Updated Back to School Guidance

Update

We are looking forward to seeing your child(ren) next week and are excited to have full in-person learning for our families. We will be posting the guide embedded within this message on our district website at central301.net. Please continue to monitor this website for updates. 

Over the past several weeks, Central 301 has been working on back-to-school plans for the 2021-2022 school year. The district will continue to monitor and adjust operational protocols based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 

School boards have broad discretion to determine rules and procedures for the operation of schools under Sections 10-20 and 10-20.5 of the School Code 105 ILCS 5/10-20-20.5.  This authority includes the right to make decisions that could affect the health, safety, and welfare of its students, which includes expecting appropriate mask use of individuals while inside our schools and while riding a bus. Effective August 3, 2021, it is the expectation that all students, staff and visitors will wear masks while inside a school building, including any school events outside of normal school hours, regardless of vaccination status.  Although we will begin the school year in masks, we will continue to monitor the positivity rate and work with local health officials to systematically relax our layered prevention strategies as conditions change.  

We have developed a guide that outlines the educational plans and protocols in place for the 2021–2022 school year based on the current guidance and Board Policy. Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, it is possible that the guidance from CDC, IDPH and ISBE could change over the course of the school year.

Our schools will be ready for our students’ return on August 11th.  We look forward to welcoming back all students for in-person learning and returning to a more normal pre-COVID educational experience.  Your school administration will be sharing additional welcome back information with you in the near future.