Keeping Catalyst communities safe
The health and wellness of Catalyst scholars and staff is our highest priority. We are working closely with Chicago Public Schools and health officials to monitor and respond immediately to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation, and we will provide regular updates as the situation develops.
We encourage you to read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance to learn “what you need to know” [Spanish]. Additional resources can be found here: www.chicago.gov/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
If you ae sick, you must stay home.
- Students and staff who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness may not come to school until they are free of fever (oral temperature below 100.4°F) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- Student absences will be marked as excused.
If your child becomes ill at school, we will ask you to take them home immediately.
- If you’re not feeling well, we encourage you to go straight home and avoid crowds and public spaces, if possible.
- If you have a child who needs to be sent home:
- Your child’s school will contact the person listed as parent or legal guardian. If they cannot be reached, the school will contact the individual listed on the student’s emergency contact form.
- Please ensure your contact information is up-to-date.
- Your child’s school will also provide you with upcoming classwork.
The best strategy against spreading germs is to practice good hand hygiene.
Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds remains the best strategy against spreading illness. We encourage everyone to clean their hands often. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol is a suitable alternative. Please note that small children should only use hand sanitizers under adult supervision. The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers has raised concerns about eye contamination, skin reactions, alcohol poisoning, and flammability.
Please let our school teams know if you have any questions or be of assistance with any specific concerns.