", 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). That's why we try our best to make it easy to live in this beautiful place we call home. The CDC released this map of the country, which says how your city or county is doing as far as COVID-19 transmission. Starting Thursday, masks will be required for students, staff, and visitors to all district facilities and buses, regardless of vaccination status. 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. "Arlington Public Schools implemented our mask requirement this school year prior to Gov. AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Richmond County Board of Education met Tuesday night to get a COVID update from the superintendent. Its equal or worse than in December, and our healthcare workers are drowning, said Tara Mahanes. Walensky says thats not the case now, and vaccines are very effective. 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. 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. New CDC guidance says some counties in our viewing area meet the threshold to put those face coverings back on. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"ndsTchhICxLNjF_dxI18aRlyWnQfS.IeNB3Ql0MS2hM-1800-0"}; Vaccinated teachers and students don't have to wear masks inside school buildings. The district had held. 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. 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. Washtenaw County schools opt to keep masks on 'until further notice' . This new science is worrisome and unfortunately warrants an update to our recommendation., RELATED: New CDC guidelines call for masks in schools K-12. Verify your phone numbers and contact preferences are correct in Campus Parent > User > Settings > Contact Preferences. 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. While Aiken County has lifted mandatory mask mandates inside its schools, Richmond County says for now it won't be changing any of its mask or social distancing guidelines. Do you all understand that? AUGUSTA COUNTY, Virginia (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases rise within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask requirements. "If between now and then things go crazy," Shiflett said. This a wonderful school district to work, and a beautiful area! Again, we are excited to begin the year and look forward to having our students back. The goal is to be finished by Jan.31. Patrick Hite is The News Leader's educationreporter. 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. He said the Maine Department of Education is strongly recommending school in person, universal masking and following other recommendations such as hand washing and staying home when sick. Story ideas and tips always welcome. The school board met Thursday night to discuss their back-to-school. 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. 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. Create one. Don't have a commenting profile? Copyright 2023 WSLS.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. In numbers reported throughThursday morning, Augusta County was at 87positive cases this week, with 12 of those at Stuarts Draft High School and 11 more at Stuarts Draft Elementary. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols" . The Augusta County School Board voted 5-1 on Thursday to make masks optional . Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. We reached out to school leaders all over the region. 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. 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. His first item of focus is the rights of parents. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Weve been saying all along students should be in school and shouldnt be tied to masks, said Conservative Parents of Lynchburg Founder Andrew Glover. 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. Via has three kids in Augusta County Public Schools and only one of them is old enough to get the shot. I feel like its the parents decision. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The rise in COVID cases is also a concern for our local school districts. However, in a letter sent to families of students Thursday, Superintendent Eric Bond said masks would be optional for staff Monday as well. The school board also voted to follow the contact tracing guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health. 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. The week of Jan. 17 there were 171 cases. Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. 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. Click here for "Masks and Safety Protocols". At their meeting. 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. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. Masks will be required for anyone inside Charleston County schools until Oct. 15, 2021. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. Use the form below to reset your password. Copyright 2023 Augusta County Public Schools. About 50 people attended the Augusta County School Board meeting Thursday evening. Lawrence County School District: Full mask requirement: Sloan-Hendrix School District: . 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. Find Augusta County, Virginia public schools, including charter schools, k-12, elementary, middle, and high schools. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. Masks are still required on buses per federal law. The Augusta County School Board is a seven-member board elected by district to four-year terms. ", 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.". That is its highest weekly total of the school year. 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. 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. "Not seeing facial expressions. Its why the news isnt sitting well with him and others. Best for a great weekend. To date, they have distributed 20,230 devices. Below you will find several links to helpful resources for our residents. May 19, 2021. More than 300 Augusta County students have tested positive for COVID-19 since school started four weeks ago. 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. There is [sic] three reasons why COVID cases are going up. Official transcripts are required at the time of employment. Learn More You are now exiting the Augusta County, VA. Augusta County residents lead busy lives. By Jessica Mallow. We fear if we dont have universal masking, the letter stated, there will be outbreaks warranting school closure.. So far this week the school division has reported 85 casesdespite studentsbeing out all week because of a holiday and snow. Copyright 2021 WVIR. McClintock said they hope to get the cameras within the next month. If your area is orange or red, you should require masks inside. MORE: Mask Mandates Are Hot Topic at Columbia County School Board Meeting I want to work with every one of you. The VDOE did not mandate the mask usage, and Augusta County opted to leave it up to individual students and staff. Parent Portal Student registration DOCUMENTS PERSONNEL Acceptable use policy STAFF Portal bGMS construction update RMS Construction Update Need a COVID-19 test? Staunton and Waynesboro schools will continue requiring masks for all students and staff. 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. In the central Virginia community, as of the July 27 update, here are the following localities in the: The potential for this to be a problem is much, much lower in areas with low amounts of disease, said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. 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. 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. Its still a big health problem, she said. I anticipated more discussion before we voted.. Some in Augusta County oppose school mask mandates as COVID-19 cases surge. 0:57. on. Hope everyone is doing well. : Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, More: At-home COVID test website launches early. Fourteen people spoke out against the mandates, citing their fear of heath issues they believe could be caused by masks. The school division will also follow the CDCs shortened timeline for those who have toisolateorquarantine. Heritage Pharma plans to start testing Monday, Jan. 24, and families are asked to stay tuned for more details. The Augusta Public Schools will have in-person learning, five days a week. We are excited to begin the school year but have some updates and reminders to help prepare our students as they return next week. Please subscribe to continue reading 0 Comments Get local news delivered to your inbox! VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. 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. Board member Martha Witham said masks are the one thing that will keep everyone safe when school starts and they are a small price to pay to get kids back in school full time and to keep everyone safe., This wasnt a quick decision, board member Jennifer Dumond said. Tomorrow marks one week until Columbia County and some Richmond County students start the new year. Sign up for breaking news alerts. Heres why. The Augusta County, VA is not responsible for the content of external sites. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Augusta County Public Schools is set to become mask-optional in three weeks. 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. 5:00 PM Joint Meeting-Augusta County Board of Supervisors and Augusta County . AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta county school board members say they were blind-sided by news out of Richmond over masks in the classrooms. Augusta County Public Schools18 Government Center LaneVerona, VA 24482Phone: 540-245-5100Fax: 540-245-5115. Im asking for a choice for a virtual option during this surge. If you need help with the Public File, call 540-512-1558. "These absences from school will be excused and students will be permitted to make up all missed work," the letter said. 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). McCormick said she wished the discussion about masking would have been at the business meeting instead. 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. The Augusta Board of Education voted. They have been in public places and taken place in social gatherings. [CDATA[ 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. Students will be permitted to remove masks during lunch and while outside. 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. McCormick voted against the mandate, saying she believes the decision for students to wear masks should be up to families, not the school administration. This huge statewide spike, and the 29schools that were shifted to distance learning in Richmond County, led to the school board's reaffirming its mask mandate Tuesday. Bond's letter did say that parents who choose to keep their children home for the full 10-day quarantine period can do so. Now. 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. Make masks mandatory!" Aiken Public Safety officers rushed out to where the overflow crowd was gathered because of meeting room capacity restrictions, and the .