The following message is from the Duneland School Corporation Superintend of Schools, Dr. Chip Pettit.
Duneland School Corporation (DSC) students and staff have done a superb job following protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, sanitizing) and teachers have done an outstanding job meeting the many challenges associated with maintaining instruction and providing co/extra-curricular opportunities for students during the pandemic. Due to increasing COVID-19 cases in Duneland school townships and the increasing number of teachers, custodians, bus drivers, food service and/or child care staff in quarantine or isolation, it has become very difficult to effectively staff schools for in-person instruction.
As a result, DSC schools will be transitioning to remote learning over the next two weeks. All students at Chesterton High School will move to remote learning on Thursday, November 19th. Students in all other DSC schools will move to remote learning on Monday, November 30th with the last day of in-person attendance on Tuesday, November 24th. With assistance from the Porter County Health Department, DSC administration will continue to monitor the situation and hope to return to in-person learning on Monday, January 4th. Thank you for continuing to report positive cases to respective schools each day.
In-person supports for specific programs, including applied skills and/or self-contained special education classrooms, alternative school, Porter County Career Center, tutoring, counseling and extra-curricular activities may continue in self-contained cohorts during this time. School specific information will be shared by each school principal in a separate communication.
Daily meal pick-up will continue at Yost, LIS and WIS from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. through Tuesday, December 1st (excluding November 25th, 26th and 27th due to Thanksgiving Break). Beginning Wednesday December 2nd, meal distribution will move to once per week and will consist of 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches. Distribution will take place from 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday at Yost, LIS and CHS.
Please continue following mitigation strategies recommended by our medical experts. Curbing the spread of the virus will be critical for students to return to in-person instruction in January. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to meet the challenges of the pandemic.