The CDC and IDPH guidance for returning to learn this year is based on the Aug 11th CDC guidance: Here are the following guidelines that the school district is planning on adopting. Please remember that everything is subject to change depending on the virus and its impact on the district and any newly updated guidance from the Lee County Health Department (LCHD), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The goal of the CDC’s guidance is to get kids back to in-person school safely. 

Mask Guidelines

• Bus and School Vehicle Transportation 
  • As of July 20, 2022 there are no capacity limits on school buses and face coverings are no longer required.
• Masks are optional Inside School Buildings
  • The CDC still recommends that masks be worn when there is either high or medium COVID-19 transmission rates.  

Social distancing

• Social distancing guidelines have been removed with the Aug. 11th CDC Guidance. 

Testing  

• Binax rapid testing will continue to be available if an individual is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 and is unvaccinated.  
• Shield testing, a University Of Illinois PCR/saliva test, may be used when there are multiple cases in a building or if an outbreak has occurred.
• CDC no longer recommends any sort of monitoring testing

Contact Tracing and Quarantines

• Schools are no longer required to conduct contact tracing.  The CDC recommends providing notification to individuals identified as close contacts.  However, state law requires school personnel to notify the local health department of any known or suspected cases of COVID-19.
• COVID-19 Positive case should isolate for at least 5 days after the onset of symptoms and return if 24 hours fever and symptom-free.  Upon return, they should continue wearing a mask through day 10.  

Remote Learning  

• Remote Learning is no longer an option. 
• Students who are absent from school due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis or a close contact quarantine will be given the same number of days that they missed to complete the work they missed.  For example, a student that is positive for COVID-19 who misses 5 days of school will be given 5 days to complete any work that they missed.

Resources:

• CDC Guidance
• Lee County Health Department
• Illinois Department of Public Health