augusta county schools mask policy

Fennville Public . Make masks mandatory! Simply, we just want our students back everyday and back safely. Augusta County, VA Decision on Masking Goes Against Science & Data The Governor also stated, "K-12 school districts and charter schools still maintain the right to institute and enforce policies to mitigate against COVID-19 spread including the use of masks." We are excited to begin the school year but have some updates and reminders to help prepare our students as they return next week. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent (540) 245-5108, Where Students Grow Intellectually, Physically, and Emotionally. School Superintendent Steven Flynt announced the rescinding of the mask mandate during the board's regular session Tuesday. As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. The Augusta County School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, status as a veteran . He was referring to how the Georgia Department of Public Health color-codesCOVID-19 concentrations. 2023 www.newsleader.com. Kortney joined the 10 News team as a Lynchburg Bureau Reporter in May 2021. The Augusta Board of Education voted. Welcher said the number of cases did not show a need for further mask mandates in schools as students return five days a week for in-person instruction. School board votes to make masks optional for all students, staff in Anastasio said the big three in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in schools are universal masking, vaccination when possible and pool testing, which Augusta agreed to take part in at the end of the last school year. I was excited not to have them (masks), but then I saw new data said the delta variant could infect people with the vaccine and could result in a spread. Anastasio said its easier at all levels since people move around the district. The Augusta County Board of Supervisors will conduct a Public Hearing at 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 8, 2023, in the Board Meeting Room, Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, Virginia. This huge statewide spike, and the 29schools that were shifted to distance learning in Richmond County, led to the school board's reaffirming its mask mandate Tuesday. Administrators say theyre hearing the same from other parents. Washtenaw County schools opt to keep masks on 'until further notice' . Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Im not real sure how well they work to begin with, Dana Worley, her mom, said. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Masks will be required for anyone inside Charleston County schools until Oct. 15, 2021. Aiken County school board to fight state's restriction on mask mandate Some people asked what the penalty is for not wearing a mask and the board said they do not have an exact answer at this time. I anticipated more discussion before we voted.. Do you all understand that? Subscribe to usat newsleader.com. Story ideas and tips always welcome. The speakers who opposed the policies voiced concerns about safety issues, parental and privacy rights, and religious freedom. I want to work with every one of you. Create one. The Augusta County School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, status as a veteran, national origin, or disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. So far this week the school division has reported 85 casesdespite studentsbeing out all week because of a holiday and snow. Some in Augusta County oppose faculty masks mandates as COVID-19 May 19, 2021. . Virginia School Mask Policies - Ritchie Law "In light of those considerations, the practice is to allowconsistencyin how students and staff are treated with respect to mitigation measures.". The policy was part of the districts response to COVID last school year, but now state law prohibits individual school systems from requiring students to wear masks. A. R. Ware Elem 330 Grubert Avenue Staunton, VA. Augusta Corr Center 1821 Estaline Valley Road Craigsville, VA. Berkeley Glenn Elem 1020 Jefferson Avenue Waynesboro, VA. Sign up for breaking news alerts. Augusta County Public Schools - Wikipedia Get notified when the ePaper has been delivered (requires subscription), Augusta Public Schools to enforce mask wearing for all students, staff, visitors, Augusta Public School Board pursues pool testing for reducing pandemic requirements. The developer, Augusta County Public Schools, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. Use the form below to reset your password. Need a COVID-19 test? Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. McCormick wondered about a remote option for families if they preferred their child not go into school for safety or medical reasons, but Anastasio said there is no plan since the CDC strongly recommends we have students in school. He said school officials may work with some families if there is a medial reason, but the district does not have the resources and staffing to offer a full remote option as it did last school year. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The rise in COVID cases is also a concern for our local school districts. Dr. Flynt tells us plans are dependent on cases staying low and the mask policy . We reached out to school leaders all over the region. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - It may be time for some of us in Central Virginia to mask back up. Were gonna have to step back, go by the law, and prove them wrong, Ward said. I hope youre on the same side.. Designed and sold by artists. I want to work with you. Rules for school Masks have been mandated for all students, staff and visitors at all Richmond County School System facilities and on school buses, regardless of vaccination status. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Ensure that the phone number is not blocked in phone settings. Residents | Augusta County, VA The superintendent is great, the principal was wonderful. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". However, counties around the state had already rejected the policies, and lawsuits appear to show funding is not in jeopardy for localities that voted no, according to a report from the Courthouse News Service. The Allegan County Health Department is requiring masks in schools from kindergarten to sixth grade. Kortney Lockey, Lynchburg Bureau - Multimedia Journalist. Best for a great weekend. Glenn Youngkin's executive order that made their decision possible. The numbers have fluctuated within the school division. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1558. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. The goal is to be finished by Jan.31. There was a problem saving your notification. Local parents, students react to CDC guidance on masks in schools - WSLS The Augusta Public Schools will have in-person learning, five days a week. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta county school board members say they were blind-sided by news out of Richmond over masks in the classrooms. While Aiken County has lifted mandatory mask mandates inside its schools, Richmond County says for now it won't be changing any of its mask or social distancing guidelines. Riverheads High School 19 Howardsville Road Staunton, VA 24401 Phone: (540) 337-1921 Fax: (540) 337-0258. Augusta County School Boards motion on Wednesday includes flexibility to alter its plans if case numbers change. Augusta County is still considered to be a community with a high transmission level, with the VDH reporting a 36.4% positivity level in its most recent update. His first item of focus is the rights of parents. Waynesboro Public Schools followed the VDHs guidance and voted earlier this week to mandate masks for elementary students and staff. Although most of the discussion at Wednesday nights meeting surrounded the VDOE model treatment of transgender students policies, Kristine Welcher spoke out against masks as a parent of children attending Stuarts Draft schools. All rights reserved. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols" . Copyright 2023 WSLS.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. About 50 people attended the Augusta County School Board meeting Thursday evening. Board member Martha Witham said masks are the one thing that will keep everyone safe when school starts and they are a small price to pay to get kids back in school full time and to keep everyone safe., This wasnt a quick decision, board member Jennifer Dumond said. (844) 698-3261 Free Consultation info@ritchielawfirm.com Case Results Glenn Youngkin's executive order making masks optional or "any changing negative trends related to our local area health concerns.". Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Northam's K-12 mask mandate, and we will continue to make decisions that prioritize the health, safety . List of Augusta County Public Schools. Walensky says thats not the case now, and vaccines are very effective. Another potential headache: the CDC is still recommending schools continue to space kids out and keep their desks three feet apart. When voting to rescind the mask mandate, the Augusta County School Board said it would watch COVID numbers in schools and keep the mandate in place if numbers weren't trending in a good direction. Your cooperation with this change is expectedand appreciated. ", Staunton and Waynesboro, in their announcements, mentioned SB1303, which requireseach school board in Virginia to provide the in-person instruction "in a manner in which it adheres, to the maximum extent practicable, to any currently applicable mitigation strategies for early childhood care and education programs and elementary and secondary schools to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 that have been provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can cancel at any time. New CDC re-masking guidelines say several Central Virginia - NBC12 With this vote, students and staff must still wear masks while in school until Feb. 14. Augusta County, VA | Home Fourteen people spoke out against the mandates, citing their fear of heath issues they believe could be caused by masks. In numbers reported throughThursday morning, Augusta County was at 87positive cases this week, with 12 of those at Stuarts Draft High School and 11 more at Stuarts Draft Elementary. The only instance where county students are required to wear masks is on the school bus because of a federal mandate related to public transportation. In rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variants after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others, she said. Learn more. Learn More You are now exiting the Augusta County, VA. LIST: Arizona school districts keeping, removing mask mandates - KNXV //]]> Lawrence County School District: Full mask requirement: Sloan-Hendrix School District: . window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ndsTchhICxLNjF_dxI18aRlyWnQfS.IeNB3Ql0MS2hM-1800-0"}; Augusta County Public Schools will keep masks mandatory until Feb. 14 Copyright 2023 Augusta County Public Schools. Verify your phone numbers and contact preferences are correct in Campus Parent > User > Settings > Contact Preferences. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta County students will head to school on Tuesday, August 10 wearing masks. Her motion died for lack of a second. Superintendent James Anastasio strongly recommended the board vote in favor of the mandate. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Some in Augusta County oppose school mask mandates as COVID-19 cases surge. Charleston County schools fall in line with SC law. Masks will be Masks requirements for GA county schools | WJBF A child whose parent has elected that he or she is not subject to a mask mandate should not be required to wear a mask under any policy implemented by a teacher, school, school district, the Department of Educationor any other state authority. McDuffie County schools mandate masks; surge hits hospitals hard - WRDW All rights reserved. Data Not Collected The developer does not collect any data from this app. As areas around the state see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, with many related to the delta variant, the Virginia Department of Health, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education, released guidance on July 21 that urged masks for all students and staff at elementary schools, regardless of vaccination status. List: West Michigan schools' mask policies | WOODTV.com When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator Kelly F. Troxell Ed.D., Executive Director of Personnel (540) 245-5107, Section 504 Coordinator Douglas W. Shifflett, Jr. Ed.D, Deputy Superintendent (540) 245-5108. Studentswill be permitted to remove masksduring lunch and while outside. The CDC also says all schools should have universal masking, which is something Albemarle County Public Schools are already planning to do, and Charlottesvilles school board could vote to do in early August. More than 300 Augusta County students have tested positive for COVID-19 since school started four weeks ago. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Afterward, the public spoke and most of the comments were about masks in school. Log in to join the discussion. All rights reserved. Success. Our children under 12 years of age are not eligible to be vaccinated, so the best thing to protect them is to continue masking and social distancing, the letter from the local pediatricians said. In a statement, the Blue Ridge Health District said: The Virginia Department of Health will analyze the CDCs guidance now that it has been released. Many board members said they are not happy that the decision is out of their hands, and went on to say they want things to change in Richmond. "If between now and then things go crazy," Shiflett said. Simply, we just want our students back everyday and back safely. Important VCTC Update - Mask Policy | Valley Career & Technical Center Vaccinated teachers and students don't have to wear masks inside school buildings. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. The biggest questions will be at middle schools, where some students can get the shot and others cant. Augusta County School Board reverses course, complies with state on The testing will at first be offered to only employees and students (with parents' permission), but the school district is open to possibly expanding it to the rest of the community. Augusta County Schools to make masks optional on Valentine's Day, with 5:00 PM Joint Meeting-Augusta County Board of Supervisors and Augusta County . Parent Portal Student registration DOCUMENTS PERSONNEL Acceptable use policy STAFF Portal bGMS construction update RMS Construction Update Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. Augusta County, Virginia Covid Case and Risk Tracker Youngkin, Psaki respond to Northern Va. school systems' announcements All students, staff and volunteers in county schools will wear masks to begin the school year. To date, they have distributed 20,230 devices. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Augusta County Public Schools is set to become mask-optional in three weeks. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. "TheBoard and administration have consideredand reviewedthe continued reduction of positive cases amongourstudentsand staff, as well as recent court rulings, General Assembly action,Executive Order 6, andpendingHealth and Safety Codes Board actionnext week," Bond wrote in an email to The News Leader asking about the decision for staff. Its still a big health problem, she said. Although theres not yet an indoor mask mandate in Virginia, the CDC says there should be. Under the protocol,masks arerequired for allstudents, staff andvisitors to all school districtfacilities and onbuses,regardless of vaccination status. Aiken County Public Schools spokesperson Mike Rosier said via email that they will not be mandating masks, citing a memo from South Carolina Superintendent Molly Spearman saying the General Assembly's Proviso 1.108 in the 2021-22 Appropriations Bill prohibits any school district from requiring students or staff to wear a mask. Sign in or Subscribe I would rather go with safety; I want kids to be in school five days a week.. "These absences from school will be excused and students will be permitted to make up all missed work," the letter said. If your area is orange or red, you should require masks inside. Face coverings and masks will be optional at Charleston County schools when students return to their classrooms Aug. 18. All rights reserved. New CDC guidance says some counties in our viewing area meet the threshold to put those face coverings back on. 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