May 1, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

SJO student tests positive for COVID-19

A student at St. Joseph-Ogden High School has tested positive for COVID-19.


On Oct. 2, Superintendent Brian Brooks emailed parents to let them know that the student recently tested positive.


“As we have done with each positive case, we are working closely with the CUPHD to do contact tracing in regards to the last time that the student was at school,” Brooks said. “If there are students who are believed to have been in close contact for a prolonged period of time either Principal Gary Page or Athletic Director Justin Franzen will be in contact with those families.”


Brooks told parents he was thankful for their corporation during the pandemic.


“We are sincerely appreciative of our families being so diligent this year in communicating potential COVID-19 exposures to the school,” he said. “This has been very helpful in trying to avoid any type of outbreak at SJO. “

The district had two other confirmed COVID cases in September.


On Oct. 1, Page announced that the district will be revisiting its no locker policy mainly to accommodate students wearing a coat to school in cooler weather.

At the start of the year, the district banned students from using lockers to help encourage social distancing. Students will be allowed to use lockers on a limited basis starting Oct. 13.


“After observing our students for nearly two months of school and how they have consistently demonstrated respect for their fellow students by adhering to health and safety guidelines necessary for us to be in school, there is no doubt that we can begin to make limited use of lockers and still stay within the COVID 19 guidelines,” Page said.


At the end of next week, the district will be sending students their locker assignments and combinations via their school email address with the idea they can begin using lockers on Oct. 13.


“We will be staggering locker assignments to encourage social distancing and students will only have access to their lockers before school, at lunch, and after school,” Page said. “Students will not be allowed to use their lockers between classes. It will also be imperative that students do not loiter around the lockers; rather they put their coat in their locker and carry on to class or lunch. Because the use of the lockers will be limited, students will not be allowed to decorate lockers or use locker accessories for the time being.”

VILLA GROVE
Mayor Cassandra Eversole-Gunter has announced that the Villa Grove Plaza will be open Saturday morning so families can take fall photos if they want to. The decorations include a fall prop designed and donated by Denise Lewis in honor of her father. Photographer
Terry Miller Brown will be at the plaza at 10 a.m. to do mini sessions. For more information on the mini sessions contact Brown on Facebook.

in Schools
Banner
Related Posts

Talk of the Town with PVO Superintendent Vic White

May 16, 2019

May 16, 2019

Every week we ask a school superintendent, board member or mayor three questions. This week we talked to PVO Superintendent...

Live at SJO school board, Dec. 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

Now I am here. They were apparently in closed for a while. #idkwhattheywerediscussing #itsalllegal They are discussing facility project updates...

Talk of the Town with Superintendent Todd Pence

May 27, 2019

May 27, 2019

Every week we ask a village mayor, trustee, school administrator or board of education member three questions. This week is...

St. Joseph Grade School to keep hybrid schedule for now

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

While families with students at St. Joseph Grade School and Middle School may want their students back in school more...

Daniels named Fine Arts Student of the Month

January 30, 2019

January 30, 2019

Emmy Daniels loves to create beautiful music. That’s why she loves chorus. “It is an opportunity to come together and...

SJO first quarter honor roll

November 14, 2023

November 14, 2023

Freshman Acosta-Reyes, YadielAlbrecht, SamuelCastro Gutierrez, BrendaEnnis, JamesonGaines, LeahGarrett, ElijahGeorge, GunnarHuls, MorganHundley, AidenIkemire, BrynnJackson, FaithJones, WaylonLewis, JaydonLyttle, AvriannaPalmer, TrippWarns, ShelbyWright, CameronWright,...

Voters approve referendum

June 30, 2022

June 30, 2022

Superintendent Todd Pence is thankful. Thankful that a referendum asking voters to approve their tax rate by .22 percent passed....

St. Joseph Grade School to stay on hybrid schedule through end of school year

March 11, 2021

March 11, 2021

St. Joseph Grade School Superintendent Todd Pence said he is recommending the grade school and middle school keep their hybrid...

Senior Homecoming Court Spotlight… Bailey Dowling

September 27, 2019

September 27, 2019

St. Joseph-Ogden Senior Bailey Dowling is honored to be on the Homecoming Court. “It’s pretty cool being on homecoming court...

SJO to stay with in-person instruction after Thanksgiving

November 16, 2020

November 16, 2020

St. Joseph-Ogden High School is going to stay with in-person instruction, Superintendent Brian Brooks announced Monday night. Last Thursday, Brooks...

SJO honors night recipients announced

May 27, 2019

May 27, 2019

The following students were honored in mid-May by St. Joseph-Ogden High School during the high school honors night. • EIU...

‘I have always known that the community of St. Joseph values and supports its schools’

November 7, 2023

November 7, 2023

Lance Landeck knows how important its schools are to St. Joseph. That’s why he applied to be the new superintendent...

District asks residents to approve referendum

May 27, 2022

May 27, 2022

The St. Joseph CCSD #169 is asking residents to approve a tax increase. On June 28, the district is asking...

SJO second quarter honor roll

January 13, 2022

January 13, 2022

FreshmenAllinger, OliviaAltenbaumer, JaredBirt, EliBirt, MilesBowlin, ChazButts, LandenChatterton, SarahCoffey, HaydenFisher, JackFrerichs, LylaGriebat, JoeHarms, BrodieJohnson, SethJones, DylanKrall, AidenLacey, AbigailLackey, LoganMarschke, AudraPalmer, ChayseReifsteck,...

St. Joseph Middle School 7th grade high honor roll

April 7, 2022

April 7, 2022

7th Grade High Honor Roll Ahart, Lillian Albrecht, Samuel Barbee, Zhou Burnett, Colin Clark, Elizabeth Crider, Abigail Dahl, Hayden Davis,...

Comments
Leave a Reply