Dear Members of The Joseph Sears School Community,
As COVID-19 infection rates across the state continue to increase, Governor Pritzker announced on August 4, 2021, an Executive Order including a mask mandate, requiring that masks be worn indoors by all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to JK-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
Beginning today, Thursday, August 5, 2021, The Joseph Sears School will require masks to be worn indoors by ALL teachers, staff, students, and visitors.
Over the last several weeks, The Joseph Sears School Board of Education and Administration has heard from and met with individuals representing many different viewpoints on masking in our school. We have heard your concerns and feedback. However, the new Executive Order clearly states that masks are now required to be worn by anyone that enters one of our buildings as it is the safest way for our students and staff to return to full, in-person learning, five days a week.
We need to evaluate new health department guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for implementation this fall to clarify the health and safety protocols for the start of the school year. The health and safety of our students, educators, and families remain our highest priority. We had planned to share our detailed Back to School 2021-2022 presentation on Friday, August 6, 2021. However, given the latest developments and newly provided guidance, we will share the presentation on Wednesday, August 11, 2021. In this presentation, we will provide information on what the upcoming school year will look like, including school lunch, recess, extracurriculars, quarantine procedures, and more.
Thank you for your continued support, patience, and flexibility as another school year starts and we implement safety procedures. We appreciate your flexibility as situations dictate changes. We will continue to communicate proactively to the best of our ability. We are excited to see everyone back for another incredible school year.
