Heritage School District cancels travel, competitions and community gatherings, will remain open for school at this time

The Heritage School District will immediately cancel all travel, competitions, and large community gatherings from Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, April 5, 2020 in an effort to minimize risk and garner further understanding of appropriate actions for the remainder of the school year. 

As of this time, school will remain open, but continues to be canceled on March 13, per the usual school calendar. 

“Per a conference call with 41 area schools this morning Thursday March 12 hosted by the Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education with Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department, public health advised that K-12 schools will remain open pending direction from public health who will advise schools in the event of reported case(s) in our region and when to shut down and the duration of closing,” the letter stated.

The district canceled their to Washington D.C. and has postponed the high school’s production of “Guys and Dolls” for this weekend. 

In a letter posted on the district website, the district states that they “have been actively monitoring the suggestions, recommendations, and demands on K-12 Education.”

As of March 12, 2020 Public Health has recommended the following of all citizens and specifically K-12 Education:

• Keep Schools Open- where confirmed cases of COVID-19 are not present
• Continue to emphasis mitigating measures to minimize the spread of illness
• Discourage unnecessary travel
• Avoid congregations of more than 50 people outside the school day
• Limit visitations of non-school personnel to schools
• Encourage high risk individuals to minimize contact
• Encourage parents and instruct students on good hygiene practices including hand washing, staying home at first signs of sickness, and keeping safe distances in group settings

“This decision is being made across our region for all schools, we are not alone in the disappointment of lost opportunities, but have appreciation for the necessity of this decision,” the letter says. “At this point and time we hope that this temporary moratorium on events and activities will allow for future events, contests, and celebrations to occur.

“The school district is going to initiate contingency planning so that learning opportunities can be provided online for those with access, but we also appreciate that Internet is not equitable and Illinois State Board of Education to this point has guidance that grades should not be tied to online learning because of issues such as lack of Internet, suitable computers or devices, etc.  We will update everyone as things develop and we begin planning.”