Good afternoon parents and families of Oglesby School District 125-
This letter is regarding updates and information regarding COVID-19 guidelines, updates and exclusion requirements from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The health and safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance and we want to keep you informed of relevant information and reminders. We stay in close contact with LaSalle County Health Department for students/staff who have had recent contact with someone who has COVID-19 or someone expected to have COVID-19 as well as following the most recent exclusion chart (spanish version). The district will continue to follow guidance set by IDPH, the CDC, as well as our local health department for any updated policies and procedures we should incorporate to remain as safe and healthy as possible.
We have been successful in being able to provide educational opportunities in an extraordinary time and we want to be able to continue in that way. Many of the same safeguards are still the mantra to follow of keeping social distancing when possible, face coverings, cover coughs and sneezes, cleaning of hands, avoiding sick people and staying home when you are sick. If a child is home with symptoms, then all the siblings must stay home until they have been cleared. We appreciate your efforts in this as it is important in order to keep everyone safe until cleared. For purposes of school notifications, students or staff who meet the guidelines defined by the CDC to be of close contact with others will receive direct notification from the district or LCHD. If a child was at school but does not meet the definition of exposed risk as being a close contact as per LCHD then parents/guardians will not be notified. We will continue to follow with what the health department recommends as the best practice to ensure safety.
Please be sure to continue filling out the daily screener prior to sending your child to school or on the bus. Fall is here, and it is time for common viruses that we must now prepare for. However, the symptoms of the common viruses are similar to the symptoms of COVID-19 and it makes it hard to distinguish between them. We ask that you remain vigilant in filling out the daily symptom screening prior to sending your child to school or on the bus and keep your child and siblings home if symptoms are noted. Return to school could be done through an alternative diagnosis from your medical provider, a negative COVID-19 test or 10 day isolation from first onset of symptoms and fever free without fever reducing medication for at least 24 hours. Please refer to the exclusion chart from above as a reference.
We appreciate all you are doing in helping us provide educational opportunities for our students and your children. It is truly remarkable what is being done on all levels and I am very appreciative of the efforts of all. I know this isn’t easy on anyone, but we appreciate your efforts. We thank you for your understanding and continued cooperation in our procedures to help keep students, staff, and the Oglesby community as safe as we can through our efforts. Should you have questions or concerns, please contact the district office.
Michael Pillion, Superintendent