IL COVID: Some Elgin schools closed, other suburban schools go remote due to staffing shortages

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) -- School districts in the suburbs have been forced to close or return to remote learning thanks to COVID-induced staffing shortages.

School district U-46 in Elgin announced that five of its schools will be closed on Tuesday due to staffing shortages, while the rest of the district's students return to in-person learning. The five affected schools are:

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U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders said in a letter home to parents the district will continue to review staffing levels on a day-by-day basis to determine when these schools can reopen and whether other schools may need to close in the coming days and weeks.

Lincoln-Way District 210 announced Monday that all of its schools will return to remote learning through the end of the week due to staffing shortages.

The district said it will implement its emergency e-learning plan outlined on its website, including live instruction delivered through the district's web portal. Students who cannot participate in remote learning will need their parents to call the attendance hotline to report an absence.

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School buildings were open Monday to let students in to get any supplies they need from their lockers.

Lincoln-Way said they would continue to monitor the need for remote learning and inform parents of any changes as soon as possible.

West Chicago District 33 also announced its students would go to remote learning until Friday thanks to staffing shortages due to COVID cases. Parents were notified last week when it became clear that at least 75 of the district's 750 workers, which includes teachers and support staff, would be absent this week from the virus or for other reasons.

The district said it cannot manage in-person learning with more than 45 people absent by using substitute teachers, and that custodial staff was particularly hard hit.

Niles School District 219 has moved to remote learning for the next two weeks through Friday, Jan. 14. Tuesday will be an independent remote learning day to give students, staff and teachers flexibility to get tested. Instructions for the remote learning plan were emailed to students Monday.

All district buildings were open to students and staff to retrieve belongings on Monday.