Dear ETHS Students & Families –
ETHS utilizes e-learning days to help reduce or avoid the need to make up days at the end of the school year because of school cancellations. For the 2021-22 school year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has provided further guidance on how school districts can formally adopt an e-learning program, with additional flexibility to meet state criteria. This process will take place every three years moving forward.
What are the next steps?
In accordance with the state approval process, a public hearing will take place on October 11, 2021 during the regular meeting of the ETHS District 202 board. As a reminder, school board meetings include an opportunity for public comment. Following school board adoption of the ETHS e-learning program by written resolution, a proposal will be submitted to the state for verification.
How does ETHS plan to use its e-learning program?
When a school closure is necessary (typically in the case of severe weather), an emergency notification will be issued by school officials. For details, please see the Emergency and Severe Weather Notifications page on the ETHS website. District administration will monitor developments, such as weather conditions, to prepare for an e-learning day if needed.
While emergency days will continue to be built into the District Calendar each school year, the e-learning program will help ensure that the required number of instructional days are met by using e-learning days in lieu of emergency days. Since an e-learning day counts as a student attendance day, a make-up day would not be needed.
Activities, practices, and rehearsals at ETHS will be addressed on a case-by-case basis when the e-learning day is confirmed.
What are the general expectations and responsibilities of the e-learning program at ETHS?
When an e-learning day is implemented at ETHS, information will be shared as outlined on the Emergency and Severe Weather Notifications web page. Students will not report to school, but will work remotely from home. Teachers will take attendance based on student participation in asynchronous e-learning activities such as forms, assignments, activities, etc. that are completed on the e-learning day.
Similar to a regular school day, all classroom work may not necessarily have to be completed online on the e-learning day. Teachers have their own e-learning plans for their classes, and assignments given to students on an e-learning day will align with the established curriculum.
For additional details and frequently asked questions (FAQs), please visit the e-learning page on the ETHS website.
Sincerely,
Eric Witherspoon, Ph.D.
Superintendent
It is very thoughtful of the Illinois State Board of Education to have flexibility in online education depending on the weather. I am sure many will come in support and learning can never be interrupted if we have such great systems.