So How Exactly Did Virus Affect Elmhurst 205?

ELMHURST, IL — More than 60 percent of Elmhurst School District 205's students were quarantined last school year because of exposure to those with the coronavirus.

This is according to the final numbers that officials plan to present to the school board Tuesday.

Of the district's 8,500 students, 5,292 were asked to quarantine at some point during the year.

The number of students who tested positive for the coronavirus last year was 545, about 6 percent of the total enrolled.

The district noted that of those cases, a third came from York High School. That reflects York's proportion of the district's overall enrollment.

According to the district's numbers, just 13 students under quarantine ended up testing positive after their quarantine orders.

As of year's end, 97 percent of faculty and staff had been fully vaccinated. During the year, 117 faculty and staff tested positive for the coronavirus at some point.

But the vaccinations appeared to have an effect. The monthly numbers of staff testing positive plunged to the low single digits after they started getting shots.

That was not the situation with students, with positive cases spiking in March and April before falling somewhat in May.

According to the district's presentation, schools will be open five full days a week next year. But no announcement has been made on masks. Some parents are urging the district to drop the mask mandate in the fall. Officials say they will follow the state's guidance.