D70 Will Require COVID-19 Tests For Athletes

LIBERTYVILLE, IL —All athletes within District 70 will be required to undergo regular testing for COVID-19.

Under the school district's reopening plan, student athletes will undergo weekly surveillance testing. The required testing is among the new mitigations planned for the upcoming school year.

More information will be provided to athletes in the coming weeks regarding the testing, which the school district is hopeful to roll out by Aug. 30, according to school officials. First through eighth grade students will head back to school on Thursday and kindergarten students will start on Friday.

“We are making it voluntary for students and staff ... as far as our student athletes, regardless of the sport, that is something we will be requiring," Barbini said.

All other students and staff can receive voluntary testing through the University of Illinois SHIELD screening testing program but will not be required to. The saliva tests are being offered to school for free through the state, Barbini said during a school board meeting Monday.

Also knew this year, drive-thru testing will be offered at every D70 school for students and staff exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. The testing will be by appointment and during school hours.

District 70 plans to use federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to buy a canopy for outside all of its schools. The canopies can be used to teach students outside. Barbini said administrators will also be encouraging students to eat outside and for certain activities, such as band class, to utilize the canopies while the weather is still nice.

The rest of the ESSER funds will be used to purchase air purifiers, Barbini said.

Also on Monday, Barbini reiterated the importance for universal masking, which is being mandated by the state for all students and staff.

“It’s really something we have to work on acknowledging, and it boils down to mitigations. Because our mission, and it’s a mission possible, is to do our level best to reduce disruptions to our learners and to keep our learning environment safe and healthy," he said. "The key is layered mitigations and it begins with universal masking.”

Still, parents commenting at the beginning of the meeting still had mixed reviews on masking. Some were hopeful the district would reverse its decision, making masks optional despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker's mandate. Others thanked the school board for requiring masks stating the requirement was needed to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Barbini addressed the continued divide regarding COVID-19 policies, and, in particular, the universal masking mandates.

“I’m encouraging everyone to put differences aside, let bygones be bygones. I’m human, too. I’ll put my differences aside, too," Barbini said. "I think it’s absolutely essential that we focus on what matters. It’s our kids, and we focus and put our energies toward our mission and what we know we can do, which is educating our children. We are excellent at that, that’s what we excel at.”

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