Kicking off an academic year unlike any other, Naperville-area school leaders reported a successful launch of their remote learning plans amid the coronavirus crisis.
Administrators at both Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204 are now turning their focus toward what they say has been their goal since the pandemic hit: getting students and educators back in the classroom safely.
“Our work only gets harder now that we’ve started,” District 204 Superintendent Adrian Talley told school board members Tuesday. “All of us understand the importance of having students in school face to face for learning.”
A majority of District 203 students began e-learning Sept. 1, with Indian Prairie schools following suit Sept. 3.
Technology issues, Zoom meeting disconnections and scheduling challenges were among the hiccups experienced by teachers and families in the new learning environment, officials said. But every new academic year comes with a few bumps in the road, they said, and given the unique circumstances, most educators found reason to celebrate after the first few days of the fall semester.
“It’s not the ideal situation or where any of us hoped to be at the beginning of a new school year, and our priority remains getting to in-person learning when we can safely do so,” District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges said during a meeting Tuesday.
“Overall, I feel the first week of e-learning has gone very well,” he continued. “I’m proud of the work that’s been put in by our administrators, by our educators, by our families at home who have been supporting the kids, and most importantly our students for their perseverance and resilience to stick with it.”
Picture Source: Daily Herald file photo
