COVID-19 cases up slightly among Oswego School District students

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Oswego School District 308 students increased slightly in the week before Thanksgiving.

Data provided by OSD 308 showed that 38 students tested positive for COVID-19 during the week of Nov. 15 - 21, an increase of six students from the week of Nov. 8 - 14. Twenty-two cases came from the district’s elementary schools, while nine were tracked to junior high schools and seven to the district’s high schools.

The district, the seventh largest in Illinois, has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students.

Old Post Elementary School, which went to remote learning Nov. 19 - 23 due to an increase in positive cases, remained at nine cases during the week of Nov. 15 - 21.

Four cases were reported at Lakewood Creek Elementary School, while two cases were reported at Grande Park Elementary School, Hunt Club Elementary School, and Wolf’s Crossing Elementary School each. Single cases were reported at Boulder Hill Elementary School, Churchill Elementary School, Long Beach Elementary School, and Murphy Junior High School.

Four cases were reported at Traughber Junior High School, while two cases were reported at both Bednarcik Junior High School and Thompson Junior High School. Five positive cases were reported at Oswego High School and two were reported at Oswego East High School.

The number of students in exclusion decreased during the week of Nov. 15 - 21, from 115 to 104 4. The district defines exclusion as students and staff who are a close contact to a known case of COVID-19, closer than 3 feet with masks in school or 6 feet apart without a mask or exposure not based in school for a total of 15 minutes or longer in a 24 hour period. Symptomatic individuals are not included in exclusion metrics, unless they test positive or are named as a close contact.

Sixty-two elementary school students were in exclusion, while 21 students at the junior high and high school levels each were placed in exclusion.

OSD 308 also reported the number of district staff members who have reported positive cases of COVID-19 and have been placed in exclusion. The district saw a decrease in the number of positive cases among staff members, from nine to six during the week of Nov. 15 - 21.

Three cases were reported at Oswego East High School, while individual cases were reported at the District Administration Center, Lakewood Creek Elementary School, Murphy Junior High School, and Traughber Junior High School.

Eight staff members were placed in exclusion, including five from Oswego High School. Individual cases were reported at the Transportation Department, Operations/Finance Department, Thompson Junior High School, Churchill Elementary School, and Old Post Elementary School.