Bourbonnais 53 District

Please read the linked letter regarding another positive COVID-19 case within BESD #53. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IEKZIUgFDZ2C2lC_ewkYDuAsLKAprB4AW1_wMk7s9x0/edit?usp=sharing

Dear BESD #53 Families, BESD #53 is excited to share the news that USDA is extending waivers for Summer Meals programs through the end of this calendar year. This will now allow BESD #53 to offer free meals to all BESD #53 students until Dec. 31, 2020. BESD #53 understands it is a very challenging time with the COVID-19 pandemic and that it is essential children have access to nutritious food. Sincerely, Dr. Adam Ehrman, Superintendent

Please read the linked letter regarding the 3rd reported positive COVID-19 case within BESD #53. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vSUVbSwPbx3Yo3IassQC2hT5dFrgzFG1OvIBXGgRIo8/edit?usp=sharing

Dear BESD #53 Families and Community, We are aware that an article was written about BESD #53 stating “Nearly 90 in quarantine in Bourbonnais Elementary district”. It is important to remember that we only isolate students from in-person instruction as we are following the IDPH guidelines. The District has only experienced 2 positive cases thus far. Therefore the vast majority of individuals being “isolated” (not “quarantined” as that is a function of the Health Department) are due to single symptom isolation precautionary measures that the District is following. The nearly 90 individuals referred to in the article is evidence of the District taking these guidelines serious and implementing the guidelines as they are written. I hope this provides some clarity and context to the figures presented in the article. Again, we appreciate your continued understanding and cooperation during these uncertain times. We will also continue to provide timely communication with our school community as information becomes available. Sincerely, Dr. Adam Ehrman, Superintendent

The Illinois State Board of Education has provided a white washable cotton face mask for every student and staff member in the school district. These are being passed out this week. Per the label, this mask can be washed up to fifteen times before being discarded. #besd53

Please read the linked letter regarding the 2nd reported positive COVID-19 case within BESD53. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NxEuj9WU3AtgUlWbradRjucyKXbXmXpraSK1qG0JkSo/edit?usp=sharing

Dear BESD #53 Families and Community, Today marks day 5 of in-person instruction. I am so proud that we have been able to offer our students in-person instruction even if it looks a little different than normal years. It was not easy to get to this point, but I am truly appreciative of each one these days as they have allowed for critical connections to be made for everyone in the organization. As I mentioned at the Board Meeting last night, I can not predict the future. However, I can predict that we will continue to use a calm approach and analyze all of the health data that impact BESD #53. We will continue to follow the ever-changing IDPH guidelines. These guidelines are strict and the “close contact” definition does unfortunately require many students to be isolated from in-person instruction when we have a positive case. A strategy that has helped some parents is not utilizing our busing system this year if that is an option for those students. This strategy definitely reduces the “close contact” for each student and thereby reduces the probability of that child being required to isolate from a positive case experienced in the District. We are always looking for ways to improve the likelihood of being able to continue with the in-person instructional model. So, this is just a suggestion for those parents that have that ability and choice to make that decision. Our goal is to simply prevent a two week isolation period for a student if possible. Again, I want to thank everyone for helping us make this year possible and I could not be anymore proud of BESD #53’s hardwork and effort right now. Educationally Yours, Dr. Adam Ehrman Superintendent, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53

Dear BESD #53 Families and Community, Like other School Districts in the area, we experienced our first positive Covid-19 case today. While we all may recognize that positive cases are unavoidable in this day and age, today was still a jolt to the system for some people. Please know that we put procedural systems in place to handle this situation in a calm and collective manner. So today, we rapidly worked with the Health Department to provide all of the information we could to everyone that needs to know and we will continue to work with the Health Department. We understand that not everyone wanted to be notified of a singular positive case in the District, but I find it critical that we are communicating as much as possible right now. I am not sure that we will always be sending out a District-wide letter as we get more cases, but for the time being we will likely be over-communicating as a means to keep everyone informed. For situations like today, the process for communicating is a four-step process. First we find out that we have a positive case (typically from parents and caregivers). Next, we internally trace everyone that is defined as a "close contact" (that we are aware of). Then we call the “close contacts” ASAP. Lastly, we will communicate out from either the District or the School (this first communication came from the District). So this morning, we found out about a case and then identified who were “close contacts”. We then quickly made calls to close contacts and sent out a District letter to everyone as follow-up. Thank you to everyone for your patience, grace, and a willingness to work together. The only way we can all get through this crisis is if we do so together. Educationally Yours, Dr. Adam Ehrman Superintendent, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53

Parents and Guardians, Zoom has fixed the issue for the majority of users. Information regarding remote classes for today will be coming from the buildings. Thank you for your patience!

Please read the linked letter for information about a reported positive COVID-19 case within BESD53. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YRc5BOD1Sjv6vCiZH7Qg99f64dR0pG8tGsSt6446OJM/edit?usp=sharing

BESD53 Parents and Guardians, Our remote meeting vendor, Zoom, is currently having operational issues that they are working to resolve. We are monitoring the situation and will send an updated notification when Zoom has resolved their issues. At that point, the Zoom meetings that remote students utilize will begin. Thank you for your patience!

Good morning! We are currently have some technical issues with ZOOM for remote learning. Please be on the lookout for a message from your teacher for alternate ways to connect. Thanks and have a great day!

Tuesday August 25th will be a Regular Meeting of the Board of Education for BESD53 at 7 pm. To attend this meeting virtually, please sign up using the link below: https://besd53-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6WzzrClCSciDIMhB3Pv1IA

Instructions for Remote Meal Pickup The pickup for remote meals for all schools will be at the Upper Grade Center. Please see the following details for directions. A parent may pick up five days worth of meals at one time. Meals will consist of breakfast and lunch. Pick up location is on the main circle drive at the Upper Grade Center. Please see the sign for the exact door to access meals. Pickup days will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00am to 11:00am. First pickup day will be Tuesday, August 25. Free & Reduced Meals are available as well as regularly priced meals. Please contact your child's school if you have any questions.

Welcome back students! If you found something like library books, textbooks, or classroom items, over the summer that you forgot to turn in last spring please bring it in when you return to school. We will make sure it gets back to the correct school.

Welcome Back! https://youtu.be/rtJyNNYW4ds

Dear BESD Families, We are trying to wrap up our registration process so that we can finalize class lists for the start of the school year. A big thanks to those of you that have registered already. Students that have not been registered by 2:00 pm on Wednesday August 12th will be deactivated. If your student is deactivated, you will need to contact the school to be reactivated in order to register. We strongly encourage you to complete this by tomorrow's deadline. Families that are registered will be able to see your student's schedules on Friday, August 14th. We will also mail bus schedules to all registered families tomorrow. Thank You

Dear BESD #53 Family, We all recognize that returning to school this fall will be anything but normal. Even with the many safety modifications made which definitely will influence almost every aspect of the educational process, we all understand that Covid-19 will still shape this school year. For the time being the length of the school day has been modified as another safety measure to protect our students and staff, yet we all know that our schools are not immune to Covid-19. When the District receives notification that an individual whom was in our facilities has tested positive for Covid-19, we will work with the Health Department to provide all of the information we can to everyone that needs to know. We have new processes designed to assist with our ability to inform the Health Department for contact tracing purposes as well as to help us inform required individuals that have been in “close contact” as defined by the guidelines. I wish I could state that we will never have a case of Covid-19 at BESD #53, but that would be unrealistic. When we do have a case, it will most likely require some of our students to be isolated from in-person instruction for a bit of time. We have been working this summer to prepare processes that will hopefully minimize the educational disruption for these students whom require isolation from school. It is important to note that these students are only being isolated from in-person learning, not their ability to learn remotely. This is much easier said than done, but as we all go through the process I am confident that we will be able to drastically improve our organizational capabilities to remotely educate our students. Lastly, we know that Covid-19 has provided a thick layer of stress on all of us for an extended period of time. It has impacted people's lives in many different ways and it will continue to do so for the time being. I have seen many instances of people showing patience, grace, and a willingness to work together. These observed instances remind me that the only way we can all get through this crisis is if we do so together. Educationally Yours, Dr. Adam Ehrman Superintendent, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53

Parents/Guardians, Two reminders (note: BOTH of these steps must be completed in order to be completely registered for the upcoming school year): If you have not been able to complete the election of either in-person or remote instruction for your student, here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/GSKucJN9ZSHb8xNZ7 Also, if you have not completed online registration for your student (which must be completed for either in-person or remote instruction), please login to Skyward Family Access and complete online registration: https://besdskyward.besd53.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsSky/fwemnu01.w Please complete these as soon as possible. Thank you!

Tuesday July 28th will be a Regular Meeting of the Board of Education for BESD53 at 7 pm. To attend this meeting virtually, please sign up using the link below (registration is limited to 100 attendees): https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m7gSg8D6SbqDCRVkncvaLw