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Hardin County School Frequently Asked Questions

Hardin County School, Elizabethtown, IL 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What will the first few weeks look like? Will we start remote, hybrid, or all in school?

The decision is dependent on the specific state of the outbreak as we approach August 3rd. We will present our current planning for the first weeks of school at the July 27th  Board of Education meeting. That presentation will be posted on the website following the meeting. We will assess our plans weekly as the school year begins and adjust them based on the health and safety of our students and staff and the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

Why aren’t you committing to bringing all students, all day right away?

We do not yet know if we can keep students and staff safe when all students are in the building. Classrooms are only one part of the plan in our building. We also have hallways, large common areas, multipurpose areas, etc. That information, combined with the current outbreak pattern in our area, will guide the decision of expanding to full day or remote learning.

If we start with a hybrid schedule (students switching between remote and in-school instruction on a set AM/PM schedule), how will that work for my students?

At this point, we are adjusting our scheduling models to plan for half of students to be in school while the other half access their classes remotely daily to ensure that no classes are overloaded on any AM/PM class. The size of our school and the complexity of our scheduling arrangements makes this a time-consuming process. Students and families will be informed of their in-school AM/PM schedule in advance should a hybrid schedule be employed. We will ensure that students in the same family will be at school at the same times.

Can a parent keep their student home and just learn remotely?

Yes.  In mid-July we asked parents if they plan to have their student participate in in-person learning, when available to them, or if they prefer for their student to stay remote. We will establish a process for those students that want to transition to in-person learning.  We will be as flexible as we can be, but we need to ensure that we do not overwhelm our school procedures and practices.

 What health and safety measures are you implementing?

Masks – As required by IDPH, except while eating and during band, face coverings must be worn at all times in school buildings, even when social distance is maintained. All individuals in a school building must wear a face covering unless they have a medical contraindication, are under 2 years of age, have trouble breathing, or are unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the face covering without assistance.

Symptom checks – The State Board of Education is requiring certification in their guidance.  We will be implementing some type of certification for temperature and other symptoms. Students who feel sick should stay home, and the quality of our remote learning will allow them to keep learning if they are able.

Cleaning – We have enhanced our cleaning procedures to meet or exceed CDC and IDPH guidelines.

Social Distance – The science continues to develop, but we will begin the school year by implementing a six-foot social distance requirement in our classrooms, hallways, common areas, and offices. The hallways will have clear designations and will either be one way or will be “stay to the right” as on roadways.

Quarantining – We are developing procedures in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health on how we will implement quarantining for students and staff who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have close contact with someone who is later diagnosed with COVID-19. Guidance is still being developed by the health agencies. Details of our plan will be available by the end of July.

Visitors — Per state guidance, we will severely restrict access to campus for anyone other than students and staff. As many parent meetings as feasible will be held remotely, and we are developing a procedure for parents who need to drop off items at school so they do not enter the buildings.

How will you decide if you need to go all remote?

Primarily, we will follow the guidance of ISBE and IDPH.  However, our local conditions might require us to close before the state says we must.

When will students receive their schedules?

Hardin County Jr/Sr. high needs to adjust its master schedule to a new AM/PM schedule and to anticipate a possible hybrid learning scenario with half of students in school in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. Given that, schedules will come out a bit later than they usually do. We expect to send schedules home by the last week of July at the latest.

How will remote learning be graded if you chose this path for your student?

 Whether you choose in-person or remote learning the grading system will go back to a traditional grading model. All due dates and assignments will be the same for remote learning as in-person learning.

What about sports?

 The Illinois High School Association has deferred their return to play guidelines to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education and the governor’s office. IHSA teams can currently conduct limited summer contact workouts within the phase 4 guidelines. However the Department of Public Health is revising those guidelines and a final approval of new guidelines are forthcoming.

 

 

 

2 Comments

  1. Casie clardy on July 27, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    As a concerned parent as many of us are here in hardin county..if the school decides to have children and kids and teachers and so forth back in the classrooms,will the parent or parents such as myself going to get in trouble if they CHOOSE NOT to send our children? I honestly am scared to send my children as are many other parents….
    Sincerely,
    A concerned parent

    • Editor on July 27, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Casie, If you read the article above, you can choose to do Remote Learning (the school will provide the lessons and a computer or tablet to complete assignments at home), Home Schooling (you find your own program and teach your kids) or you can send them to school. You won’t get in trouble if you pick one of those options. The school is still working out plans and things may change if the state changes guidelines.

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