ROCHELLE — Parents of students in the Rochelle Elementary District and Rochelle Township High School were notified Friday afternoon of plans for both districts to transition to fully remote learning following the Thanksgiving break.

In a letter sent out by superintendent Jason Harper, plans were outlined for students beginning Nov. 30 and continuing through Jan. 18.

On Nov. 3, the Ogle County Health Department recommended that all Ogle County schools transition to remote learning from Nov. 30 through Jan. 18 to help stop the spread of COVID19 and decrease the strain on our regional health care system. 

Since receiving the recommendation, we have been in close contact with the representatives from the OCHD, IEMA and regional hospitals to understand external community trends. We have also been in communication with the board of education, union leadership, parents and superintendents of other districts. 

Through all these conversations it is clear: the spread of COVID19, the strain on our regional healthcare system, our students and COVID19-related absences, and other valuable local and regional data points are all increasing. I feel that we have a responsibility to our students, employees, and community to ensure we are also doing our part to implement COVID19 mitigation strategies — including adhering to the OCHD’s recommendation. 

The Rochelle schools will be following the OCHD recommendation to move to all remote learning from Monday, Nov. 30 through Monday, Jan. 18. We will reopen schools on Tuesday, Jan. 19 unless we cannot do so safely or there is a directive we cannot do so.

Tuesday, Nov. 24 will be our last day of in-person instruction. We plan to return to school on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Before Nov. 24, the school district will:

Communicate a finalized remote learning plan for each grade level and building. Specific classroom schedules and Zoom/Google links will be distributed by teachers, and 

Focus on preparing your student(s) to be successful in remote learning by reviewing critical learning expectations and technology skills, as well as getting necessary learning materials home. 

Between now and Monday, Nov. 30, we are asking parents to:

Secure childcare for your student(s), 

Plan for increased meals in the household for your student(s),

Secure a consistent connection to the internet, and

Confirm your phone number(s) and email address(es) are accurate with building secretaries. 

We will communicate additional details about our transition to remote learning, including drive through meal pick up and wifi bus schedules, through text message, email, district website, and Facebook. Many important communication pieces will be coming out in the coming days. 

Parents are asked to contact building principals directly for specific information about logistics that will impact specific students.