With Oak Park elementary and middle school students set to return to classes next month, the village could amend its zoning code to allow organizations to provide a supervised place for children to attend daycare and remote learning, freeing up parents to go to work.
Oak Park District 97 is expected to begin with a fully remote school year on Sept. 1, and officials with Hephzibah Children’s Association are planning to offer remote learning supervision and daycare service to students at three District 97 school buildings. Hephzibah officials say 225 students have signed up for supervision services so far.
Students will be put into groups of no more than 15, will be required to wear masks unless eating and must adhere to social distancing rules. The buildings would open at about 7:30 a.m., with supervised remote learning running until 3 p.m. Students needing daycare service could remain at the building up to 6 p.m.
Should the district switch back to in-person learning or a “hybrid” model of both on-site and off-site learning, Hephzibah would not be able to use district schools for the supervision or daycare services. Should that occur, Hephzibah would have to look at off-site alternatives to continue to offer those services.
“We’ve talked to two different churches and the Mays Library branch for them to share space with us to provide for this hybrid learning,” Hephzibah daycare director Amy O’Rourke said. “That would mean we would have children in those spaces and potentially other spaces 2-3 days a week during the school year. We’re just preparing for that possibility if schools go back on a gradual basis.”
Village officials said such an operation would not be in compliance with village code, but are proposing a temporary text amendment to allow for those services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was presented to the village plan commission on Aug. 24.
“The way they were proposing, it was allowed in certain districts, but when you add the daycare to it, it does not make it a permitted use,” village planner Craig Failor said. “We’re looking at combining the two and creating an amendment in the zoning ordinance to allow that throughout the community.”
O’Rourke said the program is “tremendously expensive” to operate, but added Hephzibah is planning to use some of its PPP loan to offset costs, while District 97 plans to pay $30 for each enrolled student who normally qualifies for free or reduced lunch. Hephzibah is also hoping for private donations to help offset some expenses.
“Just running the program for a trimester is going to run a $40,000 deficit, easily,” O’Rourke said. “Our mission has always been to serve what the community’s needs are. The biggest challenge we have is finding affordable off-site properties to use. My hope is if the school district does return to a hybrid model as opposed to full-onsite, we can identify some more partners in the community to make it work.”
If approved, the amendment would allow for a temporary education day camp–remote learning facility to operate as a permitted use in multiple residential and commercial zoning districts, with some conditions.
Failor said appropriate places for the use include park district facilities, vacant business locations and office buildings.
“This will support local families attempting to manage work, school and daycare, Failor said. “Folks will be looking for locations to help provide remote on-site learning so they’re not within the homes of parents who have to work.
Following a favorable review by the plan commission, Failor said the matter is expected to appear on the Sept. 8 village board agenda for a final approval vote.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering
