St. Clair County BOE approves a mask mandate for rising COVID cases

Published 11:00 am Thursday, September 2, 2021

The school board approved a two-week minimum mask mandate if more than 5% of a student body has tested positive for COVID. Each day the numbers will continue to be assessed, and weeks could be added on.

COVID numbers within the school system are updated and posted on the school’s website. Parents and students can also find out information about their school on the new app.

Students do not have to wear masks outside or while they are eating.

The school board has ordered 30,000 masks in different sizes for students who do not have masks.

Students with doctors’ notes state that they are unable to wear the mask due to illnesses will not be a part of the mask mandate.

A decision was made to extend the mask order to pre-k-12. Last year the school only required 2nd grade and above to wear masks, but the Delta Variant now affects younger children.

The BOE also agreed that pre-k and kindergarten will have times they can take their masks off if they remain six feet apart. They’re leaving the decision of when and how to the teachers.

Many of the board members shared the intention of the mandate is to keep the school open and protect the students.

The stages that will be followed when deciding when and how to convert to virtual if needed:

-Stage 1: Traditional school is fully open 5 days per week

-Stage 2: Traditional school is open in staggered format 4 days per week

-Stage 3: Traditional school is open like stage 2, but 9-12 are fully virtual

-Stage 5: Traditional school is open like stage 2, but 4-12 are fully virtual

-Stage 6: No traditional school, all classes are fully virtual

The next St. Clair County BOE meeting will be Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Odenville middle school auditorium.