Start Of District 129 Semester Remains In-Person: Superintendent

AURORA, IL — Students at West Aurora School District 129 will begin their second semester with in-person attendance on Thursday, officials reminded families Tuesday afternoon.

"This decision has the support of both the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Kane County Health Department, who understand that in-person learning with the appropriate protective measures is both safe and essential to students' mental health and academic growth," reads a letter from Superintendent of Schools Jeff Craig.

Craig continued to say that his primary objective for the school year continues to be to do "whatever it takes to keep our students in school all day, every day, for the entire school year."

"I am especially proud that thus far, we have done just that, despite the many hoops and hurdles that stood in our way," he wrote.

Students and staff will continue to be required to wear masks, social distance and frequently wash their hands. The building will also continue to be routinely cleaned.

When sick, the superintendent said students and staff should stay home, as it remains the best mitigation strategy.

As far as guidance for people who have tested positive for COVID-19, a 10-day isolation period will continue to be required. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent recommendation to shorten isolation time in half — from 10 to five days — won't apply to schools.