Visions Newsletter

January 14, 2021

Brief from the Jan. 14, 2021 Board Meeting

Discussion – Next Steps for Opening District 54 Schools:

District 54 provided updates on the return to in-person learning for families who chose the hybrid model of instruction for their children this fall. Schools welcomed back some of our special education students this week and will begin in-person learning for other students next week.

On Feb. 1, District 54 will begin to expand the hybrid in-person model. Special education students in our instructional classroom program will be able to attend school in person five days a week. This aligns with the Illinois State Board of Education guidance encouraging prioritizing in-person learning for students with the most complex needs. The maximum class size would be 10 students, while also following six feet of social distancing guidance.

District 54 will also be changing the schedule for general education students on Feb. 1, adding an additional day of instruction on alternate Wednesdays. Students in Hybrid Group A will attend school on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday the week of Feb. 1, while students in Group B attend on Tuesday and Friday. The following week, Group A will attend on Monday and Thursday, and Group B will attend Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday the week of Feb. 8. This would provide students five full days over two weeks. Students will continue to participate in remote learning on days they are not attending school in person.

District 54 is continuing to explore options for safely offering increased in-person learning days by surveying parents and analyzing enrollment numbers. We need to survey families first because we cannot finalize our plans until we know how many students will attend in person.

Throughout the pandemic, families will continue to have the choice to keep their children in full remote instruction.

For more information from tonight's board meeting, click here.

A goal of the School District 54 Board of Education is to provide options for parents in the selection of their child’s school. In addition to the neighborhood school, District 54 has developed programs at several district schools, which it can now offer as choices.

District 54 invites parents to a Virtual Open Enrollment Fair at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Click on this Zoom Link to attend.

The fair will provide parents with information on the seven open enrollment elementary schools in the district:  Campanelli, Dooley, Enders-Salk, Hanover Highlands, Lincoln Prairie, Link and MacArthur. Each school houses a unique program and School District 54 anticipates a few openings at each site next year.

If you cannot attend the fair live, a video of the presentation and more information on virtual visits to the open enrollment schools will be posted at sd54.org/openenrollment.

District 54 kindergarten registration for the 2021-22 school year will be open on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. A child whose fifth birthday falls on or before Sept. 1, 2021 is eligible to enroll in kindergarten in 2021.

Families will begin the application process online. Once the online application is complete, the school office will contact you to schedule your in-person appointment at the school starting Feb. 3 to present documentation and sign documents to complete their student’s registration.

Current D54 Families: If you have a student currently enrolled in District 54, you will register through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. If you do not have your login, please contact your child’s school. If your child is currently enrolled at the District 54 Early Learning Center and will be going to kindergarten next year you do not need to register your child at this time.

New D54 Families: Families new to District 54 will begin registration through our Online Registration link.

District officials can better plan for kindergarten placements if the majority of families register at this time. If you are unsure what school your child will attend, visit sd54.org/district-boundaries.

One Book, One Community

This winter, District 54 is joining Schaumburg Township District Library for One Book, One Community. It's a time for us to read the same book, sparking conversations about the book and its themes of community, family, isolation and resilience.

In addition to the main selection for adults, the library also selected two titles for young readers:

• Ivan, The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate – a picture book recommended for ages 5-8 and
• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate – an illustrated chapter book recommended for ages 9-12.

More information can be found on the library website at SchaumburgLibrary.org/One-Book.