District 204 in a letter to parents. “To assist remote students, we are planning to implement an after-school program that will provide remote parents and students with access to elementary staff who can answer questions and assist students with completing school work.”
Middle School
All middle school students will attend in-person, five days a week from 8 a.m. to 12:59 p.m. starting May 3. Both in-person and remote students will follow their current class schedules. State standardized testing is scheduled to take place by grade levels on Mondays in April.
“In-person students who will be on campus for testing will remain for instruction,” said Talley. “Although students will be at school on Mondays in April due to the testing schedule, the first day all in-person students will be on campus five days a week will be May 3.”
High School
High school students will return to five days of in-person instruction on April 12. Both remote and in-person students will follow their current class schedules from 7:25 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.
The district said they will continue to follow the mitigation strategies by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois School Board of Education which includes proper mask wearing at all times except during lunch. They will also use six feet of distance in the classroom when possible, but may reduce to three feet if needed as new guidelines for social distancing from the ISBE now allow.
Is Lunch Included?
Through the transition back to five days of in-person instruction, only elementary students will have lunch at school. Students will be seated six feet apart.
“At the start of the year, I said we must remain flexible to adapt to whatever changes the pandemic might bring. I know the changes have been challenging for our students, staff, and parents,” said Talley. “Having our families select almost equally between in-person and remote learning also presents unique opportunities. As we transition to five days of on-campus learning, we continue working to support all our families for the remainder of the school year.”
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
