Our Back 2 School Fest is coming up on Saturday, August 15, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. At this drive-thru event we will be giving away free book bags, school supplies, masks and food.

This event will also be at my district office located at 8233 S. Princeton Ave in Chicago. Enter using Princeton Ave next to West Chatham Park.

RSVP by calling my office at 773-933-7715. I look forward to seeing you there.

Join us for our FREE Shred Day on Thursday, August 13, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at my district office 8233 S. Princeton Ave. here in Chicago. This is a great way to properly dispose of those sensitive documents that you have laying around at home.

Enter the lot using Princeton Ave next West Chatham Park. We hope to see you there! If you have any questions, call our office at 773-933-7715.

Working families rely on licensed child care, so it’s vital to support their economic health as our economy reopens in the coming months. Licensed providers can apply for Child Care Restoration Grants now through Aug. 14. See if your business qualifies: https://www.inccrra.org/.

The Illinois Department of Public Health partnered with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and other education officials across the state to formulate practical and effective guidance to help schools and colleges resume instruction in the coming months.

Here are a few changes you may see at your child’s school this fall:

• Face masks will be required.
• Assemblies and other gatherings of more than 50 individuals will be prohibited.
• Social distancing will be practiced whenever possible.
• People entering school buildings may be subject to symptom screenings and temperature checks.
• Schools will ramp up cleaning and disinfection procedures to ensure all areas are safe for students and staff.

Each school district will determine how to implement these rules based on their individual needs and available resources. The complete guidance for K-12 schools can be found here.

Colleges and universities have also been provided specific recommendations, including mask requirements, the installation of hand sanitizing stations and regular symptom monitoring. Even with these changes, colleges expect dormitories, cafeterias, libraries, bookstores and other amenities of college life to remain available to students. The Illinois Community College Board has developed a separate plan for community colleges to facilitate a return to campus.

For students preparing to pursue higher education this fall, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is offering free one-on-one assistance and other online resources to help navigate financial aid programs. Families can also sign up for a free text messaging service to get reminders for important deadlines and answers to college planning questions.

To make sure all schools can meet these guidelines and prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency will provide public K-12 districts with 2.5 million cloth face masks for all students and staff.