Linda Campbell

Monroe Parents:

Reminder that with the Holiday dismissal tomorrow, Tues. 11.24.2020, there will be no Homework Help or ASC. Please plan according and make sure your child and their teacher is aware of their dismissal plans. Notice was also provided via DOJO and teacherease.

Jon Julius

This is a reminder that tomorrow (Tuesday), dismissal will be like a regular day (1:45 at Monroe). There will not be any after school care or homework help so be sure to make arrangements! We still plan to welcome back in-person learners to the 7-12 building on Monday following the break. Please have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Jon Julius

Updated numbers: Currently, there are still two positive cases that are affiliated with Monroe. About 93% of students and staff are able to attend. School staff continue to diligently monitor any adverse situations when they occur and are immediately able to mitigate risk. Pro status! According to our data and the data from other area districts, we are seeing virtually no transmission within our schools. This is great news!

Jon Julius

Junior High and high school students and parents: due to the current climate, students will attend tomorrow and prepare for full remote learning beginning Wed., Nov 18. The current return date to full in-person learning is the Monday after Thanksgiving break. Mr. Sullivan will be emailing parents and students with more details within the next day.

Jon Julius

Dear parents, staff, and students,

As you may be aware, the COVID situation has been trending in a direction that is not desirable. However, with flu season upon us, we shouldn't be too surprised. As we enter the colder months, it's more important now than ever to take precautions to stay healthy. Making sure your students are eating well, getting enough rest, and creating positivity for them at home will benefit them in their mental health, along with their physical health. Being healthy will set them up to succeed in the classroom. Be sure to continue with diligence in checking symptoms daily and if your student doesn't feel well, please keep them at home.

This week, we are experiencing our largest number of active cases (3) and quarantines (77). The board of education and I still feel that it is important to offer in-person learning and we will continue to do so as long as it is sustainable. We still have about 91% of our students and staff able to attend. Please keep in mind that online learning is immediately available at any time you feel the school buildings are not safe enough for your student to attend. Any student that is remote learning has the ability to come back to in-person at the end of each quarter and at each of the mid-term points in the quarter. Ultimately, we want to see as many students as we can everyday. However, we respect any decision made to remote learn as well.

The school staff, in coordination with the Clark County Health Department, continues to be diligent in quarantining appropriate people in our school buildings in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID to others. These efforts, while likely annoying and inconvenient to those quarantined, have effectively mitigated the spread in our schools and community, and have allowed us great success in keeping our doors open to students. This cannot be overlooked and I applaud the community for the patience and understanding they have afforded us throughout the year. Please know that our students and staff have done a tremendous job following suggested health guidelines, which has also contributed to our success thus far. I urge everyone to do their part to continue this trend. There has been little to no evidence of any spread happening in the schools. There have also been studies published showing that children are less susceptible to catching and spreading the virus. Through our experience and the research available, I am confident in saying that school is one of the safest places for our children. I hope this information eases any anxiety you may be experiencing regarding this situation.

Many of you may also be interested in the district's stance on athletics. We have seen a lot of success in following the guidelines set by the Illinois Department of Public Health thus far. There is no indication for us to assume that by not following their guideline to delay the winter sports season, we will continue with this success. Therefore, as much as I hate to share this bad news, it is highly likely that the winter seasons will be delayed at a minimum. There would be a tremendous amount of liability involved and it is probable that we would be uninsured if we were to proceed with the seasons. Obviously this is a huge disappointment and a travesty for our athletes but it is a decision that preserves the district's long term success, and ultimately, its athletic programs.

It's been our motto to take one day at a time and keep striving for excellence as much as the situation allows us to. Be patient and kind. Look for, and celebrate, positivity. This isn't easy for anyone but we are building our endurance for greater things to come. Hang in there and please know we are doing our very best to provide a quality education for our students, despite these troubling times.

Jon Julius, PhD
Superintendent of Schools
Casey-Westfield CUSD #4