Remember that starting this Friday all schools in Herrin CUSD #4 will be remote only on Fridays. Herrin CUSD #4 is providing breakfast and lunch free to all students in the community. You can pick up both meals, regardless of your lunch status, at any one of the four schools between 10:00 and 11:00 as follows:
Herrin High School: curbside on Polk Street in front of main entrance
Junior High School: curbside on 14th Street in front of the gym
Herrin Elementary School: curbside at the main entrance
Northside Primary: curbside on 17th street in front of main entrance
In addition to the school sites, buses will be delivering meals to the following locations at the times listed.
Hurst Municipal Building: 10:00-10:30
Bush Park Pavilion: 10:45-11:15
Colp on Andrew Spring Road: 10:00-10:30
Blue Blaze Estates: 10:45-11:15
Freeman Spur City Hall: 10:00-10:30
Christian Life Center: 10:45-11:15
Attention Parents/Guardians of Herrin CUSD #4
The Herrin CUSD 4 Board of Education is conducting a search for a new superintendent. The selection of a new superintendent is probably the most important decision a board of education has to make; therefore, the Board has hired the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) to assist in this process.
The Board of Education is seeking everyone’s input in the search process. The Board requests that all board members, all staff, all parents and community members complete an online survey provided by the IASB. The results will be tallied and used by the Board and Screening Team to develop a brochure to advertise the position.
Parent Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BVVRKBF
Parent Password: 4herrinparent
Herrin #4 has been in school for five weeks. Close to 70% of our students are being educated by the hybrid model of in-person and remote learning and a little over 30% have selected the remote only model. In the five weeks of school, we have had 18 hybrid model students test positive for COVID 19. Eleven of the students are from the high school, five are at the elementary school and three are at Northside Primary. No hybrid student from the junior high has tested positive. For students selecting remote only learning, at least five students have tested positive for COVID 19. When looking at overall percentages, 1.1% of hybrid students have tested positive and .7% of remote only students have tested positive. Of the positive cases of hybrid students, most if not all of the students, were exposed to the virus outside of the school.
An employee of Durham Bus Services tested positive for COVID 19 yesterday. All close contacts have been identified and notified.
Three Herrin High School students tested positive for COVID 19 today. One of the students is a remote only student and the other two students are siblings that have been on quarantine due to a family member testing positive earlier.
The notice that went out today about COVID 19 cases in the Herrin School District inadvertently stated that there was a case at NSPC. it should have been reported as a student at HES.
Three high school students and one student at NSPC tested positive today for COVID 19. All students most likely contacted he virus from family members. All close contacts have been identified and notified.
An adult staff member at NSPC has tested positive for COVID 19 this weekend. All close contacts have been identified and contacted.
Dear Herrin Unit #4 Parent/Guardian:
As you know, Herrin CUSD #4 started the school year with the option for hybrid in-person learning Monday through Friday for all elementary school children. We also provided a remote option to all parents. As four weeks have progressed, we have had an increasing number of parents select the remote only option. Teachers are now planning for their in-person lessons coupled with those students’ afternoon lessons while providing lessons and support for remote only students. The changing dynamics of more parents selecting remote learning has crunched the learning day and not enabled the teachers to have the chance to reach all the remote students that need support.
In order to provide the support needed for remote learners, while providing the time to prepare lessons for in-person learners, we are going to move to remote only on Fridays. Monday through Thursday will remain the same, but Fridays starting on September 18, 2020 will be a remote only day for all students. This change will allow our faculty and staff to communicate with all their students, plan for remote and in-person learning for the following week and provide additional services for remote only students.
This is not a change that we had wanted, but we feel that it is necessary in order to provide the best possible education for all our students. Herrin CUSD #4 is committed toward educating your child and we long to provide in-person instruction for all our students for a full day. Hopefully that day will arrive this year. In the meantime, we will continue to provide the best educational opportunities we can for all our students.
As always, we appreciate your patience and support. If you have any questions, or concerns, please feel free to let us know.
Sincerely,
Terry Ryker
Superintendent
Herrin CUSD #4
Herrin CUSD #4 is trying to be as transparent as possible in our updates on all positive COVID 19 cases. We want all parents to be able to make educated decisions on what mode of education is best for their child and family. Whether you select the in-person hybrid model, or the complete remote learning model for your child, it is what you thought was best. Please do not use these postings to insult one another over family decisions. Times are tough enough without being ridiculed for doing what you believe is best for your family. A crisis can either tear apart a community or cause the people to come together. We need to encourage one another, not tear one another apart. We must all do our part to come out of these tough times together, being stronger, and more caring than we entered them.
A HHS student tested positive for COVID 19 today. All close contacts have been identified and notified.
A student at NSPC tested positive for COVID 19 today. All close contacts have been identified and notified.
A student at HES tested positive today for COVID 19. All close contacts have been identified and contacted. The child most likely came in contact with the virus from a parent.
A faculty member at NSPC tested positive today for COVID 19. This individual also works in the STARS program at NSPC. All close contacts have been identified and notified.
A student at NSPC has tested positive for COVID 19. The student has not been in class this week. All close contacts have been identified and notified. The student does not ride a bus and is not enrolled in the STARS after school program.
Two siblings that attend HHS, tested positive for COVID 19 over the weekend. The students were most likely exposed to the virus at a funeral. Close contacts of the students have already been identified and contacted.
An employee of the after school Stars program at Herrin Elementary School has tested positive for COVID 19. All close contacts have already been identified and contacted.
The number of COVID 19 cases in Williamson County continue to tick upwards. We want to keep all of our schools open to in-person learning, however we need everyone's help. Most of the new cases in Williamson County have been traced back to social gatherings in which social distancing was not observed, and face masks were not worn. We are asking everyone to limit his/her child's outside social activities and to encourage social distancing, the wearing of face masks when in public and the frequent washing of hands. We have had several cases of COVID 19 in our schools. Most if not all have been traced to origins outside of the school. If we are able to contain COVID 19 cases in our schools, we will remain open. If, however, the schools are shown to be causing the virus to spread among the students and staff, we will be forced to pivot quickly to remote only learning for the safety of everyone involved.
Two HHS students tested positive today for COVID 19. The students have not been in school this week. At least one of the students, came in contact with the virus from an adult in the home. One student was quarantined because of close contact. His/her family has already been contacted by school officials.
Herrin Elementary School was notified today that two siblings tested positive for COVID 19. These students have not been in school this week. The source of virus was from an adult family member. All families of students in close contact with the positive cases have been contacted.