Triad Families,
As you know school districts in IL as well as across the nation are struggling with keeping their students in school as we start 2022. The dramatic rise in the number of positive COVID-19 wasn’t how we had planned to start the year.
This weekend, the Triad COVID-19 dashboard will be updated with the current number of positive cases for both students and staff. These numbers will likely be the highest that Triad has seen during the pandemic.
Earlier this week, we informed families that the Illinois State Board of Education(ISBE) was not allowing school districts to follow the new CDC guidelines involving reduced quarantine and isolation for students. Today we received additional guidance and expect that by next week, school districts will be able use the reduced quarantine times as long as students continue to wear well-fitting masks at school and at school events. Families who have students currently isolating or quarantining can expect a phone call next week with an updated return to school date after official guidance form ISBE is released and reviewed by the district.
Our goal continues to be keeping Triad students learning in-person while maintaining a safe environment. This is only possible with the support of our families and community. Now more than ever, it is important that students who are close contacts and/or experiencing COVID symptoms stay home from school.
Families whose children have been exposed to COVID positive individuals should stay home if they have not completed the COVID-19 vaccination which includes two doses and 2 weeks after the second dose. Please monitor your students' health closely. Keeping students home who are COVID positive and/or symptomatic is the number one way that the district will be able to continue in-person learning.
Weekly SHIELD IL testing will continue to be available for Triad Students who have been opted-in. If you would like to learn more about Shield IL Screening or understand how to opt your student in for weekly SHIELD IL testing, please click https://www.tcusd2.org/article/506345.
SHIELD IL COMMUNITY TESTING: The district has arranged to have weekly SHIELD IL testing available for the community on Thursdays from 3:00-6:30 PM at the Triad High School library. While community screening is available on a walk-in basis, participants will need to register with Shield IL to obtain results. To learn more about this program, please visit https://www.tcusd2.org/article/612684.
TEST-TO-STAY: Test to Stay (TTS) can be implemented by our schools as an alternative to traditional at home quarantine by establishing testing protocols. Test to Stay allows unvaccinated individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 while at school and masked, to remain in school and participate in school-related activities as long as they don’t have symptoms, they wear a mask, and they undergo every other day testing. School Administration or health care staff will contact parents and explain the testing protocols that will be required to remain in school. Parents will be notified by phone for consent if the test-to-stay option is available for their student.
Thank you to Triad staff members and families who continue to prioritize students’ education and safety. We will provide updates to staff and families frequently as we receive new and rapidly-changing information.