Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Between Dec. 4 and 18, Georgia reported just under 20,000new cases, and most of the state's map was a light-yellow. As a further precaution, the superintendent said they are partnering with Heritage Pharma Groupto offer on-site COVID-19 testing with guaranteed results in 24 to 48 hours. Masks requirements for GA county schools | WJBF Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education and sports reporter. We reached out to school leaders all over the region. Harrisonburg man charged with crimes connected to Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. I anticipated more discussion before we voted.. ", 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). Contact tracing will only be done when there's anoutbreak, which is definedas"10% of a grade level, staff or entire school," per the letter. Chief Technology OfficerCarolyn McCord provided an update on the school district's 1:1 initiative, PowerUp, which will supply every student with the use of a laptop with internet connectivity. The Augusta County School Board is a seven-member board elected by district to four-year terms. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Verify your phone numbers and contact preferences are correct in Campus Parent > User > Settings > Contact Preferences. Designed and sold by artists. MORE: Mask Mandates Are Hot Topic at Columbia County School Board Meeting New CDC guidance says some counties in our viewing area meet the threshold to put those face coverings back on. Timothy Simmons, who represents the Pastures District, said he is in favor of making masks optional. Virginia School Mask Policies - Ritchie Law Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. He shared the letter from the pediatricians at the board meeting. Collins said he worded his motion so it gave a date for going mask optional, but also gave the board its own options. More than 300 Augusta County students have tested positive for COVID-19 since school started four weeks ago. If you dont, I dont have a problem with that either.. While the nations top public health agency says vaccinated teachers and students can ditch the mask, some say its too soon. Copyright 2021 WVIR. A month since Rosenberg was forced out, Staunton City Council hasn't secured search firm, Staunton man pleads guilty to a string of burglaries, gets nearly 10 years in prison, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Kortney Lockey, Lynchburg Bureau - Multimedia Journalist. Face coverings and masks will be optional at Charleston County schools when students return to their classrooms Aug. 18. Several attendees at Tuesday night's Aiken County school board meeting jumped at the sound of a woman outside the meeting room shouting, "Make masks mandatory! The developer, Augusta County Public Schools, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. 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. Otherwise, a 14-day quarantine will be required. Human Resources - Richmond County School System Here's how fast the special use permit process has gone for Houff's Churchville pit, Resignation of Staunton City Manager Steve Rosenberg: Councilor Mead's remarks, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. 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. Glenn Youngkin's executive order on masks in schools. In rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variants after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others, she said. Masks will return to Augusta County schools this fall - WHSV 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. As we learn more, I am comfortable with yes. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Augusta Public Schools to enforce mask wearing for all students, staff This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. Find Augusta County, Virginia public schools, including charter schools, k-12, elementary, middle, and high schools. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. Lawrence County School District: Full mask requirement: Sloan-Hendrix School District: . Augusta County Public Schools is the organization that operates the public school system in Augusta County, Virginia. Waynesboro Public Schools followed the VDHs guidance and voted earlier this week to mandate masks for elementary students and staff. Now it is easier than ever to stay up-to-date with the news. Richmond County schools dropping mask mandate in buildings - WRDW That comes days after Staunton and Waynesboro announced their school divisions will continue to require masks to help with COVID-19 mitigation with no end date set for thosemandates. Here are a few of them: Blue Ridge Health District vaccination scheduler, Call the BRHD COVID-19 Hotline 434-972-6261. Under the protocol, masks are required for all students, staff and visitors to all school district facilities and on buses, regardless of vaccination status. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. You can cancel at any time. Send us your news tip here. 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. There is [sic] three reasons why COVID cases are going up. Masks will return to Augusta County schools this fall. All say theyre waiting for additional guidance from the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Department of Health and Governor Ralph Northam. 1:30 PM Community Policy Management Team. The community level of Covid-19 in Augusta County is low based on cases and hospitalizations, according to the most recent update from the C.D.C. On Tuesday, Richmond County Superintendent Kenneth Bradshaw displayed a map of Georgia for the school board and said, "The map tells it all with all that red.". Stay Connected . ", As of its most recent update on Jan. 13, the CDC "recommends universal indoor masking by allstudents (ages 2 years and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.". This is a political scam to see who is going to sit down and shut up, Riverheads student Joshua Cox said . In a retreat Thursday afternoon at the Augusta County Government Center, the school board voted 5-1 to make masks optional in schools beginning Monday, Feb. 14. Now. There was a problem saving your notification. Washtenaw County schools opt to keep masks on 'until further notice' . My biggest concern is, I would never go into your home and tell you whats best for your child, McCormick said. Masks may be removed during lunch and while outside. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. To mask or not to mask? Local schools determine policies - WRDW New CDC re-masking guidelines say several Central Virginia - NBC12 May 19, 2021. I was a Title 1 reading teacher and was treated with professionalism and respect. People are also reading 'Cousin Eddie' display from 'Christmas Vacation' leads to Kentucky police response LIST: Arizona school districts keeping, removing mask mandates - KNXV "If between now and then things go crazy," Shiflett said. Its vaccination that Walensky says will prevent her biggest fear. Fennville Public . 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. Masks will be required for anyone inside Charleston County schools until Oct. 15, 2021. : Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, More: At-home COVID test website launches early. With this vote, students and staff must still wear masks while in school until Feb. 14. This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendation., RELATED: New CDC guidelines call for masks in schools K-12. Subscribe to usat newsleader.com. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta County students will head to school on Tuesday, August 10 wearing masks. The Columbia County Board of Education will be withdrawing its requirements for students and faculty to wear face-coverings beginning Sept. 29. 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. Studentswill be permitted to remove masksduring lunch and while outside. Bond's letter did say that parents who choose to keep their children home for the full 10-day quarantine period can do so. 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. 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. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, At-home COVID test website launches early. Tuesday Columbia County school leaders made their decision on the mask mandate. School boards are required by state law to enact the policies for the 2021-22. 0:57. Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay safe. The Augusta County School Board held a special session on July 29th to discuss what turned out to be two issues. Copyright 2023 Augusta County Public Schools. Dr. Flynt tells us plans are dependent on cases staying low and the mask policy . Use the form below to reset your password. The school board met Thursday night to discuss their back-to-school.