Lewis County Schools Superintendent Jamie Weddington released a letter today outlining a new masking policy for the district.
Beginning February 28, masking will be recommended in school facilities. There will be some exceptions which are spelled out in the letter.
Click here for a printable PDF of the letter.
Text of letter –
LEWIS COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dear Lewis County Stakeholders,
After much discussion and consideration at the February 17 board meeting, the Lewis County Board of Education voted to change our policy on masking. Beginning February 28, masking will become recommended in the buildings across our district for both staff and students.
There are some exceptions to this change based on current health guidance. These include:
- Masking continues to be required on school buses per federal mandate.
- Any student or staff member who returns from a positive COVID case between days six (6) through ten (10) is required to be masked through day ten (10). Please keep in mind that this student or staff member must be asymptomatic to return on these days. Otherwise, they should return following day ten.
- Any student or staff member who returns from a positive household contact between days six (6) through ten is required to be masked through day ten (10) at all times.
The three bullets above are critical to the district being able to stay at the recommended masking level. With the scaling back of contact tracing by our Kentucky Department of Public Health agencies, it is critical that parents inform the school of positive cases and household quarantines. These positives/quarantines will now come from our local medical providers and we will be reliant on that information being sent to the school in a timely manner.
The district will monitor positive cases and quarantine numbers of staff and students for a two week span (2/28 thru 3/14). If there is a significant increase in positive cases or if there is significant changes to federal or state guidance, the board may consider returning to required masking at the March 14th board meeting.
The Lewis County Board of Education understands the importance of students receiving in person instruction and continuing to move toward a normal school setting. The move to recommended masking is the next step. As we take these next steps, students and staff should feel comfortable continuing to wear masks if they so choose.
We appreciate parents and students who have shown compassion, grace, and understanding in these difficult times. Likewise, we appreciate parents and students who understand that the many, ever changing rules created by this pandemic forced decisions to be made that we must comply to but not always agree with.
I can speak for every staff member when I say we are looking forward to seeing our students with mask free smiles.
Respectfully with Lion Pride,
Jamie Weddington
Superintendent
Lewis County Schools
