District 88 celebrates National Principals Month, shares important COVID-19 updates

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton.

This week was a special one in education, as we celebrated Principals Week from Oct. 18 to 24 and Principals Day today, Oct. 23.

I would like to thank our Principals, Michael Bolden at Addison Trail and Dr. Daniel Krause at Willowbrook (pictured above), for their visionary leadership and dedication to accomplishing our mission of working for the continuous improvement of student achievement. As we continue to face the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of providing positive guidance for staff and students and pursuing success for each pupil has never been more evident. Mike and Dan work tirelessly with their teams to ensure a high-quality educational experience for all students, and their commitment to caring for and connecting with kids is apparent in everything they do. National Principals Month takes place each October to recognize our principals and thank them for all they do to build futures for our students.

According to www.principalsmonth.org, “American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) – as well as district leaders, policymakers, parents, students, teachers and school leaders – come together (each October) to not only celebrate these heroes of education, but also to advocate for school leaders everywhere.” We honored Mike and Dan during the Oct. 19 District 88 Board of Education meeting with proclamations from the villages of Addison, Lombard and Villa Park, and we also shared a video with photos of Mike and Dan and images of marquees throughout the community with messages celebrating the event. To watch the presentation, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/12288.

COVID-19 RE-OPENING PLAN-DUPAGE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 88 RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN
On Oct. 19, DuPage County moved from the Moderate Community Transmission level to the Substantial Community Transmission level on the DuPage County COVID-19 School Metrics Guidance (http://www.dupagehealth.org/ReturnToSchool). The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) reported the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people moved to 115 per 100,000 (the threshold for Substantial Community Transmission is 100 cases per 100,000).

In the DCHD model, there are three levels of transmission we are monitoring weekly: Minimal, Moderate and Substantial Community Transmission. Each of these levels is determined by a variety of factors, including:

  • The county-level risk metric color (Orange or Blue)
  • Weekly cases per 100,000 people
  • Changes in the weekly county overall case numbers
  • Changes in the weekly county youth numbers (under the age of 20)
  • Positivity rates
  • The neighboring/regional indicator level (Cook, Kane and Will counties)

*As health experts learn more about COVID-19 and community spread, these metrics may be modified or changed.

DuPage County’s level of COVID-19 community transmission is determined by the highest category in which a single metric is met or exceeded. When considering a shift to more in-person learning, all metrics should be under the identified thresholds for a given level for at least two consecutive weeks.

On Oct. 5, the District 88 Board of Education approved the administration's recommendation to align the COVID-19 Re-Opening Plan-DuPage High School District 88 Return to School Plan with the DuPage County return to school framework and the DuPage County COVID-19 School Metrics Guidance. The Board also approved the administration's recommendation to transition from Stage 1 (Remote Learning) to Stage 2 (Remote Plus Learning) of the plan starting on Oct. 19, provided conditions remain in the Moderate Community Transmission category.

As a result of DuPage County moving to the Substantial Community Transmission level, the Board approved during its Oct. 19 meeting the administration’s recommendation to extend Stage 1 (Remote Learning) of the district’s Return to School Plan until the DCHD metrics indicate Moderate Community Transmission (this will take at least two weeks). Contact Days for athletics and activities also are canceled until that time. Based on guidance and data provided by Centers for Disease Control, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois and DuPage County health departments, the Illinois State Board of Education and the DuPage Regional Office of Education, we believe this is the best decision at this time to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our students, staff, families and community members.

For more information about our Return to School Plan, go to www.dupage88.net/ReturnToSchoolPlan.

IMPORTANT UPDATES

  • Food service: Through our community food-service program, we will provide seven days’ worth of free meals from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Wednesday to all residents up to the age of 18. See details at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/12216.

  • Learning centers: We will continue to provide opportunities for students to receive onsite academic assistance through our learning centers on an as-needed basis. If your child needs extra support, contact Addison Trail Principal Michael Bolden (mbolden@dupage88.net, 630-628-3302) or Willowbrook Principal Dr. Daniel Krause (dkrause@dupage88.net, 630-530-3439).

  • Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT): As a result of DuPage County moving to the Substantial Community Transmission level (see details above), and in the interest of the safety of our students and staff, we have decided to postpone the PSAT/NMSQT that was scheduled for Oct. 29. This optional assessment for juniors has been rescheduled to Jan. 26, 2021. All students who registered for the October test date will be rescheduled to the January test date. Students who have not yet registered can sign up for the January test, and registration details will be shared soon.

  • Internet Essentials Partnership Program: The DuPage County Board, in partnership with the DuPage Regional Office of Education, recently approved a $1.5 million commitment to provide low-income students with internet service through the Internet Essentials Partnership Program. A promo code is required to get free internet service through this program, and eligible families will receive information from Addison Trail or Willowbrook to apply. See details at https://www.dupage88.net/site/page/12111.

  • Athletics:

GUIDANCE FROM STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • Return to School Framework: On Aug. 28, the DuPage County Health Department released a “Return to School Framework” with the DuPage Regional Office of Education. The framework recommends school officials review and consider the level of disease activity in their communities as they make decisions about shifting between learning models this school year. To view the document, go to www.dupagehealth.org/ReturnToSchool.

  • New learning standards: The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recently released new Illinois Priority Learning Standards. According to State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, “(ISBE) collaborated with a diverse and skilled team of educators from across the state to identify the Illinois Priority Learning Standards. The group focused on identifying learning standards that depict the knowledge, skills and dispositions we want all students to have – the standards that are the most foundational competencies, the most critical for success at subsequent grade levels and best suited for interdisciplinary or project-based learning.” CLICK HERE for more information.

  • Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) FAQs: This health-based Frequently Asked Questions document from the IDPH addresses many health-related questions. See the information at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IDPH-School-FAQs.pdf.

  • Updates from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE): https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx and https://tinyurl.com/ISBEMessages 

PARENT AND STUDENT MEETINGS

  • We will continue to meet with parents/guardians as part of our Transition/Reopening Committee. The next meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 17. If you would like to join the committee, or if you have any questions/concerns, please feel free to contact me at shelton@dupage88.net or 630-530-3980.

  • We will continue to meet with students as part of our Return to School Student Advisory Committee. The next meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 18. If you would like to join the committee, contact District 88 Director of Community Relations Dani Brink at dbrink@dupage88.net or 630-530-3989.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATES

Below are links to important information for those who are interested in running for the District 88 Board of Education during the Consolidated General Election on April 6, 2021.

Petitions are due between Dec. 14 and 21, 2020, and should be filed with the DuPage County Clerk, Election Division at 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187.

Three full (four-year) terms will be open on the District 88 Board during the upcoming election. For questions or more information, feel free to contact me at shelton@dupage88.net or 630-530-3980.

Through the presentation links below, you’ll learn:

  1. Time requirements of being a Board member

  2. Expectations of being a Board member

  3. How to complete the filing/petition process
  • CLICK HERE to view important information for prospective Board members

  • CLICK HERE to view a packet for prospective Board members

  • CLICK HERE to watch a video of the presentation

OTHER AREAS OF FOCUS

  • Resources: District 88 will continue to care for the social and emotional well-being of students, staff, families and community members. See a list of available resources (including resources in Spanish) at www.dupage88.net/Coronavirus.

  • Equity work: We have been committed to creating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive environment for all students through Deep Equity and Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Youth Equity Stewardship (YES!) series for more than half a decade, and we have put in place many programs to assist with these initiatives. We know equity is a journey and won’t be reached quickly or easily. However, we need to be relentless in our pursuit of equity, inclusion and the elimination of racism in District 88 and our communities. We are maintaining our work with Deep Equity, YES!, Trauma-Informed Practices and Restorative Practices, and we also have implemented the District 88 C.A.R.E. Team (Committed to Academics, Resiliency and Equity) for students and staff to expand and deepen our work in these areas.

Thank you for your support of District 88 and our mission to work for the continuous improvement of student achievement.

Respectfully,
Scott J. Helton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, DuPage High School District 88