Dear D124 Parents/Guardians,

These last few weeks have been difficult for our administrators, teachers and staff. Our community, like many, has been anxious, worried, and divided. Yet, as educators and the Board of Education, we have one common goal: to serve our community and educate our children. This week at our emergency board meeting our parents and community shared their fears and concerns which were very difficult to hear, and also extremely difficult to read.

Stakeholders also have had a strong presence on social media platforms not only sharing their concerns and frustrations, but also some have communicated incorrect information. The Board of Education values each person who works in District 124 and we do not condone the dissemination of gossip or the implication that the teachers or staff are unmotivated to provide the best possible education for our children.

We recognize the high caliber of teachers and quality of instruction, which is part of the fabric of our community. We deliberated long and hard about the reopening of our schools and realize the majority of our parents want our schools to reopen. We also want to open our schools for all children, remote and in-person learners, in the best possible way to meet the needs of all children. We believe we have the best qualified staff to fulfill these responsibilities. There will be bumps along the way, but as a Board, we have full confidence in our administrators, teachers and staff members and believe in their abilities and commitment to our children.

Since the emergency meeting, the District 124 administrative team has followed the Board’s directive and re-imagined the way remote learning will take place. Many of the previously mentioned concerns related to a staff shortage have been eliminated in our new model, which will deliver synchronous learning in classrooms across the district. The administration will be releasing an in-depth video presentation on the evening of Monday, Aug. 31, that will outline the new remote learning model.

The common thread within our beliefs is the importance of educating each and every child. We know people buy homes in Evergreen Park because of our schools and we believe our principals, teachers and staff are the heart of schools. We look forward to the school year and will be taking it one day at a time. We ask the community to understand opening schools is a difficult challenge but with your support, we believe we will succeed.

We look forward to working with our families to ensure they receive a quality education benefiting our children and their families. We support our administrators, teachers and staff!

Sincerely,

Kim Leonard

Board President

Colleen Klimczak

Board Vice President

Gina Canon

Board Secretary

Kathryn Fontaine

Board Member

Claudia Parker

Board Member

Daniel Malloy

Board Member

Kevin O’Connor

Board Member