COVID-19 Reporting & Updates

• Download D140's 2021-22 Reopening Plan by clicking here.
   

The Kirby School District 140 Reopening Plan was designed to safely resume full in-person learning for all students during the 2021-22 school year. 

Mitigations below are listed in order of priority and effectiveness for providing students and staff with a safe and consistent on-site educational setting throughout the school year. 

• Vaccination
  The CDC is very clear that the safest way to reopen our schools is high levels of vaccination for those in our schools and surrounding communities. We will continue to support ongoing community vaccination efforts while respecting the rights of individuals and families for both privacy and personal choice. Please visit vaccines.gov if you wish to find a vaccine location near you.
   
• Masking

  Based on our current community and school metrics, Kirby School District 140 shifted to mask-optional on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Masks are strongly recommended but not required for students, staff, and visitors in our buildings.  School nurse offices are healthcare settings where masks are federally mandated. Masks are required in the nurses’ offices at all times. If needed, disposable masks will be provided to individuals visiting the nurse’s office.
  
  On Friday, February 25, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control announced that it no longer requires wearing masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. Beginning Monday, February 28, 2022, masks will be optional on all District 140 transportation.
  
  Please note, in consultation with the CCDPH, students and staff who are positive or probable for COVID-19, and those who are symptomatic for Covid-19 without a negative test, who return after Day 5, must wear a mask at school on Days 6-10. Studies have shown that 30% of individuals positive for COVID-19 are still contagious after 5 days and up to 10 days.

• Social Distancing
  D140 will configure our classrooms and common areas to provide physical distancing to the greatest extent possible. We will maintain six feet where possible for lunches.
   
• Testing
  Since the beginning of the pandemic, testing is becoming more accessible and results are immediately available. To find community-based testing sites near you, please visit the Illinois Department of Public Health at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/testing.html. Acceptable tests include any lab-based point of care tests, including NAAT, PCR, Antigen and At-Home tests (4-21-2022).
   
• Cleaning and Ventilation Protocols
  Regular and comprehensive cleaning protocols are essential. Additionally, improved ventilation, airflow, and access to outdoor spaces for exercising, learning, and eating decrease the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

The most significant goal for the upcoming school year is to safely remain fully open without interruption to teaching and learning while supporting a community of students, staff, parents, and community partners after 18 months of tremendous challenges and incredible stress.

Objectives:

• 100% fully onsite teaching and learning for the entire school year
• Little or no interruptions to learning due to illness 

Some key elements of our safety mitigation strategy for the 2021-22 school year include:

• A return to an in-person, standard school day. 
• A return to full in-person, regularly scheduled extracurricular programs, such as clubs, sports, and activities.
• We will continue to share community efforts for vaccinations for eligible students, staff, and community members to be vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• Based on our community and school metrics, Kirby School District 140 shifted to mask-optional on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Masks are strongly recommended but not required for students, staff, and visitors in our buildings. On Friday, February 25, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control announced that it no longer requires wearing masks on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, including early care and education/child care programs. Beginning Monday, February 28, 2022, masks will be optional on all District 140 transportation. Please note, in consultation with the CCDPH, students and staff who are positive or probable for COVID-19, and those who are symptomatic for Covid-19 without a negative test, who return after Day 5, must wear a mask at school on Days 6-10. Studies have shown that 30% of individuals positive for COVID-19 are still contagious after 5 days and up to 10 days.
• We will adhere to a minimum of 3-foot social distancing as much as possible throughout the day, including in classrooms and common areas. 
• Students and staff should self-monitor any symptoms for signs of illness each day. Anyone who is not feeling well should stay home.
• Students and staff will be expected to adhere to handwashing and appropriate social distancing. We will continue to adhere to CDC mitigation guidelines for ventilation in our buildings.
• COVID-19 testing is readily available throughout the community, including from doctors, pharmacies, and the Cook County Health Department. We will continue to share resources with the community to be sure individuals who need or want testing are aware of resources.
• We will follow local health department guidelines and enforce isolation requirements for positive or presumed positive individuals to prevent the spread of the virus among students and staff. Presumed positive means an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 but has not been tested.  
• Students can make up all work missed during an absence due to illness. Due dates for classwork, quizzes, tests, projects, and papers will be reasonable and discussed between teachers and students. Students should access missed work through Seesaw/Google Classroom or by emailing their teacher(s). Any necessary textbooks or workbooks can be picked up in the school office. Parents of special education students will be contacted by their students’ case manager to discuss services during their absence. 
   

Communication between the District, families, and staff is vital. District 140 will continue to provide updates and important communications by phone, text, email, and/or the D140 website. 

Please log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal and review your phone, email, and text messaging contact information. If you need assistance with this process or have any questions regarding the information provided in this communication, please contact your school office. 

• Bannes: 708-532-6466
• Fernway: 708-349-3810
• Keller: 708-532-2144
• McAuliffe: 708-429-4565
• Millennium: 708-532-3150
• Grissom: 708-429-3030
• Prairie View: 708-532-8540

D140 realizes that the Social-Emotional Support structure of our district has always been strong. The following areas are available and/or enhanced to help prepare our students and staff for a successful return.

• All District 140 schools are staffed with a social worker and counselor.
• Administer DESSA Screener during the 2021-22 school year. Analyze data to determine needs.
• PBIS initiatives in elementary and middle school inclusive of restorative practices and trauma-informed practices. 
• Utilization of the digital Second Step Curriculum. 
• Elementary classrooms will have morning meetings to create a sense of community and belonging. This helps establish routine into the student day, provide a positive experience first thing in the morning, and build empathy and school culture.
• Provide an advisory period at a given time each day for middle school classrooms to give students a structured routine from which they can receive resources and support specifically geared toward social/emotional learning.

• For the foreseeable future, we strongly encourage families to exercise caution about sending students with COVID-like symptoms to school. Based on the age of individuals and the density of our population, we are requesting families not send their students onsite if symptomatic whether vaccinated or unvaccinated. Students with symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home.
• In the spring of 2021, vaccines were approved for use with individuals as young as 12 years old. As of October 29, 2021 vaccines were approved for children aged 5 to 11 years. The decision to become vaccinated is a personal decision and one in which the District respects.
• A reminder that symptomatic students regardless of vaccination status, are required to isolate for 5 days (if symptoms are improving, students can return after 5 days, but will be required to wear a well-fitted mask for days 6-10). Students with a negative test can return to school.

• School nurse offices are healthcare settings where masks are federally mandated. Masks are required in the nurses’ offices at all times. If needed, disposable masks will be provided to individuals visiting the nurse’s office.

• Students and staff should self-monitor for signs of illness each day. Anyone who is not feeling well should stay home. 
• 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 or runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea, and skin rashes.
   

Students can make up all work missed during an absence due to illness. Due dates for classwork, quizzes, tests, projects, and papers will be reasonable and discussed between teachers and students. Students should access missed work through Seesaw/Google Classroom or by emailing their teacher(s).

Any necessary textbooks or workbooks can be picked up in the school office. Parents of special education students will be contacted by their students’ case manager to discuss services during quarantine. 

Please reach out to your child’s teacher via email or contact the school office if you have any questions.
 

• The District will follow CDC guidelines regarding the transportation of students to and from school. Currently, this includes allowing full capacity on buses.
• D140 schools will communicate individual entry and dismissal plans for students.
• Students in the building after school must be there for a school-related reason. These reasons include, but are not limited to, athletics/activities, academic support, or meeting with a staff member. 

• It should be noted that the CDC has provided substantially revised guidance related to COVID-19 specific to surface transfer. The guidance points to exposure to COVID-19 based on surface contact is not a cause of spread. However, D140 believes these protocols are worth continued implementation due to the impact we have on controlling the spread of other bacteria and viruses non-related to COVID-19 and we have the equipment and means to do so.
• Enhanced cleaning protocols will continue including the use of hospital-grade, EPA registered disinfectants for all high touch areas in school, classroom, and on buses.
• Use of electrostatic disinfectant sprayers.
• An increased number of hand sanitizer stations will be available.

• Activities, events, and athletics will follow guidance from the District.
• Clubs and activities, specifically meetings and competitions, will continue onsite and will follow guidance from District and/or the specific organizations facilitating the activity.
• D140 will encourage onsite activities as we know socialization and in-person collaboration are vitally important to our student’s development. We will follow Distric guidelines for fans and spectators.

• D140 will return to normal approval of field trips for the 2021-22 school year.
• Some of our field trip destinations may have specific protocols. Those protocols will be communicated in advance to families and all protocols must be followed by participating students and staff.

• Beginning Monday, April 25, lunches will return to normal with students eating together at lunch tables in the school commons (4-21-2022).
• School-specific details regarding PTO hot lunch programs will be communicated by building principals at the start of the 2021-22 school year.

• Buildings are designing individualized plans regarding hallway and stairwell traffic flow. This is building-specific based on the size of the hallway/stairwell, typical traffic patterns, and supervision.
• Middle school students will be issued lockers. Schools may encourage limited use of lockers to avoid congestion in the hallways.
• Increased supervision in hallways to deter congregating. 
• Signage will be posted throughout the buildings regarding hand washing and physical distancing.
   

• We will be optimizing outside physical education weather permitting.
• We have high confidence that students will be participating in a regular physical education program. This may include the need to wear school PE uniforms and locker room usage.

• Air purifiers and increased ventilation in accordance with guidelines in all classrooms and buildings.
• School water fountains will remain off. Students and staff members are encouraged to bring their own water bottles for the day. Water refill stations will be open.
• The district continues to promote proper handwashing and respiratory etiquette. Hand sanitation stations will still be available throughout D140 buildings.

• The District/Schools will make determinations about live, virtual, or hybrid meetings with large groups of parents (ie, Open House nights, athletic parent meetings, Town Halls, etc).
• For student performances and athletic events, we will always allow as many spectators as determined by the capacity of the space provided.

• All students are issued an iPad to support their learning.
• Video conferencing may be used for parent and student virtual meetings.
• Streaming options may be available for various school activities.
• Online forms will be used to submit digital documents for parents/students, when possible.
• eLearning Days may be used for weather and other extended outages.

• If you wish to find a COVID-19 vaccine location near you, visit vaccines.gov.