03/15/2020

03/15/2020

To: MCUD #6 Parents/Guardians

Re: COVID-19 UPDATE (2)

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Earlier this evening I made the decision to close school tomorrow March 16th, 2020. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, but was made in consideration for the safety of our students and staff. As a result of the decision to close there are several items that need to be shared and questions answered.

Will these days need to be made up? The state board of education has determined that all school days between March 17th and March 30th will be designated as Act of God Days. Act of God days are utilized when circumstances beyond the district’s control cause a school/district to close and therefore DO NOT need to be made up. Tomorrow (March 16th) was not designated as an Act of God Day and will therefore need to be made up. The decision on when tomorrow will be made up will be made at a later date depending on when we return to regularly scheduled classes.

Is it possible that the mandated school closure be extended? At this point that is a possibility. The governor in his statewide conference call with superintendents on Friday stated that an extension may be a possibility.

Will the District alter Spring Break? NO. The district will maintain the current Spring Break schedule.

Is the District going to engage in E learning? Not at this time. Since these days are designated as Act of God Days (see #1 above) they do not count as instructional days. Furthermore the ISBE is continuing to develop guidelines as it pertains to E Learning and until such time as those guidelines are set the District will not be engaging in an E Learning program. In the event that the mandated closure is extended the District will notify parents of the plan to continue your child’s instruction.

What can I do to help with my child’s education? The District will be posting links to educational resources that will help to keep students engaged and reinforce learning that has already occurred.

Will lunch be provided for students during the mandated closure? YES. A school closure lunch order form was sent out earlier tonight. If you did not receive that notification you can phone into the district office to place your order. The district will offer grab and go lunches or the option to have lunches delivered.

Where can we go to get more information? All updates pertaining to COVID-19 and our District will come from my office and will be posted on the District social media sites, website, and emailed to parents/guardians as soon as possible.

Are extracurricular activities allowed to practice during the closure? NO. As long as the mandated closure is in effect all extracurricular activities are cancelled. The District will continue post updates as they are made available from the IHSA and the IESA. Additionally the high school weight room will not be open.

Will students have access to the building to retrieve books etc…? There will be a minimum number of staff on site during the closure, but there is no guarantee that that means you will be able to access the building. If you must get into the building calling the district office to see if there is staff on site that day is recommended.

Sincerely,

Scott Vance

Scott Vance

Superintendent