A central Illinois school leader is calling the latest mandate from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to have Illinois school staff be vaccinated or be subject to weekly testing as a gut punch and a surprise.

Cheryl Warner is the Superintendent of Warrensburg-Latham Schools and says she shouldn't be surprised but what was perhaps the most astonishing component of the mandate was that it is to be implemented starting Monday, September 5 with little to no guidance from the State.

Concerns of deepening the shortage of teachers and staff across the education industry are on the minds of school leaders in all parts of the state. Warner says so far, this has not resulted in the resignation of staff in her district, superintendents are dealing with those things.

Warner is trying to keep a positive mindset. She indicates a lot of things look as normal as they have in a few years and gives credit to her students and staff who are very compliant with all the things asked of them.