Logo courtesy of Jackson-Madison County School System
In response to the rise of COVID-19 isolations and quarantines among students and staff in the Jackson-Madison County School System, Superintendent Dr. Marlon King has announced changes to the 2021-2022 district safety protocols beginning on Monday, August 9.
“After a full week in school, to better understand the optional mask recommendation, we are adjusting our safety protocols to ensure that we further mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. We will continue to be vigilant as we observe the coming weeks. As it has always been, we are committed to making any necessary changes for the health and safety of our staff and students,” Superintendent Dr. Marlon King said.
Schools will begin the week under one of three designations: Masks Optional, Masks Mandatory, or Mask on the Move. Teachers and students in Masks Optional schools will have the option of wearing masks for their safety in schools during the school day, preserving parent/employee choice. Teachers and students in Masks Mandatory schools will be required to wear masks throughout the school day for the duration of two weeks; this tier will continue until significant decreases in isolations and quarantines are realized.
“Our Coordinated School Health team has done tremendous work with contact tracing. Their efforts have provided extensive data for us to track the impact of our adjustable plan,” Deputy Superintendent of Academics, Students, and Schools Dr. Vivian William said.
“We will reinstate many of the safety procedures from last year. Documented seating charts and cohorting students during class instruction are just a few of the way we can improve protection for in-person learning and lower the number of student quarantines,” Dr. King said.
The following schools will be designated Masks Mandatory beginning Monday:
Community Montessori
South Side
Madison
North Side
Northeast Middle School
JCM High School
JCM Early College High
West Bemis Middle School