Sandwich school year start date for hybrid, full remote learning pushed back to Sept. 8

SANDWICH – Students at Sandwich schools are looking at a later start date for the 2020-2021 school year due to contributing factors of the COVID-19 pandemic and Illinois state health and education guidelines, according to district officials.

Sandwich School District 430 administration wrote in a Monday, Aug. 10 letter to parents and guardians that the start of the 2020-2021 school year now is set to begin Sept. 8 to accommodate planning needs to related to the district offering a full-remote learning option, per Illinois state education guidelines.

The first day of class previously was scheduled for Aug. 20, according to the district's website.

Administrators wrote that the school district has been committed to redesigning and creating school procedures while aligning with Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for reopening schools. They added district officials have created and developed a full remote learning plan for all students in the event that the area or state moves into Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan from the governor's office.

Once district officials learned of the state education guidelines that a full remote option should also be made available for families, administrators wrote, the district faced a new challenge in planning for that while also planning the delivery of the board adopted in-person blended learning plan. That meant addressing Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade logistics like enrollment, class rosters, staffing needs and state health and education guidelines in order to deliver instruction to students in both hybrid and fully remote options.

"Thus, additional time is needed to make the necessary adjustments in order to provide an equitable learning opportunity for all students while also meeting the guidelines set forth by the ISBE, IDPH and CDC," administrators wrote.

The start of the school year will begin with regular school dismissal times and not 1 p.m. dismissal times, administration wrote.

Since March, school district committees have been working to prepare to safely and effectively open schools this fall, administrators wrote. During that planning time, district committees have been working with the ever-changing information from the various state and federal agencies and pivoting when needed.

Due to the significant amount of planning and preparation needed to deliver both the hybrid and full remote learning options, administrators wrote, the district will use remote learning planning days provided by ISBE, in addition to institute days, that would allow districts additional time to prepare for remote and blended learning. Administrators wrote remote learning planning days are non-attendance days for students that will not need to be made up at a later date.

According to district administration, in-person teacher institute days are scheduled for Sept. 1 and 2, along with teacher planning days for the full remote learning option scheduled for Sept. 3 and 4. Full remote learning for families that chose that instructional option will begin Sept. 8 and alternating group attendence under the hybrid learning option begins Sept. 9.

Administration reiterated in the email that hybrid students will be learning from home online on days they would not be on site and all hybrid students will learn remotely on Fridays.

Administrators wrote school building officials will be in contact with families regarding student schedules and building and grade-level specific information to help you prepare for the 2020-21 school year. They wrote the district's transportation department also will be in contact with families that have requested bus service.

"Sandwich School District #430 would like to thank you for your continued patience during these challenging times," administrators wrote.