District 742 To Push Forward With Fall Activities

While District 742 moves to distance learning for its secondary schools, Superintendent Willie Jett says that they will continue to allow fall activities to proceed.

"We have carefully analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on extracurricular activities against the potential harm caused by cancelling this important aspect of a secondary education," Jett said in a release from the district.  "While we have chosen to shift our secondary schools to distance learning, we feel we can safely continue to operate our activities programs through the fall season. We will monitor the changing status of our community's health prior to deciding about winter season activities."

Last week, the Tech football team was ordered to quarantine until October 23rd, forcing them to cancel their October 16th game against Monticello.

Jett cites the importance of activities when it comes to students' emotional health, saying activities work as a 'safety net' for anxiety and depression among the kids.

He adds that activities only account for a small percentage of hours throughout a day compared to a full slate of classes, while the number of students is also smaller than having them all in school for classes.

"While we understand the desire to limit non-essential contact, we believe that participation in activities offers a safe and well-structured opportunity for our students to maintain social and emotional connections with their peers and coaches. We take our responsibility to safely manage these programs seriously," Jett said.