Dear Palos 118 Families,

Next week, Palos 118 is celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week! Without question, our school community has always appreciated our talented, compassionate, and dedicated Palos 118 teachers and staff members. This year, I am asking all of our parents and community members to please take a moment to reach out to a teacher or staff member and really let them know how much you appreciate them for going above and beyond to support students throughout the pandemic. Palos 118 is a leader in providing educational services during this public health crisis because every member of the Palos 118 team embraced early on the commitment to providing both in-person and remote instructional models. Our entire team knew we could open schools safely, and we did. They were confident we could provide quality remote learning, and we have. My appreciation for each and every one of our staff members is immeasurable. Let's take next week to show them our appreciation and gratitude for their heroic efforts.

This week's metrics:

A return to Phase 3 of the Governor's Restore Illinois Plan
Suburban Cook County remains in Phase 4, which allows schools to conduct in-person instruction. Source: Governor's Office
Outbreaks of confirmed COVID-19 cases in schools
We are unaware of any reported outbreaks in area schools. An increase in outbreaks is being reported in Michigan schools and some high school districts in Illinois. Source: ISC-4 and media reports.
Confirmed Community Spread
Test Positivity is "moderate." New Cases per 100,000 is "substantial." New Cases are "minimal." Youth Case Increase is "substantial." The 7-day rolling positivity rate is <=8%. The 14-day rolling positivity rate is <=8%. Source: IDPH and Northwestern University
Directive from IDPH, CCDPH, ISBE, or the Governor's Office
No additional directives were issued this week.
District 118 Staffing
If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher, visit the employment page of our website to see if you qualify and to fill out an online application.
COVID Dashboard Statistics
You can view our updated COVID Dashboard by visiting w ww.palos118.org.

I have one safety update this week. After reviewing our metrics over the last several weeks, starting Monday the school district will be removing its plastic desk barrier mandate in our three schools. Plastic barriers will continue to be utilized during small group instruction and other instances where appropriate social distancing cannot be maintained.

Sincerely,

Dr. Anthony M. Scarsella

Superintendent of Schools