Updated Mask Policy

We are writing to you to share important information that you may have seen in the news this week and to inform you of a change in our COVID mitigation measures. 

Last evening, the 4th District Appellate Court of Illinois dismissed the appeal by Governor Pritzker of an earlier Circuit Court order on COVID-related emergency rules issued by two state agencies.  Additionally, a legislative committee (JCAR) voted against an extension to the statewide mask mandate and emergency school rules from IDPH.

As a result of these decisions and with consultations with our neighboring districts, Culver School will move to a mask optional environment on Monday, February 28, 2022.   At this time, masking will still be enforced on school buses and in the nurse’s office, as they are required by federal regulations.   Also, the IHSA still requires students to wear masks when participating in extracurricular sports.  We will maintain other COVID mitigation measures such as hand washing, weekly SHIELD testing, and social distancing.

I’m sure you will have many questions about the new procedures.  During the next week, we will schedule meetings with parents and staff to gather input, prepare updated guidelines, and answer important questions.  We will soon share the updated guidelines and post a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document on our website.  By the end of the week, we will implement age appropriate lessons to support our students in making the change.  These lessons will emphasize the importance of respecting personal masking choices.

While masking will be optional at Culver, we do have a few members of our community (staff and students) with serious underlying medical conditions.  We will recommend that students make appropriate masking decisions in these specific situations.  For example, we may recommend that students working in close proximity with an immunocompromised individual wear masks.  Additionally, the mask requirement may return if we experience an outbreak or if cases rise significantly schoolwide.

I know this news will create mixed feelings in our community. Some will say it’s too fast, and others will say it’s not fast enough. Our goal remains to provide students with a safe, healthy, and consistent place to grow and learn. Thank you for all of your support and understanding as we navigate an incredibly challenging school year. 

Please contact a member of the administrative team if you have any questions or feedback.