Gower 62 (Practice) eLearning Day

November 21, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 21st, our students are not in session, but our teachers will be busy making sure that learning continues by posting eLearning Modules for students to complete as part of our practice eLearning Day schedule. Knowing how tough midwest winters can be, it is important for students, parents, and staff to be familiar with the process and plan ahead for when an Emergency eLearning Day is actually called (see our eLearning webpage for more details).

Students will have access to the eLearning assignments no later than 8:30 am tomorrow morning and they should follow the procedures as shared by their classroom teacher(s) for completion. Remember, we are making sure that we are ready for a real eLearning Day, so our teachers will be "e"-vailable to help answer questions and guide students through the activities from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. Please do not hesitate to reach out to them via email, or other methods as discussed in class. We encourage all of our students to participate in our practice eLearning Day.

This link can be used to view our Frequently Asked Questions document, an excellent source of information about eLearning. We also encourage parents to email your child's teacher(s) for a more direct route to ensure that your questions are answered.

At 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, a robo-call will be sent to all families and staff as an additional reminder about the Practice eLearning Day. We are taking this opportunity to test the District's new mass communication system in preparation for an actual eLearning Day or any other need. If you do not receive a call from Gower tomorrow morning, please contact the Main Office of Gower West or Gower Middle to ensure we have the correct contact information on file.

In the event of an actual eLearning Day (Emergency School "Closure"), a robo-call will accompany a district-wide email blast. If the conditions allow for a determination to be made the day before, the preference is to provide notification as early as possible; generally before student dismissal, but no later than 8:00 p.m. Last year, we did not have any actual eLearning Days. However, in the 2021-2022 school year, we held eLearning Days on February 2nd and again on February 17th and were able to make the call at 2:00 pm to provide plenty of notice to our families and staff.

We understand how difficult it can be to make child care arrangements, etc. and want to provide as much time as possible, given the information available to us in weather forecasts. If we are not comfortable "calling it early" (2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.), the conditions will be monitored throughout the night and into the early morning, with a final determination to call an eLearning Day (Emergency School "Closure") made no later than 6:00 a.m. the morning of. Again, we know how tricky weather in the Chicagoland area can be:)

Our preference to make the decision ahead of time, and before dismissal when possible, has been an effective and well-received approach in our school community. This Open Letter to the Community is posted on our District website and provides some additional information related to making the decision to close school and "call an eLearning/Emergency Day."

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Break! We look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday!

Dr. Simon, Superintendent of Schools