Dear Parents and Guardians,
The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) has issued a statement that recommends schools return to full virtual learning based on the current metrics for COVID-19 in McHenry County. However, at this time the Board of Education has decided that District 157 will continue moving forward with the implementation of our hybrid learning plan as scheduled.
Although District 157 takes very seriously any recommendation from the MCDH, it must also take into consideration what the data shows locally and factor in our own mitigation protocols when making the decision to close schools. Currently, the District has examined those areas and believes it is fully capable of safely continuing to implement our current hybrid learning plan.
District administration and local health officials will continue to review the District’s ability to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment. Students and parents should be aware that if at any time it is judged to be unsafe to hold in-person learning we will immediately return all students to our fully remote learning platform.
District 157 also strongly supports the parents’ right to choose the appropriate learning platform for their student. Parents who wish to switch from the hybrid to the fully remote learning option have the right to do so. Please notify the school if you would like to switch from hybrid to fully remote.
The decision by the Board of Education to remain open was not made lightly. The safety of our students and staff will always remain the District’s top priority. We can all do our part in seeing that we can continue to provide in-person education by following the 3 Ws:
1. Wear a mask
2. Watch your distance (6 feet in public spaces)
3. Wash your hands regularly
Working together and following MCDH guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19, we can ensure our schools will remain open and our children continue to receive the best education possible.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tom Lind
Superintendent