Butler SD 53 News
November 6, 2020 The below notification represents an individual who was NOT i...
November 4, 2020 Dear Butler D53 Parents and Staff, The purpose of this let...
November 4, 2020 Dear Butler D53 Parents and Staff, The purpose of this let...
Butler School District 53 announced the formation of a Superintendent advisory group na...
October 26, 2020 Dear Butler D53 Families and Staff, As we look forward to the st...
October 23, 2020 Dear Butler D53 Parents and Staff, The purpose of this letter is...
Butler School District 53 educators Nina Angelillo and Adam Nicholson will be presentin...
October 9, 2020 Dear Butler D53 Parents and Staff, The purpose of this lett...
Butler School District 53 has formed a Pandemic Awareness Committee (PAC) in response to Policy 4:180 Pandemic Preparedness; Management; and Recovery. Membership applications are available through Friday, Oct. 2nd.
We are in the process of forming a superintendent advisory committee for the district. Please be on the lookout for further information on the Pandemic Awareness Committee (PAC). This will be formed with staff and community members to ensure representation from all stakeholders. Additional information on the application process to participate will follow after the next Community Outreach Committee meeting. The purpose of the committee is to provide guidance during the ongoing threat from COVID-19 through a collaborative approach.
We hope that you and your children have transitioned to full-day, in-person instruction for those of you attending school with us in the buildings. With any transition, there are always kinks to be worked out and as partners we work through them together. We loved seeing our students eating their lunch, engaging with each other, and remaining physically distanced from each other.
I'm humbled and grateful for the way the District 53 family has risen to the occasion, started the school year, and encouraged and supported each other throughout the first two weeks of school. I love walking the halls and seeing our students interacting with their teachers and classmates - in-person and parallel remote, hearing the buzz of an exciting new school year, and witnessing firsthand the quality of academic excellence for which our district is known.
It’s Friday. This was a first week of school for the record books. Were there bumps in the process? Yes. Did we learn from them, correct them, and continue to move forward? YES! Were there triumphs and vibes of excitement to return to school from both staff and students? YES! Whether your student is in-person, a parallel remote learner, or you are a staff member - feel accomplished. This way of schooling is uncharted territory for all stakeholders involved. But again, we continue to move forward in educating our students in the most efficient, effective and safe way possible; beyond all limits.
As I reflect on this past week and Teacher Institute Days, I am inspired to say once again, how appreciative the district is of our staff and our community. It was refreshing to see our teachers in the buildings after such a long period of time. I could feel the synergy among all. The comradery of staff between grades, subjects, administrators, and schools is a key component to our success as a district. Our expectations for this year are high and we plan to exceed them.
At last evening's Special Board of Education Meeting, the Butler D53 Board approved a modification to the reopening of schools that was previously approved at the July 30, 2020 Special Board of Education meeting. The Modified Option 4 provides 1/2 day in-person instruction during the morning, and 1/2 day remote instruction during the afternoon for the first two weeks of school.
We are incredibly excited about the beginning of the next school year that is quickly approaching. We look forward to welcoming our students back into our school buildings and embarking on a safe and successful school year. I'd like to thank all of our teachers and staff who continue to go above and beyond in preparation of the new year as well as our families for their continued support and partnership. As a district, we are prepared for the start of school and opening our doors.
We continue to appreciate your commitment, partnership, and cooperation with us as we prepare for the safe and successful start of the new school year in these most difficult times. Thank you to all of you who participated in our Q&A sessions with our building principals last week. We found these sessions to be avenues for very important dialogue. Further, thank you to all of the families that inquired about more details with respect to the in-person and remote learning opportunities to begin the new school year. Our district is poised to provide a robust in-person and remote or parallel learning environment through the Flip the Classroom (FTC) model program. We look forward to welcoming more than half of our families back into the physical classrooms and engaging with others through FTC in their homes.
The 2020-2021 school year will be one that has never been experienced before. Last evening, the Board of Education held a Special Meeting to further review and discuss the instructional pathways for reopening our schools, along with sample schedules. The Board of Education read over 70 emails received, and listened to comments from various stakeholders; parents, Oak Brook Education Association representatives, staff, and community members - at the previously held Education and Community Outreach committee meetings as well as at this Special Meeting.
This morning, the Education Committee met, reviewed, and discussed four different options that were presented for reopening schools, along with survey results from staff and families. The Committee heard from administration, the Oak Brook Education Association, staff, parents, and community members who shared their perspectives and concerns, as did the chair and co-chair of the Committee.
When I considered the position of Superintendent of Schools at Butler D53, I reflected on the comments about parental involvement, support of the community, and dedication and compassion of our staff. As I look back on the past year, all of these wonderful attributes of a successful school district community rang true. I am proud of the way our district responded to this public health crisis, transition to remote learning, and the hours and days being spent this summer to prepare for the fall.
The District has adopted a weekly cadence of messages to communicate with parents and staff as it relates to updates, information, and particularly the start of the new school year. The safety of our students, families, and staff is the utmost priority. We recently received additional guidance from the DuPage County Department of Public Health, which is being reviewed and assessed. Our administration/transition team continues to meet and compile different avenues so that continuity of learning will take place within the parameters of agency guidance.
Earlier this week, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), issued their "Transition Guidance" for Starting the 2020-21 School Year. This guidance comes as part of our state's movement into Phase 4: Revitalization, which began today, and will answer many lingering questions shaping the beginning of our next school year.
The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) specifies that special services be provided by the Local Education Agency (LEA) in which the parochial school resides. District 53 is therefore responsible for the provision of child find and proportionate share services to students attending Bright Horizons. Due to school closures, the District 53 Timely and Meaningful Consultation will take place through a virtual meeting on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 10:00 AM. If you plan on attending this meeting, please contact Andrea Prola at aprola@butler53.com or (630) 280-8224.
Read up on the latest happenings in the community newsletter Newsline, which has been mailed to all homes in District 53. See pictures of graduates, virtual celebrations and learn about the highlights of the year, including remote learning.
As you are traveling through our school community today, you may notice that our flags are flying at half-staff. Per a notification from the State of Illinois, we have lowered flags on our campus in recognition of Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a national celebration of freedom and the end of enslavement in the United States in 1865 with origination in Texas.