SCHOOLS

KEEPING the Doors OPEN

District 181 adds saliva testing program as it resumes full in-person learning this month

In-person gatherings in general have which formed a partnership with D102 to the district handled things,” Sultan said. been turned upside down by the conduct testing. But in watching events unfold Coronavirus pandemic, and at the Both districts commenced with a pilot throughout the school-year, Sultan said she heart of the debate concerning safety program, and have continued with saliva was confident in sending her children back and efficiency has been the question screening throughout the year. for full in-person instruction in April.of the proper attendance model in schools. When a D105 board member inquired “I have no hesitation at this point,” she

After spending nearly the entire school- regarding potential privacy concerns back said. ... “The game-plan that I’m seeing the year in hybrid learning, Community in September, Campbell replied that all administration roll out is amazing.”Consolidated School District 181 targeted a return to full in-person instruction for the first time in more than a year on April 5. samples are “properly disposed” of once they have been run. Sultan said her niece, a sophomore at the University of Illinois at UrbanaLavigueur said studies have revealed that Champaign, has enjoyed a pleasant

Passions have run high on both sides weekly surveillance programs have “driven experience on campus this year, with twice-of the debate both during board of down transmission rates in the areas they weekly testing.education meetings and in online forums, but ultimately, the board cover.” “Whatever we can do to have determined that it was in the best interest of the students “I think it’s really wonderful that the most confidence in [the kids’] safety, it’s very important and community to resume full in-person learning for the last they have another avenue through to have it,” she said. Sultan likes the fact that the two months of the school-year. which parents can feel more program is voluntary, adding But with the number of children in school comfortable getting their children that the pandemic has been a “personal battle” for parents. approximately doubling at any given time, the district back to school.” “If you don’t want to use it, you don't have to use it,” adopted a voluntary saliva - SHAZIA SULTAN, District 181 parent she said. ... “They need to do testing program to increase the what's best for their children.” probability of full in-person success. “With weekly testing, we will have a more Sultan said she disagrees with comments

District communications director Jamie accurate assessment of overall COVID-19 she has observed from parents online Lavigueur said D181 sought out a non- rates and risks at D181 schools, providing opining that there are better ways to spend intrusive test that could be conducted on a an extra layer of reassurance for providing money. weekly basis, and provide results within 24 hours at a cost not to exceed $20 per test. The district settled on Brookfield-based in-person instruction, in addition to the many safety measures our schools already have in place,” she said. “At the end of the day, a child’s safety is not more or less than something else,” she said. SafeGuard Surveillance LLC, which Lavigueur said satisfied all of the desired parameters. SafeGuard Surveillance was established by Dr. Ed Campbell, a virologist and associate professor at Loyola UniversityChicago, who is also the vice president of the La Grange School District 102 board of education. Campbell derived the saliva Saliva screening is efficacious in proportion to the number of students and staff that participate. District 105 set a target of 80 percent student participation, but did not exceed 75 percent at any point in 2020. While District 181 understands that not every family will desire to participate in the program, Lavigueur said “the more Sultan said the board and administration have to do what’s best for the “majority” of families, and can't cater to every individual opinion that exists within the community. “I think it's really wonderful that they have another avenue through which parents can feel more comfortable getting their children back to school,” she said. test from his friend and colleague Dr. individuals who participate, the more Lavigueur said in-person students and David O’Connor, a professor of pathology effective it is as a preventative measure.” staff have the opportunity to sign up and and laboratory medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who developed Shazia Sultan of Hinsdale, the mother of a seventh-grader at Hinsdale Middle begin testing at any time throughout the year. the test in the summer of 2020 for the School and a fourth-grader at The Lane “Our goal with this program is to purposes of opening his son’s school. Elementary School, said she likes the avoid any school closures by identifying

In order to take the test, the subject spits availability of the saliva screening program. asymptomatic individuals, who can still into a vial, and then receives a result within hours. District 102 adopted the saliva screening program prior to the start of the 202021 school-year, and was followed weeks later by La Grange School District 105, Prior to April, Sultan’s kids had been fully remote the entire year. She said she was “nervous” at first, and was unsure how the district would manage its hybrid model. “I wanted to buy myself time to see how spread the virus to others,” District 181 superintendent Dr. Hector Garcia said. “We encourage all of our students and staff to participate in this quick and easy reassurance of safety that provides another level of protection as we return to full inperson.” ■