The South Pekin Grade School District 137 school board and administration is dedicated to providing a pre pandemic educational experience for the students at SPGS. With this being said, it is the intent of the board and administration to continue providing full in person learning from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 5 days a week for all SPGS students. With the exception of the following items, South Pekin Grade School will be operating as it did prior to Covid-19:

Remote Learning

At the end of the 2020-2021 school year, students who were in a “medically fragile” situation were allowed to participate in remote learning. The CDC’s most recent CDC guidance (which has been adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education) states, "Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, all schools must resume fully in-person learning for all student attendance days, provided that, pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/10-30 and 105 ILCS 5/34-18.66, remote instruction be made available for students who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine or who are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, only while they are under quarantine consistent with guidance or requirements from a local public health department or the Illinois Department of Public Health."

South Pekin Grade School will offer remote instruction to students who meet this criterion. Remote instruction materials will be sent home and/or pushed out through Google Classroom.

Safety Precautions and Enhanced Cleaning

South Pekin Grade School will continue to have enhanced cleaning throughout the school day. This will include cleaning high touch areas, wiping down desks, and ensuring that high traffic areas are routinely cleaned.

South Pekin Grade School will ensure that hand sanitizer stations are placed in each classroom, and students will be encouraged to frequently use them. In addition, extra time will be allowed for students to wash their hands.

Social Distancing

Students will be encouraged to practice appropriate social distancing.

Vaccination

The district views the vaccination status of students as private information, and it will not pressure parents to have their children vaccinated. Parents who are interested in having their child vaccinated can visit vaccines.gov to find out where vaccines are offered in our community.

Health Screenings (Office)

Students who report not feeling well during the school day will be screened for Covid-19 symptoms in the office.

Face Coverings

The use of face coverings while at South Pekin Grade School is optional, and each individual student, staff member, and visitor is able to choose whether or not they want to wear one.

Positive Covid-19 Test Isolation Period

Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 will be required to isolate for 5 days from their 1st symptom or the date of their positive test (if asymptomatic). Individuals must be symptom free or have consistently improving symptoms in order to return to school. To the greatest extent possible, social distancing will be monitored for the following five days.

Continued Evaluation of Plan

The administration and board of education have the right to alter or adjust this program if the data or guidance changes, and they will evaluate it regularly (no less than every six months). The plan’s evaluation will be done at an open Board meeting, and public input will be welcomed. Again, it is in the best interest of our students, staff, and community to keep our students in our school buildings provided we can offer all concerned a safe and healthy learning environment.

Per the Illinois State Board of Education, each school district that receives ARP ESSER funds must develop a plan for its use of the funds and it submit the plan to ISBE within 90 days of the funds being received. School districts must also provide the public opportunity to provide input on the plan and post the plan on the district’s website.

The South Pekin Grade School District 137 School Board sought out public discussion on the use of the district’s ARP ESSER grant at an open meeting on Monday, September 25th at 5:00 p.m. The ARP ESSER III grant was listed as a discussion item on the Board’s agenda, and the Board and administration publicly discussed the district’s intended uses of the funds. The Board will continue to publicly evaluate and discuss ARP ESSER funds every six months until the end of the grant period.

ESSER III Projected Allocation (unspent funds from ARP ESSER III) = $19,949

ESSER III Projected Expenditures: 

• Costs associated with tutoring sessions during the 2023-2024 school year ($6,000) LL

• Tutoring supplies ($382)

• Supplies for summer enrichment activities ($602)

• Software licenses for student continued diagnosis, intervention, instruction, and assessment ($3,291) LL

• Labor, materials, and installation of classroom doors ($5,100)

• Curricular materials designed to enhance student learning. ($4,574)

* At least 20% of ARP ESSER III funds must be used to address learning loss. Any item with LL after it is part of the district’s learning loss plan.