CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- School is in for the wave of elementary and middle schools reopening though this week, and Chicago Public School officials are already looking towards the next hurdle.
CPS and city officials gathered Monday at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy in Lakeview to herald the first day of classes there; and parent Emily Casey said her three children are excited to be back, especially her eighth-grade daughter who graduates this year.
"While there can be gratification in reaching a milestone in isolation, reaching a big milestone, a life event, in the company of the people who helped you get there, that is what education is all about," Casey said.
Hawthorne Academy Principal Trish Davlantes said more than half of the students at the reopened North Side school have returned for in-person classes. That’s not the norm systemwide.
Schools CEO Janice Jackson said officials will now work on reopening the high schools, sitting down to talk with the Chicago Teachers Union and more.
"We are working on a plan, and we will spend our time talking about how we reopen schools safely. We spent enough time talking about whether or not schools should reopen. The focus now is how we do it and how we do it safely for our high school students," Dr. Jackson said.
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She believes the process of reopening will be complicated, but not as contentious as before.
"Now it is about what does it take in order to have in-person instruction in the high schools, which is more complicated than in elementary schools, but we are going to have principals at the table, high school teachers at the table," Dr. Jackson said.