Superintendent’s Message School Closing Update

April 17, 2020 
 
Dear Parents and Community Members: 
 
I hope this message finds you and your families safe and well. Today, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced that remote learning in Illinois will be extended through the end of the 2019-20 school year. 
 
Although in-person learning has been suspended for the remainder of the year, at District 126, I assure you our entire staff remains committed to learning and engaging with all students through remote learning, as well as continuing with our food distribution program. 
 
Like you, we are saddened by the reality that our school community will not be able to reconvene in person this school year due to this public health crisis. So many of you have worked so hard to learn and grow in both the classroom and in extracurricular activities that today’s announcement may feel like a step back. 
 
However, the final chapter of this school year hasn’t been written yet. These past few weeks have proven our school community is more resilient, more capable and more compassionate than maybe what we previously realized. I’m confident our collective strength will shine through during the remainder of the school year, and we will emerge even stronger. 
 
As this announcement about the end of the school year was just made by Governor Pritzker this afternoon, it will take us a few days to sort out the many details such as collecting student belongings, 8th grade promotion, etc.  Please be patient as we work as a district to get information to you in the next several weeks. Principals will be getting those communications out in the coming weeks.  
 
I know this is not the school year that any of us imagined, but I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we have dealt with this unprecedented situation together. This period of remote learning offers us new ways to learn and grow, and out of this Pandemic, we will emerge stronger. Plans will be underway soon for the return to in-person learning next school year. 
 
It’s important we continue to work together and support our students, families and staff. I can't thank you enough for all that you are doing as we all work together through this.  
 
Sincerely,  
 Craig Gwaltney Superintendent