CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A couple of northwest suburban school districts are pulling back from in-person learning, at least temporarily.
District 300 is Illinois’ 6th largest school district with about 21,000 students. Last week, the district started in-person learning for kindergarteners through third graders. Now, six days into in-person learning, COVID-19 has reared its head. Due to an outbreak of the coronavirus in one class and exposure of the virus to students and staff in a few other classrooms, four classrooms have had to immediately go to remote learning; and one classroom had to be shut down because at least two people tested positive for the coronavirus.
"We have had to quarantine 202 students for being identified as 'close contacts' with another COVID-19 positive individual (student or staff member). We are currently monitoring nine school buildings for possible outbreak events," Superintendent Fred Heid wrote in a message to parents. "At this time, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that COVID-19 events are rising within our student population."
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Starting Monday, District 300 is returning to remote learning, at least through the Thanksgiving holiday. The district’s superintendent said he hasn’t given up on in-person instruction.
"We are not giving up on the in-person option," Heid said in the statement. "We are hopeful that the next three weeks will provide the time needed to see local COVID-19 indicators decline and support a return to in-person instruction. During this time we will also review and revise our in-person and remote learning options to minimize any additional changes and maximize our ability to serve both groups with their original teacher."
Meanwhile, Crystal Lake District 47 is returning to remote learning after three weeks of in-person hybrid instruction, because of higher COVID numbers in the county. The district reported a dozen new COVID cases last week.