Hinsdale 86 Sticks With In-Person Learning

HINSDALE, IL — Hinsdale High School District 86 is sticking with in-person learning through the rest of the semester, the head of the school board said in a mass email Thursday morning.

Next semester, the district plans to bring more students on campus and increase instructional time, board President Kevin Camden said.

Since last month, the school has allowed a quarter of students on its campuses each day, with the rest learning remotely. Many nearby districts have gone completely remote in response to a recent surge in coronavirus cases.

Among the reasons for continuing in-person learning, Camden said, was students have reported that going on campus is essential to meeting their academic, social and emotional needs. Also, coronavirus-related statistics for the schools have remained relatively stable, he said.

"While the number of positive cases in our district has gone up, none of them have been tied to any on-campus activities," Camden said. "We have also had zero outbreaks in our buildings (Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South and the Transition Center), and have been able to staff all of our classes without disruptions or delays."

Based on advice from the DuPage County Health Department, the school board would start holding its meetings virtually, Camden said.

Also in his email, Camden criticized the state Legislature.

"(W)hile the news did not surprise me, I was disappointed to hear that the Illinois legislature canceled its fall veto session due to the increase in COVID cases," Camden said. "At a time when we desperately need our elected officials at the state level to stand up and lead, they have once again left it up to individual communities to carry the burden of this crisis."