July 22, 2021
As you are likely aware, Geneva 304 has received updated public health guidance from the
CDC, which has been adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education. This new guidance has been carefully reviewed by our District, along with local information and public health data, all of which are instrumental in helping us further develop an appropriate plan for the start of the school year.
As a result of this work and further collaboration, Geneva 304 administration has determined that mask use is a major component that needed to be communicated first, as it will have a bearing on the rest of our plan and additional layered mitigation strategies.
Geneva 304 will follow the CDC/IDPH guidelines for the start of 2021-22, which include:
- While mask use is recommended indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated, under the current CDC/IDPH guidelines, mask use is no longer mandated.
- Geneva 304 strongly recommends mask use indoors for all unvaccinated individuals (age 2 and older) but will not implement or seek to enforce its own mask mandate.
- Fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to wear masks while in Geneva 304 buildings.
In general, all students in grades PreK-12 and staff are not required to wear a mask while outdoors. - Masks are required by all individuals on school buses, and must be worn at all times during transportation, regardless of vaccination status.
The district will continue implementing layered mitigation measures, including cleaning and disinfecting of school buildings, proper ventilation in all buildings, advising people who are sick to stay home, encouraging proper hygiene, and maintaining physical distance.
Safety remains our priority, and in accordance with the guidance we will continue to monitor trends in our community — including community transmission of COVID-19, vaccination coverage, testing, and outbreaks — and make adjustments to our mitigation strategies as needed.
Geneva 304 administrators will be presenting the District’s mitigation plan, as part of a more detailed fall 2021 plan, to the school board at an upcoming Special Meeting currently planned for the evening of Monday, Aug. 2. Please stay tuned to 304Connects and the Geneva 304 website for information about this meeting.
Furthermore, CDC/IDPH guidance encourages vaccination for those 12 and older who are eligible in preparation for the school year. While we expect further guidance from IDPH on contact tracing, we currently know that fully vaccinated individuals are not subject to quarantine if identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive case. Information and appointments are available through the Kane County Vax Hub at
this link or by calling 855-4-KANEVAX.
We have carefully considered this information and are committed to making the best decisions possible to keep our students and staff safe and healthy as we look forward to welcoming them back in August.
— Geneva CUSD 304