A lot of discussion about types of masks is ongoing, especially with the more transmissible Omicron variant. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. At least for one night, at a Baldwin County School Board meeting in Loxley, teachers were praised ahead of the school boards decision to get full-time staffers a $500 bonus. It also didnt hurt that the bonuses were largely financed with federal money through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was approved in March 2020. Starting Thursday through Sept. 6, students and staff wear a cloth mask over their nose and mouth while indoors at Round Elementary, superintendent Chuck Hughes said in a statement. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. To ensure that ADPH county health departments are providing consistent and up-to-date information to local schools, this page provides resources and forms necessary for reporting. No. There should be no other option but to support educators in all possible ways since they are on the frontlines going above and beyond to ensure student success during these dangerous times, said Amy Marlowe, the AEAs executive director. In Floridas Hillsborough County, some 5,600 students or about 2.5% of the student body were in quarantine or isolation as of Monday. Revised COVID-19 K-12 School Surveillance Guidance for Identification and Classification of Outbreaks. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). In many of the conversations I am having with our educators, the absence of additional COVID leave days seem to be the biggest concern they have, said Nichole King, AEA Uniserv director for the district representing Baldwin County and Gulf Shores city schools. federal government dispatched a healthcare team to assist an Alabama hospital during the pandemic. What you need to know about masks, vaccines before school starts - WPXI Pointing to that low percentage, the school system today told NBC 15 it doesn't . N-95 masks remain the most effective mask at reducing transmission of respiratory droplets. Her four children, who are in second to eighth grade, spent most of the last year learning online, and she didnt want anything to add to the likelihood of repeating that experience. Additionally, close contacts should get tested for COVID-19 at least 5 days after their last exposure. We were just like, Thank god this is over, and then, wow were we wrong, she said. Lincoln County Schools will be mask optional for the start of the 2022-23 school year, district spokeswoman Karen Dellinger told the Observer in an email. However, N-95 still needs to be properly fitted, and not all persons can comfortably wear N-95 for extended periods of time. adopted teacher and staff bonuses last year ahead of Christmas, which approved $1,200 bonuses to full-time staff in March, Tyler authorized a mandatory mask-mandate for students in grades 2 and above in late July, he has said that his goal is to prevent a school from closing because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Low 47F. And her kindergartener was given worksheets that asked him to write his name and numbers skills he hasnt learned yet. BCSD did not require masks the first week or so of school, but put a mandate in place as cases in Baldwin County spiked soon after classes began. Monitoring & Reporting COVID-19 in Schools School nurses should continue to report school COVID-19 outbreaks and outbreaks of any kind using the Communicable Disease Report Card and selecting Outbreak as the Reportable Disease/Health Condition. We look forward to hearing from you! We do not recommend that the home test kits be utilized for this purpose. Other AEA representatives are skeptical that school boards, especially those hesitant over approving the initial round of bonuses when federal CARES Act funds were available for them, will consider another one. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 6/28 USE OF CLOTH FACE COVERINGS (CDC) . F9*ANM=}i}xpMl9+Xw6O_]q|/|> Tyler said that at the schools, infections are spreading and the situation has gotten concerning to the point where we have been very close to closing more than one school in our system. Staffing shortages are among the reasons he gave as to why schools might close. The school decisions come as 72 of Michigan's counties are at a high transmission level for Covid-19, which means that most residents are urged under federal guidelines to wear masks in public, according tothe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I do not like masks. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, 72 of Michigan's counties are at a high transmission level. 254 0 obj <>stream Parents address Baldwin County School board about COVID protocols The new rule requires students, staff and . 244 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<13DB77E66C52864888D98D04C0E3424C>]/Index[232 23]/Info 231 0 R/Length 70/Prev 19548/Root 233 0 R/Size 255/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Call 211 or 877-947-2211 to get referrals for thousands of services across Wisconsin. Many families and school officials had hoped that this school year would bring more normalcy and consistency for students. Some districts are planning a return to simultaneous instruction if necessary. If a person has to be out with COVID for the required 10 days, that is an entire years worth of leave he or she will have to take at one time.. endstream endobj 236 0 obj <>stream The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. With the emergence of Omicron, the incubation period for COVID-19 appears to be shorter, around 3-5 days after exposure, but at least a third of people may remain contagious up to 10 days. Official website of the State of Wisconsin. All of those involved in the school system came into the school year thinking that maybe the worst was behind us, Tyler said. Thus far, no school has closed. Schools K-12 | Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) In the second week of January, over 60 children are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Alabama. Baldwin County Schools providing students with school supplies - WMAZ To ensure our parents, staff and community members are provided with the most recent and accurate information, the Baldwin County School District will publish weekly COVID-19 status reports each Friday. It is my greatest hope we will be able to remove the mask requirement by September 21. The school board during the pandemic gave the superintendent the power to change policy when she sees fit rather than having to wait for board approval. The online COVID-19 case report card should only be used to report individual COVID-19 cases. MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. Kids in Baldwin County got an early start for their first day back at school. Promote proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. There were 15 total cases (14 students, one staff) the first week of November, but the second week, Nov. 8-12, there were no positives reported among the over 5,300 combined Baldwin County students and employees. School Superintendent Dr. Noris Price updated. At Sylacauga City Schools, 21 employees, or 7% of the 287 employees eligible for the leave, have utilized the extra 10 days since it was first offered retroactive to June 1. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has provides critical information on policy, practice, and messaging for school districts to use while navigating the many factors necessary to carry out safe in-person learning. The Baldwin County School System, the states third largest, became the first known district in Alabama to dip into its local funds and spend $2.3 million for a second round of bonuses to teachers and staff. Schools and Childcare Programs | COVID-19 | CDC Published: Sep. 03, 2021, 4:38 p.m. 21. Sanitizing hands before removing masks, prior to putting masks back on, and after putting masks back on are important measures to further reduce any potential transmission of the virus. That bonus was financed largely through the CARES Act. HVM6W4 @v(t=:H2-l{|~xuC46I!YE38%tO- 5g i. unywhM Timothy Tidmore, superintendent of Autauga County Schools, said his district was one of the first systems in Alabama to an extra 10 days of sick leave for any staff members who test positive until the end of the first semester, which concludes in December. Quarantines at Hartland Consolidated Schools in Livingston County also led district officials to impose a mask mandate for one of its elementary schools. Schools have had to temporarily close because the highly contagious variant is sweeping through counties and filling up hospitals. It took a week to receive packets of printed work for her older children. The teams arrival to Baldwin County marked the first time the federal government dispatched a healthcare team to assist an Alabama hospital during the pandemic. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Essential education reporting across America. We havent discussed additional bonuses, but I can see an opportunity for consideration should this school year continue to be as tough as it is now, said Moore. New COVID-19 school policies to take effect March 15 in Baldwin County Rogers School Board extends emergency covid-19 leave policy (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com. On Wednesday, Michigan added 4,326 new COVID-19 cases and 38 deaths from the virus. Prior to the presidents announcement, I directed my senior staff to investigate their legal authority to provide additional sick leave to those who may be diagnosed with COVID as an incentive for getting the COVID vaccine, said Tyler. Madison County Schools was even later, passing a $500 bonus in May. 6/12 STRESS AND COPING. A Back-to-School Extravaganza will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at . COVID 19 Resource Hub - BCC King said she was appreciative of the districts decision to give out bonuses, but she is hopeful that a decision can be reached on the extended leave days. See. The district said one student and one staff member also had tested positive for Covid-19 andboth werequarantined. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. But Williams is optimistic. It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and all accompanying regulations. Students in grades K-5 will remain in classrooms. School testing gives communities, schools, and families added assurance that schools can open and remain open safely for all students. 232 0 obj <> endobj Ryan Hollingsworth, executive director of the School Superintendents of Alabama, said the beginning of the school year has been by far, the most challenging for everyone association with education. Baldwin County is averaging 149 new cases per day over the past week. All rights reserved (About Us). As with other communicable diseases, there are certain measures that need to be taken to prevent others from catching the illness. If the contact develops symptoms at any time after exposure, the contact should be tested as soon as possible. It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and all accompanying regulations.