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. 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. Get notified when the ePaper has been delivered (requires subscription), Augusta Public Schools to enforce mask wearing for all students, staff, visitors, Augusta Public School Board pursues pool testing for reducing pandemic requirements. That comes days after Staunton and Waynesboro announced their school divisions will continue to require masks to help with COVID-19 mitigation with no end date set for thosemandates. The Columbia County Board of Education will be withdrawing its requirements for students and faculty to wear face-coverings beginning Sept. 29. 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 . Its equal or worse than in December, and our healthcare workers are drowning, said Tara Mahanes. I believe in Jesus Christ. The Augusta County School Board voted 5-1 on Thursday to make masks optional . They have been in public places and taken place in social gatherings. The speakers who opposed the policies voiced concerns about safety issues, parental and privacy rights, and religious freedom. 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. The superintendent is great, the principal was wonderful. Following the publics comments, board member Donna Wells stated that the board learned just this afternoon that Senate Bill 1303 passed earlier this year requires schools to follow CDC recommendations, which recommends masks for teachers, students and staff inside. Success. School board votes to make masks optional for all students, staff in Augusta County. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - As COVID-19 cases surge within Augusta County Schools, many people continue to speak out against mask mandates. I feel like everyone should still be wearing masks, vaccinated or not, said Shae Helms, a sophomore at Amherst County High School. 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. Harrisonburg man charged with crimes connected to Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week. There is [sic] three reasons why COVID cases are going up. 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. Face coverings and masks will be optional at Charleston County schools when students return to their classrooms Aug. 18. McCormick voted against the mandate, saying she believes the decision for students to wear masks should be up to families, not the school administration. The developer, Augusta County Public Schools, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. The Augusta Board of Education voted Wednesday night, 5 to 1, to mandate mask wearing. Augusta County Public Schools. He said "lots of parents" had reached out to him saying masks had created emotional damage for their children. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. 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. 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. Students will be permitted to remove masks during lunch and while outside. Learn More You are now exiting the Augusta County, VA. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. "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. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. Shop the collection. All say theyre waiting for additional guidance from the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Department of Health and Governor Ralph Northam. Copyright 2021 WVIR. Washtenaw County schools opt to keep masks on 'until further notice' . His first item of focus is the rights of parents. On Tuesday, Richmond County Superintendent Kenneth Bradshaw displayed a map of Georgia for the school board and said, "The map tells it all with all that red.". The district had held. The school board sent out a letter on July 22 stating the county did not have the legal authority to reject the state-mandated policies. He was referring to how the Georgia Department of Public Health color-codesCOVID-19 concentrations. All rights reserved. The goal is to be finished by Jan.31. About 50 people attended the Augusta County School Board meeting Thursday evening. Helms added that she would also like to see the masks stay. Lawrence County School District: Full mask requirement: Sloan-Hendrix School District: . To be considered for employment, you must provide the following: A completed online application Transcripts or high school diploma (if required for the position for which you are applying). 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. Heres why. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - Augusta County students will head to school on Tuesday, August 10 wearing masks. While the nations top public health agency says vaccinated teachers and students can ditch the mask, some say its too soon. 5:00 PM Joint Meeting-Augusta County Board of Supervisors and Augusta County . The delta variant is so very contagious it appears to cause high viral loads even in vaccinated people who become infected.. AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Richmond County Board of Education met Tuesday night to get a COVID update from the superintendent. If you dont, I dont have a problem with that either.. Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay safe. "Personally, I would like to see the masks gone," Chairperson David Shiflett said, "but now I dont think is the time.. "Not seeing facial expressions. I want to work with every one of you. The letter continued, we know masking works and applauded children for their efforts in masking in the past school year. I want to work with you. Your cooperation with this change is expectedand appreciated. We have always tried to be non-political. Mask Policy Due to recent in local COVID conditions, the advice of our local health department, and school divisions policies, masks are now mandatory for all students, staff, and visitors. The general election was held on November 3, 2015. As a further precaution, the superintendent said they are partnering with Heritage Pharma Groupto offer on-site COVID-19 testing with guaranteed results in 24 to 48 hours. Tuesday Columbia County school leaders made their decision on the mask mandate. The policy was part of the districts response to COVID last school year, but now state law prohibits individual school systems from requiring students to wear masks. 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. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. The Augusta County, VA is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. You can cancel at any time. List of Augusta County Public Schools. Its still a big health problem, she said. VERONA Augusta County Public Schools will continue requiring face masks for students and staff at least three more weeks. Another potential headache: the CDC is still recommending schools continue to space kids out and keep their desks three feet apart. Welcher, a licensed nurse and mental health professional, said her child in pre-K came home from school last year with remnants of food, moisture and snot from being forced to wear a face-covering for eight hours. The Virginia Department of Health reported 113 new COVID cases in Augusta County Thursday, the highest one-day total since Feb. 4. . 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.. @NBC29 pic.twitter.com/L8eS6n0bxz. I think they should still be wearing masks for their safety and everyone elses, said Will Via, a dad from Verona. 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. 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. So far this week the school division has reported 85 casesdespite studentsbeing out all week because of a holiday and snow. It had already been announced that students could go masklessfollowing a vote by the school board in January, but there was some question about whether teachers would still be required to wear masks under requirements fromthe Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the Department of Labor and Industry. Do you all understand that? Below you will find several links to helpful resources for our residents. Tomorrow marks one week until Columbia County and some Richmond County students start the new year. 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 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. About 50 people attended the Augusta. : Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them, More: At-home COVID test website launches early. What we in public health and science are worried about is the virus and (how many) potential mutations away we are from a very transmissible virus that has the potential to evade our vaccines in terms of how it protects us from severe disease and death, she said. Between Dec. 4 and 18, Georgia reported just under 20,000new cases, and most of the state's map was a light-yellow. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. Its why the news isnt sitting well with him and others. In rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the Delta variants after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others, she said. The Augusta County Board of Supervisors will conduct a Public Hearing at 7 p.m., Wednesday, February 8, 2023, in the Board Meeting Room, Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, Virginia.