McCormick said she wished the discussion about masking would have been at the business meeting instead. Shop the collection. "If between now and then things go crazy," Shiflett said. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Scotto's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria building up for lease, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Jim Wood urged to surrender vice mayors position, resign, Waynesboro family-owned pig farm embraces sustainable pork production, Newly-opened local fashion boutique celebrates grand opening, Waynesboro City Council appoints RISE co-founder Chanda McGuffin to Waynesboro's Economic Development Authority board, Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office ends affiliation with Reelz TV show 'On Patrol: Live', Staunton boys basketball team suffers season-ending loss to Cave Spring, No. The school division will also follow the CDCs shortened timeline for those who have toisolateorquarantine. We have always tried to be non-political. As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Im asking for a choice for a virtual option during this surge. on March 2.Read more about the C.D . Heres why. But the Virginia Department of Health is not making any masking decisions yet. Between Dec. 4 and 18, Georgia reported just under 20,000new cases, and most of the state's map was a light-yellow. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. He was referring to how the Georgia Department of Public Health color-codesCOVID-19 concentrations. The school board is elected, and the current superintendent is Dr. Eric Bond. I feel like everyone should still be wearing masks, vaccinated or not, said Shae Helms, a sophomore at Amherst County High School. The Augusta Board of Education voted Wednesday night, 5 to 1, to mandate mask wearing. The main issue was the recent Commonwealth decision that all schools needed to have a non-discrimination policy in place in regards to transgender students. Sign up for breaking news alerts. Only two people spoke out in favor of masks. The Augusta County School Board voted 5-1 on Thursday to make masks optional . The only vote against the motion was fromBeverley Manor representative Donna Wells, who had tried to amend the motion to extend the mandatory mask policy until Feb. 28. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. 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. If you dont, I dont have a problem with that either.. In light of Virginia's school mask policy change, we have included a list of school districts and their decisions on masking. But she also says this guidance makes sense because of the more transmissible Delta variant. Thank you for visiting the Augusta County, VA. You will be redirected to the destination page below in 0 seconds. More: Augusta schools' 1:1 tech rollout under way, benefiting students who have gone without. Enter your email and password to access comments. Beloved local eatery, The Pie Chest, closing for good this month, Family of Ukrainian refugees using music to adapt to life in Charlottesville. Some counties within the BRHD qualify for indoor masking, per the CDC guideline.Charlottesville and Albemarle County are not there as of today, but as you can see, the 7-day moving average is going in the wrong direction district-wide. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended universal masking in schools at every grade level. 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. Reading Specialist (Former Employee) - Verona, VA - August 12, 2020. Virginias approach to COVID-19 has always been driven by the science, and we continue to emphasize that the only way out of this pandemic is through vaccination., A spokesperson for the Blue Ridge Health District, Jason Elliott, said in an interview with NBC29 last week that it is extremely important -- probably the most important -- to get vaccinated now more than it ever has been before.. Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, At-home COVID test website launches early. "Not seeing facial expressions. Success. 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. New CDC guidance says some counties in our viewing area meet the threshold to put those face coverings back on. Face coverings and masks will be optional at Charleston County schools when students return to their classrooms Aug. 18. Studentswill be permitted to remove masksduring lunch and while outside. Masks have been and continue to be required on all Georgia school buses. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The Augusta County School Board voted unanimously Thursday night not to adopt model policies for the treatment of transgender students put forth by the. School Board members made the decision Thursday . . Tuesday Columbia County school leaders made their decision on the mask mandate. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The rise in COVID cases is also a concern for our local school districts. Teacher at Dixon Preschool Center Augusta County Public Schools 4.2 I was a Title 1 reading teacher and was treated with professionalism and respect. The biggest questions will be at middle schools, where some students can get the shot and others cant. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Virginia (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases rise within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask requirements. Between Jan. 4 and 18, Georgia reported over 200,000 new cases, and the map had turned a dark burgundy. I want to work with every one of you. Add the 10-digit school phone number and the Augusta County Schools district phone number (540-245-5100) to your phone contacts. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. He said "lots of parents" had reached out to him saying masks had created emotional damage for their children. To date, they have distributed 20,230 devices. 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. About 50 people attended the Augusta County School Board meeting Thursday night. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Kelly F. Troxell Ed.D., Executive Director of Personnel (540) 245-5107, Douglas W. Shifflett, Jr. The CDC released this map of the country, which says how your city or county is doing as far as COVID-19 transmission. 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. @NBC29 pic.twitter.com/L8eS6n0bxz. Parent Portal Student registration DOCUMENTS PERSONNEL Acceptable use policy STAFF Portal bGMS construction update RMS Construction Update We are excited to begin the school year but have some updates and reminders to help prepare our students as they return next week. Its why the news isnt sitting well with him and others. You are muzzling our children. Anastasio said its easier at all levels since people move around the district. Again, we are excited to begin the year and look forward to having our students back. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. They have been in public places and taken place in social gatherings. Kortney joined the 10 News team as a Lynchburg Bureau Reporter in May 2021. Its equal or worse than in December, and our healthcare workers are drowning, said Tara Mahanes. We got to show some force or whatever you need to do to show those people down there to understand that we need to be allowed to make the decision that best suits our kids because we deal with our kids, we deal with the parents, board member Tim Swortzel said. The Augusta Board of Education voted. Masks are still required on buses per federal law. Sign in or Subscribe The Allegan County Health Department is requiring masks in schools from kindergarten to sixth grade. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. About 20 minutes into the school board meeting Thursday evening, members went into closed session with its legal council. So far this week the school division has reported 85 casesdespite studentsbeing out all week because of a holiday and snow. 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. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Augusta County School Boards motion on Wednesday includes flexibility to alter its plans if case numbers change. Dr. Flynt tells us plans are dependent on cases staying low and the mask policy . The Augusta Public Schools will have in-person learning, five days a week. Even though mask mandates will not be enforced inside school, masks will still be required on school buses, as well as for staff members and adults inside the school building. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. Although theres not yet an indoor mask mandate in Virginia, the CDC says there should be. They have thrived and remained healthy.. But othersincluding her momhave a different opinion. Kortney Lockey, Lynchburg Bureau - Multimedia Journalist. Copyright 2021 WVIR. We have no affiliation up here because we did not want that to interfere, it does not need to interfere with the decisions that we make for our parents and for our kids, but I am going to go against the grain tonight and say that we have got to get a republican governor into the state house this fall, board member Nicholas Collins said. 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. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Kids' face masks with Augusta County Schools designs for a. Schools, including in Waynesboro and Augusta County, have the freedom to "implement local mask policies." Waynesboro school board members will meet 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Waynesboro High School and are expected to tackle the state's guidelines when discussing the city's reopening plan. Columbia County schools decided to make masks optional for students moving forward effective for summer school. 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. Heritage Pharma plans to start testing Monday, Jan. 24, and families are asked to stay tuned for more details. You will receive an email to complete the registration. However, in a letter sent to families of students Thursday, Superintendent Eric Bond said masks would be optional for staff Monday as well. While the nation's top public health agency says vaccinated teachers and students can ditch the mask, some. Walensky says thats not the case now, and vaccines are very effective. Columbia County . Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols" . FISHERSVILLE The Augusta County School Board voted unanimously to make masks optional at all grade levels for both staff and students Thursday night at Wilson Memorial High School, which was met with cheers from the packed auditorium. Milestones were waived in 2020 as a result of the chaos caused by the initial outbreak of COVID-19, and the weight of the test was greatly diminished last year. Its vaccination that Walensky says will prevent her biggest fear. Glenn Youngkin's executive order making masks optional or "any changing negative trends related to our local area health concerns.". ", 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). AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. 13 Virginia tops Clemson, snaps losing streak and clinches ACC tournament double-bye, On 'emotional' day, female wrestlers finally get to compete for their own Virginia state title, Former Virginia basketball coach Terry Holland dies after battling Alzheimer's, Buffalo Gap girls basketball team knocks off Rappahannock to reach semis, Augusta County School Board votes against transgender policies, Alaskas Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start, Dogs, mushers prep for Iditarod as PETA accuses racers of animal abuse, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else. The Columbia County Board of Education will be withdrawing its requirements for students and faculty to wear face-coverings beginning Sept. 29. Following the publics comments, board member Donna Wells stated that the board learned just this afternoon that Senate Bill 1303 passed earlier this year requires schools to follow CDC recommendations, which recommends masks for teachers, students and staff inside. Bradshaw said they are not putting an end-date on theprotocol, but that they are continuing to monitor the latest data and consult with experts on the necessary way to proceed. If your area is orange or red, you should require masks inside. 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! Anastasio also said the DOE will require schools to report teacher vaccination status, which will be done anonymously and through a survey. You have permission to edit this article. All rights reserved. Already registered? Hope everyone is doing well. That rose to 206 the following week, but dropped back to 167 the week of Jan. 31. The school board voted unanimously Aug. 9 to allow the district to change . Please subscribe to continue reading 0 Comments Get local news delivered to your inbox! Social distancing was one of the larger issues in the past as to why the schools had to do hybrid learning, but now, social distancing is less of a priority Anastasio said, if universal masking is mandated. MORE | Threat puts Thomson High School put on. The speakers who opposed the policies voiced concerns about safety issues, parental and privacy rights, and religious freedom. Designed and sold by artists. on. 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. Augusta County Public Schools is the organization that operates the public school system in Augusta County, Virginia. Make masks mandatory! 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. Washtenaw County schools opt to keep masks on 'until further notice' . My recommendation to follow recommendation of the CDC is on the basis of following those who are more knowledgeable than I am regarding information on the pandemic.. Lawrence County School District: Full mask requirement: Sloan-Hendrix School District: . Augusta County chose to follow Youngkin's executive order, which states in part: Youngkin's order goes into effect Monday, Jan. 24, but Augusta County's School Board wanted to add additional time to see if the current COVID surge in the area will subside. //]]> In the last five weeks since students returned from winter break, Augusta County Schools have reported 889 positive cases, the highest five-week total of the school year. Augusta County Public Schools reported on its dashboard that the week of Jan. 9 it had 236 total cases of COVID, including 209 among students. More. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. The general election was held on November 3, 2015. We do not appreciate it. Starting Thursday, masks will be required for students, staff, and visitors to all district facilities and buses, regardless of vaccination status. No parent electing that a mask mandate should not apply to his or her child shall be required to provide a reason or make any certification concerning their childs health or education. The CDC released this map of the country, which says how your city or county is doing as far as COVID-19 transmission. Some quoted scripture, while others blamed politics. Masks may be removed during lunch and while outside. Glenn Youngkin's executive order that made their decision possible. Wayne District representative Tim Swortzel made the motion to make face-coverings optional and North River representative Nicholas Collins seconded. Copyright 2023 Augusta County Public Schools. Still, theres no doubt this will make for some challenging school environments. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta county school board members say they were blind-sided by news out of Richmond over masks in the classrooms. Kristine Welcher, a licensed nurse, speaks out against a mask mandate at Wednesday nights Augusta County School Board meeting at Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville. Shenandoah Valley Center for Advanced Learning, Valley Career & Technical Center49 Hornet RoadFishersville, VA 22939Phone: (540) 245-5002Fax: (540) 885-0407info@valleytech.us. 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. Starting on Jan. 24, Highland County Public Schools says masks will be recommended to protect students and staff amid a high number of COVID-19 cases in the county. It had already been announced that students could go masklessfollowing a vote by the school board in January, but there was some question about whether teachers would still be required to wear masks under requirements fromthe Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the Department of Labor and Industry. Log in to join the discussion. Athletics DirectorScott McClintock reported that the Georgia High School Association is providing every high school with two automated cameras that will live-stream games online. AUGUSTA The Augusta Public Schools will require students, staff and visitors to wear masks regardless of vaccination status next school year. Im not real sure how well they work to begin with, Dana Worley, her mom, said. Timothy Simmons, who represents the Pastures District, said he is in favor of making masks optional. Patrick Hite is The News Leader's educationreporter. Vaccinated teachers and students don't have to wear masks inside school buildings. Under the protocol, masks are required for all students, staff and visitors to all school district facilities and on buses, regardless of vaccination status. Get up to 20% off. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. 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. Here are a few of them: Blue Ridge Health District vaccination scheduler, Call the BRHD COVID-19 Hotline 434-972-6261. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Augusta County residents fill Wilson Memorial High School's auditorium on Wednesdaynight for a school board meeting where transgender policies and a mask mandate were voted on. The 2015 election was the last election for all seven seats to appear on the ballot at the same time. Northam's K-12 mask mandate, and we will continue to make decisions that prioritize the health, safety . window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ndsTchhICxLNjF_dxI18aRlyWnQfS.IeNB3Ql0MS2hM-1800-0"}; Editor. The opportunity to grow professionally is evident there. The CDC also hasnt said how teachers can know which students are vaccinated or how parents will know which teachers are immunized. The VDOE did not mandate the mask usage, and Augusta County opted to leave it up to individual students and staff. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Accommodations will be made for students and employees unable to wear a mask for documented medical reasons. Photo by Atoms on Unsplash. She asked if it was considered by administration to have a mask mandate for the younger students and recommended for the older students. Masks will be required for anyone inside Charleston County schools until Oct. 15, 2021. I would rather go with safety; I want kids to be in school five days a week.. 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. In rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variants after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others, she said. 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. More:A month since Rosenberg was forced out, Staunton City Council hasn't secured search firm, More:Staunton man pleads guilty to a string of burglaries, gets nearly 10 years in prison. See Offers. A sign encourages students, teachers and visitors to wear masks at Ladson Elementary School on Aug. 11, 2021. 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. All rights reserved. School Superintendent Steven Flynt announced the rescinding of the mask mandate during the board's regular session Tuesday. FISHERSVILLE The Augusta County School Board voted unanimously to make masks optional at all grade levels for both staff and students Thursday night at Wilson Memorial High School, which was met with cheers from the packed auditorium. There were no specific numbersgiven as far as the number of COVID cases that would make the board consider extending the mandatory mask policy, only a very broad explanation by the board's chair. Riverheads High School 19 Howardsville Road Staunton, VA 24401 Phone: (540) 337-1921 Fax: (540) 337-0258. All rights reserved. Bond's letter did say that parents who choose to keep their children home for the full 10-day quarantine period can do so. 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. Welcher, a licensed nurse and mental health professional, said her child in pre-K came home from school last year with remnants of food, moisture and snot from being forced to wear a face-covering for eight hours. Helms added that she would also like to see the masks stay. 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. Virginia Public Schools are required by law to enforce mask mandates, and the State Health Commissioner has made it clear that masks are required to be worn by everyone inside the schools. 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 district had held. Data Not Collected The developer does not collect any data from this app. Ensure that the phone number is not blocked in phone settings. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Augusta County Public Schools is set to become mask-optional in three weeks. Now it is easier than ever to stay up-to-date with the news. As we learn more, I am comfortable with yes. All rights reserved. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) - "It's just not right to have them mandate it," said 8th grader Jonathan Vasquez. Fennville Public . Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Her motion died for lack of a second. Make masks mandatory!" Aiken Public Safety officers rushed out to where the overflow crowd was gathered because of meeting room capacity restrictions, and the . You can cancel at any time. Otherwise, a 14-day quarantine will be required. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. About 20 minutes into the school. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta county school board members say they were blind-sided by news out of Richmond over masks in the classrooms. I hope youre on the same side.. Find Augusta County, Virginia public schools, including charter schools, k-12, elementary, middle, and high schools. Administrators say theyre hearing the same from other parents. ", 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.". Official transcripts are required at the time of employment. Board member John Ward said they do not want to expose faculty to liability and said hopefully they will see low numbers throughout the start of the school year. Copyright 2021 WVIR. 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. Do you have a story idea? Published: Jan. 20, 2022 at 7:43 PM PST. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". Augusta County residents lead busy lives. Don't have a commenting profile? 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. Copyright 2021 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved. Timothy Simmons will take a seat on the Augusta County School Board in January. Learn More You are now exiting the Augusta County, VA. Fourteen people spoke out against the mandates, citing their fear of heath issues they believe could be caused by masks. nations top public health agency says vaccinated teachers and students can ditch the mask. More than 300 Augusta County students have tested positive for COVID-19 since school started four weeks ago. (844) 698-3261 Free Consultation info@ritchielawfirm.com Case Results CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - It may be time for some of us in Central Virginia to mask back up. Already have a commenting profile? Students will be permitted to remove masks during lunch and while outside. As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and communicate any changes to you. The policies say schools should allow students to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. Collins said he worded his motion so it gave a date for going mask optional, but also gave the board its own options. Subscribe to usat newsleader.com. The CDC recommends those with COVID-19 should isolate for five days and, if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving, then wear a mask for fivedays when around others. Vaccinated teachers and students don't have to wear masks inside school buildings. 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. Masks are still required on buses per federal law. Certification or licensure (if required for the position for which you are applying)
augusta county schools mask policy