Above / As “education” news is received, this page will be updated to provide posts from the two public school districts that serve Naperville students. The most recent posts will be featured first.
Note! Beginning Mon., March 16, 2020, information related to e-Learning will be sent to students in District 203 so they can begin on March 17. On March 18, students in District 204 will begin e-Learning. E-learning will continue until Spring Break begins March 30. The tentative return date for on-campus classes is April 6.
Find Part II beginning with March 19, 2020, and going forward with a click here. Thanks for reading.
UPDATE, March 18, 2020 / Today was our first day of e-learning. Thank you to our teachers and students for your work today. As I wrote yesterday, the delivery of instruction will look different, but it is important to provide a continuity of learning for our students. It is also important for our students to continue the connection with their teachers. This is a challenging time for all of us, and some of our students may feel stressed about the departure from their routine. The National Association of School Psychologists has a parent resource you may find helpful for talking to children about COVID-19. You can read it here.
I also want to thank the community members who donated yesterday to the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation’s Kid Essentials Fund. The IPEF received approximately $6,000 yesterday. The group now has more than $8,000 to directly support our families experiencing hardship during this crisis. I can’t thank you enough for your outpouring of support. It is an example of how our community supports one another and how we will collectively get through this challenge. If you would like to donate, please make sure to include “KID ESSENTIALS FUND” in the comments box here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: We are updating our FAQ each day. You can find it on our website here.
MEAL PROGRAM: Organic Life is providing grab and go breakfast and lunch for families. They have a curbside pick-up available with a grab and go bag each morning at all elementary schools. You can pick up your meals curbside near door 1 between 11 am and 1 pm Monday through Friday. For planning purposes, please let us know how many days you will be picking up a meal by completing this form today.
Thank you for your continued support.
Karen Sullivan, Superintendent
UPDATE, March 17, 2020 / Today, Naperville 203 began implementing e-Learning for our students at all levels. I am so proud of the creativity and hard-work being exemplified by our staff and the dedication of our students who logged in and began e-Learning. This came together very quickly and as usual, our staff went above and beyond to create lessons and activities that will serve our students well in the days ahead. While e-Learning is not mandated by the state, it is my expectation that we continue to strive for the very best for our students.
Naperville 203 is a student centered organization and it is our goal to support students during this period of uncertainty. Students will need to feel connected to trusted adults. Access to learning and structure are proven to lower stress and anxiety. We hope e-Learning provides the structure that our students need.
One way we can assist our students in making social and academic connections is through Google Hangouts, an application that allows voice or video conferencing. We are opening this application for students in grades 2-12 to enhance some of the e-Learning services for students. Google Hangouts is a part of our overall Google platform.
We are setting the bar high, but fully understand that e-Learning will never replace the amazing work our teachers do face-to-face with students in classrooms. The goal of e-learning is to maintain learning for students and should align to the scope and sequence of the current curriculum.
Thank you for your support.
Dan Bridges, Superintendent
ALSO NOTE / In these unprecedented times, the Naperville Education Foundation (NEF) has created a Kid Booster Crisis Fund, an emergency fund providing immediate access to financial assistance for Naperville 203 students and families in need. Donations can be made online at www.nef203.org/donate or via checks made payable to NEF and mailed to NEF, 203 W. Hillside, Naperville, IL 60540. The Naperville Education Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 Illinois corporation, supporting Naperville 203.
UPDATE, March 17, 2020 / As you know, our schools were scheduled to be closed today for the election. Tomorrow is our planned start for e-learning. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has directed that school districts do not need to take attendance and that any work assigned to students during this period will not be graded. ISBE stressed the importance of teachers providing a continuity for learning during this time.
Our teachers have been prepared for e-learning for more than a year since we were planning on using it in place of a snow day this winter. Not all school districts have had plans in place for online classes. While the delivery of instruction will be different, our teachers are ready to engage with their students.
Here are a few additional updates for today:
WHO TO CONTACT: We have set up a central phone line to facilitate handling your calls as main office phones in schools are not currently staffed. If you have a question, please call 630-375-3890 or email questions@ipsd.org. Please be patient and know your question will be sent to the correct person who will respond to you as soon as they are able. If you or your child has a question related to technology for e-learning, please email support@ipsd.org.
DONATIONS: To support families who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation is accepting donations to its Kid Essentials Fund. All donations will provide immediate support to students and families through meal assistance, transportation, housing and essential items. To donate, go to IPEF and enter “Kid Essentials Fund” in the comments box.
MEAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: As a reminder, grab and go breakfast and lunch for families who participate in our meal assistance program will be available starting Wednesday, March 18. Families that require a meal can pick up a grab and go bag each morning at the elementary school in their neighborhood. We are using First Student buses to assist with delivery to our elementary schools. You can pick up your meals near door 1 between 11 am and 1 pm each day. For planning purposes, please let us know how many days you will be picking up a meal this week by completing this form today.
As our teachers and students begin a new adventure tomorrow, know that we are trying to do the very best to continue engaging our students. The days ahead will certainly not replace seeing everyone in our classrooms, but our teachers are excited to connect with their students.
Thank you for your continued support.
Karen Sullivan, Superintendent
UPDATE, March 16, 2020 / First, let me thank you for your support following Friday’s announcement to move to e-learning. As we have seen, this is a rapidly evolving situation with new information and guidelines being released, sometimes multiple times a day. Please expect to be receiving a lot of digital communication in the coming days. Please take time to read each of the messages that comes your way. We are also posting all of our updates on our website.
Here are today’s updates:
MEAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: We will still be providing breakfast and lunch for families who participate in our meal assistance program. Families that require a meal can pick up a grab and go bag with breakfast and lunch each morning at the elementary school in their neighborhood starting Wednesday, March 18. We are using First Student buses to assist with delivery to our elementary schools. You can pick up your meals near door 1 between 11 am and 1 pm each day. For planning purposes, please let us know how many days you will be picking up a meal by completing this form.
E-LEARNING: Our teachers used Monday’s scheduled School Improvement Day to work remotely in planning for Wednesday’s start of e-learning for our students. The state is no longer requiring schools to take attendance from now until March 30, so student daily attendance will not be taken at this time.
INTERNET ACCESS FOR E-LEARNING: Many companies have provided information about free or greatly reduced internet connectivity resources for families. You can find information here.
SOCIAL DISTANCING: We are seeing new directives from state leadership and the CDC regarding social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. We ask that you partner with us in “flattening the curve” and helping to stop the outbreak.
For it to be effective, we ask that you follow the recent CDC recommendations:
- Avoid gathering in public places, especially in close proximity to others.
- Avoid close contact with those that are sick.
- Try to keep 6-10 feet between yourself and others, give yourself space.
- Be at home as much as possible.
- Try to limit who you and your children interact with to the same people you typically are around.
Kids and families should not:
- Be gathering in large groups. This is a time to be close with those that are closest to you.
- Be visiting each other’s homes or having sleepovers.
- Sharing food or drink.
- Competing in team sporting activities. Use this time to train individually or with someone in the home.
Kids and families should:
- Avoid excessive media coverage of COVID-19
- Take care of their body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.
- Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try to do some other activities you enjoy to return to your normal life.
- Spend time outside. Fresh air and exercise is one of the best things you can do over the next few weeks.
- Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with friends or family members. Maintain healthy relationships.
- Use your technology and social media for good purposes. Support one another and show that you care for one another.
- Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking.
- Keep following the practice of washing your hands regularly and covering your cough or sneeze.
Lastly, please know we are confident we will get through this challenging time, and we will do it by supporting our students and our community. I will update you again tomorrow. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Karen Sullivan, Superintendent
UPDATE, March 15, 2020 / Over the past week, we have shared updates with you almost daily as the situation in our community evolved. We know that there are a lot of questions about what comes next and we appreciate your patience. Please expect to receive additional digital communication in the coming days as we prepare to commence e-Learning for our students. This is uncharted territory, but my staff is working hard to provide a smooth transition for our students. Please take the time to thoroughly read each of the messages that comes your way over the next few weeks.
Friday’s decision to cancel school for the next several weeks came together very quickly. We have been operating with guidance from the DuPage County Regional Office of Education and the experts at the DuPage County Health Department (their information related to COVID-19 can be found here). They have been explaining to us the CDC guidelines for COVID-19, and how they work to keep us safe. As you know, the strategy across our community and the state began to change towards an approach of social distancing. As a result, we are responding to this crisis as if our community already has a substantial outbreak. As a result we have put into place personal protective measures to close down our schools.
This is a very drastic measure, and for it to be effective and not anxiety producing for our students, we ask that you take the following actions with your students and families based on recommendations by the CDC:
- Avoid gathering in public places – especially in close proximity to others.
- Avoid close contact with those that are sick.
- Try to keep 6-10 feet between yourself and others – give yourself space.
- Be at home as much as possible.
- Try to limit who you and your children interact with to the same people you typically are around.
- Kids and families should not:
- Be gathering in large groups – this is a time to be close with those that are closest to you.
- Be visiting each other’s homes or having sleepovers.
- Sharing food or drink.
- Competing in team sporting activities – use this time to train individually or with someone in the home.
- Kids and families should:
- Avoid excessive media coverage of COVID-19
- Take care of their body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep.
- Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Try to do some other activities you enjoy to return to your normal life.
- Spend time outside – fresh air and exercise is one of the best things you can do over the next few weeks.
- Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with friends or family members. Maintain healthy relationships.
- Use your technology and social media for good purposes – support one another and show that you care for one another.
- Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking.
- Keep following the practice of washing your hands regularly and covering your cough or sneeze.
We ask that you partner with us in “flattening the curve”, and helping to stop the outbreak even before it gets into our school community.
We will be following up on Monday, March 16, 2020 with more information related to e-Learning which will begin for our students on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. We are focused on demonstrating to our students that we care about them and want to help keep their learning moving forward during these unprecedented times.
Sincerely,
Dan Bridges, Superintendent
UPDATED POST, March 13, 2020 / Indian Prairie School District 204 is closing schools and implementing e-learning across all schools starting Wednesday, March 18. All activities are canceled, including athletics. The YMCA Safe n’ Sound program will not be available for childcare services. While we do not have any confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our district, this decision was made in an abundance of caution to limit the spread of the COVID-19 illness in our community.
At this time, we will use e-learning days March 18 through March 27. Spring Break will still be observed March 30 through April 3. The tentative return date for on-campus classes is April 6. As a reminder, we already do not have school next week on Monday, March 16 or Tuesday, March 17.
Starting March 18, students in grades 2 through 12 should look for communication from their teacher(s) with assignment information. Assignments will be posted by the start time of each regular school day. Kindergarten, first grade and STEPS teachers will communicate directly with parents regarding e-learning materials. Teachers will be available during the school day online to answer questions for students and assist as needed. Preschool students will not participate in e-learning. For more information about how our e-learning days will operate, please visit our FAQ online.
This decision is not one we are making lightly. We are aware of the complications that this will cause for our families. However, we believe that we have a shared responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our community.
We will continue to update you with information as it becomes available. We also are frequently updating our COVID-19 page on our website at www.ipsd.org/covid19.
Originally Posted, March 12, 2020 / Currently, there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in District 204.
Even so, with the number of cases across the state and region increasing and as a result of our communications and coordination with the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD), District 204 is taking proactive measures to help to reduce the spread of illness throughout our community.
Although we are not closing school at this time (March 12, 2020), under the guidance of the DCHD, District 204 is implementing the following measures until further notice:
- Large gatherings that include visitors from outside the school who are not our students are canceled.
- All domestic and international trips are canceled.
- All school trips are canceled.
- All field trips are canceled, including community-based instruction.
- All outside speakers are canceled.
- STEPS program job sites are canceled.
- All staff travel for work-related conferences is canceled.
- Grades 9 through 12 athletic practices or competitions without spectators may continue as planned.
- Grades 6 through 8 athletic competitions without spectators may continue as planned.
- All building rentals, with the exception of the YMCA’s Safe n’ Sound program, are canceled effective Friday.
Your school will communicate with you directly a list of events that are canceled so there is no misinformation. We will evaluate whether or not events can be rescheduled at a later time.
As you know, we don’t have school on Tuesday, March 17, and we have 20 schools that serve as polling places on that day. The polling places are located in 19 gyms and one multi-purpose room. By law, we do not have the option to cancel this activity. We are taking the following steps to ensure the buildings will be ready for use on Wednesday:
- Limited entry through one door with no access to classrooms.
- Custodial staff will disinfect the polling areas once the building is empty Tuesday evening. Additional custodial staff will be on-site to assist.
If we do have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in District 204, we will close school for 24 hours. At that point, the DCHD would help us assess the situation, evaluate our cleaning and disinfection practices, and reduce the risk and vulnerability to students. We would then work on a plan to move forward. Until then, school will remain open and we will continue our cleaning and disinfection practices as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are revisiting these protocols frequently.
We are asking that your family have conversations about contingency plans should it be necessary to temporarily close our schools or implement e-learning. If we close schools or implement e-learning, we will immediately notify you the same way we alert you to a snow day (Twitter, phone call, email and posted on As we receive new information, we will send it to you as soon as we can. Check our website www.ipsd.org/covid19, where you can find the measures the district has implemented to ensure the wellbeing of our students and staff. We also have information from the CDC and other trusted health agencies.
Lastly, we realize this is a stressful time for families. If you are looking for resources for talking with your children, the National Association of School Psychologists has parent resources online. I want to assure you that our emergency operations team is meeting frequently to monitor this evolving situation and update procedures as needed. We will keep you updated as health officials issue new guidance that impacts our schools.
These are unprecedented times. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation together.
Sincerely,
Karen Sullivan, Superintendent
UPDATE, March 13, 2020 / In response to the rapidly evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, Naperville 203 will be closing schools and canceling all sports/activities for students beginning tomorrow, March 14, 2020, through spring break with a tentative plan of returning on April, 6, 2020. While there are no-known cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community, we hope this preventative measure helps slow the spread of the virus.
Today, Friday (March 13, 2020) school will continue as planned until the end of the day. This includes sports/activities, as well as Champions and YMCA “Safe ‘n Sound” after school program. Moving forward all activities, sports and after school programming will be canceled until school resumes. If your child has medication or medical equipment stored at school, please contact the health office today or Monday (March 16, 2020) to schedule a pick-up.
Naperville 203 plans to implement e-Learning for students beginning on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Families will be alerted once Naperville 203’s e-Learning procedures are in place through the website and Talk 203 messages.
Thank you for your patience while we work to meet the needs of our students. As you have seen already, this is a rapidly developing situation. As new information becomes available, we will continue to communicate and adjust our plans as necessary. Please check the District website frequently for updates and review Talk 203 messages sent from the District and schools. Be sure to continue to wash your hands and practice social distancing. We want you back healthy!
Originally Posted, March 12, 2020 / I know you have many questions and concerns about COVID-19 and our plans to address those concerns. My staff and I are in frequent, daily contact with the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD). The following information is being shared with you following our most recent conversation with DCHD and the DuPage Regional Office of Education.
Currently, there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Naperville Community Unit School District 203. At this time, there have been no confirmed COVID-19 cases in DuPage County.
Even so, with the number of cases across the state and region increasing and as a result of our communications and coordination with the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD), Naperville 203 is taking proactive measures to help to reduce the spread of illness throughout our community.
Although we are not closing school at this time (March 12, 2020), Naperville 203 is implementing the following measures until further notice:
- Large gatherings that include visitors, from outside the school who are not our students, are cancelled. For a full list of cancelled events, please click here (a list will be available shortly).
- Athletic practices or competitions without spectators may continue as planned.
- All domestic trips are cancelled.
- All school trips are cancelled.
- All field trips are cancelled.
- All outside speakers/volunteers/visitors in our schools are cancelled.
We will evaluate whether or not these performances and events can be rescheduled at a later time.
If we do have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Naperville 203, we will begin with closing school for 24 hours at a minimum and working with the DCHD to evaluate our situation and make a plan to move forward. This would include cleaning and disinfection practices to reduce the risk and vulnerability to students and staff. Until then, schools will remain open and we will continue our cleaning and disinfection practices as directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We will revisit these protocols as necessary.
As we receive new information, we will send it to you as soon as we can. Check our website here, where we will post all messages that we issue and other resources.
These are unprecedented times. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation together.
Thank you,
Dan Bridges, Superintendent
