In-person and masked: The start of the 2021-22 school year
The Illinois State Board of Education stated it in the first line of its Aug. 9 update.
"In-person learning with the appropriate protective measures should be both safe and essential to students' mental health and academic growth," ISBE noted in its "Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools."
That followed Illinois Superintendent for Education Carmen Ayala's July 9 declaration that "all schools must resume fully in-school learning," with provisions for remote instruction available to students who have not or are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations or are under quarantine for the virus.
That's one question answered about the start of the 2021-22 school year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reacting to the COVID-19 Delta variant, answered another on Aug. 4.
It required "universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status."
On the same day, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order following ISBE and Illinois Department of Public Health guidance, stressing indoor face coverings for all people ages 2 and older who are able to medically tolerate them.
Extracurricular activities and sports are on; masks are not required outdoors.
The CDC continues to recommend at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, and noted that students, teachers and staff should stay home when they have any signs of infectious diseases.
On Aug. 4, it added the recommendation for fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 to be tested within 3-5 days after exposure, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.
Some districts, such as Glenbrook High Schools District 225 and East Maine School District 63, will provide the SHIELD Illinois Saliva Test.
It all gets underway starting Monday. Following are the first full days of school for area school districts.
East Maine School District 63 (Apollo, Gemini, Mark Twain, Melzer, Nelson, Washington): Aug. 16
Glenbrook High Schools District 225 (Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South): Aug. 18
Glenview School District 34 (Glen Grove, Henking, Hoffman, Lyon, Pleasant Ridge, Westbrook; Attea, Springman junior highs): Aug. 18
Maine Township High School District 207 (Maine East, Maine South, Maine West): Aug. 19
Northbrook School District 27 (Hickory Point, Shabonee, Wood Oaks Junior High): Aug. 19
Northbrook School District 28 (Greenbriar, Meadowbrook, Westmoor, Northbrook Junior High): Aug. 19
West Northfield School District 31 (Winkelman; Field Middle School): Aug. 19
New Trier High School District 203: Aug. 23
Avoca School District 37 (Avoca West; Marie Murphy middle school): Aug. 25
Wilmette Public Schools District 39 (Central, Harper, McKenzie, Romona; Highcrest, Wilmette junior highs): Aug. 26
Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 (Wescott, Willowbrook; Maple middle school): Sept. 2