Masks are required on buses and in buildings. They are not required outdoors.

Executive Order 2021-18 requires that all teachers, staff, students and visitors to PK-12 schools in Illinois wear a mask while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. This applies to individuals who are age two or older and who do not have a disability that prohibits them from wearing a mask. 

This mandate aligns with clear and consistent guidance from all of the public health agencies that have guided the District's decisions throughout the pandemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Illinois Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Public Health) as well as the Illinois State Board of Education.

The District will provide free masks (cloth masks that are washable and reusable, and disposable masks) to all students who come to buildings or the bus without a mask. Students who have difficulty will have a mask compliance plan established.

Exceptions to universal consistent use of face masks include the following limited situations: 

• When eating

• For staff when alone in classrooms or offices with the door closed.

• For individuals who have trouble breathing or otherwise unable to remove the face mask without assistance. 

Any medical exemptions will need a Physician Certification for Face Covering Exemption completed. The procedures for any Mask Exemption Procedures will be followed. 

Mask breaks will be given frequently throughout the school day and masks can be removed when outside at recess. 

District will also provide a face shield staff may choose to use in conjunction with a mask, or in special circumstances. Additional PPE will be provided for essential staff, and as requested for staff/students

Alternative PPE will be provided for students with special needs as needed.

View the CDC guidance for wearing face masks.

District 34 will set up classrooms and other areas in school buildings to comply with the CDC recommendation that schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, whenever possible. 

Buildings have been set up to increase space to allow for physical distancing, and to create the following barriers to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus: 

• Non-essential classroom furniture removed
• Classroom desks or tables are set up at least three feet apart

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for District staff (with exemptions for medical and religious reasons and objections of conscience). Staff send proof to the Human Resource Department.

The District asks parents of students who are vaccinated to complete the form in PowerSchool to provide proof of vaccination. In order to facilitate contact tracing and reduce any unnecessary quarantines, District 34 requests that families of middle school students who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 provide proof of vaccination. There is no need to submit paperwork; simply log into PowerSchool and enter the dates your child received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The District will verify this information through the state's I-CARE system.

The District will partner with vaccination providers to offer convenient vaccination clinics for eligible students, parents and staff members.

A close contact is someone who:

• Was within 3 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over 24 hour period both case and contact wearing masks and not fully vaccinated (this includes on a school bus, as masks are required on buses)

• Was within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more over 24 hour period without a mask, or not wearing mask properly 

• Provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19

• Had direct physical contact (hugged or kissed them) with someone with COVID-19

• Shared eating or drinking utensils with someone with COVID-19

• Came in direct contact with someone with COVID-19 who sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on the contact

Fully vaccinated people who were in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 do not have to quarantine if they are asymptomatic. They should monitor for symptoms, get tested 3-5 days after the date of your exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure.

Contact Tracing

Each building will designate individuals to be trained in contact tracing. This allows identifying which students, teachers, and staff with positive COVID-19 test results should isolate, and which close contacts should quarantine.  District liaisons will report, to the extent allowable by applicable privacy laws, new diagnoses of COVID-19 to their state or local health department as soon as they are informed. School officials should notify, to the extent allowable by applicable privacy laws, teachers, staff, and families of students who were close contacts as soon as possible (within the same day if possible) after they are notified that someone in the school has tested positive.

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. 

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.

Fully vaccinated people who were in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 do not have to stay home if they are asymptomatic. They should monitor for symptoms, get tested 3-5 days after the date of your exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure.

STUDENTS: COVID 19 positive cases must isolate and may return to the building after 10 days if improvement in symptoms, fever free for over 24 hours without fever- reducing medication. 

Close contacts may return after 7 - 14 days depending on the option that applies: 

• Option 1: May return to school after 14 days (if asymptomatic, with no PCR test)

• Option 2: After 10 days of exclusion, may return on Day 11 if asymptomatic, with no PCR test and if:

  • Follow distancing of 3-6 ft and wear mask properly and consistently upon return

  • Monitor for symptoms for 14 days 

• Option 3: May return to school after 7 days - return on Day 8 if: 

  • Asymptomatic 
  • Negative PCR test on Day 6 or after 
  • Follow distancing of 3-6 ft and wear mask properly and consistently upon return
  • Monitor for symptoms for 14 days 

• Option 4: Test to Stay will be available when close contact is from school transmission (nowhere else, including outside sports or activities, at home ) and if it is confirmed that both positive individual and close contact were masked properly at time of exposure.  So, exposure at lunch when students do not wear masks do not qualify for test to stay.

  • Test will be a BinaxNow test in nurse's office Test on Day 1, 3, 5 and 7 after exposure (last exposure date is Day 0)
  • Close contact must remain asymptomatic and must monitor symptoms daily at home and school 

STAFF: COVID 19 positive cases must isolate and may return to the building after 5 days if improvement in symptoms, fever free for over 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. 

As of October 1, unvaccinated students do not have to quarantine after travel (domestic or international). They should get tested 3-5 days after returning from travel (this can include the SHIELD screening test).

From the Illinois Department of Public Health:

In general, Illinois continues to recommend that people follow the CDC’s recommendations for domestic and international travel, including that people should delay domestic travel, and not travel internationally, until they are fully vaccinated.

Additionally, the CDC’s guidance for schools is that in- person learning is a priority. Thus, school-aged children who are not fully vaccinated and must travel do not need to stay home and self-quarantine after travel; they should continue to attend school in- person. School-aged children who are not fully vaccinated and must travel should get tested 3-5 days after travel, monitor for symptoms, and follow the IDPH guidance for if they test positive or if symptoms of COVID-19 develop.

Schools should follow local guidance for travel restriction that may be more stringent.

In a webinar for schools on October 1, the Cook County Department of Public Health confirmed that they are following IDPH guidelines; therefore, D34 students do not have to quarantine after travel and should test 3-5 days after return. 

All buildings have a registered nurse. The nurse maintains two locations in the building

• Health Office for daily medications & typical health activities (attendance in PK-5 buildings)
• Infirmaries to isolate individuals with symptoms of a contagious disease 

The District also has two District nurses & two District health coordinators to support building health needs.