Return to School Resource
Educational Program
Classroom Spaces/In-person Learning
With an abundance of caution, and in excess of the safety guidelines established by ISBE and CDC, class spaces in the school use six feet as a minimum. We have more than six feet, sometimes significantly more, in many spaces that students will be learning in.
Using every inch of space in the school to ensure at least six feet of physical distancing at all times
Dividing grades into established, consistent cohorts for contact tracing and mitigating spread of infection
Click on a button below to see where that division will attend classes on campus and learn more about student cohorting in those grades.
Remote Learning
For students learning remotely and/or if the entire school must return to remote learning, a number of improvements will be implemented:
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The faculty has spent the summer preparing for the likelihood of remote learning, and further details about how remote learning will take place, including sending classroom materials home, will be provided by each Divisions in the near future. More here.
- Robust professional development taking place all summer long.
- iPad devices for all students in JK–8th grade (addition of JK/SK to program).
- Introduction of a Learning Management System designed for youngest (JK/SK) students.
- Improvements to the school’s wireless network infrastructures to increase stability in school and remote.
- Acquisition of standard in-class audio/visual tools: webcams, microphones and document cameras.
- Educations Tech Framework to establish best practices for integrating technology into both school and remote classrooms.
Student Cohorts
Student cohorts will stay in one primary location.
Teacher Rotation
Teachers, including specials teachers, will come to students.
Remotely Connected
All learning spaces are equipped with cameras and microphones to faciliate thoughtful synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences, plus one-on-one faculty check-ins will accommodate students who are learning remotely.
Returning from Recess Weeks
Plans for a Safe Return to On-Campus Learning following April Recess
- We will engage in a week of school-wide remote learning to quarantine when classes resume on Tuesday, April 13 through Friday, April 16.
- Families who plan to return to on-campus learning on Monday, April 19, are expected to be in town for this remote learning week to quarantine.
- All employees and on-campus learners in JK–9th and 12th grades must participate in a saliva screening test on Saturday, April 17, before returning to campus.
Professional Development
Faculty have been offered more than 60 courses (ranging from 1/2 day to three day durations) focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, remote instruction and subject matter coursework. To date, an overwhelming majority of faculty have participated. More detail here.
Learning Resources and Counseling
Learning Resources and Counseling support will still be a part of the program. Click here for some additional resources.
Physical Education and Recess
Recess and physical education will take place outside, when possible, and students will be required to wear masks at all times.
Fall Retreats
All retreats (like Lorado Taft) have been postponed to spring. The Washington DC trip is still planned for 8th grade in the spring.
Music
Music class will take place but no singing or wind or brass instruments allowed.
Field Trips
There will be no field trips, but there may be curricular-driven trips to outdoor spaces like parks.
Morning Ex
Morning Ex will still take place but may be viewed from iPads in learning spaces instead of as a large gathering.
Athletics
Middle School fall athletics is canceled. We will re-evaluate the situation for winter and spring athletics at a later date. We do not want to mix middle schoolers across existing section groupings and grade-level cohorts and expand their pods, which could result in larger-scale exposure, quarantining and testing.
The current IHSA guidelines allow for the Upper School to field Girls’ Field Hockey, Boys’ Soccer, Girls’ Volleyball, Boys’ Baseball, Boys’ Tennis, Girls’ Softball, Girls’ Soccer and Co-ed Track and Field teams in the Spring and Summer seasons.
Parker PM and Parker P.L.U.S.
The Extended Day Staff have been busy exploring how best to provide an after-school program with new protocols that provide safe and fun after school care. As families navigate this fall, we want to let you know the options that we are planning for our dual JK through 5th grade Extended Day Programs, Parker PM after school care and Parker P.L.U.S. enrichment classes.
To learn more about the details and registration procedures, please click here.
To learn more about the details and registration procedures, please click here.
Parent Meetings
Parent Information Nights, Conferences, Curriculum Nights, Program Nights and Teacher Conferences will take place remotely.
Other Programming
We are currently assessing how performances, public events, curricular and non-curricular Parker traditions will be conducted during the 2020–21 academic year.
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.