April 19, 2021

I am writing to let you know we were informed by the Douglas County Health Department that an individual at North Ward has tested positive. The Douglas County Health Department and North Ward will contact you if your child is considered a close contact. My last letter to inform the district of a positive individual was sent on March 8. The main reason we have had a small number of cases is the work put forth by every individual in the
district and the community. It has been a challenging year. Everyone involved impresses me with their resilience.

We are in the home stretch of the school year. I am encouraging everyone to continue to be diligent with the COVID guidelines. The hard work of many has allowed our students to be in school. My hope is the hard work pays off and next Fall we are back to normal or closer to normal than we are now. It is nice to be able to attend extracurricular activities. Watching our students in their activities is very rewarding. I have been impressed with how they have adapted to the guidelines.

I want to encourage our students to finish the year strong. During this challenging year, you have overcome many obstacles. Keep working hard and communicate with your teachers and your parents when you are faced with an obstacle. These individuals can help you overcome any obstacle you are facing. Thank you Tuscola CUSD 301 Community. We are lucky to live in an outstanding community.

Sincerely,
Gary Alexander, Superintendent
Tuscola CUSD #301

March 8, 2021

Dear Tuscola CUSD #301 Families and Staff: This letter is to inform you that an individual at TCHS tested positive for COVID-19. You will be notified if your child is considered a close contact. The health and safety of the Tuscola Community Unit School District and staff will remain our highest priority, and we recognize the uncertainty and concerns regarding the continually evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We are following guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Douglas County Health Department for best practices and procedures to protect the health of our students and staff. To prevent further spread of the disease, Tuscola Community Unit School District 301 is taking the following steps:

Placing staff members and students who are identified as having prolonged close contact to the COVID-19 case(s) in quarantine for 14 days. Close contacts should also receive a separate notification from the Douglas County Health Department.

Ongoing monitoring of students and staff for signs and symptoms of illness and evaluation of illness reports to promptly identify possibility community spread.

Conducting deep cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfection of areas impacted by potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

As always, everyone should monitor their health and stay home if they develop symptoms. Sick persons should contact their health care provider to determine if testing is necessary. Anyone who develops severe symptoms should seek medical care immediately. If your child has had close contact with a known case of COVID-19, keep the child at home and notify your primary healthcare provider, Tuscola Community Unit School District 301, and the Douglas County Health Department. Please refer to the COVID-19 Exclusion Guidance. We are steadfastly committed to providing your child and our staff with a safe and healthy learning environment. As we receive more information from the Department of Public Health and other entities, we will implement additional information. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and ongoing cooperation with our COVID-19 prevention policies and procedures.

Sincerely,  

Gary M. Alexander, Superintendent Tuscola CUSD #301

409 S. PrairieTuscola, IL 61953217-253-4241