Blended AM/PM Model

As long as circumstances permit and as long as we continue to be in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, the model that will enable us to comply with both the health and safety requirements and daily deliver in-person learning is a blended model of instruction. It is important to note that we will need to be ready to implement a full remote model in the event that we move backwards in the Restore Illinois Phases and/or if classrooms, schools or the entire district get placed on full remote learning due to an increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19.

• A blended model of instruction includes a half day of in-person learning and a half day of remote learning or what is referred to as an AM/PM model, 5 days per week, where 50% of our students attend in the AM and 50% in the PM.
• AM Session will be 8:30-11:00 AM and PM will be 1:00-3:30PM. 11:00-1:00 will be staff lunch, plan, PLC and for mid-day sanitizing and cleaning.
• Students would eat lunch at home. Students who qualify for Free/Reduced lunch would be provided with a bag lunch daily. AM students would take a bag lunch home with them after the AM session. PM students would take a bag lunch home with them after the PM session which is their lunch for the following day. We will work with our food service vendor to determine whether they have the capability to make bag lunches available for purchase. More information will be forthcoming.
• A priority will be put on core instruction (ELA, Math, Science, SEL, FLES/ESL) during in-person instruction while specials will occur through remote learning. IEPs and Section 504 Plans will be implemented in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. There will be slight variations between the grade levels and between elementary and Hadley. More detailed information will be shared as our planning progresses. Until we analyze the information from this questionnaire and move forward in our planning process, we cannot provide information regarding AM/PM assignments.>
• Classroom arrangements will include 6 feet of social distancing between students. *This means that if there is a confirmed case in a classroom, the entire classroom would not need to be put on a 14 day quarantine because they maintained 6 feet of social distance and were wearing masks. This has been confirmed with the DuPage County Health Department as of 6/29/20.
• Ventilation/HVAC will be adjusted based on health/medical recommendations.
• Cleaning and sanitizing will meet the health/medical requirements.
• Students will not share “community supplies”. Individual storage areas/kits will be created and maintained along with individual student manipulative kits
• Remote learning will be online, taught synchronously/live and continue the greater degree of consistency with a unified platform (Google Classroom). 
• The tentative first day of student attendance will be: 
   - October 15 for Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade.
   - October 19 for Pre-K
   - November 2 for 6th grade
   - November 4 Grades 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
  We anticipate that the first day will focus on establishing relationships as well as reviewing and practicing new routines and expectations. Our priority for this day will be to make our students feel welcome, safe and comfortable being back in the classroom under some new/different circumstances.
• We will have a self-certification process for temperature and symptom checking prior to coming to school each day. This process along with tutorials will be communicated.
• Parents of students with Section 504 Plans and/or IEPs will receive additional information directly from Director of Student Services, Laurel O’Brien. You will be receiving additional information.
• Parents of students in the Early Childhood Program will receive additional information directly from Dr. Katie McCluskey, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning and Accountability. We will communicate directly with EC families after we receive program requirements from the PreSchool for all consultants. Because this is a grant funded program, we will be required to comply with their specific requirements.