School Closure: COVID-19 Information
District 7 parents,
I hope that parents and students have developed a routine for remote learning and have gotten over the initial stress that many faced. Please read the following information regarding the remainder of this school year and many questions that relate to summer programs.
Remote Learning Calendar
Remote learning will continue through the remainder of the school year. Teacher planning days will occur on the following Fridays: April 24th, May 1st, and May 8th. For seniors, the last day of remote learning will be Friday, May 15th. For all other grade levels, the last day that remote learning assignments may be due is Friday, May 22nd. Additional student learning opportunities will be provided on May 26th-28th, however, there will not be any assignments due on these days after Memorial Day. The last official day of school for the 2019-20 school year is May 28th.
Returning Textbooks/Picking up Yearbooks
We are developing procedures for the collection of textbooks from students and parents at each school. Building principals will be communicating the dates and times that textbooks will be collected. For the middle and high school, this will likely be May 20th-22nd. For elementary buildings, textbook collection will occur in the days following Memorial Day (May 26th – May 29th). Yearbooks will be distributed to those students who ordered them at the time of book collection if they are available. It will be important that parents and students follow the schedule provided by the building principals in order to practice appropriate social distancing. Parents or students who need to pick up additional personal items from the school will need to make arrangements to do so through the building principal. Please watch for additional information coming soon from your child’s building principal.
Class of 2020 Graduation
Dr. Cramsey will be providing information regarding graduation in an email to parents and students on Friday, April 24th.
Summer School
The following High School Summer School courses will be taught remotely and will follow the summer school schedule originally advertised: Civics, US History (A and B), Global Perspectives, Geography Explorations, Consumer Education, Sports in Literature, Health, and Medieval World History.
The following High School Summer School courses are CANCELLED: Physical Education and Limited Enrollment courses including Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Algebra/Geometry 3, Freshman Literature, Sophomore World Literature, Jr. American Literature and Grammar & Composition. We are waiting for further guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education before making a determination on whether Driver’s Education can be offered remotely during the summer. We will communicate information on Driver’s Education as soon as it is available.
All students attending summer school remotely will need a device with a microphone and a camera as well as internet access. Students will receive an email from their summer school teacher prior to the first day with a Zoom Meeting ID number and a password for access to the first class. Student attendance will be taken daily, and all attendance requirements will still be in effect.
If you no longer want your child to attend summer school, please contact Hadley House at 656-1182 to request a summer school refund no later than May 15, 2020. Registration for EHS Summer School is complete and no applications will be accepted at this time.
The Middle School and Elementary Summer Reading Program will not be offered this summer.
Students with IEP’s that qualify for Extended School Year will receive information from the Office of Student Services in the coming weeks.
Summer Kid Zone
There will be no Summer Kid Zone program for the summer of 2020. All deposits that have been paid will be refunded.
Continuation of Meal Service
District 7 will continue providing both lunch and breakfast through the end of the school year. Food distribution will take place at the Glen Ed Pantry each Monday from 10 AM to 12 PM. The District will also continue delivering meals to those families that are unable to pick them up. If any family is in need of meals, please contact Hadley House at 656-1182.
Please continue to watch for additional emails from your child’s building principal. Those emails will contain more details regarding updated procedures as we move forward. Thank you again for your continued patience and support of District 7.
Respectfully,
Dr. Jason Henderson
April 17, 2020 – School Closure Update
April 3, 2020 – School Closure Update
April 2, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 31, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 26, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 24, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 22, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 20, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 18, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 17, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 16, 2020 – School Closure Update
March 15, 2020 – FAQs Regarding District 7 School Closure
March 13, 2020 – District 7 School Closure
March 11, 2020 – Information regarding COVID-19 from District 7
Will the District be providing meals to students during the closure?
YES. All parents will receive a short survey today that asks whether they would like meals to be provided for their students during this school closure. It is imperative that ALL parents fill this survey out by noon on Monday, March 16th in order to know the number of meals needed and have them at the proper location(s).
Grab and Go breakfast and lunches will be provided to parents daily between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, through Monday, March 30, 2020. Glen Carbon Elementary, Worden Elementary, and Edwardsville High School will be the primary sites in which parents/guardians can drive through and receive multiple days of school-provided meals. In addition, a second meal pick up time will be provided on Monday, March 23, 2020 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Glen Carbon Elementary, Worden Elementary, and Edwardsville High School. We will work with families that cannot pick up during any of these times and arrange for delivery of meals. Filling out the survey will provide the District with the names and addresses of families that require delivery of meals so we can fulfill this need. Any family who requests meal pickup or delivery will get additional communication with specific details regarding pickup or delivery.
In addition, many local restaurants have posted information regarding providing free meals for students as well, and District 7 is working to make this information available. If you are a restaurant owner or manager who would like to make this information available to the public, please contact the District Office to provide details. We will post a list of restaurants where students can get free or reduced cost meals on the District’s website once the final list is compiled on Monday, March 16th.
Click here for Local Businesses Offering Free Food Options for Students
Local Businesses Offering Free Food Options for Students
BREAKFAST
222 Artisan Bakery: Free breakfast of baked oatmeal for kids, Monday thru Friday 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Walk in and grab a bag.
659-1122
222 N. Main St, Edwardsville
LUNCH
McAlister’s Deli: Offering a free lunch for kids from Monday thru Friday 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Free lunch will include a turkey and cheese sandwich, chips, applesauce and a cookie. No other purchase necessary.
372-9599
312 Great Place Dr., Edwardsville
Crazy Bowls & Wraps: Offering free kids quesadillas Monday thru Friday 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Meal will include a drink, crispy treat, chips and no additional purchase necessary.
692-9727
6679 Edwardsville Crossing, Edwardsville
Mike Shannon’s Grill: School aged children will receive a meal with choice of a grilled chicken breast, turkey sandwich or ham sandwich and will be served with carrot sticks, fruit slices and a 12 oz. beverage (whole milk, apple juice, orange juice or lemonade). Between 11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pick up inside.
655-9911
871 S. Arbor Vitae, Edwardsville
Businesses offering free internet services
Charter is offering 60 days of free internet access (click link below)
Madison Communications is offering 60 days of free internet access (click link below)
FAQs Regarding School Closure from March 17th-March 30th
Will the District be providing meals to students during the closure?
YES. All parents will receive a short survey today that asks whether they would like meals to be provided for their students during this school closure. It is imperative that ALL parents fill this survey out by noon on Monday, March 16th in order to know the number of meals needed and have them at the proper location(s).
Grab and Go breakfast and lunches will be provided between 10 AM and 12 PM on Mondays at the Glen Ed Pantry located at 125 5th Ave, Edwardsville. Each Monday, families can pick up 5 breakfasts and lunches for the week. We will continue to work with families that cannot pick up meals during this time and arrange for delivery of meals. If you want to begin picking up meals or you need to arrange to have meals delivered, please email cfrancis@ecusd7.org.
In addition, many local restaurants have posted information regarding providing free meals for students as well, and District 7 is working to make this information available. If you are a restaurant owner or manager who would like to make this information available to the public, please contact the District Office to provide details. We will post a list of restaurants where students can get free or reduced cost meals on the District’s website once the final list is compiled on Monday, March 16th.
Will schools be open at all during the closure?
Currently, the plan is for school offices to be open for a limited time each day in order to allow parents to pick up needed materials, resources, and student medications. Beginning Tuesday, March 17th, all school buildings and the District Office will be open from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Please call the school office prior to coming to any school building.
When can parents pick up materials if their children are not in school on Monday, March 16th?
Instructional plans and paper packets will be available at school offices Monday-Friday between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM for parents to pick up if their children are not at school on Monday, March 16th. If you choose to keep your child home from school on Monday, March 16th, the absence will be excused by the school office if you inform the office using normal procedures.
When will I find out the e-Learning/home based learning plan for my student?
Teachers or building principals will be emailing all parents the e-Learning/home based learning plans for their students by 9 AM on Wednesday, March 18th. If you do not receive an e-Learning/home based learning plan for your student by that time, please contact your child’s school so that information can be provided to you.
Will teachers be available to answer questions during e-Learning?
Yes. Teachers will be available beginning on Wednesday, March 18, and for each successive day of closure between 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM to answer questions via email.
How will this closure affect spring break or the end of school schedule?
This answer could change based on directives from the Illinois State Board of Education. On Saturday, the District received a notification from the Illinois State Board of Education that no districts would be required to make up days in consideration of the fact that all school were required to close by the directive of the Governor. As a result of this, the last day of school will still be May 28th. As of now, there is no change to spring break, however, we are considering all options should the mandated closure expand past the original two weeks. We will provide updated information on this as soon as it becomes available.
How will the District communicate with parents of students with IEPs/504 Plans?
An email will be sent from Adam Garrett, Director of Special Education by Monday, March 16th, to all families of students with an IEP or a 504 Plan. Each student’s case manager will be contacting parents of students with IEPs to outline the plan of instructional activities. The activities outlined for students receiving direct services from the special education teacher within the instructional plan will be aligned with the student’s IEP goals/objectives. For support and accommodations on specific assignments in e-learning, please contact your child’s case manager.
What about kindergarten registration informational meetings?
All informational sessions for kindergarten registration are postponed until further notice. No informational sessions will take place during the dates of school closure at this time. We will provide information for rescheduled dates as soon as that information becomes available. We will also be posting a narrated PowerPoint regarding Kindergarten registration on the website so that parents can access this information at any time. Once this PowerPoint is available, we will communicate this to the community.
Will assignments that are completed during at-home or e-Learning count towards grades?
NO—assignments and lessons that are completed at home will not affect student grades. This is a directive from the Illinois State Board of Education. District 7 will NOT require that students complete the work nor will we give any sort of disciplinary action if assignments are not completed. While this is the case, we hope that most students will make the choice to engage with their teachers and complete any assignments. Our teaching staff is trying everything possible to maintain some level of continuity and routine for students and keep them moving forward with their education. We are counting on parents to help their students develop a daily routine that includes completing school work and assignments.
What do we do if our child is unable to access the digital platforms recommended by the classroom teacher?
All materials related to accessing our digital technology platforms can be found on the District 7 website: http://ecusd7.org/parents/digital-resources-asp/ This site provides direct links to Clever, Schoology, and Tigerview along with a digital content manual that walks through the steps of accessing digital items based on a child’s grade level. The last page of the document provides “Troubleshooting Tips” that may help answer some of the most common errors in accessing the content. If you are still unable to access the content, please email your building principal with your name, student’s name and grade, and where your issue is occurring. For a more prompt response, it would be beneficial to send a screenshot of the error if that is feasible.
How can I contact schools or the district office during school closure?
As of Monday, March 23rd, all schools are closed to visitors and all phone calls are directed to the district office. The district office will continue to answer phone calls between the hours of 9 AM and 12 PM each day. All building related questions should be emailed directly to the school principal and all classroom or subject-related questions should be emailed directly to the teacher.
What will happen with the District 7 Spring Break (Scheduled from April 6th-13th)?
The Governor’s current directive is for schools to remain closed through April 7th. District 7 was scheduled to begin spring break on April 6th with students returning to school on April 14th. Because of this, even if the order to return to school is lifted, District 7 will remain closed until April 14th. Students will NOT have e-Learning or home-based assignments during the days of spring break. Kid Zone will not be in session during any days of school closure or spring break. District 7 will provide meal pickup on Monday April 6th. More information on meal pickup during spring break will be provided as we get closer to April 6th.
When will we get 3rd quarter report cards?
A few parents have been calling the office to ask about 3rd quarter report cards. All high school, middle school and intermediate (3rd, 4th, and 5th grade) students’ report cards are already available on Tiger View. Primary grade (kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd) report cards will be mailed home on Friday, March 27th.