Regional Superintendent ‘optimistic’ Gov. Pritzker will relax mask mandates in classrooms

Posted on November 15, 2021
Regional Office of Education superintendent Mark Jontry spoke with WJBC’s Todd Wineburner. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – The leader of multiple school districts across central Illinois is ‘optimistic about Gov. Pritzker’s mask mandate for children in the classroom.

Mark Jontry, Regional School Superintendent for Livingston, Logan, DeWitt, and McLean counties, said he’s hoping a change comes after the first of the year.

“We got our fingers crossed. I know infection rates are maybe starting to creep up just a tad, but fingers crossed that we’ll get through the holiday season, and I think there is a hope or a belief that maybe some relief from the mask mandate might be coming from the second semester of the school year.

Nothing has been shared on that in any definitive form at this point, and probably won’t be, I would guess until after the end of the calendar year if it would happen.”

In addition, Jontry said his office is working with health departments in various counties to vaccinate children for those granted parental approval.

“We’re optimistic with a combination of the availability of the vaccine for the elementary grade students that we might get to the point sooner rather than later.”

Speaking with WJBC’s Todd Wineburner, Jontry said children aged 5-11 can receive the Pfizer vaccination.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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