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. 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. Between Jan. 4 and 18, Georgia reported over 200,000 new cases, and the map had turned a dark burgundy. 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. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. The parents of any child enrolled in an elementary or secondary school or a school based early childcare and educational program may elect for their children not to be subject to any mask mandate in effect at the childs school or educational program. . Published: Jan. 20, 2022 at 7:43 PM PST. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. . Timothy Simmons, who represents the Pastures District, said he is in favor of making masks optional. "TheBoard and administration have consideredand reviewedthe continued reduction of positive cases amongourstudentsand staff, as well as recent court rulings, General Assembly action,Executive Order 6, andpendingHealth and Safety Codes Board actionnext week," Bond wrote in an email to The News Leader asking about the decision for staff. Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay safe. Face coverings and masks will be optional at Charleston County schools when students return to their classrooms Aug. 18. Masks are still required on buses per federal law. Its equal or worse than in December, and our healthcare workers are drowning, said Tara Mahanes. Now. 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. Rules for school Masks have been mandated for all students, staff and visitors at all Richmond County School System facilities and on school buses, regardless of vaccination status. 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. https://www.augusta.k12.va.us 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. 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. However, in a letter sent to families of students Thursday, Superintendent Eric Bond said masks would be optional for staff Monday as well. There was a problem saving your notification. Thats because its flu season, masks dont work, and upcoming elections., This is not a joke to any of us, said Rebecca Lotts, who opposes the mandates. Designed and sold by artists. Masks will be required for anyone inside Charleston County schools until Oct. 15, 2021. Make 2023 the year to let that wonderful you-ness shine. Best for a great weekend. Find Augusta County, Virginia public schools, including charter schools, k-12, elementary, middle, and high schools. 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. The policies say schools should allow students to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. Learn More You are now exiting the Augusta County, VA. See Offers. Need a COVID-19 test? By Jessica Mallow. Augusta County Public Schools Where Students Grow Intellectually, Physically, and Emotionally Menu Schools Translate Employment Calendars COVID Info ACPS Podcast Please allow notifications from your school (s). If you dont, I dont have a problem with that either.. Im asking for a choice for a virtual option during this surge. 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. List of Augusta County Public Schools. Anastasio also said the DOE will require schools to report teacher vaccination status, which will be done anonymously and through a survey. 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. Augustas annual free backpack, school supplies event scheduled for Sunday, Amid shouts and anger from parents, Skowhegan-area school board requires masks for first weeks of school, Madison man serving 30 days for violation of privacy in cellphone incident, With Domino's opening in Farmington, 'pizza wars' taking place on community Facebook group, Reporting Aside: As China woman confronts fatal diagnosis, she hopes for a final wish, Girls basketball: Lawrence defeats Brunswick to win Class A title, Clinton man sentenced to at least 9 months in jail for reckless driving that killed girlfriend. I anticipated more discussion before we voted.. Several counties have full mask wearing policies for both on the bus and in the school buildings including: McDuffie County; Richmond County; Warren County; Hancock County; The other CSRA . Shop the collection. Glenn Youngkin's executive order making masks optional or "any changing negative trends related to our local area health concerns.". People are also reading Masks are still required on buses per federal law. All rights reserved. Below you will find several links to helpful resources for our residents. There is [sic] three reasons why COVID cases are going up. Harrisonburg man charged with crimes connected to Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. I feel like its the parents decision. Under the protocol,masks arerequired for allstudents, staff andvisitors to all school districtfacilities and onbuses,regardless of vaccination status. Already registered? (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. New CDC re-masking guidelines say several Central Virginia areas should bring back masks, Youngkin signs universal license recognition law at Richmond barber shop, National Park Service says never push a slower friend down when escaping a bear, V.D.O.T to conduct lane closures on I-95 north in Henrico, Health Minute: First at-home flu and COVID test authorized. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) atphite@newsleader.comand follow himon Twitter @Patrick_Hite. I hope youre on the same side.. Login. I believe in Jesus Christ. Tuesday Columbia County school leaders made their decision on the mask mandate. The winners of the 2015 races in the Beverly Manor, Pastures and Middle River Districts served . Learn more. 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. Here are a few of them: Blue Ridge Health District vaccination scheduler, Call the BRHD COVID-19 Hotline 434-972-6261. The school district will not have to pay for them so long as theysign an agreement to keep the cameras up for five years. He said the basis for his recommendation came from the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, among other scientific studies, and said he would only make an unpopular decision on the err of safety., Im an experienced educator; I dont have medical training; I dont pretend to know what professionals in the medical field do, Anastasio said. Board Chairperson Amanda Olson told McCormick there had been more of a discussion for the mask mandate at a board workshop a couple of weeks earlier, which McCormick did not attend. The board voted to confirm that they will abide by the law, but members went on to say they would like to write to Richmond and shake the tree.. All rights reserved. All students, staff and volunteers in county schools will wear masks to begin the school year. The biggest questions will be at middle schools, where some students can get the shot and others cant. Although theres not yet an indoor mask mandate in Virginia, the CDC says there should be. May 19, 2021. The Augusta Board of Education voted. Make masks mandatory!" Aiken Public Safety officers rushed out to where the overflow crowd was gathered because of meeting room capacity restrictions, and the . More. Augusta County Public Schools18 Government Center LaneVerona, VA 24482Phone: 540-245-5100Fax: 540-245-5115. I think they should still be wearing masks for their safety and everyone elses, said Will Via, a dad from Verona. We do not appreciate it. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols" . Glenn Youngkin's executive order that made their decision possible. Only two people spoke out in favor of masks. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Its why the news isnt sitting well with him and others. 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. I want to work with you. If you can't find the answer, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. Some in Augusta County oppose school mask mandates as COVID-19 cases surge. Shenandoah Valley Center for Advanced Learning, Valley Career & Technical Center49 Hornet RoadFishersville, VA 22939Phone: (540) 245-5002Fax: (540) 885-0407info@valleytech.us. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. The VDOE did not mandate the mask usage, and Augusta County opted to leave it up to individual students and staff. 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. Your cooperation with this change is expectedand appreciated. Some people asked what the penalty is for not wearing a mask and the board said they do not have an exact answer at this time. Other board members shared their reasoning for voting in favor of the mask mandate. We reached out to school leaders all over the region. The Augusta County, VA is not responsible for the content of external sites. The 2015 election was the last election for all seven seats to appear on the ballot at the same time. About 50 people attended the Augusta County School Board meeting Thursday night. Bond's letter did say that parents who choose to keep their children home for the full 10-day quarantine period can do so. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". Do you all understand that? 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. "We'll revisit it. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. Weve been saying all along students should be in school and shouldnt be tied to masks, said Conservative Parents of Lynchburg Founder Andrew Glover. The availability of onsite testing will be of particular help since testing appointments at area providers have been backed up and there are shortages of at-home, rapid tests available for purchase. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Hope everyone is doing well. Another potential headache: the CDC is still recommending schools continue to space kids out and keep their desks three feet apart. We have always tried to be non-political. The school board is elected, and the current superintendent is Dr. Eric Bond. 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. "Personally, I would like to see the masks gone," Chairperson David Shiflett said, "but now I dont think is the time.. Wayne District representative Tim Swortzel made the motion to make face-coverings optional and North River representative Nicholas Collins seconded. Copyright 2021 WVIR. Fennville Public . They have been in public places and taken place in social gatherings. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. The Columbia County Board of Education will be withdrawing its requirements for students and faculty to wear face-coverings beginning Sept. 29. //]]> Subscribe to usat newsleader.com. . Timothy Simmons will take a seat on the Augusta County School Board in January. "In light of those considerations, the practice is to allowconsistencyin how students and staff are treated with respect to mitigation measures.". 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. Augusta County School Boards motion on Wednesday includes flexibility to alter its plans if case numbers change. The speakers who opposed the policies voiced concerns about safety issues, parental and privacy rights, and religious freedom. Pediatric death is rare, but not zero, so its our responsibility to protect all children. Simply, we just want our students back everyday and back safely. The Augusta County School Board voted 5-1 on Thursday to make masks optional . Anastasio said its easier at all levels since people move around the district. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. Board member Donna Wells stated that the board learned this afternoon that legislation passed earlier this year requires schools to follow CDC recommendations for mask wearing. Simply, we just want our students back everyday and back safely. (844) 698-3261 Free Consultation info@ritchielawfirm.com Case Results As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and communicate any changes to you. 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. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) atphite@newsleader.comand follow himon Twitter @Patrick_Hite. 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. Copyright 2023 Augusta County Public Schools. Sign in or Subscribe 5:00 PM Joint Meeting-Augusta County Board of Supervisors and Augusta County . The week of Jan. 17 there were 171 cases. So far this week the school division has reported 85 casesdespite studentsbeing out all week because of a holiday and snow. 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. Masks will return to Augusta County schools this fall. A. R. Ware Elem 330 Grubert Avenue Staunton, VA. Augusta Corr Center 1821 Estaline Valley Road Craigsville, VA. Berkeley Glenn Elem 1020 Jefferson Avenue Waynesboro, VA. As areas around the state see an uptick in COVID-19 cases, with many related to the delta variant, the Virginia Department of Health, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education, released guidance on July 21 that urged masks for all students and staff at elementary schools, regardless of vaccination status. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta county school board members say they were blind-sided by news out of Richmond over masks in the classrooms. This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendation., RELATED: New CDC guidelines call for masks in schools K-12. The developer, Augusta County Public Schools, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. VERONA Officials with Augusta County Public Schools have announced that masks won't be required beginning Monday for students, staff and visitors. About 20 minutes into the school board meeting Thursday evening, members went into closed session with its legal council. Still, theres no doubt this will make for some challenging school environments. Students will be permitted to remove masks during lunch and while outside. The Augusta Public Schools will have in-person learning, five days a week. Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, At-home COVID test website launches early. 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. That is its highest weekly total of the school year. Based on current conditions, this is what we need to do to make that happen. Success. While the nation's top public health agency says vaccinated teachers and students can ditch the mask, some. 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. Glenn Youngkin's executive order on masks in schools. The numbers have fluctuated within the school division. The letter continued, we know masking works and applauded children for their efforts in masking in the past school year. This a wonderful school district to work, and a beautiful area! 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. ", More: Here's how fast the special use permit process has gone for Houff's Churchville pit, More: Resignation of Staunton City Manager Steve Rosenberg: Councilor Mead's remarks. School boards are required by state law to enact the policies for the 2021-22. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1558. Latest trends. Augusta County is still considered to be a community with a high transmission level, with the VDH reporting a 36.4% positivity level in its most recent update. North River representative Nick Collins made the motion Thursday, which gives the school board a chance to reevaluate the decision in the coming weeks if there are any legal challenges to Virginia Gov. Teacher at Dixon Preschool Center Augusta County Public Schools 4.2 AUGUSTA COUNTY, Virginia (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases rise within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask requirements. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. Reading Specialist (Former Employee) - Verona, VA - August 12, 2020. The delta variant is so very contagious it appears to cause high viral loads even in vaccinated people who become infected.. Columbia County . Heres why. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks.
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