COVID-19 Update

January 16, 2022 

Dear District #7 families,  

Thank you for your continued support as we work through the impact and disruptions of COVID-19 these last two weeks.  

Our goal remains to return all students to in-person learning as soon as possible, and as we are able to bring students back, we will do so.  

We continue to monitor our COVID-19 situation daily. With the new Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) guidance issued last week, we are expecting the shortened quarantine and exclusion time will assist us in ensuring we have staff to adequately manage our classrooms.  

There are currently 125 staff members that are currently impacted through a positive test for COVID, either for them or someone within their care, or have someone who has been excluded because of COVID. We have identified 73 staff members who are eligible to return on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.  

Based on what we know now, we anticipate that we will be able to return at least some of our students to in-person learning on Monday, January 24, 2022.   

Please remember that students or staff who test positive for COVID-19, or are considered a close contact to a positive case, may return after five days of quarantine or inclusion if they are fever-free for 24 hours, have improved symptoms and remain in a masked environment.  

To help provide answers to questions surrounding the new IDPH and ISBE guidance and District procedures, we have put together a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document. You can see that document here. It will be updated with any new information.  

We will continue to communicate updates and any changes.  

Sincerely,   

Patrick Shelton, Ed.D.
Superintendent