I-KAN Schools

Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan 

The I-KAN Regional Office of Education, including I-KAN Students All Learning Together (SALT) and Regional Alternative Attendance Center (RAAC) Schools, Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan reflects I-KAN ROE’s commitment to supporting students, educators, support staff and schools as they safely return to school while address the academic, social, emotional and mental health impacts of COVID-19.

The I-KAN Regional Office of Education has adopted the following policies and procedures based on the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control. 

• I-KAN SALT and RAAC teachers, students, staff and visitors were previously required to wear face coverings correctly over their nose and mouth at all times. Currently, I-KAN SALT and RAAC teachers, students and staff who have tested positive for Covid are required to stay at home and isolate for at least five calendar days from the onset of symptoms and can return after the five calendar days and if 24 hours fever free and have had an improvement of symptoms. Upon return, the individual is required to wear a face covering for an additional 5 days. Those without proper face coverings, are provided with one.

• Signage as I-KAN School, stressing the importance of handwashing, are strategically located throughout the school and hand sanitizer is available in each classroom and common areas. 

• Custodial staff clean, sanitize and maintain the facility daily and sanitize high-contact areas throughout the day.

• Any staff or student experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are guided to the isolation room. Trained staff administer the symptomatic individual a Binax-Now Rapid Test.

• In each situation, positive cases and their parents/guardians are walked through the process of self-isolation and return to school guidance. 

• To increase the number of people receiving vaccinations, parents are provided information on local vaccine clinic dates, times and locations. In addition, vaccine information and clinic dates are shared via I-KAN ROE’s social media platforms. 

• Accommodations for children with disabilities are met by following the Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines. 

• All of these above aforementioned policies are done in coordination with state and local health officials.  

• The I-KAN Regional Office of Education continues to meet the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of students.

• All I-KAN School students have access to academic materials and school staff send home assignments when a student is in quarantine. Additional teachers joined the staff to further help students with their academic needs.

• School social workers, counselors and interventionists are available to meet with students and address any social, emotional and mental health needs. 

• I-KAN Schools’ interventionist and attendance assistance program staff work with students and their families who may need additional support including help with school clothing, food, alarm clocks to get to school on-time and transportation.

Previous plan components included: 

• School classroom spaces were modified to ensure students maintain at least three feet of physical distance in classrooms to reduce transmission risk. 

• I-KAN Schools previously implemented layered prevention strategies to protect students, teachers and staff, including participating in Shield Illinois through the University of Illinois.

• Weekly, I-KAN SALT and RAAC students participated in the Shield IL COVID-19 saliva-based test. Shield IL results were provided within 24-hours allowing I-KAN staff to quickly identify any COVID-19 positive cases, thereby reducing the risk of transmission. When a case was identified, parents are immediately notified. The local health department was also notified by Shield IL regarding any positive results. 

ARP-ESSER III Funds Use Plan

The American Rescue Plan, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Grant (ARP ESSER III), authorized under the American Rescue Plan provided funding to support schools in the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of ESSER funds by the Iroquois-Kankakee Regional Office of Education #32 will be in accordance with allowable uses and will be in alignment with the statutory purpose of the program. Below is a consolidated list of allowable uses. These uses will also be utilized during reporting on each of the ESSER funds. Funds will be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are in line with the most recent CDC guidance in order to continuously and safely operate schools.

This is done through modifying classroom spaces and multi-purpose area space to ensure students maintain at least three feet of physical distance; signage stressing the importance of handwashing; sanitizing the facility throughout the day; utilizing Binax-Now Rapid Testing for symptomatic individuals; and requiring all teachers, students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate themselves for 5 days and then wear a face covering for an additional 5 days upon return to school. ESSER funds will be used to repair and upgrade projects to improve the air quality of the school building. 

Funds will be used to address the academic impact on lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions including summer learning and enrichment and support for educators and other school staff. This will be accomplished by offering professional development for teachers in utilizing online curricular resources to further support remote learning and providing professional development to educators on research-based strategies for meeting students’ academic, social, emotional, mental health and college, career and future readiness needs. A summer enrichment program will be implemented to address students’ academic needs. These programs will re-engage and support students most likely to have experienced the impact of lost instructional time. Specifically, a summer enrichment program will be offered to meet the needs of students to meet graduation requirements.

Remaining ESSER funds will be used on interventions and strategies, summer learning and enrichment and support for educators and other school staff.
Staff training will focus on utilizing curricular resources in Google Classroom. Funds to support educators and other school staff will allow I-KAN Regional Office of Education to offer professional development related to utilizing online curricular resources. A summer learning program addressing students’ academic needs will be coupled with a work-based program for students to apply their classroom knowledge and skills in a real-life work environment. These programs will re-engage and support students most likely to have experienced the impact of lost instructional time.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education will ensure interventions respond to the academic, social, emotional and mental-health needs of all students, particularly students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan specifically addresses students from low-income families, students of color, English learners and students experiencing homelessness.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education Students All Learning Together (SALT) and Regional Alternative Attendance Center (RAAC) Schools represent a diverse cross-section of students including students from low-income and single-parent families with 90 percent of students qualifying for the National School Lunch Program. I-KAN School’s student population is diverse, representing many racial identities and ethnicities and English learners.

This plan was developed by engaging in meaningful consultation with stakeholders including school and district administrators, teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators and school staff.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education held meetings with individual groups listed to discuss the proposed plan and garner other information and comments.
The public was and continues to be given the opportunity to provide input in the development of this plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds and input is taken into account.

The I-KAN Regional Office of Education ARP ESSER Fund Use plan is posted on the I-KAN Regional Office of Education website. A survey was disseminated to all I-KAN Schools student’s parents and is posted on the I-KAN website for the greater community at-large to comment. This allows I-KAN Schools to gain insight and input from the public.
I-KAN Regional Office of Education will use ARP ESSER III funds to identify, re-engage and support students most likely to have experienced the impact of lost instructional time on student learning.

Funds will provide the I-KAN Regional Office of Education the ability to support students who lost instructional and learning time in several ways. Funds will support a summer enrichment program.

Funds will also be used for differentiated curricular resources for students and for professional development related to online curricular resources for teachers. This will enable teachers to divide their time, resources and efforts to effectively teach students with various backgrounds, skill levels and readiness.

Funds will be allocated both to the school and for districtwide activities based on student need.
Within the school, I-KAN Regional Office of Education will use grant funding for differentiated curricular resources for students, professional development training for teachers in utilizing online curricular resources and implementing procedures for preparedness and response efforts.

District-wide initiatives include the summer enrichment program, work based program and extended day before school program in partnership with another governmental school unit.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education previously implemented an equitable and inclusive return to in-person instruction including establishing policies and practices that avoid the over use of exclusionary discipline measures and creating a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.

Overall plans and policies related to return to in-person instruction are fully defined in the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services plan.

Grant funds will provide I-KAN Regional Office of Education the ability to host professional development for all I-KAN Schools teachers in utilizing online curricular resources to further support remote learning and provide professional development to educators on research-based strategies for meeting students’ academic, social, emotional, mental health and college, career and future readiness needs.

Funds will also be used for differentiated curricular resources for students and for professional development related to online curricular resources for teachers. This will enable teachers to divide their time, resources and efforts to effectively teach students with various backgrounds, skill levels and readiness.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education will describe its overall plans and policies related to district support for return to in-person instruction and maximize in-person instruction time, including how funds will support a return to in-person instruction time and advance equity and inclusivity and participation in in-person instruction. Overall plans and policies related to return to in-person instruction are fully defined in the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services plan. Funds will support in-person learning through staff training on Google Classroom for use during direct instruction and remote learning.

Additional funding will be used to improve school facilities to reduce the risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards.

I-KAN Regional Office of Education will use ARP-ESSER III funds to meet students’ social, emotional and academic needs.

A multitude of projects, activities and professional learning opportunities will address meeting the needs of students’ social, emotional and academic needs.

All staff will attend professional development pertaining to utilizing online curricular resources in Google Classroom, which is available for direct instruction and remote learning.

Differentiated curricular resources for students will enable teachers to divide their time, resources and efforts to effectively teach students with various backgrounds, skill levels and readiness.

Budget

LEA Loss of Learning salaries: $3,060

LEA Loss of Learning benefits: $1,092

SEA Reserve Learning Loss salaries: $15,600

SEA Reserve Learning Loss supplies: $15,600 and $12,913

SEA Reserve Learning Loss salaries: $59,160

SEA Reserve Learning Loss benefits: $24,621

SEA Reserve Learning Loss purchased services: $754

SEA Reserve Learning Loss salaries: $7,540

SEA Reserve Learning Loss benefits, $2,088

SEA Reserve Learning Loss purchased services: $145

SEA Reserve Summer Enrichment salaries: $18,900

SEA Reserve Summer Enrichment benefits: $2,354

SEA Reserve Summer Enrichment purchased services, $206

SEA Reserve After School program salaries: $17,840

SEA Reserve After School programs benefits: $7,437

SEA Reserve After School program purchased services: $229

Use of Funds Database salary: $9,000

Use of Funds Database salary benefits: $1,856

Use of Funds Database salary purchased services: $300