D103 News
Lincolnshire-Prairie View School District 103; Apr 11, 2021
COVID and Close Contacts in Schools
Hello D103 Families,
COVID-19 is rising in our local area. The new variant, B.1.1.7, has become the dominant strain in the United States. This strain is known to be more easily transmitted among children. Gathering in people's homes and team sports are the most frequent ways COVID-19 is spreading among our children.
Dr. Susan Sirota, pediatrician at PediaTrust Pediatric Partners, and a part of our D103 community states:
“Children represent an increasingly higher percentage of recent COVID-19 cases and many of the new cases are caused by variants of the pandemic virus. It is incumbent on us as parents in general, but especially parents of children who attend school in person, to continue to follow public health guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection in our community. As pediatricians in your community, we are seeing more disease in children as they begin to return to school and to their activities outside of school. While many adults in our community have received COVID-19 vaccines, this does not prevent children from spreading the virus among themselves. Studies assessing the safety, dose, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in children continue and we are hopeful school age children will be vaccinated near the start of next school year. Until then please continue to observe what we know keeps our communities safe: continue to wear masks, keep distance, wash hands frequently, and as the weather gets warmer keep playdates outdoors. This is a challenging time and as hard as it is, we need to hang in there a little longer.”
This past week, District 103 encountered 4 known student cases of COVID-19 in our schools. This has resulted in quarantining 5 classrooms (2 at Sprague and 3 at Half Day) along with other staff and students. Because of this quarantining situation, we want to send additional information regarding what to do when someone has COVID-19, and what to do if someone is a close contact.
Q. If a student is sent home sick with suspected COVID-19 symptoms (e.g., sore throat, headache, congestion, fatigue, cough, fever, diarrhea, shortness of breath, etc.), must all their siblings/household members be sent home as well and quarantined?
A. Yes. If one household member is being evaluated for COVID-19, the rest of the household must be quarantined until an alternative diagnosis is made or a negative result received. If the sick student is classified as a confirmed case (i.e., tests positive for COVID-19) or a probable case (i.e., has COVID-like symptoms and is epidemiologically linked to known case), the local health department (LHD) conducting contact tracing will place household contacts, including siblings, in quarantine. If the health department does not contact you within 24 hours of receiving the positive result, please continue to quarantine and contact your physician for further advice. IDPH, along with the CDC, continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine. However, based on local circumstances and resources, the CDC has provided options to reduce quarantine that local health departments (LHDs) may implement using symptom monitoring and diagnostic testing. The LCHD has allowed our school district to reduce quarantine under the following circumstances:
- Quarantine period is for 10 calendar days after the close contact’s last exposure to the COVID-19 case. Date of last exposure is considered Day 0.
The individual may end quarantine after Day 10 if no symptoms of COVID-19 developed during daily monitoring.
SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing is recommended and may be required by the local health department. Tests should be administered 5-7 days after exposure.
Can maintain social distancing and masking at all times when returning to school.
Q. Who is a close contact?
A. A close contact is anyone (with or without a face covering) who was within 6 feet of a confirmed case of COVID-19 (with or without a face covering), for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the infectious period. Repeated exposures result in an increased amount of time of exposure; the longer a person is exposed to an infected person, the higher the risk of exposure/transmission. Higher risk close contacts, including unmasked lunchroom companions, high and medium risk contact sports teammates and opponents, and music class participants may be assessed for contact less than 15 minutes, as determined by the LCHD. The infectious period of close contact begins 2 calendar days before the onset of symptoms (for a symptomatic person who tests positive) or 2 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. Close contacts to a confirmed case of COVID-19 are required to remain in quarantine at home for 10 or 14 calendar days starting from the last day of contact with the confirmed case.
Although the CDC allows for a 7-Day quarantine for some individuals, that is not allowed for students, and we will follow a minimum 10-day quarantine and possibly 14-day quarantine, if needed.
If your child has COVID-19 or is a close contact, we will do everything we can so your child maintains a synchronous learning experience as much as possible.
Please be sure to follow the 3 W’s (wear a mask, wash your hands, watch your distance). We must continue to be vigilant so we can keep our community safe and our schools open.
Sincerely,
Scott Warren, Ed.D.
Superintendent of D103 Schools
District News
Board of Education Meeting
The next regular Board meeting will occur on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. The notice and agenda can be found on the District 103 Board meeting web page.
D103 Partnerships
Virtual 5K Run/Walk
D103 PTO's virtual 5K run/walk event is now open for registration.
In order to keep our community safe and continue to raise funds for our school district, the D103 PTO will host its first ever (hopefully only) Run for D103 VIRTUAL 5K Run/Walk. Please visit the Run for D103 website to learn more about the event and register.
Leave Your Legacy in D103
The D103 Learning Fund Foundation invites your family to leave a legacy at D103 with the launch of the Legacy Brick Fundraiser. With the completion of the Daniel Wright construction project, the Foundation invites families to donate $100 to inscript their name on a brick pathway outside the remodeled school.
This LFF Legacy Brick Fundraiser video, narrated by Sprague School Principal Ann Hofmeier and featuring the school mascot, outlines the project. This is a great opportunity to bring our community together, so please consider a donation. The Learning Fund and all of our schools appreciate your generous support.
Volunteer of the Year Award
The D103 PTO Executive Board appreciates all of our volunteers! We also like to acknowledge that one special person who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. If you know of a deserving person you would like to nominate for the 2020-2021 D103 PTO Scott S. Guziec Volunteer of the Year Award, please fill out the Google nomination form. Nominations are due by May 1.
Dawn Anderson Angel Award
Each year, the PTO recognizes a volunteer who exemplifies the commitment of Dawn Anderson to District 103. Dawn generously volunteered for District 103, the D103 PTO and in our community. We now award a volunteer that demonstrates that commitment.
Requirements for Nomination: The nominee must be someone whose youngest child is an eighth-grade student so that this volunteer will be "graduating" from District 103. The volunteer should be someone who has committed his or her time over several years to our District, including volunteering for the PTO.
Maybe this is a visible volunteer who has led many PTO events or a quiet contributor who we could always count on to fill in when needed. Like Dawn, this volunteer should have an infectious volunteer spirit. The deadline for submission is April 30. Please fill out the Google nomination form to recognize a volunteer.
Community News
Wine, Dine, & Win in Lincolnshire
The Village of Lincolnshire is holding a Wine, Dine, & Win campaign during the month of April to do our part to help Lincolnshire restaurants. Check out the restaurants and how to win a $50 gift car on the Village of Lincolnshire website.
Law Day
Chief Judge Diane Winter and the Judges of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit would like to extend an invitation to Lake County students to participate in the annual Lake County Law Day activities. This year’s theme is “Advancing the Rule of Law Now.” The Judges look forward to seeing the great talent and skills of students in Lake County.
Enrichment Summer School
The Center for Gifted offers in-person spring and summer classes in Long Grove and Elmhurst. Please visit the Center for Gifted website. Masks are required, social distancing is enforced, and hand sanitizer must be non-scented. All classes are a maximum of 10-12 children. Students need NOT be tested or identified as gifted, just eager to learn!
D103 Partnerships
PTO
The D103 PTO is a completely volunteer-run organization, dedicated to enhancing and enriching the educational experience of our students. Please visit the PTO store to become a member.
LFF
Music Boosters
Upcoming Events
Leaders in Learning
Email: ask103@d103.org
Website: www.d103.org
Location: 1370 N. Riverwoods Road Lincolnshire, IL 60089
Phone: 847-295-4030
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SchoolDistrict103/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @district103