Evanston/Skokie School District 65 will make COVID-19 tests available to students and staff on Friday and Monday.
The first day of in-person school in the upcoming semester has been moved one day, to Tuesday, Jan. 11.
Monday will be a remote learning day instead, which helps allow time for COVID tests.
In a website message to the community, superintendent Devon Horton says, “We strongly encourage testing for anyone experiencing any symptoms of illness, who traveled after Dec. 31, or feel they have been exposed to COVID-19.”
The optional testing will be available on at the Joseph E. Hill Education Center and at Chute Middle School, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Park School students can get tested at Park on those same days.
This round is for those already taking part in SHIELD tests as part of the school year.
Children whose parents opted them out of SHIELD are not eligible for tests Friday and Monday.
They would have to be opted back in for tests as part of the school week once classes resume in person.
Along with other school districts and the nation at large, District 65 is seeing a rapid increase in the number of COVID cases.
The district’s dashboard shows 180 new positives combined in the three days before winter break began. There were also 838 students in quarantine as of Dec. 23, the last day before vacation.