Districts 203, 204 To Offer Hybrid, Online Learning Amid Pandemic

NAPERVILLE, IL — As the new coronavirus crisis continues, Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 will offer students the choice of hybrid learning or online learning at the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Both school districts met Monday to discuss their plans for returning to school. Under the plans, students can opt for either online learning and in-person classes or a fully online class format.

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For District 203, parents who choose online learning will commit their students to a trimester. The deadline to sign up for the online academy at District 203 is July 22.

District 204 will require a semester commitment for its online learning model. Parents have until Aug. 1 to opt for full e-learning and registration starts the week of July 20.

In a letter to District 203 members, Superintendent Dan Bridges wrote, "We believe that beginning the year with the hybrid model allows for students to acclimate back into the educational setting, learn the new health and safety guidelines and to evaluate what each student needs both academically and socially-emotionally for a successful transition."

In June, District 204 surveyed parents and staff about reopening. According to the district, 75 percent of parents and 74 percent of staff supported a blend of in-class instruction and e-learning as their first or second choice.

Both districts will require face masks and social distancing as instruction begins. Students and staff will be assessed daily for coronavirus symptoms.

District 204 Superintendent Dr. Adrian B. Talley wrote, "We look forward to the day when the state moves to Phase 5, and we can have all our students together five days a week in our classrooms. In the meantime, we believe this is a way for students to safely have the benefits of in-person instruction, while providing an alternative option for parents who are not comfortable having their child attend classes in-person."