Parent Update
Oswego Community Unit School District 308
January 14, 2022
What's Happening in JANUARY...
Happy New Year!
Friday, January 14: Kendall County Community Food Pantry/Oswego Satellite (6-7:30pm)
Monday, January 17: Martin Luther King Day- District Closed
Human Library 12-2pm- Virtual
- Tuesday, January 18: REVISED COVID Isolation/Quarantine Guidance becomes effective for students at SD 308 (detailed information below)
Monday, January 24: BOE Meeting (7:15-9:15pm / OE)
Chromebook Device Restrictions
During the school day, our district-provided student chromebooks have restrictions on some of the sites they can access. As of today (Friiday, Jan. 14 at 4pm), these same restrictions will be in place on student devices after school hours. SD 308 devices will no longer support social media sites, live-streaming, and gaming sites. The devices are meant to be used for educational purposes and these increased restrictions will not hamper the use of the devices for educational purposes.
Kendall County Community Food Pantry/Oswego Satellite
Mental Health Absences
The change to the Illinois School Code that directly impacts schools, students, and staff is: Absences for cause by illness being required to include the mental or behavioral health of the child for up to five days for which the child need not provide a medical note, in which case the child shall be given the opportunity to make up any school work missed during the mental or behavioral health absence and, after the second mental health day used, may be referred to the appropriate school support personnel.
Families will need to indicate the absence is due to mental health when the absence is reported. These absences will count as an excused absence, and students will be able to make up all of the work that they miss during these days. After the second absence due to mental health, parents/guardians will be contacted via email and provided information related to additional supports available for our students. After the fifth absence due to mental health, students or parents/guardians will be contacted by a school staff member to determine if additional support is needed for the student.
COVID-19 Testing
The district continues to offer free COVID-19 testing at the Old Traughber location (AHM), the schedule can be found here. Testing is open to all staff and students and their families. District testing is a laboratory test, results are typically available in 2-3 days, depending on volume. Testing is encouraged after traveling, gathering in crowded areas, or after a potential exposure to COVID-19.
REVISED COVID Isolation/Quarantine Guidance
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) provided revised guidance to all schools that aligns with the CDC’s recommendations for potentially shorter isolation/quarantine procedures for staff and students. We received the updated guidance late Wednesday and have been planning and implementing the necessary changes.
Beginning on Tuesday, January 18, students may return after a five day isolation or quarantine period following a COVID-19 infection or exposure, if certain conditions are met. Upon return, there are several restrictions schools must put in place until the tenth day has passed, those are outlined in the summary of changes below. Parents retain the option to continue the isolation/quarantine until day 10 if they do not wish to have their student return with the necessary restrictions.
For students who are currently on an isolation/exclusion and may be eligible for an earlier return date due to these new recommendations, parents will be contacted by a member of our health services team no later than Monday.
Summary of COVID Isolation/Quarantine Guidance for Students
→ Symptomatic
Regardless of Vaccination Status
If experiencing one or more symptoms of COVID-19 do NOT attend school until:
- Fever free and absent of vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours, and
- Receive a negative COVID-19 test result* OR remain quarantined for at least five days.
- *Home tests are not acceptable, however a test from any lab location (antigen or PCR) is fine.
→ Positive for COVID-19
In order to return to school, the following must be true (regardless of vaccination status):
- Symptoms have improved.
- No fever, vomiting, or diarrhea present within the past 24 hours.
- Return after 5 days of isolation, a mask must be worn at all times while with others.
- When a mask is removed for a short time while eating/drinking, at least 6 feet must be retained between individuals during days 6-10 following infection.
- If masking is not possible at all times, 10 days of exclusion is required.
→ Exposed to COVID-19/ Close Contact
- Valid only if no symptoms developed (if symptoms develop, follow symptomatic guidance).
- Return after 5 days of quarantine if a mask can be worn at all times while with others.
- When a mask is removed for a short time while eating/drinking, at least 6 feet must be retained between individuals.
- If masking is not possible at all times, 10 days of exclusion is required.
→ Those students that are up to date with vaccination (within indicated timeframe: CDC Immunization Guidance) OR have had a laboratory confirmed positive COVID-19 test in the past 90 days do not need to quarantine following close contact as long as they are not symptomatic.
→ Test To Stay Strategy: Alternative to quarantine following an exposure
- Only applicable for exposures that occur in the school or bus setting.
- Test twice (once between days 2-3, and once between days 5-7 following exposure) and continue attending school.
- Testing must be done through the district-offered testing program.
- If eligible, coordination of testing/results should be handled with the building nurse.
→ Returning to School: Day 6-10 Following Isolation/Exclusion
- Upon return after 5 days of isolation/quarantine, students are required to wear a mask, and when removed briefly for eating/drinking, they must remain at least 6 feet away from others. While students can attend school on days 6-10, some restrictions exist:
- Mealtimes and snack times will be different; this could be a more socially distanced table, individual desks, or different room/space for all students who are returning following a quarantine or isolation in order to accommodate the space requirement.
- Masks are required outdoors when students are in groups, which includes recess at elementary.
- Students participating in band who require use of their mouth to play an ‘instrument can participate in class,but will not be permitted to actively play.
- Students participating in extracurricular activities can only participate if a mask can be worn properly at all times.
- Since strict masking requirements are a condition of return early from isolation/quarantine, students with a face mask exemption are not eligible to return early and must complete the full 10 day isolation/exclusion.
→ When exposed, ALL persons regardless of vaccination status should be tested five days after the exposure (unless a confirmed COVID-19 infection occurred in the past 90 days).
COVID Guidance provided to schools by Illinois State Board of Education (updated)
- Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools - FAQs
- Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools: Supporting the Full Return to In-Person Learning for All Students
- Public Health Interim Guidance for Local Health Departments and Pre-K-12 Schools - COVID-19 Exclusion Protocols
- Interim Guidance on Testing for COVID-19 in Community Settings and Schools and Test to Stay Protocol Flowchart
- Executive Order 2022-03 - Updates exclusion protocols in schools for individuals who are a confirmed or probable case, close contact, or symptomatic to reflect the shortened quarantine and isolation periods recommended by the CDC
COVID SD 308 Safety Plan
Board of Education Meeting
Monday, Jan 24, 2022, 07:15 PM
Oswego East High School, Harvey Road, Oswego, IL, USA
PRIDE: Proudly.Recognizing.Individuals.Demonstrating.Excellence
Consider nominating a teacher or employee for this special recognition.
- Nomination period is always OPEN.
- Only one nomination per individual accepted each month.
- Duplicates will not be permitted in the system.
- Board of Education members will review nominations and determine up to four (4) teachers and two (2) employees to recognize.
- To nominate a teacher or an employee, please visit: www.sd308.org/PRIDE.