No. We will recommend everyone wear masks on school-related transportation including school buses, taxis, and driver education vehicles, but they will not be required to do so. This follows the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which no longer requires masks to be worn on buses or vans operated by public and private school systems.

As long as our COVID-19 metrics remain below our established thresholds, it is recommended that anyone visiting a District school or building wear a mask, but it is not required, including individuals who attend a U-46 Board of Education meeting.

No. Under new guidance from the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), masks are no longer required in day care settings. Therefore, students participating in before or after school care through Right at School and Boys and Girls Club of Elgin will shift to a mask recommended environment. Further information will be provided from these service providers directly to their families.

Only individuals who test positive or present with one or more symptoms of COVID-19 will be excluded from school. Virtual tutorial sessions are available for our students for those days through Proximity Learning.

If a student tests positive, they will be excluded for 10 days following symptom onset, or from the date of their positive test if asymptomatic. Students who test positive must complete the 10-day exclusion period. 

If a student shows symptoms, they will be excluded until one of the following is true:

• They test negative on a non-home test (and they have been fever/vomit/diarrhea-free for 24 hours and other symptoms have improved) -OR-
• They complete a 10-day exclusion and can return on day 11 (if they have been fever/vomit/diarrhea-free for 24 hours and other symptoms have improved)

If a student is considered close contact to a positive COVID-19 case, they will not be excluded unless they test positive and/or have symptoms.

No. If a student is asymptomatic and they test positive again within a 90-day period, the student does not need to be excluded as long as they show proof of a positive test result within the last 90 days.

No, U-46 will not continue contact tracing or excluding individuals identified as close contacts to a positive individual.

Yes. The only tests we are not able to accept are home tests. To return a symptomatic individual prior to their completed 10 day exclusion period, the negative test must be performed or proctored by a healthcare professional.

Masks are recommended for U-46 participants as long as our COVID-19 metrics remain below our established thresholds.  Spectators are considered visitors and will need to wear masks as long as the statewide mandate is in place for public, indoor spaces.

No. All other mitigation measures such as voluntary weekly SHIELD testing, social distancing, and more - will remain in place.

Yes. The vaccination mandate remains in effect under Executive Order 2021-22. That Executive Order was not included in the original lawsuit, and therefore remains in effect until further notice.

U-46 staff members cannot be responsible for monitoring your family’s mask choice throughout the day. We will also not be able to guarantee that we can honor seating requests due to space and programming limitations.

No, the District cannot provide remote learning in most circumstances - except during exclusion (see below).  Families who have a student-specific medical concern may address that concern with their student’s building principal, 504 team or IEP team.  

Yes. Any classroom participating in a community-based experience or field trip must abide by any masking practices in place at those experiences.  Similarly, students who participate in any athletic or extracurricular event occurring off campus must abide by any masking practices of the off-campus site.  Masks also remain required on a school bus (see above.)

All U-46 students, staff, and parents are expected to follow the expectations set forth by the hosting school district in order to attend away events. We will inform the hosting districts that this expectation has been shared with our families and look forward to our students and guests complying with proper mask-wearing when required.

The COVID-19 vaccination continues to be the most effective mitigation strategy.  We continue to encourage everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated (ages 5+) and, if already vaccinated, to get a booster (ages 12+). We ask that parents email their student’s proof of vaccination to healthservices@u-46.org or provide a copy of the record to your child's school office. Please note that individuals who test positive will be excluded from school for 10 days following symptom onset, or from the date of their positive test if asymptomatic. Individuals who present with one or more symptoms of COVID-19 will be excluded until they either test negative (at-home tests will not be accepted) and symptoms improve, or for 10 days without proof of a negative test.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nasal congestion, vomiting, or diarrhea, and skin rashes.

We know the U-46 community will work together to respect the personal decisions being made by families and staff in connection with masking.  To the extent an individual has a personal health concern, we encourage students and staff to consider that concern as it relates to masking and/or ensuring a minimum of six feet of social distance.

No.  The District continues to include appropriate social distancing, to the extent possible, as part of its local plan for operations.

The District will review metrics on an ongoing basis in order to address changes in local and school case positivity and SHIELD data.  The Student Health Services team will review the data weekly and advise the Superintendent of any recommended changes to our mitigation strategies.

Changes will be communicated by the Superintendent through the District’s mass notification system via email, text, and phone.  Building changes may be communicated by the building administrator.  

The sale of indoor concessions will be allowable during competitions and following these guidelines:  pre-packaged foods only, no food allowed outside of the commons/cafeteria area, social distancing, and all other mitigation strategies must be followed and enforced by the site.  (Failure to be able to follow and enforce the mitigation requirements will result in loss of indoor concessions at future events.)

Masks (including disposable surgical and KN95) will still be available for staff and students upon request. Buildings can order these masks through our Distribution Center.