Mitigation Strategies
COVID Exclusion
The district will continue to track positive COVID cases, and individuals who test positive will need to isolate for five days and upon their return will need to mask for the next five days. The district will continue to report COVID positive cases to the McHenry County Department of Health. As we did prior to COVID, if an individual is symptomatic, the district will recommend a doctor’s visit for formal diagnosis. If the doctor prescribes a COVID test and the results are positive, the district will recommend quarantine.
As a reminder, a student or a staff member who has a fever should not return until they are fever free for 24 hours.
Face Masks
2/28/22 Update: Per the CDC, the recommendation to wear face masks depends on the level of community transmission and personal circumstances. McHenry County is currently in low transmission. Visit the CDC website for more information.
Increased Cleaning & Disinfecting
Deep cleaning and disinfecting will take place every day, and each school has 10 battery powered sanitizing sprayers which will help our custodians cover more ground. During the school day, custodians will clean and sanitize high contact surfaces and high traffic areas. Second shift custodians will perform increased cleaning and sanitizing daily. Each classroom will be equipped with a sanitizing kit, including gloves, paper towels and a spray bottle filled with an EPA approved sanitizer.
Hand Sanitizers
A hand sanitizing dispenser will be located in each classroom. Additionally, over 20 hand sanitizing dispensers have been mounted strategically throughout each building near restrooms, drinking fountains, gymnasiums, entrances and exits. Supplies for hand hygiene will be readily available in all buildings.
Physical Distancing
Per the CDC, schools where not everyone is fully vaccinated should implement physical distancing to the extent possible. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking, improved ventilation, hand-washing, staying home when sick with symptoms of infectious illness including COVID-19, and regular cleaning to reduce transmission. A distance of at least 6 feet is recommended between students and teachers/staff, and between teachers/staff who are not fully vaccinated.
Transportation
2/25/22 Update: The installation of HEPA filters on more than 120 District 47/155 school buses is now complete. HEPA filtration is a CDC-recommended mitigation strategy for school buses to enhance air quality and circulation.
Buses will be disinfected with spray disinfectant between each route. Each night the bus will be sprayed with an electrostatic sprayer.
Ventilation
Based on recommendations from the district's engineers, ventilation systems in all of our buildings have been transitioned to "occupied" mode. This means our ventilation units are running 24 hours a day to bring outside air into each building. HVAC units and the opening of windows when possible will be utilized throughout buildings to introduce as much fresh air as possible. Our maintenance team will regularly check building systems for optimal performance.
Class Work During Isolation/Quarantine
Students who are quarantined will continue to have access to daily notifications, lessons and assignments on Canvas, District 155’s learning management system, which will allow students to continue with the course and have access to instructional materials.
Students may be allowed to Zoom in for lessons that are taking place in class. Not all classes have a full lesson every day so students should communicate with the teacher.
Students can Zoom with teacher(s) during their plan time or student support center times that will be posted on canvas. Students need to request access from the teacher.
Students are expected to complete daily assignments unless the teacher communicates other expectations.
Students that are absent for other reasons (not related to isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19) will NOT be allowed to Zoom into class.
Food Service
D155 will follow prevention and mitigation strategies to the extent possible when students move through the food service line and while eating. Due to the exceptional circumstances of COVID-19, free breakfast and lunch meals will continue to be available to all students in District 155 through a Federal grant program. District 155 allows students to use their ID card to make additional cafeteria purchases. The cashless purchase program allows a student/parent to add money to the ID by clicking the “Food Service” link in Skyward Family Access. Prepackaged meals will be available for students who want to pick them up and bring them off campus if they are eligible for Open Campus.
Open Campus - Sophomores
Open Campus - Juniors & Seniors
Symptom Self Certification
Parents and guardians will be required to complete a one-time, symptom self certification form prior to the start of school. Please include the name of each of your students who attend a D155 school on the form. Please complete the form below and drop it off prior to the first day of school on August 11, 2021.
By sending your student on District transportation and/or to a school on any given day, you are certifying that your student has received a daily symptom screening and satisfies all the criteria on the form. If your student does not meet all the criteria, you will notify the school of your student’s absence and the reason for the absence.
Please note: This page contains links to documents that are in Adobe's PDF format. If you have accessibility needs that make it difficult for you to access and / or interpret information in PDF format, please call 815-455-8500 or email distmail@d155.org, and we will be happy to assist you.