For those who work with or rely on schools for business, how have reopening decisions affected you?

Country Meadows Montessori School has been open since June when Governor Pritzker went to Phase IV. Our nine weeks of summer program were successful with no health incidents and we learned quite a bit about safety protocols, specifically from Lake Co. Public Health and DCFS. We are open in person and at the end of our second week of school now. We take one day at a time and feel blessed each day to have children back in school. Face masks are worn by staff and children 3 years through 8th grade. Social distancing has been arranged in classrooms and in the gym for P.E. and our music classes. We have staggered playground times and we disinfect and take temperatures throughout the day. We take nothing for granted and teachers face challenges everyday. Our school community is very supportive. We can go back to remote if we go backwards, but we are hopeful that everyone will act responsibly and keep our children in school in person.

Foundation Montessori has never closed.  We have been blessed that no one has had or come down with the COVID-19.  Our school follows the CDC guidelines and the Sunrise ordinance.  Our students wear their shields, wash their hands at least 3 times with in the day, keep minimum 6 feet from each other and our school is disinfected 3 times within the day and a deep cleaning at the end of the school day (when all students are gone).  Our utmost concern as always been the child and we will continue serving them physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually,mentally and educationally- "One student at a time."

We’re busier than when we temporarily close down the center and offer only online classes. We’re lucky to be able to switch to online classes almost immediately. Most of our students choose to come in for in person classes. We do have to limit the number of students and teachers in the center at all time. We now offer both online and in person options. To support parents with their kids online schooling, we have our new School Support Plus (SSP) program which are pods of no more than six students. Parents can choose morning, afternoon or full day classes. The SSP program combined assisting students with their school online assignments and filling in any academic gaps with GradePower programs.  GradePower’s cognitive based programs work on filling any existing skill gaps as well as enrichment. We teach students how to learn and build their confidence in a fun, positive and safe environment. 

As a private tutor and test prep teacher, I continue to work with my current students and new families that need extra academic support. As a former high school teacher, I understand how difficult it can be on both the students and the teachers when schools have to change the plan. I'm glad I can be here for my students, help them with their studies, and teach them resilience! 

We have limited in-person services and a lot of zoom/remote services for kids that are falling behind in their reading/writing and math during their remote sessions. We have been able to support parents that are stuck doing home-schooling or have conflict with their own working from home... we are able to help ACCELERATE their learning these basic skills and catch up with their basic reading/writing and math skills by using the underlying skills vs. "tutoring" at the general level.

We have never closed.  We've adapted to each and every guideline that has rolled our way and gone above and beyond in implementation.  We are proudly serving families in our area for infants through Private Kindergarten and have added Virtual Learning facilitation for children in 1st through 5th grades.  

ActivityHero works with a lot of businesses that typically have after-school programs on-site at school. Most have not been able to have fall classes at the school -- so they have moved online or to a local park. 

We have lots of parents looking for in-person and online classes -- help them find you with a free listing on ActivityHero.

We are blessed to have been able to open our school doors on August 19th. So far everyone is healthy. Because of the provisions and plans we have made, we believe that if a student gets sick, we will be able to change his/her one classroom to online learning for 2 weeks to allow the rest of the students to remain safe and healthy as they continue to attend school on site. 

Our students and teachers are so happy to be reunited! This "kind of normal" is so good for our students' learning and their entire beings! 

I have been working from home since the pandemic started back in March and I have been tutoring French and Spanish online.  My students love learning through the ZOOM app.  They find learning online one-on-one, they can better focus and they enjoy the comfort of being at home. Weather schools reopen or not, does not affect my business too much since I can either teach students face to face or online learning...My hope if schools decide to open and remain open throughout the semester, that students will feel safe and at ease being around their classmates and teachers so they can enjoy their experience of being at school. “One day at a time.” 

Since we work with the homeschool community and so many families have moved to homeschooling this school year, we're seeing an increase in business. Our plan for the fall semester is to be readily available to assist homeschoolers with curriculum and instruction as they forge their own educational path and to work with those families who find they need assistance with remote learning on the days that their students are not in school.

Additionally, since high schoolers may find it difficult to meet with their guidance counselors as needed, we're anticipating a surge in helping this year's seniors prepare their college applications, essays, and resumes. It is sure to be a busy Sept. and Oct. We're looking forward to being busy after a very slow spring and summer.