How vaccinated are Kendall County school staffs?

More than three-quarters of the staff members in Yorkville School District 115, Plano School District 88 and Newark Community High School District 18 have been vaccinated for COVID-19 as of this past week, according to information provided by the districts.

Meanwhile, Oswego School District 308, Kendall County’s largest single employer, has yet to provide vaccination data for its workforce of more than 2,200 staffers.

84% of the certified staff and non-certified staff in YSD 115 have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine as of Sept. 24, according to Superintendent Tim Shimp.

In addition, Shimp reported that 16% of the district’s certified and non-certified staff have chosen not to get a vaccine but are participating in weekly testing for COVID-19 at district schools.

PSD 88 Superintendent Tony Baker estimated that roughly 80% of the district’s total staff of 400 employees have been vaccinated.

“The remainder either declined to provide that information, or said they weren’t vaccinated. The majority of that remainder have agreed to weekly testing, while the district is currently seeking legal advice on what to do with employees that refuse weekly testing,” Baker said in an email.

Ed Boswell, superintendent of NCHSD 18, estimated that “close to 80%” of the district’s staff were vaccinated as of Sept. 22.

In an email, Boswell explained the ranks of the district’s vaccinated staff includes “teachers, office staff, custodial/maintenance, bus drivers, and coaches who are not full-time staff but coach during their respective seasons.”

“I am very pleased with our number of vaccinated staff. It is such a personal choice for people with all that is taking place in our country and I respect their choices and 100% cooperation we have from all staff with the protocols we have put in place per the new mandate set by the governor,” Boswell said.

He added that he had 10 staff members who had opted for weekly testing as of Sept. 22.

“We are testing at the school, however a couple of my staff chose to work with alternative testing options but provide results each Monday,” Boswell said.

Gov. JB Pritzker mandated that all Illinois teachers and other school staff members received at least the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Sept. 19

The deadline was originally set for Labor Day weekend, but Pritzker extended it to Sept. 19, giving school employees more time to get their first shot. Any employee who is not vaccinated is subject to mandatory COVID-19 testing.