On Friday, February 25, the Governor of the State of Illinois and the Illinois State Board of Education announced that masking and face covering are optional for all schools and school districts starting Monday, February 28, 2022. In addition, per CDC Guidance, masks are optional for those riding in school buses.
Masking is still encouraged in areas with high hospitalization rates. We will continue to update procedures as they may change leaning on guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as part of our continued mitigation efforts.
We know that COVID is still present so some procedures remain the same. When we learn of positive cases, District staff will continue to identify close contacts. If we learn of any, we will let the student and their parent or guardian know so they can make an informed decision. If the student is displaying symptoms of COVID, we will ask them to go home, just as we would in any illness situation. If they are not showing symptoms, the close contact may remain at school while they monitor their symptoms. Teachers will be informed when they have a positive case in their classroom.
If a student or any personnel reports themselves as COVID-positive, either with symptoms or without, they would be excluded from school for a minimum of five days. If they have been fever-free for 24 hours and are not showing any other symptoms, they may return to school on the sixth day after either testing or displaying symptoms as long as they properly wear a face covering on days six through ten.
To assist in preventing the spread of illness, the District will continue to offer COVID testing at school and continue heightened cleaning procedures. Parents and guardians may request a test for their student if they have a concern about their health status.
Thanks for continuing to help our students stay safe as we continue in-person learning.