Niles West and Niles North will begin their second semesters of the 2021-22 school year online. In an email sent out to students and families Saturday night by Superintendent Dr. Steven Isoye, Remote Learning—or Adaptive Pause—will be implemented for the first two weeks of the semester. The weeks Jan. 3-7 and Jan. 10-14 will be spent online.

Per the email, staffing shortages were one of the greatest factors in making the decision to defer to remote learning, along with guidance from the Skokie Health Department. Recently the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its quarantine guidelines for those who test positive for COVID-19.

“People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter,” the CDC’s website reads.

Despite the CDC’s recommendations, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) “has directed schools to NOT follow the most recent CDC update,” Isoye’s email said. The email also states that “school staff, faculty and students will continue to follow the 10-day isolation period for confirmed COVID-19 cases.”

Further details regarding the district’s plans will be released in an email sent by Sunday, Jan. 2.