News

Dear Trinity Staff and Families,

I hope you are coping well and keeping safe during these times.

On May 5, 2020, Gov. JB Pritzker announced the Restore Illinois plan detailing the public health approach to safely reopen our state. Below is a visual of what the plan looks like and how it will affect the school reopening process. The plan puts the return to physical school setting in Phase 4 of the 5 phases of recovery.

Phase 1: Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Child care in groups of 10 or fewer for essential workers.

Phase 2: Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Child care in groups of 10 or fewer for essential workers. Face coverings and social distancing is practiced. 

Phase 3: Education and child care: Remote learning in P-12 schools and higher education; Limited child care and summer programs open with IDPH approved safety guidance. Face coverings and social distancing is practiced.

Phase 4: Education and child care: P-12 schools, higher education, all summer programs, and child care open with IDPH approved safety guidance. Face coverings and social distancing is practiced.

Phase 5: All sectors of the economy reopen with businesses, schools, and recreation resuming normal operations with new safety guidance and procedures.

Please visit this link for more information regarding restoring Illinois.

The state is on track to enter Phase 3 by the end of the month. This means that the Extended School Year will still continue to be provided via remote learning.

I know that many of you are eager to know more about the plan for the next school year and when the students will return to the classroom. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is working closely with public health experts in coming up with recommendations and will provide the information soon. ISBE would also like to make it clear what while Phase 4 allows for the resumption of face-to-face instruction; this is not the same as a return to pre-pandemic operations. This means that social distancing, enhanced sanitation measures and other accommodations such as wearing masks will be necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

The school setting will look different and we would like your help in making sure that it will be a smooth transition for your children. We are providing a packet for you that include the Trinity School’s plan for Extended School Year instruction, social stories and visuals for wearing masks, some useful tips and a game to help the students get used to seeing their teachers wear masks. We will also start visiting the students once a week to do a wellness check and help teach the students protocol for person-to-person instruction. Please coordinate with your child’s teacher regarding scheduling the visits. School materials will continue to be delivered as scheduled and the teachers, OT, SLP and BCBA are available during the day for consultation.

We continue to remain dedicated in providing supports to our students during remote learning and as we transition back to the school setting. I have appreciated all the feedback that we have received. We miss all our students and it’s always a pleasure seeing them enjoying the online classes. It is because of the dedication and resilience of the Trinity School community that we have shown that we are definitely in this together.

Sincerely,

Joy Vrlec
School Director