Proviso Township High Schools District 209 has partnered with SHIELD Illinois to provide COVID-19 testing for students at Proviso Math and Science Academy (PMSA), Proviso East and Proviso West high schools.
According to a letter sent to parents from Supt. James Henderson last week, SHIELD Illinois is funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
SHIELD Illinois will provide weekly tests to students, using the saliva testing method created at the University of Illinois. Students attending in-person learning twice a week as well as students participating in online-only learning are eligible for COVID-19 testing, according to the district office.
As a requirement, students participating in sports will be tested weekly; testing will be optional for all other students.
Student consent forms must be completed and submitted to the school nurse for students who will be tested, including athletes and those not in sports who would like to have the test administered.
The schools will maintain a testing roster based on received consent forms. Students on the list will go to the designated testing site within the school, where a saliva sample will be collected. Results will be available within 24 hours.
Questions about testing and a link to the consent forms can be found on the district website at https://www.pths209.org/Domain/3455.
