Avoca West News

The Weather Outside is FRIGHTFUL!

We have not had the greatest luck getting outside much for recess or for PE in the year 2022, but please know that is our ultimate goal. Anytime the "feels like" temperature is 10 degrees or higher students will head outside for the 25 minutes of lunchtime recess as well as for PE. Please be sure your student comes to school with all he/she needs to be outside for both stretches of time. This includes boots and snow pants if your child wants to play in the snow -- which is often a part of PE if there is quality snow on the ground.

On behalf of our PE team and office staff -- Thank you!

Determining Close Contacts - COVID News for AW

I had several parents reach out last week to ask how we determine who is a close contact at Avoca West and it occurred to me that I have never shared it with our parent community. What feels ordinary to us is undoubtedly more extraordinary to those who have not been immersed in the protocol for nearly two years now. Here's the scoop!

The guidance indicates that as long as our students are staying consistently masked and appropriately distanced, they are NOT considered close contacts. When we learn of a student who test positive, we take into account who is within 6 feet of a positive student when masks are off -- specifically for snack or lunch, as that's the only time that students are unmasked. Anyone within the radius might be considered a close contact.

Technically, IDPH does not require us to consider those students/staff who are fully vaccinated as close contacts. In the interest of full transparency, WE notify parents so they parents can keep an eye out for symptoms at home.
For those students who are not vaccinated, we offer the option of test-to-stay for students so that students who are close contacts can stay here learning at school as long as their rapid test results are negative on days 1, 3, 5, and 7.

Please see Dr. Osburn's most recent email about changes in quarantine and isolation guidelines for both our positive cases and close contacts.