Elmhurst School Open, But Had No Virus Transmissions: Leader

ELMHURST, IL — Another private school in Elmhurst says it was fully in person last semester, yet had no cases of coronavirus transmission within its building.

This is in contrast to the local school district, which was remote most of the time.

In an email Friday to Elmhurst Patch, a top official with Immanuel Lutheran School, 142 E. Third St., reported on the school's situation. The school serves preschool through eighth grade.

"Immanuel has not closed due to COVID-19 yet this school year," Assistant Principal Heather Estes said. "We have operated with in-person learning, with a full day of school since August. We have had (zero) cases of transmission within our building."

She said students and staff have not been permitted to travel outside the area without a 14-day quarantine. Daily, she said, a health ticket is filled out with body temperature information and a coronavirus screening statement.

"Immanuel has adopted strict policies for students and staff that have allowed for in-person learning to continue," Estes said. "We continue to provide a safe, academically rich, Christ-centered education for the community, even during a pandemic."

Estes said the school has changed the ways it provides opportunities. For instance, she said, it offered a character-based scarecrow walk, instead of a "trunk-or-treat."

Patch sent follow-up questions to Estes about the school's enrollment and whether any students or staff suffered confirmed cases of the coronavirus unconnected to the school.

Her email account responded with an automatic reply saying that she was out of the office with limited internet access.

Since October, Elmhurst School District 205 has been almost entirely remote because of the pandemic. This has upset many parents, who are pushing for more in-person learning.

In a previous story, Patch reported that two other Elmhurst private schools, IC Catholic Prep and Timothy Christian Schools, have offered far more in-person learning than the school district. Yet their rates of coronavirus cases have been about the same as the district's, according to statistics provided by the schools.