Update from Superintendent DuRoss (August 3, 2020)
The safety and health of our students and our staff is now, and has always been, a top priority for District 54. On July 10, we presented our Reopening Plan to you, giving families the option of in-person learning or virtual learning. Thank you to the thousands of families who examined the District 54 Reopening Plan and made a selection for their children.
However, the COVID-19 positivity rates have continued to rise at the national and state level since flattening in June. On August 2, Illinois announced its 12th straight day of more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases and a rising positivity rate, bringing the state’s total to 181,943 cases.
As the numbers continue to grow, we feel the only safe option is for all of our students to start the school year virtually. We understand this presents a hardship for some families and we worked diligently to find a way to host in-person instruction. Ultimately, we have to put health and safety first.
The District 54 Reopening Plan is based on public health information available at this time. The plan will most likely be adjusted as new guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and other public health officials is received or as necessary to best support the health and safety of our students and employees. All updates will be posted online at sd54.org/COVID19 and shared with our families and employees.