COVID-19 Protocols

Below is a summary of the optional mitigation measures as of February 22, 2022.  Please see the FAQs below for detailed information.

• Optional Masking – face masks are recommended, but not required for all students, staff and visitors at school.  
  • Masks are also recommended, but not required on buses (effective 2/25/2022)

• COVID-19 Testing - free, optional diagnostic testing will continue to be available at school for all staff and students.
  • Weekly testing for unvaccinated staff is optoinal
  • Testing is optional for visitors and volunteers in school

• Vaccination - recommended as the leading publi health prevention strategy
  • Vaccination for staff is optoinal
  • Vaccination is optional for visitors and volunteers in school

Beginning on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, District 20 is implementing "Optional Masking" in all of our buildings.  Face masks are recommended, but not required for all students, staff and visitors at school.  

• Are students required to wear a mask on the bus? 

Masks are recommended, but not required on buses, including during before- or after-school transportation provided by the district. (Effective 2/25/2022).

• What if my child has an underlying medical condition that makes him or her more susceptible to COVID-19 complications?  What accommodations exist?

We encourage families of students who are immunocompromised or have another medical contition that could negatively impact their student, to work with their building principal and student support team to consider reasonable accommodations if needed. 

• Can I request that my student sit only by other masked students?

Please understand that our schools are not able to accommodate special requests for seating in the classroom.  Physical spacing will remain 3 feet between all students in the classrooms.  Students will not be separated or segregated based upon masking choices.

• Can I request that my child's teacher enforce my parental masking preference?

Please understand that teachers and staff will not be able to monitor or enforce masking.  If you would like your child(ren) to wear a mask during the school day, please ensure that they understand your expectation.  While we always strive to partner with families as best we can, it is not feasible for staff to keep track daily of which students are wearing masks, and which are not.

• Will my child's teacher wear a mask?

District 20 recommends, but does not require all students and staff to wear a mask.  As such, it is possible that your child's teacher or other staff in the building may wear a mask.  It depends on his or her personal choice.  District 20 cannot accommodate any family requests for a teacher or staff member to wear or not wear a mask.

• Are masks required during before- and after-school activities?

District 20 recommends, but does not require all students, staff, and visitors to wear a mask, including during before- and after-school activities sponsored by the district.  

Please note that COVID-19 mitigations, including masking requirements, may vary depending on the location of extracurricular activities (i.e., away games at other school districts).  Students and staff will be expected to follow the rules set by the school district being visited.

• Do parents need to wear masks if they are visiting school?

District 20 recommends, but does not require visitors, volunteers and parents to wear masks in our schools.

• How is District 20 supporting students and staff during this transition?

District 20's top priority remains the safety and well-being of our students and staff.  We understand that while some families may welcome this transition, other families may continue to choose to wear masks and feel anxiety or other emotions during and after this change in mitigations. 

We are committed to social and emotional learning (SEL) for students and our teachers have access to resources to help support their students during this transition period.  Teachers will help lead students in discussions about respecting the choices of others and reiterating that we want all students to feel safe at school.

• How can families support their children through this transition?

District 20 asks all families and staff to please respect one another’s mask choices and to treat each other with kindness. We teach our students to be kind and respectfully requests everyone to lead by example. Teachers will reinforce this message with students in their classrooms, and we ask that you emphasze this message at home as well.  

Please do not send your child to school if he or she is sick.  Please contact your school office to report your child’s absence.  We ask that you provide your name, the name of your child, the reason and expected length of the absence, as well as the specific reasons for the absence. Please leave a voicemail message, if necessary.

If your child is sick, we need to know specific symptoms, including if your child is experiencing any of the COVID-19 related symptoms listed below. Also tell us if your child was exposed to a positive or confirmed case.  Your school nurse will follow-up with you as soon as possible to discuss next steps and when your child can return to school.

The steps below are based on D20’s COVID-19 Mitigation Updates (effective 2/22/2022). It is important to note that protocols and mitigation measures may be subject to change based on transmission rates or other COVID-19 information or requirements.

1.   REPORT YOUR CHILD’S ABSENCE

2.  TELL US YOUR CHILD’S SYMPTOMS

A) COVID-19 SYMPTOMS 

If your child is experiencing one of more of the symptoms listed below, we strongly recommend getting a COVID-19 test and/or further evaluation by a healthcare provider.  At this time, we can accept RT-PCR, Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) or rapid test results.  We cannot accept results from at-home (over the counter) test kits.  If your child receives a positive COVID-19 test result, please contact the school to let us know as soon as quickly as possible.

• Fever of 100.4° F or higher                                           
• New moderate to severe headache
• Shortness of breath                         
• New cough  
• Sore throat                                                                
• Vomiting      
• Diarrhea                                                                
• New loss of sense of taste or smell                         
• Muscle or body aches from unknown cause   
• Fatigue from unknown cause                

Emergency Warning Signs:  If you are observing any of the symptoms below, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately.  This list is not all-inclusive.  Please consult your healthcare provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerns regarding your child.  Your provider may want to discuss testing or other concerns with you.

• Trouble breathing  
• Bluish lips or face                                                       
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• Unexplained rash or red mouth/tongue                         
• New confusion or inability to arouse     

​​​​​​B)  Illness NOT Related to COVID-19

If your child ill, but is not exhibiting any of the COVID-19 related symptoms listed above, your child may return to school when s/he is fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and your child has not experienced diarrhea or vomiting for at least 24 hours.  Your child will be able to make up any missed school work after returning to school. 

3.   DOES MY CHILD NEED TO STAY HOME?

A)  COVID-19 Symptomatic Cases

If your student has one or more COVID-19 symptom (regardless of vaccination status) s/he must stay home until fever-free and no vomiting/diarrhea for 24 hours and symptoms have improved. 

Your student can return to school when one of the following is met.  Please contact your school nurse to discuss which option you will choose.  Masking is recommended, but not required on days 6-10 when your child returns to school. 

1)  Provide proof of negative test (RT-PCR, NAAT, or Rapid Test Results are now acceptable.  We cannot accept home testing kits).  Free testing will continue be available at school before you are sent home sick, parents may register online for the complete D20 COVID-19 Testing Program or fill out a paper one-time consent form with the school nurse.

OR

2)  Provide a healthcare provider’s note of an alternative diagnosis causing the symptoms and clearing your student to return to school.

OR

3)  Stay home for 5 calendar days from the onset of symptoms.

B)  COVID-19 Positive Cases

If your child tests positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status) s/he must stay home for 5 calendar days from the onset of symptoms or from the positive test collection date if asymptomatic.  To calculate the length of isolation, day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the specimen collection date (if no symptoms are present) and the isolation period runs from day 1 through day 5. Remote instruction (asynchronous) will be provided during your child’s isolation period at home.

Your student can return to school on day 6 if fever-free and no vomiting/diarrhea for 24 hours and symptoms have improved.  Masking is recommended, but not required on days 6-10 when your child returns to school.

C)  COVID-19 Close Contacts

Your student does not need to stay home from school if s/he has been exposed to a someone with a positive COVID-19 case (including whether the exposure was inside school or at home), unless s/he is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or receives a positive test result.

We recommend that you monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and contact your healthcare provider for COVID-19 testing or if you have any questions or concerns. If symptoms should arise, or if a positive test result occurs, your student should stay home and follow the above protocols for symptomatic and positive cases.

D)  Illness NOT Related to COVID-19

If your child ill, but is not exhibiting any of the COVID-19 related symptoms listed above, your child may return to school when s/he is fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and your child has not experienced diarrhea or vomiting for at least 24 hours.  Your child will be able to make up any missed school work after returning to school. 

4.      DO SIBLINGS/HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE TO STAY HOME TOO?

At this time, siblings and household members of the symptomatic student are not required to stay home from school unless they are also symptomatic or have had a positive COVID-19 test result.  Please keep your school nurse informed if siblings/household members begin to experience symptoms or receive positive test results.

We do recommend that you try to isolate the sick person from the well family members as much as possible to avoid transmission at home.  We also strongly recommend that you monitor all family members for COVID-19 symptoms and contact your healthcare provider for COVID-19 testing or if you have any questions or concerns.

5.      QUESTIONS

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your student’s school nurse at the number listed below.  Please send COVID-19 test results to your school fax or email below:               

GREENBROOK & ECC - 630-894-4409 Nurse Phone, 630-289-6183 Fax, jwhelan@esd20.org  

WATERBURY - 630-894-4211 Nurse Phone, 630-539-2316 Fax,  lmontiel@esd20.org                              

SPRING WOOD - 630-894-4044 Nurse Phone, 630-894-9658 Fax, ldelascio@esd20.org     

Please do not send your child to school if s/he is sick or receives a positive COVID-19 test result. Please contact your school nurse with information relating to the positive test result, including the date symptoms first appeared (if any) and the date of the COVID-19 test.  Your nurse will discuss next steps (see below) and when your child can return to school.

COVID-19 Positive Cases Must Stay Home for 5 Days

• If your child tests positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status) s/he must stay home for 5 calendar days from the onset of symptoms or from the positive test collection date if asymptomatic.  To calculate the length of isolation, day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the specimen collection date (if no symptoms are present) and the isolation period runs from day 1 through day 5. Remote instruction (asynchronous) will be provided during your child’s isolation period at home.

• Your student can return to school on day 6 if fever-free and no vomiting/diarrhea for 24 hours and symptoms have improved.  Masking is recommended, but not required on days 6-10 when your child returns to school.

Asymptomatic Siblings/Household Members NOT Have Stay Home

• At this time, siblings and household members of the symptomatic student are not required to stay home from school unless they are also symptomatic or have had a positive COVID-19 test result.  Please keep your school nurse informed if siblings/household members begin to experience symptoms or receive positive test results.

• We do recommend that you try to isolate the sick person from the well family members as much as possible to avoid transmission at home.  We also strongly recommend that you monitor all family members for COVID-19 symptoms and contact your healthcare provider for COVID-19 testing or if you have any questions or concerns.

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your student’s school nurse at the number listed below.  Please send COVID-19 test results to your school fax or email below:               

GREENBROOK & ECC - 630-894-4409 Nurse Phone, 630-289-6183 Fax, jwhelan@esd20.org  

WATERBURY - 630-894-4211 Nurse Phone, 630-539-2316 Fax,  lmontiel@esd20.org                              

SPRING WOOD - 630-894-4044 Nurse Phone, 630-894-9658 Fax, ldelascio@esd20.org     

Asymptomatic Students do NOT need to stay home from school if they have been exposed to someone with a positive COVID-19 case (including whether the exposure was inside school or at home), unless they is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or receives a positive test result.

We recommend that you monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and contact your healthcare provider for COVID-19 testing or if you have any questions or concerns. If symptoms should arise, or if a positive test result occurs, your student should stay home and follow the protocols for symptomatic and positive cases.

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your student’s school nurse at the number listed below.  Please send COVID-19 test results to your school fax or email below:               

GREENBROOK & ECC - 630-894-4409 Nurse Phone, 630-289-6183 Fax, jwhelan@esd20.org  

WATERBURY - 630-894-4211 Nurse Phone, 630-539-2316 Fax,  lmontiel@esd20.org                              

SPRING WOOD - 630-894-4044 Nurse Phone, 630-894-9658 Fax, ldelascio@esd20.org     

District 20 will continue to require 3 feet physical distancing, as much as possible.

Free, optional and convenient COVID-19 testing will continue to be offered to all staff and students at each of our schools. 

To register, you must register your child at D20 COVID-19 Testing Program by completing the online form for your child's school.  

Once you have registered, your child(ren) will be eligible for weekly screening testing and diagnostic testing. 

Please let your school nurse if you would like your child to participate only in diagnostic testing when s/he is ill (and not weekly testing).

District 20 will continue to update the D20 COVID-19 Dashboard.  

The dashboard will indicate all known positive COVID-19 cases where the individuals were present in one of our buildings within a 48-hour window prior to symptom onset or positive specimen collection.  The data does not include cases where the individual was outside of school during the two days before symptoms began or testing.  (For example, positive cases where students/staff were in isolation at home during winter break will not be reflected on the district's dashboard as there was no exposure in school to our staff or students.)

The bi-weekly data is intended to help give you a current snapshot of what is happening in our schools.  The total number of cases reflects positive cases from the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

The dashboard will be updated weekly, by 5pm on Monday.