Maroa-Forsyth students will be in class four days a week and they have adjusted their calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.

Superintendent Dr. John Ahlemeyer tells Regional Radio News, his administration has worked for several weeks to come up with a plan to bring kids back under the guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois School Board Association. 

Maroa-Forsyth community members at a roughly 70-percent clip indicated they wanted their students to be back in school. Dr. Ahlemeyer says the remaining 30-percent were asking for more time on a decision.

Dr. Ahlemeyer also points out their teachers are overwhelmingly in support of returning to school. He credits his staff for their dedication to the community and its students and their ability to adapt to the always-changing environment of education.

In the event there are positive cases in the school, Dr. Ahlemeyer says they will turn to the county and state health departments for guidance. 

Once the pandemic is gone, Dr. Ahlemeyer could see the possibility of allowing students the chance to participate in school in a virtual format, something the State of Illinois currently allows.