Superintendent Update July 30, 2021

To view past superintendent updates, please click here. To view weekly updates online, please visit our District Updates archive on our website.

I hope everyone has had a safe and enjoyable summer thus far! I want to start my first message of the 21-22 school year by thanking the members of the USD116 family. This summer, many worked so hard during 21st Century Learning programs, summer transition programs, Camp Invention, summer school at UMS and UHS, and currently, JumpStart. Your efforts have meant so much to the students and families in these summer programs. Your preparation and diligence in our safety measures have kept our students safe and encouraged me as we embark upon this new school year. I look forward to seeing all of our students, staff, and families in person at back-to-school events and opening week activities.

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidance and are now recommending that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high transmission. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) fully adopted this new guidance from the CDC. As a District, we have been universally masking all summer and planned to continue to do so to start the school year. The District is committed to our students returning to full-time in-person learning with layered prevention strategies in place. Consistent with our practice of following CDC and IDPH guidance, Urbana School District will continue to implement a universal indoor masking policy to start the 21-22 school year for all students, teachers, staff, and visitors to our schools, regardless of vaccination status. Even though our District has returned students to school safely in all of our settings, Champaign County is currently among those areas with concerning substantial levels of positive transmission; therefore, this universal masking requirement will remain in effect until further notice. To learn more about our layered prevention strategies for masking, social distancing, contact tracing, symptom screening, COVID testing, etc., please tune in to our first Board of Education meeting of the new year on Tuesday, August 3, at 7:30 p.m. You will also find additional information in the flyer linked HERE or on our website.

The District will continue to share more information and review changes in guidance as they are received while working closely with our public health officials. Our goal is to ensure that our school community is aware of the public health guidance and District expectations as we prepare ourselves for the start of a fantastic school year!

Our Opening Day theme this year is the Power of U! We all need to believe that the power comes from us! We have each other, and we are in this together!

#UrbanaBetterTogether 2021

Be safe and stay well,

Dr. Ivory-Tatum

Urbana High School art teacher, Jill Lagerstam, was selected as IAEA Educator of Distinction.

Lagerstam has been an art teacher at USD #116 for eight years.

IAEA is a professional organization dedicated to supporting, promoting & advocating quality art education for children and adults in Illinois.

Congrats Ms. Lagerstam!

Join us on August 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. as we celebrate the start of the 2021-22 school year.

Email: contactus@usd116.org
Website: usd116.org
Location: 1101 East University Avenue, Suite B, Urbana, IL, USA
Phone: 2173843600
Facebook: facebook.com/usd116
Twitter: @urbana116