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Yorkville School Board members met Jan. 29 to hold a public hearing and approve the district’s new e-learning plan, after a lapse in certification led to the use of three emergency days earlier this month.
In order to implement e-learning, school districts must certify their online learning plans through the Illinois State Board of Education. E-learning plans are renewed in three-year terms, and Y115′s was last approved on Dec. 12, 2020.
Three emergency days will be made up next semester, pushing back last day of school. The total number of attendance days in the school year will not change, but the final day of school will change from June 4 to June 7.
The public hearing began with Assistant Superintendent for learning and instruction Kathy Melton presenting a brief overview of the e-learning plan to the board, detailing the schedules and guidelines. She said there are no major changes to the plan since it was last implemented.
Students in Kindergarten and older will see a minimum of five hours of instruction on e-learning days and early childhood education which will require 2.5 hours of instruction. The e-learning program will work with any internet service provider.
Board secretary Shawn Schumacher said he was pleased to see multiple internet provider options for families, stressing the the accessibility and equity the plan provides for students.
One district parent was not happy with the lapse in certification and wanted culpability from board members and the interim superintendents.
Y115 parent Nick Johnson was one of two people who spoke during the public hearing. He asked the board how the lapse happened, and expressed his frustration that the students will now have a shorter summer break because of the lapse.
“How many people in this room knew about this deadline?” Johnson said. “How did this happen, to let our kids sit home for three days?”
Johnson said he had nothing negative to say about Y115 teachers and insisted that some of them have made such an impact that they will be at his kid’s weddings, but said he felt that the students and teachers were being let down by the school board.
“Our kids have an eight-week summer break now. Let the kids be kids when it’s summer, they don’t need to sit home when it’s 20 below,” Johnson said. “Our kids deserve better, that’s what this is about.”
Johnson said the great teachers in the district are what is keeping parents calm, but said he felt there was the lack of culpability from administration and board members several times during the hearing. He said at one point that it was a shame that the board members and administrators unwilling to take responsibility would be keeping their positions.
“We trust you with our kids’ growth and our kids’ learning,” Johnson said. “Your teachers are amazing. Be great for the teachers and be great for the parents please.”
Board President Darren Crawford responded to Johnson’s comments, saying the previous superintendent made the decision not to implement e-learning due to the inequities it posed to Y115 students who did not have the necessary internet bandwidth.
Johnson argued that there was an eight month period between the certification’s expiration and when the previous superintendent left.
“You’re going to sit in front of this room, with 12 people involved in this, and you’re going to tell me in eight months we couldn’t come up with a plan?” Johnson said. “That’s the worst answer I could have heard.”
Interim Superintendent Tim Kilrea said that at the start of the year, because there was an e-learning plan in place, administration thought it would be valid throughout the year. He said they did not become aware of the lapse until emergency days had already been used.
“The ball was dropped, and there was an acknowledgement that the ball was dropped,” Kilrea said. “We thought, when the school year started, it took us all the way through, and it didn’t, so we’re fixing it.”
Johnson said while he appreciated the Kilrea’s acknowledgement, he remained unsatisfied with what he called an excuse from Crawford and said he felt there was a disconnect between the what the school board and Kilrea were saying.
“I appreciate everything you’re saying, I just don’t agree with anything you’ve said,” Johnson said. “In the end, there’s no culpability here. None.”
After the public hearing, board members approved the e-learning plan in an unanimous vote.
With board approval, the district will send the plan to the Grundy-Kendall Regional Office of Education which will review the plan before sending it to ISBE for final approval.
Kilrea said they intend to deliver the plan to the ROE on Jan. 30 and expect the plan to be approved by ISBE quickly and be put in effect shortly after.