Relaxed COVID-19 regulations will allow for more school volunteers and class field trips but Indian Prairie District 204 preschool students will still be required to wear masks for the time being, officials said.
The revisions come as the state begins to roll back restrictions, and school districts have started to follow suit. Indian Prairie ended its in-school face mask requirement Feb. 22 and masks were no longer required on school buses as of Monday.
However, the rules will remain in place for preschoolers because children under the age of 5 cannot be vaccinated for COVID-19, Superintendent Adrian Talley said at this week’s School Board meeting.
“I’m waiting to see the latest from the CDC (before lifting the rules in early childhood classrooms),” Talley said.
School volunteers had been allowed inside buildings but were prohibited from working directly with children because of the high COVID transmission rates. That could change as soon as March 9, Deputy Superintendent Doug Eccarius said.
“We originally thought (the fourth quarter of the school year) we would start (bringing back volunteers),” Eccarius said, “but we feel like we can start earlier and I think that will be a benefit to our schools. I know they can use support as well.”
The district also has started approving field trips again, and that includes local trips and “all other options,” he said.
District officials and board members have been criticized for months because of the strict rules in place as they followed the sometimes conflicting advice from the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois State Board of Education and county health departments.
Board member Mark Rising called it “frustrating” and “maddening.”
“Where we are today I feel is long overdue,” Rising said, noting that he opposes the preschool mask requirement. Because the district does not have health experts on staff, they have had no choice but to follow the guidance provided by health agencies, he said.
“Just as we listen to police on safety issues, we listen to medical experts on safety issues regarding the pandemic,” Rising said.
Talley said they’ve followed guidance from the same agencies throughout the pandemic as they closed schools, reopened schools and made decisions on masks, testing and other COVID-19 measures.
“Rather than changing who we followed, we have followed the same organizations so we’d be consistent with our approach,” he said.
Board President Laurie Donahue said she agreed with that philosophy but acknowledge she, too, found “it has been extremely frustrating” to get “competing guidance” on how to run schools.
That said, they will continue following guidance provided by health experts, she said.
“We have to remain flexible and cautious,” Donahue said. “We want our children in school and we will do everything to continue to make that happen in a safe and productive way.”
raguerrero@tribpub.com
