July 11, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

More than 35 students quarantining at SJO

More than 35 students at St. Joseph-Ogden High School are quarantining after close contact to a person with COVID-19.


Currently, 36 students are quarantined and one student is positive for COVID-19. Zero staff are quarantined or positive.


“These are total numbers and not just released to one situation,” Principal Gary Page said.


Page said the district expected situations like this when they brought all students back to school full time in March.


Page said the quarantines are required if a student is within six feet of anyone that tests positive for COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes over a 48 hour period.


“We are required by C-UPHD to quarantine that student from school,” he said. “In contact tracing we are asked to go back 48 hours from a positive test or the onset of symptoms.  So If student A starts developing symptoms on a Wednesday, we have to contact trace back to Monday.”


Page said in most classrooms, students are spaced between three and four feet apart. However, in a few classrooms they are still six feet apart.  


The current round of quarantines has required the JV volleyball team to cancel competitions. Page said there are other students that will miss extracurriculars as well.


“This is something we have learned to deal with because it is inevitable,” he said. “This time is more unique because students are having to quarantine because of being in a classroom.  This was very rare when we were on the hybrid schedule, but now we are back full it is the risk we take.”


Page said that even though the risk of students having to quarantine is higher due to being in closer contact, students are still getting more in person learning even if they do have to quarantine than they would on a hybrid schedule.


“If a student is able to attend in person for two school weeks they are able to accumulate 10 school days of in person learning during that time,” he said, “In a hybrid schedule it would take a student four weeks to have 10 in person days.”


Page said he understands the frustration parents have regarding students having to quarantine if they are wearing a mask and exposed to a COVID-19 positive person, the school shares the frustration.


“The CDC has stated that the risk of someone contracting COVID-19 while wearing a mask and being socially distanced at 3 feet is very unlikely,” Page said. “Which is why, we felt the time was right to survey our community and ultimately work together to get all back in.  However, the guidlines for what is considered a close contact and quarantining is still 6 feet mask or no mask.  As long as our state and local health department uses the 6 feet as the benchmark, that is the standard we must follow in the school.  It is important to remember that while it is frustrating to be quarantined even though you are masked up and socially distanced at 3-4 feet, wearing the mask is signficantly lowering the chance of actually contracting COVID.”


Page said the district feels going back to having students in the building daily was the right choice because student grades have signficantly increased and the d/f list has signficantly decreased. 


“We will see peaks and valleys with quarantines no matter what we do schedule wise and it is important not to panic or point fingers at individuals when we see a peak,” Page said. “We are all in this together, and it is important that we all continue to do our part to keep our community safe and while continuing to provide our young people with the quality of education they deserve and we expect as a community.”

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Grade school collecting items for food pantry

January 28, 2020

January 28, 2020

The students at St. Joseph Grade School are doing more than celebrating their 100th day of school—they are helping their...

Maxey to step aside, but ‘SJO is a better place’ because of former SRO’s role at school

August 15, 2019

August 15, 2019

Alicia Maxey, like many other high school students, didn’t exactly know what she wanted her future job to entail when...

Franzen finds freedom in music

October 4, 2019

October 4, 2019

Dakota Franzen is an inspiration. Marching Band Director Chuck Hess said Franzen’s efforts to be the best he can be...

SJO HONOR ROLL

November 5, 2020

November 5, 2020

FreshmenAllen, ChloeAllinger, KadenBott, MyaBrown, KylerCarter, PaytonChahine, MayaHarbourt, JamesHayes, JayciJones, HoldenLannert, LaurenLeVeck, JakeMaroon, CarsonMcBride, SethMcMahon, ShannonStevens, MadisonSweet, ZoeyWaller, BraxtonWilson, Spencer SophomoresActon,...

SJO announces academic letter winners

May 17, 2021

May 17, 2021

Academic Letter Winners for the 2019-2020 Academic Year Class of 2020 (Graduates)Lindsey Aden Jenna Albrecht Michara AllenMallory Ames Kendall Ayers...

St. Joseph Grade School updates parents on COVID concerns

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2021

Fifty-five students from St. Joseph Grade School are in quarantine for exposure to COVID-19. Forty-two of those students are related...

Live at SJO school board

September 23, 2019

September 23, 2019

We are here at SJO school board. They are discussing the insurance group they belong to and their options. An...

PVO Junior High Second quarter honor roll

January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023

7th Grade Highest Honors (3.7-4.0)Tyler BonnyIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGaby GomezGeorge HaleRoyce LoschenLane McKinneyAtleigh MillerAirin RashKeegan RobertsKorinne TravisEvelyn ValentineLucas WatersAdyn Westerfield 7th...

SJO Drama department is ‘All Shook Up’

April 5, 2019

April 5, 2019

“All Shook Up” has been almost a year and a half in the making. St. Joseph-Ogden Drama Director Chandler Dalton...

Live at St. Joseph-Ogden High School Board

February 27, 2023

February 27, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. Tonight they are discussing facilities updates. They are discussing a new...

PVO Junior High 8th grade honor roll

November 8, 2023

November 8, 2023

8th Grade Highest HonorsTyler BonnyGaby ChimalIsabella FrerichsCasen GoffGeorge HaleKellyn IrwinRoyce LoschenLane McKinneyConnor McMahonAtleigh MillerLeah PruittAirin RashKeegan RobertsKorinne TravisEvelyn ValentineLucas Waters...

Ames and Aden advance to district competition

January 28, 2019

January 28, 2019

Most people dislike public speaking. Not St. Joseph FFA member Mallory Ames. Ames, along with Lindsey Aden and Abby Schlueter...

Voters approve referendum

June 30, 2022

June 30, 2022

Superintendent Todd Pence is thankful. Thankful that a referendum asking voters to approve their tax rate by .22 percent passed....

SJO HIGH HONOR ROLL SECOND QUARTER

January 11, 2021

January 11, 2021

FreshmenAllen, LoganArmstrong, AdenBaltzell, OwenBeetz, SamanthaBurkhalter, ChloeDivan, RachelEricksen, SadieFrasca, JosephFrick, AddisonGetty, GraceHaake, LoganHarper, ChloeHarris, RachelHausman, BrodyHueber, AnnabelleJacob, TannerJolley, KyaJones, HeleneKibler, ToriLewis,...

St. Joseph Middle School 8th Grade Honor Roll

November 2, 2021

November 2, 2021

Barrowman, Kylie Barrowman, Lexie Blackburn-Kelley, Timera Blackburn-Kelley, Timothy Carlson, Jacob Chaudhary, Rudra Clark, Joshua Ericksen, Katherine Getty, Camden Haley, William...

Comments
Leave a Reply