Catawba County Schools issued the following announcement on August 31.
Good evening Catawba County Schools families,
During this evening’s Emergency Board of Education meeting, the Catawba County Board of Education (BOE) voted in favor to make face masks mandatory for all staff, students, and visitors while inside our facilities and on our school buses, beginning Thursday, September 2, 2021. The face-covering policy will be voted on at least once per month beginning at the next regularly scheduled meeting on September 27, 2021.
Superintendent Stover updated the BOE with the latest COVID-19 positive cases in staff and students and resulting quarantines. As of 4 PM today, the district had approximately 9% of all students (1,447) quarantined or isolated and 58 staff quarantined or isolated. This represents a 530% increase in the number of student and 153% increase in staff quarantines/isolations since the beginning of school. You can see our daily COVID-19 totals on our COVID-19 dashboard on our website.
A student or staff member will not be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth if a licensed medical provider provides written notice in the form of an Accommodation Request and Medical Certification for Students or Employees which will be available on our website on Wednesday. Staff will be provided with more information on Wednesday as well.
Below is the official board policy that was approved this evening:
EMERGENCY APPROVAL AUGUST 31, 2021
Descriptor Term: Descriptor Code:
USE OF CLOTH FACE COVERINGS 4.4310/7.1650
Legal References: NC Senate Bill 654
Cross References:
Except as otherwise stated in this policy, effective at the beginning of the school day on September 2nd, 2021, and until such time as the Catawba County Board of Education modifies this requirement, all students, staff, vendors and visitors to properties owned and operated by Catawba County Board of Education shall wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth, excluding face shields, when inside during the school day or inside at any curricular, co-curricular or extra-curricular activity. In addition, all students, staff, vendors and visitors described above shall maintain a social distance from one another while indoors of at least 3 feet when possible.
An exception shall be made under the following circumstances:
1. A student or staff member will not be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth if a licensed medical provider provides written notice in the form of an Accommodation Request and Medical Certification for Students or Employees created by the Superintendent to the school system that the employee or student has a diagnosed physical, medical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity AND this condition interferes with the employee’s or student’s ability to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth as otherwise required herein; each employee accommodation is not effective until it is approved by the Assistant Superintendent for Human resources, and, each student accommodation is not effective until is approved by the principal; and
2. A student or staff member will not be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth as a protective face covering when they are eating or drinking indoors; and
3. A student athlete will not be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth indoors if they are actively participating in practice or an athletic game after school hours, however, the student athlete shall be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth while on the bench or sidelines; and
4. A staff member will not be required to wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth in the employee’s classroom or personal office or workspace if:
a) no students are present in the in the employee’s classroom or personal office or workspace; and
b) the staff member remains at least 6 feet apart from all other persons while not wearing a face mask covering their nose and mouth.
In addition, at a minimum, the Catawba County Board of Education shall vote at least once per month on whether the face covering policy should be modified beginning at the September 27, 2021, meeting.
Original source can be found here.
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