Coronavirus COVID-19 Information Page

Last updated: March 27, 2020

Purpose

This page is designed to provide District 95 parents, students, and staff, the latest information regarding the Coronavirus COVID-19 in our area. Please be aware that we will update this page regularly with the most current information as we receive it from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Lake County Health Department. Some additional information has also been provided by the Cook County Health Department, and the District's contracting physician from Northwest Community Hospital.

Latest Developments

Stay-at-Home Order

The Governor has issued a Stay-at-Home order for the State of Illinois through April 7, 2020. Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 will be closed through April 7, 2020 (this includes the previously planned week-long spring break). Special education students who attend an outplaced facility will be notified separately regarding the status of those facilities. YMCA before-school and after-school care programs are also be cancelled.

The order prohibits things like visiting the homes of friends and holding gatherings of any size and closes all nonessential establishments, including most retail, recreation and entertainment businesses. It does NOT prohibit essential activities like going to the grocery store, receiving medical care, or taking your pet for a walk. For more information on what this order means for you, please visit the State of Illinois website.

Food support for those in need

MEAL ASSISTANCE FROM DISTRICT 95 - Starting Monday, March 23, 2020, as long as the State allows it, District 95 will be providing bagged grab-and-go breakfast and lunches to families in need of meal assistance during the COVID-19 related school closures.

PICK-UP LOCATION: Lake Zurich High School – Door #12, on the west side of the building. Please enter via the main high school driveway and follow the signs.

TIME: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

PICK-UP DAYS: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

ELIGIBILITY: Children age 18 and under, and Special Education students age 21 and under.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, the District will provide 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches per child. On Fridays the District will provide 1 breakfast and 1 lunch per child. Families will be met at the curb and should not exit their vehicles.

If you are unable to pick up the grab-and-go meals but would still like your child to receive meals, we are trying to offer delivery via a school bus drop off at your home. If circumstances allow for a home/neighborhood delivery, we need your information. Please provide information via clicking this link Meal Assistance. Alternatively, you may call 847-540-4943 or email BusinessOffice@lz95.org – leave a message with your contact name, number of children, address and phone number. Delivery is planned to take place from 10am to noon. If we are unable to complete home/neighborhood delivery, we will contact you.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL FOOD PANTRY - On Thursday evenings at the St. Francis Ministry Center from 6:00 – 7:15 p.m. Please note, the Harvest Room Sunday evening dinners have been suspended indefinitely at this time.
ALPINE CHAPEL - 23153 W. Miller Rd, has a food pantry available from 9am-noon every Saturday.

March 17, 2020 - Video Message to Secondary Students

eLearning is in place for all District 95 grade levels.

Visit the eLearning webpage for information.

Internet access options are available for those in need.

The District provides exterior internet access at all school buildings, look for a white sign reading "Student WiFi access" near the entrance of each building.

Comcast is offering the first 60-days of their Internet Essentials service to qualifying families https://www.internetessentials.com/. Additionally, for the next 60 days, Comcast is offering free WiFi internet access at any of the locations in their extensive network https://www.xfinity.com/mobile/network/map?zip=60047.

Communications Sent

Below are the communications that have been sent out to District 95 parents and guardians. We will continue to add any additional communications relating to the Coronavirus COVID-19.

March 27, 2020 - Parent Spring Break Update

March 22, 2020 - K-3 Technology - Parent Update

March 20, 2020 - Stay at Home Order, Presumed Positive Case, Food Support, K-3 Tech Survey, How You Can Help

March 19, 2020 - Board of Ed Meeting, Food Support

March 17, 2020 - Parent Update Regarding Communication to Students

March 17, 2020 - Video Message to Secondary Students

March 16, 2020 - eLearning Update

March 15, 2020 - District 95 eLearning Update

March 13, 2020 - eLearning and Additional Closure Information

March 13, 2020 - School Closure - Effective March 16, 2020

March 12, 2020 - Coronavirus Update - Cancellation of Activities

March 11, 2020 - Coronavirus Pandemic; Delayed Start, Travel, Spring Break

March 3, 2020 - Additional Information & D95 Coronavirus Webpage

March 2, 2020 - Verified Patient at Northwest Community Hospital

February 26, 2020 - Prevention, Symptoms, Planning & Preparation

February 11, 2020 - Information from the Illinois Department of Public Health

January 31, 2020 - Information from the Lake County Health Department

FAQs

How do I access eLearning information?

We have created an eLearning webpage that is accessible from a number of places.

On each school website there is an eLearning link on the menu bar that looks like this:

There is a link to eLearning on the district website under Students.

There is a link in the circle at the bottom of the district home page to eLearning.

My family does not have enough food. How can I get help?

MEAL ASSISTANCE FROM DISTRICT 95 - Starting Monday, March 23, 2020, as long as the State allows it, District 95 will be providing bagged grab-and-go breakfast and lunches to families in need of meal assistance during the COVID-19 related school closures.

PICK-UP LOCATION

Lake Zurich High School – Door #12, on the west side of the building. Please enter via the main high school driveway and follow the signs.

TIME

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

PICK-UP DAYS

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

ELIGIBILITY

Children age 18 and under, and Special Education students age 21 and under.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL FOOD PANTRY - On Thursday evenings at the St. Francis Ministry Center from 6:00 – 7:15 p.m. Please note, the Harvest Room Sunday evening dinners have been suspended indefinitely at this time.
ALPINE CHAPEL - 23153 W. Miller Rd, has a food pantry available from 9am-noon every Saturday.

With schools closing, what does this mean for student learning?

March 15, 2020 - Our staff has been diligently developing an eLearning plan which has been approved by the Lake County Regional Office of Education. This means we are now poised to continue learning even while students and staff are at home. There will be daily expectations of students (with parent support) and staff, however, there will also be flexibility.

We have deployed an eLearning webpage that is available on every school website and the district website. Student and staff expectations are listed there, along with learning resources (by grade level for elementary, through Canvas for secondary), as well as technical support.

How do I talk to my children about Coronavirus?

In this time of uncertainty, it is very important that parents remain calm and reassuring for their children. Please consider using the social story below (under Helpful Resources) to help you discuss the Coronavirus in an appropriate manner with your children.

Is it safe to come to school? Are family members of people who are self-quarantined being excluded from schools? What about activities?

March 23, 2020 - The Governor has issued a Stay-at-Home order for the State of Illinois through April 7, 2020. Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 will be closed through April 7, 2020 (this includes the previously planned week-long spring break). Special education students who attend an outplaced facility will be notified separately regarding the status of those facilities. YMCA before-school and after-school care programs are also be cancelled.

March 13th, 2020 - Beginning on March 16, 2020, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 will be closed through March 27, 2020 (this includes the previously planned week-long spring break). Special education students who attend an outplaced facility will be notified separately regarding the status of those facilities. YMCA before-school and after-school care programs will also be cancelled.

Although there are no confirmed case of Coronavirus COVID-19 in our district at this time, we are taking this step to help ensure the safety and welfare of our students, families, staff, and our community. This measure comes as the State continues to see an increasing number of cases of Coronavirus COVID-19. Local, regional, and national health departments continue to recommend limiting the spread of illness through social distancing, and the Governor has also requested that group gatherings be limited. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) support short-term dismissals for school for purposes of cleaning and contact tracing.

March 12th, 2020 - CDC, IDPH, and Lake County Health Department have not advised closing schools at this time. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now advising that schools should consider adjusting or postponing large gatherings/activities that mix between classes and grades. In an abundance of caution, as Coronavirus COVID-19 becomes more prevalent in our area, we have made the decision to cancel all activities except school and before-school/after-school daycare, effective immediately. This includes all field trips (including Taft for May Whitney), athletic competitions and practices, concerts, rentals, meetings, outside groups, and all other activities through March 29^th, 2020.

March 2nd, 2020 - We were informed that some Northwest Community Hospital employees were asked to self-quarantine and socially distance themselves since they were in contact with a patient who tested positive with Coronavirus COVID-19. We were also informed that two individuals in our District 95 community with ties to May Whitney Elementary School and Lake Zurich Middle School North each reside in a household with a Northwest Community Hospital employee who is self-quarantined. These members of our District 95 community have willingly joined their hospital-employed family members in a self-quarantine. Although these individuals were willing to self-quarantine, this step was not, and is not, considered necessary by the Lake County Health Department, the Cook County Health Department, and the District’s consulting physician from Northwest Community Hospital. These agencies have also reported that people should "go about their lives", including going to school. If any conditions change such that this is no longer true, we will IMMEDIATELY notify all District 95 parents and staff, along with our community partners.

Is the school district helping ensure our kids wash their hands often?

March 2, 2020 - We have delivered additional supplies of hand sanitizer to all of our schools. In addition, our schools are encouraging hand washing. Students may also ask their teacher to go to the bathroom to wash their hands.

Helpful Links and Resources

What You Can Do for Your Family Members

The Illinois Department of Public Health also recommends the following measures:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
If you have not already done so, discuss influenza vaccination with your health care provider to help protect you against seasonal influenza.

Helpful Resources

Coronavirus Social Story for Students

Helpful Links

Link to Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Link to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)

Link to Illinois Department of Public Health Coronavirus FAQs (IDPH)

Link to Lake County Health Department

Coronavirus COVID-19 Information Page

Purpose

Latest Developments

All District 95 Schools Closed through April 7th, 2020