Please view these helpful COVID-19 resources
The number one priority for District 58 is to keep our students and staff safe. This is why our District has taken COVID-19 safety protocols and mitigation measures so seriously. We will continue to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD).
Since the week of Nov. 15, 2021, District 58 has experienced a sharp increase in students reporting positive COVID-19 cases (click here for a link to our dashboard). It is important to note that cases this year are now far exceeding what the District experienced at the same time last year (click here for a link to last year’s dashboard). When the District/school is notified of a positive case, we immediately report it to the DCHD (per IDPH guidelines). The DCHD has shared that the District continues to implement the mitigation measures called for in the guidance properly. The DCHD has also complimented the District for offering onsite symptomatic and screening testing (if you are interested in testing, please contact your school nurse). While the District will continue to do everything possible to slow the spread of COVID-19, we need your help. Please continue to be diligent and adhere to all safety measures outside of school that slow the spread.
The District along with the Illinois State Board of Education will continue to emphasize in-person instruction for our students. The District will also continue to work closely with the DCHD to monitor cases and mitigation measures so we can continue to keep our students and staff safe and in-person.
Below are the universal measures that are in place at all elementary schools in District 58. These measures are in alignment with school guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD).
- Universal masking is required at all times inside (except for eating and drinking) and on the bus.
- Elementary students must sit no closer than 6 feet while eating lunch.
- Students must sit no closer than 3 feet in the classroom and/or other indoor settings (except lunch where students are required to remain at 6 feet).
- Students are encouraged to frequently wash and/or sanitize their hands.
- All inside spaces are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- All positive cases and close contacts must be isolated or quarantined in accordance with the IDPH regulations.
- All positive cases are promptly reported to all staff, families and the DCHD.
Close contacts are defined by the CDC and IDPH as follows:
Definition of a Close Contact
For all individuals where exposure occurred outside of the classroom setting and for adults in the indoor P-12 classroom setting, CDC defines a close contact as an individual not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A student who was within 3-6 feet of a confirmed or probable case in a classroom setting is not considered a close contact if both confirmed case or probable case and close contact were consistently masked for the entire exposure period. Individuals who are fully vaccinated or who tested positive for COVID-19 within the prior 90 days and are currently asymptomatic are not considered close contacts.
In general, individuals who are solely exposed to a confirmed case while outdoors should not be considered close contacts. Schools may coordinate with their local health department to determine the necessity of exclusion for higher-risk outdoor exposures.
The longer a person is exposed to an infected person, the higher the risk of exposure or transmission. The infectious period of close contact begins two calendar days before the onset of symptoms (for a symptomatic person) or two calendar days before the positive sample was obtained (for an asymptomatic person). If the case was symptomatic (e.g., coughing, sneezing), persons with briefer periods of exposure may also be considered contacts. Persons who have had lab-confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days who are asymptomatic or those fully vaccinated, according to CDC guidelines, are not required to be excluded if identified as a close contact to a confirmed case.
At the elementary level, District 58 has set up each classroom and lunch area to avoid close contacts. No student desks in instructional spaces are seated less than three feet apart, and all lunch spaces have students sitting six feet apart. To accomplish this, the District has removed furniture from schools (this is why there are large storage containers outside each school), and students do not sit at lunch tables with bench seating. By doing this, the District greatly reduces the chance of creating close contacts at school.
A COVID-19 outbreak is defined as three or more cases in an individual class with no known epidemiological link. The DCHD determines when a class is considered an outbreak. In the event a class is determined to be an outbreak by the DCHD, the District will follow any and all recommendations from the health agency as to how to proceed. Please note, this does not necessarily mean that the class or school has to close or go remote. Instead, the DCHD may encourage other measures like universal testing of a class. If the DCHD informs District 58 that a school has an outbreak, District 58 will promptly communicate this information and DCHD-recommended next steps with the school.
Please continue to encourage your child(ren) to take all necessary precautions regarding COVID-19. As a reminder, optional weekly screening testing is available at all District 58 schools and our team is available to answer any questions. We have been very successful in keeping our schools open and safe during the pandemic. We are a team and we need your help to continue moving forward this school year.