Communicable Disease Guidance

Monday, August 28, 2023

The following is an update to communicable disease protocol as it relates to attendance at school. I'm sharing today due to the recent presence of COVID-19 on campus. This new strain is a mutated version dubbed Eris, a sort of grandchild of Omicron. For school, COVID-19 protocol is now listed within the Communicable Disease School Nurse Guidance document. The sixth column lists criteria for Exclusion from School for all of our favorite communicable diseases. In this column, you'll see exclusion for COVID-19 is now similar to that for whooping cough, mumps, and chicken pox. The goal, of course, is to minimize public spread. Here are a few tips and points of emphasis with regards to COVID-19.

Be on the look-out for symptoms. The most common symptoms we are seeing are sore throats, congestion, and headaches. Other common symptoms include fever, fatigue, and chills.
If you experience symptoms, please stay home. Get tested for COVID-19. Mrs. Bronny has some home test kits available here at school if needed.
If you test positive for COVID-19, the Illinois Department of Public Health asks you to self-isolate for 5 days from symptom onset. Individuals may return to school on day 6, provided they meet all of the following conditions.
- 24 hours fever-free, without fever-reducing medication
- 24 hours without vomiting or diarrhea
- Overall, your symptoms have improved

Also, just a reminder, masking is optional at school. If you have additional questions or concerns, please be sure to reach out to me or Nurse Bronny.

Sincerely,

Tim Farquer, Superintendent
Williamsfield Schools

IEPs & 504s

Federal law protects students from discrimination due to a disability that substantially limits a major life activity. If your student has a qualifying disability, an individualized education plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan will be developed and implemented to provide the needed supports so that your student can access their education as effectively as students without disabilities. Within 14 school days, the district determines whether an evaluation is warranted after receiving a request for an evaluation. Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an individualized education program, as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and implementing provisions of the School Code, may qualify for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if the child (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment. Not all students with life-threatening allergies and life-threatening chronic illnesses may be eligible under Section 504. Our school district also may be able to appropriately meet a student’s needs through other means.

Student Data Privacy

Williamsfield Schools takes the privacy of our student's data seriously. We work diligently to remain compliant with data privacy laws, including the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA). SOPPA guarantees that student data is protected when collected by educational technology companies and that any data collected is used for beneficial purposes only.

SOPPA addresses the protections third-party companies have in place to make sure that our students' data is not sold or given to others. As part of SOPPA, these companies must enter into Data Privacy Agreements (DPA) with each school district they work with. These agreements outline what data is stored, how it is protected, what the company can and cannot do with that data, and what they will do in the event of a data breach. For example, one software we use here at Williamsfield Schools is DreamBox, an online math education company. In order to enter into an agreement with us and with other school districts, DreamBox must comply with these data privacy laws and regulations in order to protect students. DreamBox's privacy policies are available here. We ensure that each technology company we work with complies with our data privacy agreement, and we employ robust security measures in our district to protect our students' data.

Our students' data may be transferred to some companies due to assessment mandates from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). ISBE is responsible for obtaining Data Privacy Agreements with these companies and making them available to families. Examples of these resources would include PSAT and IAR testing.

In the unlikely situation that a vendor experiences a potential data breach, we will be notified. After receiving notice of a potential breach, we will evaluate the report and, if confirmed, will provide notification to parents/guardians. We will also notify parents/guardians and post information in the unlikely event that our district's data systems are breached. However, a notice of breach may be delayed if a law enforcement agency determines that the notification will interfere with a criminal investigation.

For more information about the Student Online Personal Protection Act and other student data privacy laws, see this legislation brief from the Learning Technology Center of Illinois.