MORTON, Ill. – Morton Dist. 709 Superintendent Jeff Hill is reminding parents and families that a mask mandate will remain in place for students and staff in schools.
Hill, in a weekly update, says while the mandate continues in his schools, he will continue to advocate for local control and flexibility.
“We only ask that the state of Illinois trust us to manage our own affairs as we have safely and successfuly before,” Hill said. “With control comes accountability, which we gladly accept.”
Hill said, as of Friday, 19 students were out with a positive COVID diagnosis, down from 21 the week before, for an overall infection rate of .6 percent of the student body which numbers 3,000.
One staff member was absent with COVID, down from five the previous week.
Parents and families packed a Morton Dist. 709 school board meeting Aug. 16, arguing both for and against the district’s mask mandate.
“We appreciate that there are passionate voices on both sides of this issue,” Hill said in his update. “It is important that we remain respectful of one another despite the differences that may exist.”
“It can be all to easy to succumb to the distractions that subtract from our core mission of educating students, where our energies are always better spent.”
