In Forest Park, schools, parks and the library all closed in conjunction with one another, a move coordinated with village officials “out of an abundance of caution and in response to the social distancing guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).”
The Park District of Forest Park announced on March 16 that in addition to canceling all programs, as of 6 p.m. on March 16 and through at least March 30, all outdoor facilities will be closed. This includes the bathrooms, skate park, soccer field, tennis courts and in-line skate rink.
The Forest Park Public Library is also closed through at least Sunday, March 29. The book drops will be open for returns, but due dates are extended until May 1. Online resources are available and include downloadable and streaming options for ebooks, audiobooks, movies, magazines and music. Visit the website at fppl.org for more information.
Districts 91 and 209 canceled classes last week, just prior to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement that all Illinois public schools needed to close. But Forest Park students in both districts are expected to engage in eLearning. These days have been designated by Pritzker as “act of god” days according to state code and do not have to be made up and do not count as attendance days.
In a message from D91 to parents, Supt. Lou Cavallo said, “We are committed to keeping students engaged in their learning during this statewide school closure. Our teachers have planned for and will continue to provide meaningful learning activities for our students during this closure. While these days have been classified as “Act of God” days and do not need to be made up, our teachers are going above and beyond to ensure that our children receive continued learning opportunities.”
D91 students are using their school-provided Chrome Books to do assignments, and teachers are emailing parents with additional information and for support. D91 also provided a link to the Illinois State Board of Education (isbe.net/keeplearning) for supplemental educational activities.
PMSA and Proviso East students can go to pths209.org for more information about eLearning. According to the website, teachers are available during class times via email, chat and Microsoft Teams Meet Now to communicate with students regarding assignments or other needed supports.
Students from D91 and D209 can pick up grab and go lunches during the closure.
