Dear District 97 Staff and Families,
As you may know, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker held a COVID-19 press conference Thursday where he issued new rules regarding indoor masking, educational employee vaccination and testing requirements.
The requirement for educational employees to begin their COVID-19 vaccine regimen is Sept. 5. According to Gov. Pritzker’s executive order, all educational employees must get a COVID-19 vaccination or submit to testing weekly (or more frequently if ordered by the local health department).
We are still awaiting our legal counsel’s interpretation of the new executive order, and we expect to receive additional guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education in the coming days. Once we receive this information, we will begin to determine the implications for District 97 staff.
Additionally, we have already been in conversation with the district’s four collective bargaining units, as we realize that the Sept. 5 deadline is quickly approaching. We are committed to working collaboratively to develop a plan to implement these new requirements, details of which will be determined next week. We will provide another update as soon as possible.
Our consistent and continuous aim is safety, learning, and communication. Thank you for your support and understanding, and thank you for allowing us to lead and serve the educational needs of the children and families of Oak Park.
Sincerely,
Dr. Griff Powell and Dr. Patricia Wernet
Interim Superintendents