Mask requirement extended at Clay County Schools

Clay County Schools, News
clay county school mask requirement meeting

HAYESVILLE, NC: At the called meeting on September 7, the Clay County Board of Education decided to continue the mask mandate until the COVID-19 numbers decrease.

The decision was unanimous.

The board will review the policy every month. NC General Assembly issued two policy options for school systems regarding masks, but one must be approved every month. Option A is a mask mandate, and option B is guidelines for mask optional protocols.

Superintendent Dale Cole recommended the mask requirement continue for the time due to COVID-19 numbers.

The original mandate was initiated on August 18. 

The first three weeks of classes indicated COVID-19 quarantines have almost every week. Children’s positive cases grew significantly week over week, with 17 positive students on week one, 26 week two, and 45 week three. Staff positive cases have remained constant for the time being at three total.

graph of COVID-19 data at Clay County Schools

Superintendent Cole explains the cumulative COVID-19 numbers.

The schools did rework their lunchroom protocol and seating to prevent possible exposures during lunchtime. As of week three, 74 students were exposed during lunch.

In the high school, 77 students (over 20 percent) were in quarantine. The middle school has 60 in quarantine.

Teachers have expressed the difficulty of teaching students remotely and in person, and some feel that masks are necessary right now. However, all enjoy being back in the classroom with students and instructing face to face.

Additionally, the board approved the recommendation to let the superintendent shut down a school or make it virtual without calling a board of education meeting. The measure deals specifically with a public health emergency.

“As long as we have staff available…we can have school for 10 kids if that’s all we have. The problem is when we don’t have the staff to monitor the safety of the students,” Superintendent Cole explained.

Cole feels like having school virtual is better than not having school at all. Virtual might be the best option for specific situations if a teacher can work while in quarantine.

The majority of substitutes are older and are unsure about entering a school system during the pandemic. Additionally, each school typically needs a certain amount of substitutes each day on a typical day.

https://youtu.be/XMde9zNSdOA

Clay board of education enacts mask requirement for students

News
mask requirement

HAYESVILLE, Ga – Clay County Board of Education issued a mask mandate just a few days before the start of the school year.

The policy will revisit the decision on September 7 to determine if the mask requirement needs to continue. On July 26, the board decided masks could be a parent option. At that time, Clay County reported only 10 active cases.

As of August 18, Clay County recorded 64 active cases, 2 positive school staff, 1 quarantined, 13 positive students, and 21 quarantined students.

Federal regulation already mandates masks to always be worn on buses. Disposable masks will be available on every bus. Additionally, the school system will provide five cloth masks to students.

Towns County Elementary closed this week because of staff and student cases within the school. Towns County began the 2021-2022 year just two weeks ago.

Several factors went into the decision including NCDHHS and Strong Schools quarantine guidelines and learning habits of Clay County Schools (CCS) students.

“The goal is to have face-to-face instruction at least five days per week as close to normal as possible,” Superintendent Dale Cole explained. “Our second graders have never had a full year of school.”

NCDHHS policy states that students within close contact with a positive case while wearing a mask do not need to quarantine. However, both students the positive case and potentially exposed child need to be properly wearing a mask at the time. The quarantine exemption does not include extracurricular activities or athletics, just the classroom setting.

“Optional masking will likely lead to multiple quarantines among students and staff creating default remote instruction for much of the time the next few months,” Cole stated. “So as the situation changes, we have to make decisions.”

Board Chairperson Jason Shook explained that a majority of students struggled to adjust to online education and forcing a child to juggle between in-person and online isn’t beneficial to them.

Data from last year showcased the learning hurdles, especially in math. For the majority of 2020-2021, students were either online or only in person two to three days a week.

The health department has final authority on who needs to quarantine or not. The school can’t override a decision made by the health department.

Online Learning Option

The virtual option will continue to be available for parents who requested it. As of August 18, 44 requests had been made. Superintendent Cole explained the number could drop with a mask mandate in place.

The cost of virtual learning per student is between $1,500 – $2,000 for K-8 and $3,000 for high schoolers. CCS has federal funding to cover these costs. The board will revisit the necessity of the online option for the second semester.

To try and limit community spread, the schools will be disinfected on Wednesdays and weekends. Field trips will be canceled or postponed for the next month.

Visitors will be allowed in the office area only and must wear masks.

As far as sporting events, masks must be worn on the sidelines and on activity buses. Spectators aren’t expected to wear masks at this time. Gyms will be disinfected after every game. CCS policy for athletics mirrors the procedures in place with the rest of the conference.

https://youtu.be/cQSi7CmwZ5A

Back to Top