Schools
Geneva Schools Moving To Online Learning Amid Coronavirus Surge
District 304 hopes to use full-time remote learning for just one week, despite a sustained surge in new coronavirus cases in Kane County.
GENEVA, IL — Geneva District 304 is set to join the growing number of Illinois school districts reverting to full-time remote learning as coronavirus cases surge throughout the state.
District 304 Superintendent Kent Mutchler sent a letter Monday evening telling parents all schools will transition to remote learning after Thanksgiving. District officials hope to use remote learning on a full-time basis for just one week, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, Mutchler said.
Find out what's happening in Genevafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The district is moving to remote learning after a large spike in cases within its schools, Mutchler said. District 304 reported 67 total cases Oct. 27, which grew to 97 cases by Nov. 6.
Coronavirus cases within the district rose 50 percent over the following week, with officials reporting 145 total cases and 54 active cases Friday, according to the district's coronavirus dashboard.
Find out what's happening in Genevafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Virtual ‘Foodie 5K’ To Help Northern IL Food Bank Feed Thousands
Geneva High School students and staff represent more than half of all active cases, with 28 as of Friday, the dashboard shows.
Illinois Coronavirus Update Nov. 17 — Don't miss updates in Geneva as they are announced — Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.
With cases rising and many students being made to quarantine after contact tracing, “more students are missing out on their learning opportunities,” which creates “an increased burden on our staffing capabilities,” Mutchler said.
“This transition is necessary to protect and sustain our health (and) safety procedures, and our system of accountability that is paramount for continuing to ensure that our schools remain a safe place to learn,” Mutchler said.
Oberweis Goes To Washington Orientation Despite Projected Loss
Mutchler thanked parents for their “continued patience, understanding, and partnership, while acknowledging the transition to online learning will not go over well with everyone.
“We recognize that not everyone will agree with this transition but remain confident that, like many other challenges we have faced, we can come together and do what is necessary to protect our students and our school community,” Mutchler said.
As of Monday, Geneva’s main ZIP code — 60134 — had reported 1,145 total coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.
New cases in Kane County have been skyrocketing since the middle of October, when its seven-day rolling average stood at about 130 cases. That figure peaked at 595 cases Thursday.
The county surpassed the 26,000-case barrier Monday, with public health data showing just under half of those cases have been recorded since the start of October.
REGIONAL NEWS:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.