Freeburg High School joins feeder districts by sticking with some in-person classes

Freeburg Community High School District 77 will stick with its hybrid learning plan, after the St. Clair County Health Department encouraged all districts to consider moving to remote learning to begin the year.

The St. Clair County Health Department announced its new recommendation Friday, citing a spike in COVID-19 cases in the county. Nearly all of the 27 districts have announced plans to start the year with remote learning.

Freeburg 77 and two of its feeder districts — Freeburg 70 and St. Libory 30 — are the only districts to announce learning plans that include some in-person instruction.

The only district in the county yet to make a decision is Dupo District 196. Its school board meets Wednesday night to discuss a plan.

Freeburg High School Superintendent Greg Frerking recommended his board heed the health department’s recommendation during a special meeting Tuesday night, but a split board voted in favor of the hybrid learning plan.

Students will be split into two groups and go to school in-person two days a week, while learning remotely the other three.

Frerking said the district likely won’t update its current plan, other than to extend the deadline for students may opt into a fully remote schedule.

“We had a very good plan that met the guidelines,” he said. “We feel like it still meets the guidelines.”

Previously, Frerking said around 30 students had requested fully remote learning, and fewer than five more had reached out after the board meeting. He anticipates the number will go up, but not significantly.

While two of Freeburg 77’s feeder districts also are on a hybrid schedule, another one is not. Smithton 130’s school board elected to go fully remote.

Approximately one-third of Freeburg 77’s families will be split between having older students on a hybrid schedule and younger students on a remote plan.

“This is always tough when dual districts have to make decisions like this,” Frerking said. “First and foremost, they’re making the decision for their district. We’re always thinking about the other district in the back of your mind.”

The community’s strong desire for kids to go back to school was “a big driving factor.” In a survey from July, half of the families surveyed wanted full in-person learning five days a week.

This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 4:00 PM.