Return To Near Normalcy At D-86 Expected Next Month

HINSDALE, IL — On March 11, 2020, Hinsdale Central and South high schools closed for the day as they awaited a coronavirus test from a South student. That student was cleared, so the schools opened their doors for one more day. That was the last day, as Illinois schools shut down and moved to remote learning.

As with most districts, Hinsdale High School District 86 had no idea how long its schools would be closed — as it turned out, for the rest of that school year.

At the beginning of the new school year, Central and South started remotely. Since then, the schools slowly began allowing more in-person instruction. Now, it's two days a week, alternating between two groups of students, but that's changing soon.

After spring break, on April 5, the district plans to resume a regular bell schedule five days a week. This is in response to changed state health guidance allowing 3 feet of social distancing and 50 people in a room. Everyone is still expected to still wear masks.

The decision was announced at Thursday's school board meeting.

After District 86 Superintendent Tammy Prentiss announced the change, board member Marty Turek said he approved of it.

"Respectfully, that's my full expectation," he said. "I would like to do it tomorrow."

With the safety protocols in place and vaccinations done, he said, "there's no reason we shouldn't be 100 percent back," which he said was "this board member's stance on it."

Prentiss said the latest survey indicates that 60 percent of students are expected to attend in person, though she said that percentage may increase.

Board member Kathleen Hirsman said she hoped teachers would focus on the students in class when more are attending.

"It won't be Zoom instruction in that room, right," she said.

Her question touched on the concern that fewer students are attending in-person classes because teachers seem tuned into their computers, not in-person students.

Prentiss responded that in her tours of the schools, more in-person students in a classroom "absolutely changes the dynamic for the learners in that space." With full in-person learning, she said, "there will be a natural reinstatement of the traditional classroom space."

Turek said the resumption of full in-person instruction would be a failure if teachers are still using Zoom, instead of focusing on students in the classroom.

"I think some parents are going to be very disappointed," he said.

"Yes, yes they are," an audience member interjected.

Turek resumed, "The only thing I think they should use their computer for after spring break is to display it on a whiteboard."

He said teachers should only have certain periods designated for remote students.

School board President Kevin Camden called that proposal impractical, saying, "You can't tell students to wait until another time."

With its latest decision, here's how District 86 compares to a couple of its nearby counterparts:

• On Monday, York High School students in Elmhurst started a four-day-a-week schedule, though for only half days. No plan is in place for a full bell schedule.
• Lyons Township High School students can now attend either two or four part days a week. No plan is in place for a full bell schedule.