Yes, Naperville 203 is on track for students to return to in-person learning on January 25 in a hybrid model. As long as the health metrics continue to trend downward, the District will be able to meet this target.

Naperville 203 won’t necessarily be “podding” students, the hybrid model allows for us to minimize the numbers of students in our buildings and reduces the mixing of student cohorts or groups.

To safely control the number of people in our buildings, we are not allowing any outside visitors or volunteers in our Naperville 203 schools or classrooms at this time. However, we are always looking for qualified substitute teachers and would encourage anyone interested in applying to visit Naperville 203’s job listings site.

As we have stated from the very beginning, Naperville 203 has one guiding principle – to provide a high-quality teaching and learning experience while protecting the physical health and social-emotional well-being of all members of our school community, including students, faculty/staff and their families. We rely on federal, state and DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) guidance, which is recommending all remote learning with some exceptions at this time, in determining the best way that Naperville 203 can teach in the safest way possible.

With the benefit of time and training, we have developed a robust and competitive Enhanced eLearning program that will remain in place for the remainder of first semester. During this time, we continue to bring in a targeted group of students for in-person instruction. Our plan is to transition to a full hybrid model for all students on Monday, January 25, 2021. In order for us to move to this hybrid model, the health metrics must continue to trend in the right direction.

While we recognize that other school districts may make different decisions for a whole host of reasons that might include facility/space configurations, student population size, local infection metrics and much more, the precautions we have taken this semester have contributed to very low numbers of COVID in the Naperville 203 school community.

On August 17, 2020, the Naperville 203 Board of Education passed a resolution affirming the authority of the superintendent to implement a Return to Learn plan for the 2020-2021 school year. This was drafted under authority given by the Illinois State Board of Education. The Board’s primary function is to hire and evaluate the superintendent, and it is the responsibility of the Superintendent to run the operations of the District. Any changes made to our learning model are done so in consultation with the Board during presentations at Board of Education meetings so Board members can ask questions and provide feedback.

We have followed the DuPage County Health Department and Illinois State Board of Education guidelines to make our schools as safe as they possibly can be. To learn more about Naperville 203 protocols to support our students and staff in safely returning to our school buildings, please review our Return to Learn Guide, as well as our Return to Learn Video Series.

All minutes and services outlined in a student’s IEP are being provided unless otherwise precluded due to the circumstances of pandemic (e.g., offsite vocational training).  IEP teams are continuously monitoring student progress and, like always, making changes to instruction or services as necessary. 

All IEP services are determined by the individual needs of the student, including compensatory services.

At the high school and elementary levels, Mondays are predominately reserved for Naperville 203 teachers to work with students individually or in small groups to help students who are struggling with content, skills or other school issues. At the junior high level, teachers have a larger amount of time to meet those student needs at the end of each day. 

During teacher planning or student asynchronous instruction time, teams can also meet to discuss specific students’ needs and how to address them, and teachers can email or call parents and students to provide assistance with instruction or assignments and/or discuss attendance, behavior or other student needs.

The Illinois State Board of Education provides each public school district five remote planning days to be used throughout the school year. Remote planning days provide strategic time for staff to receive additional training on instructional strategies. We have attempted to connect these days to holidays or weekends to minimize the impact on continuity of instruction for our students.

The CDC provides overall guidance related to the COVID-19 virus, which the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) review to make recommendations. Naperville 203 follows IDPH and DCHD guidance, which is recommending all remote learning with some exceptions at this time, and all are aligned with the recommendations from the CDC.

We are currently reviewing the updated guidance from IDPH on the new quarantine guidelines from the CDC and will update the district procedures as appropriate.

Teachers assess student performance on a regular basis via a variety of methods beyond standardized testing administration. This could include day-to-day work completion and performance, formative assessments, project-based assessments, summative assessments, quizzes, tests, etc.

We are deeply saddened by the financial hardships many in our community are feeling because of the economic devastation brought on by the pandemic.  Property taxes comprise the largest source of revenue for Naperville 203 and one of the very few over which the Board of Education has control.  Property taxes in Naperville 203, like all districts in the Chicagoland area, are subject to the tax cap law which limits the annual increase to 5% or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.  The limit is intended to slow the growth of revenues when property values and assessments are increasing faster than the rate of inflation.

The annual tax levy provides funding for the District’s primary mission to provide quality education and to meet its operational needs and commitments, primarily labor contracts.  Costs incurred by the District, such as salary, insurance, energy, supplies, and contractual services must be contained within available revenue.  The State and federal governments also mandate several operational programs that they do not fully fund but represent financial commitments to the district that must be met

The Board of Education has taken a number of actions over the past four years to reduce the tax burden.  The tax rate is estimated to go down in next year’s tax bills, and since 2017, the Board has abated over $20 million of debt payments from the annual levy and plans to continue to do annually for the foreseeable future.  Under the tax cap law, a reduction in the request this year for tax amounts statutorily permitted represents lost annual revenue forever.

Naperville 203 has multiple pathways available to students and parents for technical support during eLearning.  The Naperville 203 website has a section specifically on Technical Support that provides tips and responses to frequently asked questions. Students and parents can also create a Help Desk ticket to receive a callback from a District IT Technical Support Analyst for individual support on any particular technology-related issue from a parent or student.  Finally, Computer Support Analysts (CSAs) are onsite at all schools each school day to provide technical support to teachers.

While some might suggest children and teenagers are less susceptible to COVID-19, we are seeing an increase in cases among this age group in our area. On Monday, November 9, the DuPage County Health Department posted metrics that showed a 56% increase in youth cases from the previous week and this, coupled with the overall increase in cases, is concerning. We also have 2,400 adult staff members in our buildings, and it is important to protect the health and safety of all in our school community.

Each school district in the state is different in size, location, building space allocation, etc.  It is hard to compare our 22 schools with other districts in the state.  We take guidance from our local health department when deciding if the health metrics in our community allow for students to safely attend in-person instruction. Our Naperville 203 community health metrics have continued to trend up, and the number of positive cases reported to the District by families and staff members during November continues to increase.

District administrators consult with public health and infectious disease experts at the State of Illinois (IDPH) and the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD).  IDPH and DCHD are our best partners here as they are the public health experts who are helping guide the state through this pandemic.  We adhere to guidelines set by these agencies in making our decisions.  Superintendent Bridges participates in weekly calls with area superintendents that include the DuPage County Health Department, and our Student Services and Human Resources department consult with them on an ongoing basis as cases arise in our school communities.

District 203 has made social-emotional learning a high priority for all students.  When developing plans for the beginning of the school year, teachers were provided with resources and direction on how to build classroom community in a virtual environment, which is one of the most important aspects of supporting the mental health of students.  Additionally, all teachers have participated in training on how to deal with the impact of trauma within the school setting.

Students in grades 6-12 will continue to participate in the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program.  The program is designed to:

• Increase knowledge and awareness about depression
• Encourage students to seek help for themselves or on behalf of a friend
• Reduce stigma around mental illness

Following the presentation, all students complete a form asking them to identify a trusted adult and to indicate if they would like to talk to someone about themselves or a friend. 

In addition to the core curriculum and SOS program, District teams are consistently reviewing student data on academic, behavior and engagement, and reaching out to support students for in-person instruction or virtual intervention as needed. 

Our student services staff is available to connect and support all District 203 students and families with direct consultation or a referral to a community agency. Should you have concerns about your student’s mental health, please reach out to the school social worker at the elementary level or your student’s counselor at the JH/HS level. 

As Naperville 203 makes decisions based on guidance from state and local public health officials, we also consult both our insurance carriers and legal experts.  Injuries due to any COVID exposure have been excluded by insurance carriers and insurance pools throughout the country, including the insurance pool in which the District participates. As a result, Naperville 203 has no liability coverage for any potential COVID-related lawsuits.  While there are state tort liability laws that help mitigate any exposure to the District, that protection is dependent on the District following appropriate guidelines and taking reasonable precautions.

Online teaching and learning is something we have been diligently working on for the past five years, and this pandemic has certainly highlighted our areas of success and places we still need to grow.

Part of our Digital Learning Initiative has been providing training to our educators in the area of online and blended learning. In the past, we have worked with EdTech and Better Lesson to provide professional learning targeted at building the capacity of teacher leaders while also creating a systemic framework that provides ongoing learning for all new and tenured staff.  Since 2014, each building has had Digital Learning Leaders who receive intense training on best practices in online and blended learning who then work with all building-based staff through institute days, team planning, staff meetings and one-on-one coaching.

This summer, we relaunched an online Career203 professional development course to provide staff an opportunity to focus on best practices in online teaching and learning. Between May and August, more than 130 staff members completed this course.

In addition, prior to the start of the school year, all educators engaged in three days of onsite professional learning focused on the District’s Return to Learn Plan 2.0, best practices in eLearning, health and safety protocols, and professional collaboration. Administrators ensured our buildings were safe and the building set-up followed all our safety guidelines. Staff continues to receive job-embedded training from Learning Support coaches and Student Support Coordinators.

Students at the high school level will participate in either a final project, unit test, speech, etc. to culminate the first semester, which concludes on January 22, 2021.  The District will be asking our high school administrators and staff to be mindful of the importance of the winter break for our students, and the need for faculty, staff and students to recharge during this time.

During Enhanced eLearning, schools are continuing to bring in targeted groups of students for in-person support, including:

• Full-day preschool students;
• Students in specialized classrooms at the elementary, junior high and high school;
• Connections students; and
• Targeted students whom teams have prioritized as needing extra support.

Some teachers need to be in schools to support this in-person learning, as well as to access resources and technology.  However, if not working in-person with students during this continuation of Enhanced eLearning, teachers have been given the opportunity to work in alternate locations through the end of the semester. 

Like everyone, Naperville 203 hoped that the COVID numbers would be less severe and we would be in position already to offer hybrid learning. Livestream technology allows for students who are attending in-person and those that are not to engage with their current teacher, classroom and curriculum without making changes to schedules. The technology also allows us to move between Stage 1, 2 or 3 models in a fluid manner. We do have a small group of students attending in-person in our buildings who are using the live-streaming technology, including those in our specialized classrooms and Connections. 

We hope that this decision to stay in Enhanced eLearning through winter break, though not the best news for all of us who want to return to in-person instruction, at least offers a certainty that you can plan around during this tumultuous time.

While Naperville 203 made the difficult decision to pause increasing in-person instruction, our goals remain the same. We will continue to monitor pandemic conditions, any updated research on how to mitigate the spread of the virus, and any new or adjusted guidance from federal, state and local agencies that will allow us to provide in-person learning to all students in a safe and healthy learning environment.

Over the last four weeks, we have continued to see an increase in the spread of the COVID-19 virus across the state, county and in the Naperville 203 community. In response, Governor Pritzker recently applied Tier 3 mitigation to the entire state of Illinois.  

Our Naperville 203 community health metrics have continued to trend up, and the number of positive cases reported to the District by families and staff members during the month of November continues to increase. For more information on local and Naperville 203 health metrics, please visit our COVID-19 Dashboard. These numbers represent a substantial spread of the virus within our Naperville 203 community.  As community transmission increases, our efforts to prevent the spread of the virus within our schools requires that we continue with our current mitigation strategies that limit the number of students in our buildings at one time.

In an effort to protect the privacy of students and staff, in keeping with our data reporting standards, when Naperville 203 reports any data in the District, we do not report any number that is less than ten for a building or population.

During Enhanced eLearning, we are bringing in up to 10% of our student population for in-person instruction. These students include:

• Full-day preschool students;
• Students in specialized classrooms at the elementary, junior high and high school;
• Connections students; and
• Targeted students whom teams have prioritized as needing extra support.

Targeted students needing extra support are identified at the building level by teams of teachers. Once identified, students are invited into school to receive in-person instruction. We will continue to do this as long as health metrics allow.

Naperville 203 has consulted directly with Karen Ayala, the executive director of the DuPage County Health Department on this issue and it has been determined by DCHD that the rapid COVID-19 antigen testing typically done in a school-like setting is not as reliable as the RT-PCR COVID-19 required in IDPH and DCHD Return to School Protocols. We will continue to review and research as new options become available.

As mentioned at the November 16 Board of Education meeting, we will be reviewing the educational impact of the block schedule over the next few weeks with our leadership and educators to elicit feedback.  We will also survey our junior high and high school students and families for their input as well. This information will be used to inform our way forward.

Yes, we review new and existing studies as they become available, along with evolving guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and DuPage County Health Department.

Surveillance testing is a non-diagnostic test that detects high viral loads of COVID-19 in an individual. The benefits of surveillance testing include:

1. Allows districts to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers who may pass a daily self-certification from attending school and risking the spread of the virus within our buildings.
2. Allows districts to monitor the surveillance positivity rates within schools to inform decisions about in-person instruction and necessary mitigation strategies.

Ultimately, these measures will allow us to provide more in-person instruction.

The COVID-19 screening is a non-diagnostic test used to detect if an individual has high viral loads of the COVID-19 virus even if they are not experiencing any symptoms. The screening does not make a diagnosis and individuals will need to schedule a diagnostic PCR test with their doctor or state testing facility to determine if they are indeed infected with the virus. 

Additional information about this LAMP COVID screening assessment can be found here.

The test is extremely accurate, with less than a .01% false-positive rate.

There is no test that has no risk of false negatives. This screening method is extremely effective at identifying individuals with the high viral loads that are thought to drive the spread of COVID-19. The sensitivity limit of the test does not pick up all cases from individuals with very low viral loads, but increasing scientific evidence suggests that people with these very low viral loads do not spread the virus to others.

The results of this test have been validated in studies published by the University of Wisconsin, the University of Colorado, and many international institutions. The experience in LaGrange District 102 has also validated these results, as all individuals identified with a "finding of potential clinical significance" have subsequently tested positive in a diagnostic PCR test.

All D203 staff members are eligible to participate in the screening program. 

All students in grades 6-12 and students in the Connections program who are participating in the hybrid learning model are eligible to participate.  At this time students who are participating in 100% remote learning are not eligible to participate.

To date, the research suggests that kids under 12 are less likely to contract COVID-19.  Additionally, the structure of the school day for students in EC-5 provides additional mitigation strategies due to the static nature of their classroom structures.  These classroom structures allow us to reduce or eliminate the mixing of groups which is not possible at the secondary level. 

No, the screening program is voluntary, but participation is highly encouraged. The success of this mitigation strategy is based on high levels of staff and student participation.

No, there is no individual cost for the screening.  The district will be funding all costs associated with the testing.

Students/staff will receive kits including small tubes, plastic baggies, unique bar code stickers for the tubes, and instructions for collecting saliva samples at home. This is a quick process that involves spitting into a tube and then putting it into a bag and sanitizing the bag before returning it to a drop-off box at school. Each student and staff member will have a label with a barcode. No names are included on the samples as a means to maintain confidentiality. 

Directions for providing a sample can be found in the video above.

Parents and staff will ONLY be contacted if the results of the screening are positive and additional medical evaluation is needed.  Individuals will receive a text to alert them to the positive screening and they need to stay home.  The health office or HR will follow up the next day during school hours with the necessary next steps. 

Individuals with negative screenings will not be contacted.

Anyone with a positive screening will be advised to isolate and immediately contact their doctor or a state testing center to schedule a PCR test (cannot be a rapid test)  to confirm the results.  Per the DCHD guidelines, Rapid COVID tests cannot be accepted.

Any student or staff member that receives a positive screening will be considered under evaluation for COVID-19, and per IDPH guidelines must remain off campus until the return to school protocols are met.  All individuals living within the same household will also be required to quarantine until a negative PCR test is received and/or the required quarantine timelines are met.

Samples are provided with a bar code label that does not include a name. If there is a presumptive positive result, the lab will inform district staff, who will look up the bar code and contact the family or staff member. The lab is not provided with any names of students or staff. The lab immediately destroys samples and does not keep any records related to students or staff.  Any documentation related to testing will be maintained within our District with the same level of security and confidentiality as all medical information.

No, the screening program is voluntary, but participation is highly encouraged. The success of this mitigation strategy is based on high levels of staff and student participation.

No, at this time only students who have chosen the hybrid learning model are eligible for the screening program.  Due to cost and lab processing constraints, only students who will participate in on-campus learning or extracurricular programs may participate.

Parents and staff will need to complete a waiver in order to participate in the program.  

A waiver must be completed for every student who participates in the program.  Families with multiple 6-12 students will need to complete a waiver for each student.

Schedules will be developed for when students and staff will need to provide a sample.  

Buildings will determine and communicate drop off locations.

The District has partnered with SafeGuard Screening, LLC to complete the screening services.

The screening is an additional mitigation strategy, and does not take the place of other health and safety measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and enhanced cleaning -- These effective measures already make the risk of in-school transmission very low. Instead, it is a tool that can help ensure asymptomatic individuals do not come to our campuses and potentially transmit the virus to others.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you do not need to participate in the screening program.  Once 90 days have passed, we encourage individuals to participate in the program.

Yes, you are highly encouraged to continue to participate in the screening. More evidence is still needed to determine how long an individual is immune from the virus.  The screening focuses on identifying high viral loads, where an individual is most likely to spread the virus to others.

Our current plan is to continue this screening program through spring break.  At that time, we will reevaluate the need to extend the program.

If a student/staff member is referred for additional diagnostic testing, may participate in school/work remotely.  Students/staff would be considered present and would not be marked absent or required to take a sick day.

Yes, you are highly encouraged to continue to participate in the screening.  While the vaccine will likely protect you from becoming sick with COVID, more research is needed to determine if a vaccinated person would still be able to spread the disease to others.

Yes, students and staff will have the opportunity to join the program each week.  This calendar outlines when the consent is received, when an individual can begin to participate in the weekly testing.

Stage 1: eLearning

• All students participate in eLearning 
• Faculty & staff members intermittently work from assigned buildings
• Extracurricular participation as possible per IHSA

Stage 2: Enhanced eLearning

• Students participate in eLearning 
• Faculty & staff members work from assigned buildings
• Student are invited to attend in person learning for special services, labs, & performance based classes for targeted instruction

Stage: Hybrid Learning

• Students participate in eLearning and in-person learning
• Faculty & staff members work from assigned buildings
• eLearning continues for students who select online learning only

Stage 4: In-Person Learning

• Students, faculty & staff members all return to full in-person instruction

Full Time eLearning will continue for students who elect this environment for stages 1-3 as we transition to In-Person learning.

At this time, Naperville 203 schools cannot have any volunteers in the buildings.  Whenever possible, schools will use technology like Google Hangouts or Zoom to conduct important meetings with parents.   Schools will work with parents if this is not feasible.

As we work to reduce the risk of spreading the virus we will be limiting visitors to the buildings and enforcing strict social distancing requirements.  Therefore, all IEP meetings will continue to be held through a virtual format such as Zoom even when we transition to stage 2 or 3 of the Return to Learn Plan.  

At parent request, in-person IEP meetings may be held in stage 2 & 3 in the Return to Learn 2.0 plan as long as they are permitted under the Restore Illinois health and safety guidelines.   All in-person meetings will follow the guidelines including symptom monitoring prior to entering the building and the wearing of face coverings while in the building.   If in-person meetings are not allowed under state guidelines, the IEP meeting can be rescheduled to a later time.  However, it is possible that the IEP meeting will need to be rescheduled outside of the mandated timelines.  Additional information about special education services can be found here.

eLearning Days include at least 5 hours of daily learning delivered virtually.  The student will follow their school day schedule that will be communicated from their teacher.  Instructional time will include live, online teacher-facilitated instruction and student independent time to work on learning activities.  All content is aligned to the Illinois State Standards and Naperville 203 academic and social emotional learning curricula. eLearning will adhere to Naperville 203 grading practices and expectations while promoting academic skill development with a high level of rigor and engagement.

Students will follow their normal school day hours and schedule. Students will have live check-ins and daily instruction with their teacher(s) throughout the day at the beginning of each class. There will be a balance of live, synchronous time with the teacher and class and independent, asynchronous time to work on learning activities.

In our eLearning model, there are at least 5 hours of daily instruction and learning with at least 2 ½ hours being live with a teacher. As always, we will consider what is developmentally appropriate at each level.

Teachers will communicate all required learning activities and coursework through Canvas, the Naperville 203 Learning Management System.

Yes. Students will follow their typical class schedules.

Attendance will be taken daily and teachers will communicate the process at the beginning of the school year.

Teacher schedules will reflect the typical school day. Teachers will communicate virtual office hours, instructional times, and calendars for accessing individual support.

Students will engage with the teachers and class content via Zoom/Google, Canvas, and other technology tools.  These tools will keep students connected with their teachers and curriculum. Students will attend their classes remotely, following the typical class schedule.

Grading and reporting will adhere to our Naperville 203 grading practices and procedures.

If a student is sick and cannot participate in an eLearning day, parents/guardians must follow typical attendance procedures and call the school informing them of the absence.

Teachers will provide time during the week to meet with students that need additional help or support. Supports will be available to all students through co-teaching, small group instruction, scheduled meeting time with specialized staff, and supports directly instructed by the classroom teacher,  Additionally, at the high school level, the Academic Assistance Center, the Math Resource Center, and the Reading & Writing Center will offer virtual support to students. Supports will be similar to those during in person learning, however, the mode of delivery will be altered in an online environment.

Yes. An eLearning option will be available to students until we return to our Stage 4 of all In-Person instruction.

The classroom portion of the course will be conducted in the eLearning environment through Canvas. The behind the wheel simulation portion of the course requires in-person instruction and will rely on current health and safety metrics and completion of hours will be communicated with students and caregivers. Currently, we have a plan in place for Semester 1 students registered in Drivers Education to complete the behind the wheel portion of the course. This will be communicated to students and families later in August.

All students will begin the school year in eLearning. However, we will begin to slowly transition all students back to in-person instruction 5 days per week. Teachers will begin by inviting 1-2 students to come into the school to introduce and teach the health and safety guidelines. Gradually, we will increase the amount of time students spend at school.

Yes. Learning will take place through a combination of live, synchronous instruction and independent work time.

Enhanced eLearning builds on our eLearning model by beginning to transition individual and small groups of students into the in-person learning environment, allowing school staff to both model and teach the health and safety requirements while targeting specific groups of students for academic and social-emotional instruction, assessment and intervention.

During the Enhanced eLearning stage of our Return to Learn plan, we will begin to bring targeted students into our buildings for small group or individual learning.  All students will continue to engage in learning through an online environment with their set schedules, however, staff will begin in-person learning experiences for priority groups of students.

Educators will make recommendations regarding which students to prioritize for in-person instruction.  The first group of students who will be prioritized includes students with IEPs, 504s, EL services and our preschool learners.  Students may also be invited into the building in small groups to engage with a teacher or complete an assessment or it may mean a student could be asked to attend an in-person class in order to complete a lab or hands-on component of a course.

The frequency of in-person instruction will vary depending upon the purpose of the instruction and the type of service.  Educators and IEP teams will make recommendations regarding in-person instruction for individual students.

In this stage, educators will bring in individual and small groups of students to model and teach the health and safety requirements.  We anticipate increasing the number of students who are invited to participate in-person throughout stage two of the return to learn plan.

Educators will make recommendations regarding which students to prioritize for in-person instruction.  We anticipate any students in courses that require hands on experiences, along with our youngest learners, and students with IEPs, 504s or EL services as being invited for some in-person instruction during enhanced eLearning.

Yes.  The district will work to ensure all EC-12 students have access to an electronic device.

During enhanced eLearning, performance courses begin to attend in-person groups, especially for hands-on learning components including labs.

It is recommended that parents/guardians request internet access by reaching out to their service provider. Many providers are currently providing free internet access. Families can also sign up for free internet through Comcast by visiting www.internetessentials.com or by calling 1-855-846-8376 for English and 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish. Additionally, parents/guardians, who do not have internet access, may reach out to their child’s school directly to make alternate arrangements for internet service or to request paper materials.

If students or parents incur problems with district provided devices or accessing the various technologies, follow these steps.

1. Check the FAQ page for answers to your questions. Chromebook Troubleshooting Tips
2. Contact the teacher of the particular class for assistance.
3. If your teacher is unable to resolve the issue or answer your question, submit an Remote Learning Help Desk Ticket by clicking here.

Please be patient with the teachers and support staff in this unprecedented time as every attempt will be made to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. All help desk tickets will be responded to within 24 hours. The support team will only address technology issues with district provided equipment and applications.

The Hybrid Learning model has a “foot” in both In Person Learning and eLearning. A hybrid model uses a combination of in person instruction and virtual learning, which includes *synchronous and *asynchronous structures. Hybrid Learning is about finding the right mix out of all the possibilities in learning, no matter if they are offline or online. Differentiated instruction will continue to occur to meet the needs of students and personalize learning.

*Synchronous: Learning that occurs when there is a scheduled time for the teacher and students to meet either virtually or in person and instruction is delivered in real time.

*Asynchronous: Learning that occurs when students are working independently at their own pace and time. Learning takes place by accessing information virtually, but does not require live or simultaneous interaction with a teacher or class.

Grading practices will be reflective of the Naperville 203 beliefs and format.  Reporting and feedback will be done on a regular basis.

Families will be expected to conduct symptom monitoring checks each day and complete the appropriate form communicating wellness.  It will be important for families to know the Hybrid schedule and remind students to;

• Know the calendar 
• Check Canvas daily 
• Record attendance
• Help your child(ren) prioritize work and attend classes
• Keep lines of communication open so families and teachers are working together to support students

Yes, District benchmark and accountability assessments will be administered when students are physically in attendance in school.

Students with IEP/504 plans enrolled in the Hybrid Model will receive the supports and services listed in their current IEP. 

As with all our models of learning, teachers and support staff will monitor student progress and work to differentiate as needed. Our goal is to help all students make progress and feel safe and supported. Differentiated opportunities for all students to support academic deficits will be in place. Additionally, support staff from Naperville 203 buildings will be available to connect and provide an additional layer of support should that be required.

For families that do not have internet access, Naperville 203 will provide Wi-Fi access.

Yes, hand sanitizer will be available in all classrooms and students will wash/sanitize hands upon entering and exiting the classroom, after coughing/sneezing, and after using any community supply.

Face coverings are not required outside if social distance is maintained (if individuals remain 6 feet apart from each other).

Generally, no. Face shields are not effective protection against Coronavirus and should only be used in situations when other methods of protection are not available. IDPH recommends that there may be a small minority of individuals who have a medical contraindication to using face coverings. Naperville 203 will review this on a case-by-case basis.

In cases where individuals need facial visualization for instruction and communication,  Naperville 203 will comply with the IDPH recommendation of video instruction to promote social distancing. If video instruction is not available or appropriate, face shields may be used with the understanding that they have not been deemed effective for source control. As such, heightened attention and adherence to 6-foot social distancing is critical for individuals using face shields.

Families may seek an accommodation or modification to the face-covering requirement if their student: 

• Has a medical contraindication, e.g., difficulty breathing at rest, and/or 
• is developmentally (physically or intellectually) disabled, such that they are unable to remove a mask if needed 

Additional information on how to request an accommodation can be found here.

Naperville 203 has a dress code policy and the wearing of face coverings will fall under that policy.  Schools will work with all students to develop the ability to wear a face covering. If a student consistently refuses to wear a mask appropriately, the building administration will work with the student and family, but if the issue persists, the student will be enrolled full time in eLearning.

Students can bring their own face coverings or one will be provided at the school or bus.

Each building will have an extra supply of masks that will be provided to anyone who does not have one.

Staff will be provided with a face covering that is aligned with the duties and responsibilities of their position.

Each building will have an extra supply of masks that will be provided to anyone who does not have one.

Information about how to request an exemption from a face covering can be found here.

Yes. Naperville 203 will comply with the IDPH requirements, except while eating and during band, face coverings must be worn at all times in school buildings, even when social distance is maintained. All individuals in a school building must wear a face covering unless they are under the age of 2 or have a medical exemption.

Only individuals who are healthy and not exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should report for in-person learning or sports/activities when that becomes available. Students and staff are encouraged to stay home whenever they do not feel well. 

Students and staff will need to conduct daily temperature and symptom checks prior to arriving at the bus stop or a D203 building.  

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

• A fever of 100.4 degrees F or greater
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Sore Throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
• Fatigue

Any student or staff member who is experiencing any of the following scenarios should not report to school. 

• symptoms of COVID 19, 
• tests positive for COVID 19, or 
• has close contact (less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes)  with someone who has tested positive for the virus in the last 14 days. 

Families should notify the school nurse immediately and staff should notify their immediate supervisor.

Students and staff may not attend school if someone in their household tests positive for COVID-19 or has received a clinical diagnosis of COVID-19. Students should contact their school nurse for next steps. Staff should contact their immediate supervisor for next steps.

Students, staff and families will be notified if they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  Exposure is currently defined as being in the same indoor environment (e.g. classroom) for a prolonged period of time. 

A letter will be sent to all impacted families and staff members with information from The DuPage County Health Department on next steps based upon overall risk level.

All Naperville 203 transportation services will follow the procedures and expectations outlined that align with ISBE, IDPH and DCHD guidelines and will be updated as needed.  When students return to school transportation will be provided if eligible for this service.

No more than 50 individuals may be on a Naperville 203 bus at one time. All individuals on a bus must wear a face covering, unless they meet a face covering exception. We will allow as much space as possible between each individual on a bus.  It is recommended that students from the same household sit together on a bus.

• All individuals on a bus must wear a face covering, including the bus driver.  
• Bus routes will be organized to ensure no more than 50 individuals are on the bus at a times.
• Bus stops will be assigned to allow for social distancing, to the greatest extent possible.
• All students will have assigned seats.  Students from the same household will be asked to share seats whenever possible. There may be times a student would need to share a seat with someone outside of their household. 
• Students and staff must certify that they are symptom free before boarding the bus.
• Whenever possible, windows should be open. 
• The bus will be clean and sanitized after each route. 

• Visual cues will be provided to help students manage social distancing to the greatest extent possible. 
• All bus drivers and assistants will utilize appropriate PPE when riding the bus.