The following email was sent to CCSD21 parents on March 2, 2020. Please contact your school office if you are not receiving emails from School District 21.
As you may have heard, School District 25 in Arlington Heights sent a message to its parents last night. Two Arlington Heights 25 staff members and their children were contacted by their babysitter. A member of the babysitter’s family, a hospital employee, was potentially exposed to Coronavirus (COVID-19). Arlington Heights 25 reported that these individuals have been in contact with their physicians and none of these people currently have any Coronavirus symptoms.
This message was sent out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of being proactive and transparent. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois and Cook County Departments of Public Health, and North Cook Regional Office of Education have not indicated any need to close school, cancel activities, or depart from a normal routine at this time. We are in close contact with these agencies and we will keep you informed as more information and guidance is shared.
Please remember the healthy habits that were shared in last Friday’s community newsletter:
- Wash hands frequently in warm, soapy water, for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Stay home when sick
- Cover cough or sneeze with a tissue and immediately place the tissue in the trash
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- Don’t share food, drinks, utensils, or drinking containers
Our staff is working diligently to ensure students are practicing these habits at school. At home, please consider washing or cleaning off your student’s coat, hat, backpack, lunchbox, and other school supplies, especially if your child has recently been sick.
Chromebooks can be cleaned with alcohol wipes from a package, or by applying a minimal amount of rubbing alcohol to a microfiber cloth. Liquids should not be applied directly to the Chromebook. In addition to any Chromebook cleaning a family does at home, alcohol wipes will be used regularly at school.
The School District 21 custodial team works hard every day to ensure a healthy environment for students and staff. Door knobs, drinking fountains, and other high-frequency “touch points” are cleaned throughout the day, and restrooms are disinfected daily.
While school attendance is important, children should stay home from school if they are too sick to learn and there is a risk of spreading illness. We will work with families to minimize any missed learning opportunities when students miss school due to illness. Children should not be in school with:
- Fevers of 100.4°F or higher,
- Undiagnosed rashes,
- Sore, irritated or pink eyes, or
- Vomiting, diarrhea or severe abdominal cramps
If your child will miss school, please report your child’s absence to the school and leave a detailed message for the reason of absence, including any symptoms your child is experiencing. Students are welcome to return to school when they are fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine), and have not thrown up or had diarrhea for 24 hours.
Thank you for your understanding and support in keeping our students and staff healthy.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Connolly
Superintendent
EMPOWERING EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY
