It's a case of same song, new verses, new year when it comes to the 27J schools system and COVID-19 concerns.

Because of the rising number of COVID cases this winter -- largely because of the omicron variant -- and staffing shortages, 27J Schools is telling parents to be ready for a potential return to remote learning. A statement on the district's website says those factors "increase the likelihood of individual schools shifting to remote learning at the last minute this semester."

"We want you to be prepared for this possible change," the district told parents on its website. "While we will make every effort to communicate any changes with as much notice as possible, changes could be made as early as the morning of the school day that is being shifted to remote learning."

27J officials stressed the district's need to have enough teachers in the classroom and enough administrators to make in-school operations safe.

The district makes decisions about each school day based on staff and student health data, the website said.

"As a district, we’ve chosen not to issue a blanket decision to use remote learning for every school," the website said. "Rather, we’re making decisions about each individual school every day. We realize that this may cause you to make last-minute arrangements for your child’s at-home learning."

The check list for parents includes:

• Remind your child to bring home his or her Chromebook every day; 
• Make arrangements now to have a relative, friend or a neighbor who can monitor your child’s online learning if you can’t; and
  
• Try to have an agreement with your work supervisor so they know you may need an alternative work arrangement to accommodate your child’s learning from home.

"The key is to make these plans now to avoid the stress and anxiety of trying to make all these arrangements at the last minute," the district said on its website.