More suburban schools close as COVID-19 surge hits teachers. At one district, more than 500 employees are out sick.

At Laurel Hill Elementary School in Hanover Park, music teacher Lynne Schefke,who normally works at Huff Elementary School in Elgin, high-fives student Angel Herrera in a dual language kindergarten classroom while working as a substitute on Jan. 4, 2022. A surge of COVID-19 cases forced Elgin-based Unit School District 46 to close five of its 57 schools because of staffing shortages, including Huff Elementary. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)