October 21, 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.

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