COVID-19 & SHIELD Testing Update
November 4, 2021
Dear District #7 Families:
As we enter another month of the school year, I wanted to provide our District #7 families and community with an update on COVID-19 and SHIELD Testing.
Throughout this school year, District #7 has done an excellent job in keeping case counts of COVID-19 low. Last week, there were nine known positive cases among students, the lowest weekly total since the school year began, and four among staff. However, transmission remains high in our county and we must not let our guard down about doing our part to stay safe and healthy.
The layered strategies we have in place, from masking to being diligent about social distancing to having testing available, along with other safety measures, has helped us with our goal of keeping students in the classroom and providing a safe learning environment.
District #7 began SHIELD Testing on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, and we have been appreciative of the cooperation and support of our students and staff with this initiative as an additional mitigation strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19. SHIELD Testing helps us minimize the impact of exclusions and keeps students in school. If you would still like to opt in your child(ren) for SHIELD Testing, you can download a copy of the consent form here: http://ecusd7.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Edwardsville-Student-Consent-Form-SHIELD-Testing.pdf. Please remember that you must refrain from eating, drinking, tooth brushing, mouth washing, gum chewing and tobacco use for at least one hour before submitting your saliva sample at the test location.
With the approval of COVID-19 vaccines for children between the ages of 5 and 11 earlier this week, we recommend that you consult your child’s doctor for guidance on whether the vaccine is recommended for your child(ren). District #7 is partnering with a local pharmacy to offer a vaccination clinic soon and will share those details when finalized.
Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and support as we all work together to stay safe and ready to learn in District #7.
Sincerely,
Patrick Shelton, Ed.D.
Superintendent
