As Orland Park schools decide fall plans, mixed feelings remain because of coronavirus
No matter which path administrators and schools take, 2020-21 “will once again be a very different year”
With Orland Park’s main school districts — District 135 and Consolidated High School District 230 — likely to release their fall instructional plans by the end of this week, questions remain and stakeholders have a dizzying amount of factors to consider.
District 135’s Board of Education is hosting a special meeting Thursday, July 23, at 6 pm to vote on the reopening plans for the district’s 10 schools. As reported last week, the board tabled the July 13 vote to gather additional feedback through a second survey. The initial survey found that 33% of families were “not comfortable with my child returning to school” in the fall.
District 230, which oversees Sandburg, Andrew and Stagg high schools, told the Blueprint last Friday that the district would likely reach out to families late this week with details, “if all goes as anticipated in our final planning meetings,” District Communications Director Carla Erdey said.

The administration building of Orland School District 135 and Consolidated High School District 230 | Photo by Orland Blueprint
As the two districts firm up and finalize their plans, schools across the country are choosing to start the fall semester remotely, including nearby Summit Hill School District 161 in Frankfort. On Monday, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, a union representing teachers throughout the state, called for remote learning statewide.
“We know that our members want to be back with their students, but the stakes are too high to return to in-person instruction right now,” the group said in a statement.
The Illinois State Board of Education has posted its official guidance, including an FAQ page on “Starting the 2020-21 School Year.” The document, updated July 9, can be found here.
Dave Drzonek, a history teacher at Sandburg, wrote to the Blueprint that he would go back to in-person learning, if that is what the district chooses.
“District 230 has my trust and if they believe that they can ensure a safe environment and one that is conducive to learning, I would trust the decision,” Drzonek said. “However, I completely understand teachers that have certain situations with either their health or the health of loved ones that make the decision to come back in person an impossible one. This absolutely must be taken into account.”
Drzonek said that schools are “a reflection of their community” and must provide what the community needs and wants.
“If the community feels safe and comfortable in sending their children back to school then it is the job of the school to be able to make that happen,” Drzonek said.
It is unclear how the overall community feels about sending their children back to school, other than the data point that 33% of families said they would be uncomfortable, according to the District 135 survey.
District 230 also sent surveys to families, students and staff about the fall semester and asked for responses by July 8. The district has yet to release the results and has not yet provided an update to families. The Blueprint submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the survey results on July 19.
For the broader community of Orland Park, the village is moving forward with reopening. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted 4-3 on July 20, to move into Phase 3 of the Village’s “Back to Normal” plan, according to the Richard Free Press. That is essentially Phase 5 of the governor’s “Restore Illinois” plan, Jon DePaolis reports.
Eileen Dixon, the mother of incoming Jerling Junior High twins, said she hopes the district will provide optionality.
“I do hope teachers are given choices just as I hope families are,” Dixon wrote to the Blueprint. “I also recognize there is a lot of passion on both sides from them as well and different risks to consider.” She said she hopes District 135 will implement all three options — 100% in-person, hybrid/blended learning and 100% remote.
Drzonek agreed that Sandburg should provide options for families.
“If parents do not feel safe sending their child to school, then the school should be able to develop the flexibility to provide an alternative and make sure that remote learning can provide a curriculum that is challenging and flexible, while still providing the valuable feedback that is so essential to student growth,” Drzonek said. “It can be done.”
Dixon said she prefers 100% in-person as her children “learn best in the classroom and through teacher led instruction.” She said that she appreciated the district sent out another survey following last week’s Board of Education meeting. Public comments for tomorrow’s 6 pm special board meeting should be submitted via email to jbryk@orland135.org by 4 pm tomorrow, said Jill Olson, recording secretary for the district.
“My kids just turned 11 and aren’t quite responsible enough to independently learn 50% of the time,” Dixon said. “If it weren’t for all the independent learning days, I would feel much better about the blended model though my first choice is still 100% in person.”
Dixon’s twins said they want to go back to school. “We’re starting junior high! Elearning was so hard — we want to meet our new teachers and make new friends. We just want school to be normal,” the twins wrote. They’re excited to get lockers and don masks with light blue stars and possibly a Star Wars-themed one, as well.
Another parent wrote to the Blueprint that “every family is different” as far as where they stand on return-to-school plans and that they should be given options. The parent said they “feel confident to send my girls back,” noting their four kids — 10th, 7th, 5th and 4th graders — need to have a routine.
Mollie McCormick, an incoming senior at Sandburg, said she would also like to return to in-person classes, only if CDC guidelines are enforced, she wrote to the Blueprint.
“If there aren’t punishments for people who don’t take masks and other guidelines seriously, then I can’t imagine I’d feel safe enough to return in the fall,” she continued.
McCormick said Sandburg staff have helped her “through some of my most difficult times,” but she felt “not all of my teachers put in effort to provide emotional support” when the school transitioned to remote learning in the spring.
“I think it’s important for people my age to have that emotional support, but I think it can be hard to find that over Zoom calls,” she said.
McCormick said the culture at Sandburg is unique and motivates her to be a better student, and she believes many of her classmates, especially those about to revel in their senior year, want to return, as well.
“I don’t think many of us has realized how important school is to our health and comfort,” she said. “It’s something we took for granted.”
In the end, if done right, teachers will still be able to “challenge students (using compassion and flexibility as a guide) and make sure that they are still meeting the essential standards of the curriculum,” Drzonek said.
Whichever routes Districts 135 and 230 choose later this week or next, “it will once again be a very different year,” the Sandburg teacher said. “One that we never thought of. However, it doesn't mean that students should fall behind.”