We, the undersigned members of the District 97 community, strongly support a return to in person learning this fall with the goal of returning students to full day learning Monday through Friday.  We also support an opt-out option for families who prefer to continue remote learning to meet their children's needs.

District 97 schools perform many essential functions for the children in our community.  In addition to education, schools are vital for normal social emotional development.  They provide a safe place for the children of working and single parents to be during the work day as well as being a source of two meals a day for many kids.  The district cannot carry out any of these roles optimally when operating remotely.  In addition, lower income students are more likely to be adversely impacted in this setting, further widening the achievement gap.

Illinois's COVID plan allows schools to reopen in phase 4.  There is considerable and growing evidence that young children are less likely to spread COVID than adults and that with appropriate safety measures in place, schools can reopen safely for both students and staff.

There is no guarantee of a vaccine, and the virus may circulate in the community for years or even indefinitely.  Waiting for "post-pandemic" phase 5 to return to full time in person school is not acceptable.

We fully support our teachers and will work with them to be sure they have any and all necessary measures in place to perform their jobs safely and effectively.

For these reasons, we believe it is essential for the board to plan for maximum in person learning when schools open in the fall with a goal of full day, Monday through Friday attendance.