Health & Safety Protocols

District 34’s goal is to keep all students, in person, every day in the safest environment possible.

The health and safety protocols that are part of the District 34 Opening Plan will be presented at the August 15 Board of Education meeting. There will be opportunity for community comment.

The protocols will be updated here after the Board takes action on the Opening Plan.

Health & Safety Protocols

COVID Symptoms

Students and staff will be sent home if they have any of the following symptoms:

Fever of 100.4 or higher
New onset of moderate to severe headache
Shortness of breath
New cough
Sore throat
Vomiting, diarrhea
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue from unknown cause
Muscle/body aches from unknown cause

The District strongly recommends connection with a healthcare provider.

Return to School

When a student or staff present COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, they must immediately be excluded from school until:

Receiving a negative antigen* test result that confirms the symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19; or
For a minimum of five days and a maximum of 10 days until fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours, diarrhea/vomiting have ceased for 24 hours, and other symptoms have improved. Individuals must continue to wear a mask around others for five more days after returning to school.

* As of March 28, 2022: A negative at-home rapid antigen test, such as BinaxNOW, is an acceptable test to return. Those who develop symptoms at school and have opted into SHIELD testing can take a rapid BinaxNOW antigen test in the school health office. Ravinia Health PCR test kits are also available for staff and students in the front office.

The individual cannot return to school until results are available. If the test comes back positive, the isolation date starts from the beginning of symptoms.

Students in grades 3-8 who are home due to a positive case will be able to Zoom into their classroom for instruction (with the continued stipulation that it could take 24 hours before they are set up on Zoom). Students home with COVID in our primary buildings will work with grade center teachers during their long term absence.

Masks

Distancing

Vaccination

Testing

Contact Tracing

This District will continue to report positive cases of staff and students in our schools to the Cook County Department of Public Health, but will no longer conduct detailed contact tracing, as that is the responsibility of CCDPH.

Unvaccinated individuals who are close contacts will be encouraged, but not required, to quarantine for five days as long as they are without symptoms. Anyone exposed is encouraged to test five days after exposure. If your child is exposed, you can take advantage of the Ravinia Health PCR test kits available from the front office.

Lunch Protocols

Schools will maximize physical distance as much as possible for students moving through the food service line and while eating. Distancing is expected to be 3' (though the definition of a close contact when masks are not worn is 6'). Plastic dividers will not be used.

Those returning from a positive case must also maintain 6’ distance at lunch on days 6-10 after return.

When necessary, schools will use additional spaces outside of the cafeteria for mealtime seating such as the gymnasium, multipurpose room or classroom to help facilitate distancing. Students, teachers, and staff who are fully vaccinated do not need to distance while eating.

Lunch hours will continue to be scheduled to allow for greater distancing within the cafeteria provided that seats can provide at least three feet apart. Grade level may need to continue splitting students into two groups to allow for distancing.

Given very low risk of transmission from surfaces and shared objects, there is no need to limit food service approaches to single use items and packaged meals.

Surfaces that come in contact with food should be washed, rinsed and sanitized before and after meals.

Food service staff will wash hands before, after, and during shifts. Teachers and staff will promote student hand washing before and after eating.

Exclusion

Health Office/Infirmaries

Symptomatic Students at School

Remote Instruction

Transportation

Hygiene

All students will receive instruction and frequent reminders in proper hygiene. Signs throughout all buildings will reinforce and remind staff and students about hygiene.

Hands should be washed often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
Perform hand hygiene:
- Upon arrival to and departure from school
- After blowing one’s nose, coughing, sneezing
- After use of restroom
- Before food preparation or before or after eating
- Before and after routine care for another person
- After contact with someone who is sick
- Upon return from the playground and physical education
- Following glove removal
Dispensers for hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) will be available in every room and in common areas
More time will be provided for hand washing as students enter and exit the room and before and after eating

Cleaning/Sanitizing

Ventilation

COVID-19 Dashboard

Frequently Asked Questions

What if there is a positive case at home, does my child need to stay home?
If a student or staff member has COVID and returns on day 6, do they wear a mask?

What if there is a positive case at home, does my child need to stay home?

No.

If you experience a COVID case in your household, there are a few things you can do to keep your family healthy and increase our ability to keep your child in school when they are close contacts:

Isolate the positive case as best you can and maintain distancing as much as possible.
Wear masks.
Keep windows open to increase air flow.
Reach out to your school health office if you have questions.
Get family members vaccinated/boosted when eligible.

If a student or staff member has COVID and returns on day 6, do they wear a mask?

SHIELD Testing FAQs

If my child previously tested positive for COVID-19, can they participate in SHIELD testing?

Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 should not participate in testing for 90 days after the date of their positive test. However, you can opt into testing now and testing will begin for your child after that 90 day window. Please contact the school health office to remind them of the dates of your child's positive COVID-19 diagnosis. You can find the contact information on the Health Information page (under "For Students and Families") of your school's website.

Will I have an opportunity to change my choice for SHIELD testing for my child at a later date?

When will I receive my child's SHIELD Test Results?

Vaccination for Children 5-11 FAQs

Is the vaccine approved for children?

Will children receive the same vaccine dose as adults?

Children ages 5- to 11- years old receive a lower dose than the adult vaccine. The pediatric vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech for vaccine for children) is a third of what adults received with the Pfizer vaccine. The lower dose was selected to minimize side effects and achieve a strong immune response.

The Pfizer vaccine authorized for 12 to 17 years olds has an identical dosage that adults receive (two doses of 30 micrograms given three weeks apart).

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Health & Safety Protocols