La Salle-Peru High approves 2021-22 reopening plan after hearing concerns

La Salle-Peru High School unanimously approved its reopening plan for the 2021-2022 school year that follows the Centers for Disease and Prevention Control and Illinois Department of Public Health recommendations as well as Gov. JB Pritzker’s mandate that will require masks for the upcoming school year.

Students, staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask while indoors regardless of vaccination status. This will be in effect for the Dolan Building and campus auto shop.

Masks will be required while riding in school vehicles as well. Masks will not be required outdoors for any students or staff while outdoors.

The plan created by the school’s administration was presented to the school board and members of the community Thursday where it was approved as is.

“As we all know there have been significant changes not only in the last couple weeks but also the last couple of days,” said Superintendent Steven Wrobleski. “We believe the plan that we are presenting to the board, the public as well, for approval this evening is going to not only meet the needs and desires of our staff, but also of our community.”

Before the plan was approved, the board opened the floor for public comment and listened to the thoughts and concerns of those in attendance.

Local resident Jennifer Ebner voiced her disapproval of the school plan that requires students to wear masks stating it will do more harm than good. She said it is up to the parents to stand up for what she believes to be right.

“I believe us parents have failed a little bit because we haven’t stepped up,” Edner said. “We’ve entrusted every school board to do what was right for our children and now over a pandemic we have to stand up and fight like heck for our children because what is being done is not in the rights of our children.”

Ebner said it is the individual’s right to decide if they should want to wear a mask or not.

“If you’re scared of somebody that has been vaccinated or not vaccinated and you choose to wear a mask, that is your choice; that is your American right,” Ebner said. “It’s my American right, if I don’t want to wear this diaper on my face, I have a right not to.”

La Salle resident Sheryl Churney spoke following Ebner and said she believes the school board needs to continue to listen to the opinions and recommendations of medical professionals and scientists.

“In the future, as we peel back mitigations, the board should rely upon experts in the field when making their decisions,” Churney said. “They should rely on medical and scientific experts and data and by doing so it will provide for a safe learning environment that best serves our students and our staff.”

The plan focused on four key priorities including ensuring the health and safety of all students, staff and visitors, to support full-day in-person learning, to maintain continuity of instruction for all students and to maintain continuity of all extracurricular programs.

Per the Illinois State Board of Education’s May 2021 resolution L-P students will return to seven periods, 50 minutes each, of in-person learning Monday through Friday except for early-out Wednesdays. Regular school hours will be from 7:45 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.

Students will eat lunch on campus in the student commons and the Sellett Gym with friends. Students will have the ability to see their friends at their lockers during passing periods. The plan also includes the students ability to compete in and attend all extracurricular activities.

A remote learning option will only be available to students not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and are under a quarantine order by the local public health department. Eligible students can select a synchronous learning option or receive copies of make-up work from their teachers. No other students will be eligible for remote learning.

As far as possible quarantines, the board approved a variety of options. The first option would be to quarantine at home for 14 calendar days and the second would be to quarantine for 10 days after the close contact’s last exposure to the COVID-19 case. The second option may end after 10 days if no symptoms develop and a PCR COVID test may be required.

The third option has a quarantine period of seven days after the last exposure and would end if no symptoms develop and a negative PCR test within 48 hours of day 7.

The final option approved by the board is the utilization of the SHIELD test that is part of a test-to-stay method. Participants in this method may remain in school and extracurriculars as long as they continue to test negative.

The SHIELD Test is a saliva-based test that can identify individuals who are infected but are asymptomatic. This option is completely optional but strongly encouraged. A universal masking policy must be in place to use this testing method.

“We feel this also provides an option for individuals and for families that have different views on vaccination,” Wrobleski said. “We respect all of those views but it provides an avenue to also remain in school and not lose out on learning or any of your extracurriculars.”

With all options the local health department will make the final determination on quarantine orders.

While the reopening plan was approved on Thursday, the school plans to reevaluate its measures by consulting with local public health officials with the goals to peel back mitigations when deemed acceptable.