Dear District 58 Staff and Families,
I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying the final weeks of summer. District 58 staff are busy preparing for the upcoming school year, and we are excited for the return of all of our staff and students. As I have shared many times, our goal remains to provide our students and staff with a school year that is similar to what we were all accustomed to prior to the pandemic. While guidance continues to shift, the good news is that unlike last year, we are opening school up full time/five days a week for all students. This is something that we can all be proud of and look forward to providing.
The purpose of this letter is to provide everyone with an update on the status of the District’s reopening plans. As you are aware, the situation continues to be fluid, and the District is continuing to receive guidance. The last several weeks have seen sharp increases in COVID-19 cases (DuPage County is now in the substantial transmission level) and as a result, the various governmental agencies have significantly updated their guidance for K-12 schools and the general public.
As I previously shared, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance for schools in early July. That guidance was then revised on July 27. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) have both adopted the CDC guidance for schools in Illinois. The CDC’s guidance calls for universal masking of all individuals in our schools (regardless of vaccination status). The updated guidance also puts in place additional safety measures for the general public. One example of an additional safety measure for the general public is universal masking of all individuals (regardless of vaccination status) while indoors during substantial and high transmission periods. District 58 has continued universal masking for all summer school students and staff and has also reinstituted universal mask wearing for everyone inside our facilities.
- CDC Guidance for K-12 Schools
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People
- ISBE/IDPH Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
- DCHD Key Messages for School Superintendents
Throughout the pandemic, District 58 has consistently adhered to the guidance and emphasized the following three priorities:
- The health and safety of students and staff
- Onsite/in-person instruction
- Minimizing disruptions as much as possible
In addition to our three priorities, we have consistently followed the health guidance and recommendations from ISBE/IDPH, and will continue to do so as we start the school year. Adherence to these guidelines has allowed the District to move forward during the pandemic and provided the safest environment possible for our students and staff. Additionally, the District will be able to avoid many quarantine situations and significantly reduce the chances of spreading the virus at school by adhering to the current health guidelines. While the information shared below reflects our response to current health guidance, local conditions or updated guidance could cause us to change course in the future. The information shared below is in-line with neighboring school districts including Community High School District 99.
On Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, the Board of Education will conduct a special Board meeting to review the final plan for reopening. Please note, the final plan for reopening is yet to be completed as additional clarification/guidance is expected and the situation remains very fluid. However, there is now enough guidance to provide an overview of what is likely to be in the plan (please see below).
Full Day, In-Person Instruction For All Students - Students will return for a full day of in-person learning (with preschool and kindergarten/OKEEP operating their typical pre-COVID schedules in-person). Remote learning will not be an option as it was last school year.
Mask Use - All students, staff, visitors and volunteers must wear a mask indoors and while riding a bus, regardless of vaccination status. This is in line with guidance issued by the CDC on July 27, and then adopted by the IDPH. We will quickly revisit indoor mask use requirements as soon as the health authorities make changes to their recommendations. Masks are not required to be worn outdoors unless students are in close proximity for an extended period of time, a situation the District will avoid.
Social Distancing - We will follow the public health guidance of maintaining three-foot distance between students, whenever possible. We expect that the vast majority of our instructional spaces will accomplish three-foot distancing, with very few exceptions.
Lunch and Elementary Fruit Breaks - Lunch will be eaten at school as in a typical year for students in OKEEP and grades 1-8. The specific details around how we will structure lunchtime and any snack breaks will be shared after we receive additional clarification from ISBE and/or IDPH.
Quarantine and Contact Tracing - We will continue to contact trace virus-related cases involving staff and students. As of today, quarantining is no longer required for vaccinated individuals unless they are showing symptoms. In situations where individuals are not vaccinated but all contacts involved are wearing masks, they are not required to quarantine as long as other mitigation measures are in place (i.e. social distancing, cleaning, etc.)
Cleaning Protocols- We will continue to follow the CDC’s guidance on cleaning. We will also continue to emphasize the hand hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing protocols that were in place last year.
Daily Health Self-Certification - The daily self-certification forms will not be used this year as it is no longer required. The requirement to keep your child(ren) home when exhibiting any of the symptoms remains.
COVID-19 Testing - The District is currently working with local health officials to implement a voluntary onsite testing program to assist families and staff. The testing program is free of charge for the District and the funds are provided by the State (more information will be provided once everything is finalized).
Athletics and Activities - Sports and activities will resume. Mask requirements differ by sport and age level, and will be communicated with families in advance. For the fall sports that are outdoors, athletes and spectators are not required to wear masks at this time. For the fall sports that are indoors, spectators must wear masks and practice social distancing. Further guidance on masking for athletes is expected soon. Further details on additional activities and clubs at the middle school and elementary schools will be forthcoming.
We are excited to welcome you and your child(ren) back in a few short weeks. Until then, I hope you and your family enjoy the last weeks of summer vacation. I recognize the fluid nature of the pandemic can be challenging for all of us. The District will continue to support our families and staff; please reach out to a member of our team if we can be of any assistance. Thank you in advance for your patience and support as we navigate the ever changing nature of the pandemic and accompanying guidance. If there are questions or topics you want to be sure are addressed as the plan gets finalized, we continue to invite you to submit them by filling out this form.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kevin B. Russell
Superintendent of Schools