Welcome Back To School!

After several months of planning, we are excited to reopen tomorrow and to welcome our students back.  Our faculty and staff have worked so hard to develop a plan and procedures that will allow us to open school safely and to educate students effectively.  

Over the next few days, I’m sure we are going to find out what parts of our plan work as expected and where we will have to make adjustments.  We ask for your continued patience and support as we work through the bugs and improve the system.  The Illini Central Reopening Plan is available for your review.

There are a few things that I want to remind everyone of before tomorrow's opening:

  1. All students will be screened before getting on the bus or entering the building.  We will use touchless thermometers to check for fever and students will be asked if they have experienced a list of symptoms.  If a student does not pass the screening process, he or she will have to remain at home for 10 days past the last symptom  or until a negative COVID test is presented. Any siblings or household members will also have to isolate at home. 

If this happens at a bus stop, please know that the student and any family members will have to return home. Please be sure to have a responsible person available to provide care for these students.  

We will screen our car riders in the vehicle. Please keep your students in the vehicle until we complete the screening process. 

  1. If a student or staff member either tests positive for Covid-19, is in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or exhibits symptoms associated with Covid-19, it will be necessary for that individual to quarantine from school.  We have developed a graphic that provides details on the requirements to return to school. Please refer to the graphic linked above for more information.  In the event that a quarantine occurs, we will be in contact with the student or staff and will ensure that this process is followed. 

  1. Anyone entering the building must wear a face mask.  We will have a washable face mask that we will be sending home with every student tomorrow.  We will have disposable face masks available, but these are limited in number. So please be sure to provide one for your student.

  1.  In the morning, car drop off is on the east side of the building under the awnings at the HS/MS entrance.   Parents who are dropping off their students  should enter the parking lot at the north entrance to the lot and pull into the bus lane.  This is the entrance closest to the grade school library.  There will be two way traffic on North West Avenue.  I would suggest that it may be better if you try to enter the lot from the north (southbound lane of North West Ave) as I am sure we will have some traffic backed up.  Please be mindful that we have students who walk to school, so please be alert.  We will have crossing guards and staff who will be directing traffic.  

We will allow our students who drive to school to enter the parking lot from the South entrance.  All other cars must enter through the North entrance.

We will allow students to enter the building at 7:45 am. The drop off  will take some time for the first few days.  Please be patient.

In the afternoon, riders will be picked up on the west side of the building, as we have done in the past.  Remember that dismissal will be at 11:30am.

  1. We will not provide breakfast tomorrow morning. Please be sure your child eats breakfast before coming to school.  We will begin our grab and go lunch and next  day's breakfast service tomorrow. Students who signed up for service will pick up the meals as they exit. If you wish to have meals provided, please be sure to sign up at this link. You may choose to sign up for food service at any time.  

  1. We will distribute Chromebooks to students tomorrow. They will be responsible for bringing them to and taking them home from school on a daily basis. Please be sure to charge the Chromebooks nightly.  If you have any questions or have an accident that damages the Chromebook, please contact Mr. Wherley at twherley@illinicentral.org.  

  1. We have a number of  internet hotspot devices available for families to use.  If you need one, please sign up at this link.

  1. Students will be online for the afternoon portion of the school day from 1:30-3:00 pm.  Students are required to sign in using a Google form.  The form can be accessed from this page.  Teachers will also have the sign in form linked to their Google Classroom sites. 

  1. Under the best of circumstances, the first day of school for kindergarten students can be intimidating. With these additional challenges, tomorrow may be tough for our youngest students.  Please know that we are aware of this, and we will be sure to welcome your kindergarten student and make them feel comfortable.  Our staff is prepared for this.  Again, we will all need to remain patient and work together. 

While this is not the start to a school year that anyone would wish to have, I am confident that we will work together for the benefit of our students.   Students can be successful and will continue to grow academically and socially in spite of the challenges. 

We are IC.  We are excited for our students to return to school. We are ready to continue to work together.