Even with limited in-person instruction now permitted, several area schools are following through with e-learning summer school – with one possible exception.

Gov. JB Pritzker, who ordered all schools closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, signed an executive order June 4 allowing in-person instruction with the number of individuals in one space limited to 10.

"There really has not been a change for us," Morton District 201 Superintendent Tim Truesdale said. "It was pretty definitive a month ago that all summer learning would have to be remote. That is what we planned for.

"Some of our programs have already begun and class size would make it not feasible because enrollment would exceed those numbers. If we've registered these kids for class sizes greater than 10, what do you do to turn on a dime? The curriculum plans have been developed to deliver effectively remote."

At Morton, programs for students who had incompletes at the end of the spring semester started the last week of May. Morton also has an Advanced Placement summer seminar and AP summer boot camp, and a summer bridge program for incoming freshmen that has already begun.

Truesdale said that the district has 800 students enrolled in regular summer school, 750 in AP programs and 300 in summer bridge, with 136 teachers, six support staff and 10 teacher assistants.

"It's pretty consistent with the numbers we've had in other years," Truesdale said. "The summer school for people who need credit recovery or course enrichment, we are running two sessions. Normally we would have one session for summer school and summer bridge but we want to make it available to as many kids as possible."

Similarly, Community High School District 99 in Downers Grove started summer school in June with 100 percent virtual programs. Superintendent Hank Thiele said the district is following its traditional summer school schedule.

"Traditionally, we do four-day weeks, six hours a day. It's the same schedule, just the format has changed," Thiele said. "It's a six-hour day with direct instruction virtually and video conferencing."

Truesdale said that one of the main benefits of the guidance that came out last week from the state was the ability to do behind-the-wheel instruction for driver's education. Both Morton and Downers Grove's districts are working on plans to make that happen.

"We have a lot of hours to make up for the spring and summer," Thiele said. "That will be one of the first areas we'll dip our toes in the water."

Thiele said his district is this week working with driver's ed teachers and staff to put together protocols. Traditionally, there are three students in the car with an adult, but now there must be protocols that if only one student shows up nobody can go. They are also sorting through protocols in the event a student has a temperature.

"Hopefully we'll get a plan and give it a try in the coming weeks," Thiele said. "It's an opportunity to evaluate how things are done with in-person instruction and learn from it."

Lyons Township, like its neighboring schools, is following through with e-learning summer school. Summer school began June 1, with a total of 765 students enrolled – a decrease from previous years when the school regularly saw more than 1,000 students participating. Of the 765 students, only 20 are taking a course for remediation, the other 745 enrolled for advanced placement, with 15 teachers in the summer program.

Students have the entirety of the summer to complete a specific course, with the date range June 1-July 31.

"We were told in early May that summer school must be virtual, and we transitioned," Lyons Township Assistant Principal Adam Davis said. "Virtual classes were already underway when the Illinois State Board of Education announced in-person. We will stay virtual."

At Morton, scheduled class sessions are done through the Microsoft Learn platform where students can engage with teachers and peers. For anyone not signed up for teacher-led instruction, the district is implementing a summer learning challenge that any student can enroll in through an app called GooseChase to get ready for the fall curriculum and earn points.

"We want to keep our kids engaged in remote learning throughout the summer," Truesdale said. "If we don't have the staff to engage kids in teacher-led instruction during the summer it allows them to do so at their own pace. We feel the need to address any learning loss."