The increase also included a 1.5% pay raise for school employees. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. a severe illness requiring hospitalization. But as COVID cases rise, students across the country are seeing the start of their year disrupted by quarantines after they were exposed to COVID. It is my greatest hope we will be able to remove the mask requirement by September 21. All rights reserved (About Us). The unending pandemic and the latest virus spread could be exacerbating concerns over teacher retention. Other options are K-N95 which are similar but have different industry standards for filtration. If that trend continues, the superintendent said that she may recommend that students and staff wear masks inside schools rather than require them after the Thanksgiving break. Baldwin County School Board meeting, August 19, 2021 . We were semi-optimistic. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. At least 129 children in Alabama have developed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Childhood (MIS-C). In Selma, Alabama, superintendent Avis Williams said when students are quarantining, teachers will have to teach remote and in-person students at once. My goal is to make sure we can keep schools open, so please help me by working together.. Baldwin County, Alabama coronavirus cases and deaths 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. 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. We could have closed a few schools. As with other communicable diseases, there are certain measures that need to be taken to prevent others from catching the illness. endstream endobj startxref In Jefferson County, Colorado, Letia Frandina changed her plan to enroll her children in a charter school after it announced masks wouldnt be required for the whole school day and that it didnt plan to offer live virtual instruction to students in quarantine. Thats a first for the local school system during this 2021-22 school term. ^uu'.A(])i!zZ>J:~>Uhu{>I4j%m#^9^U[q"oZ!oR~7Q_A!m8dAkoy} xGGh:uTn64>Aa l#Va{mRecdH]Tg6"3k$ZA;s{==M=/03{#eSdQdH2W 0ORB)G1 During COVID, we established a policy with a 10-day mandatory absence. While it is uncommon for children to die from either influenza or COVID-19, during this past year, no child in Alabama died from influenza, while, at least 16 children in Alabama have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic COVID-19, especially the Omicron variant, can cause severe disease in children. Moments later, the School Board voted unanimously on the bonuses. She said she felt that Baldwin County School leaders were reviewing the logistics of providing the leave to employees. The school district is funding the extended leave program itself and budgeted $25,000 in additional costs out of the General Fund to maintain the program, according to Michelle Eller, the districts superintendent. Others are still working out the details as they prepare for the school year to begin. Deaths Above Normal The true toll of the pandemic in the U.S. What are the COVID policies for each Charlotte-area school district 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. Last week, the state reported 10,807 new cases, up 14% from the 9,467 cases disclosed over the previous seven-day period. In addition, full-time school employees are getting a $1,000 annual retention incentive that will be paid out in semi-annual installments at the end of December 2022 and 2023. Preventing and controlling COVID-19 in ECE programs poses unique challenges due to the nature of caring for infants and young children, which necessarily involves close contact between children and their caregivers. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You may also receive occasional messages from sponsors. Cases at more than 1,800 schools. At the same time, only 5.2% of children ages 12-17 are fully vaccinated in Alabama, and Fisher said he is worried it will. School officials say less than 1% of the entire county student population is out under COVID-19 absence protocols. Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education was updated on May 27, 2022, and can be found on the CDC Website. The school systems mask policy is in place for all children in grades 2 and up. Many educators said that practice was untenable and ineffective last year. COVID 19 Resource Hub - BCC . The downward trend in COVID-19 cases may create a change in the Baldwin County School District's (BCSD) masking policy in the coming weeks. Parents, students, educators, and neighbors all benefit from independent education journalism. 244 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<13DB77E66C52864888D98D04C0E3424C>]/Index[232 23]/Info 231 0 R/Length 70/Prev 19548/Root 233 0 R/Size 255/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream How is Baldwin County faring against COVID-19, both overall and at a state level? NO EXTRA POCKETS 2. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. In addition, the same hospital is the site where a refrigerated trailer was placed a little more than a week ago to serve as a makeshift morgue if needed. Baldwin County is committed to the safety of our residents and visitors. 4/14 COVID-19 TESTING DIRECT PATIENT LINES. l^DR,{.f*5dHrea 9sF 'XpP*"#E).7/L?&I0HP9$+8\HQlW$c`5LeQ1MmZ p#.CG>zv7#Rx.`>|d(C'CQ@uf` =#*" People can use a test-based strategy to potentially shorten the duration of mask use. Surgical masks are a very good option due to layers and better filtering. Covid-19 Dashboard BW's total campus population is 4,298 (898 full and part-time faculty and staff, 3,400 full, part-time and evening undergraduate and graduate students). Both schools offered extraordinary compensation for teachers and staff last year ahead of the holidays. In accordance with the Georgia Department of Public Health, the school district will work diligently to ensure that proper guidelines are followed to isolate the student/staff diagnosed with COVID-19, identify close contacts and disinfect areas of the school when notified of a positive case. Shortened isolation requires that all persons, including athletes, continue to consistently and correctly mask for 10 days after onset of symptoms and/or positive test. Official websites use .gov Click here. The new rule requires students, staff and . The following people should be excluded from in-person instruction and activities: Students or staff who come to school or an ECE program with symptoms or develop symptoms while at school or an ECE program should be asked to wear a well-fitting mask or respirator while in the building and be sent home and encouraged to get tested if testing is unavailable at the facility. Some AEA representatives believe that the money could be better spent on boosting overall salaries. Students with immunocompromising conditions or other conditions or disabilities that increase risk for getting very sick with COVID-19 should not be placed into separate classrooms or otherwise segregated from other students. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com. Well-trained math and science teachers are eligible to receive up to $15,000 in additional pay, if they decide to teach inside schools considered hard-to-staff. Hughes said in the last week he had been notified of at least six positive or probable Covid-19cases at the school. The board recognizes the challenging work environment as we move forward in providing face-to-face learning, Tyler said. Elsewhere, parents are trying to avoid possible disruption on their own. ADPH will not be providing a form for the purposes of allowing students to return to the classroom based on the results of a home COVID-19 tests. Read the common questions we are receiving about patient information under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. A Michigan school districthas canceled classes for the rest of the week after students have been quarantinedfor flu-like symptoms, officials said. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. We were just like, Thank god this is over, and then, wow were we wrong, she said. I do not like them on our children. I will monitor the spread and make sure we are moderate, Price told the school board. Persons exposed to COVID-19 in a household should be tested 5 days after exposure, even without symptoms. Encourage everyone to stay up to date on vaccinations. A Morning Consult/Politico poll from last month showed nearly all Democrats and a majority of Independents polled support face masks, while a majority of Republicans do not. Contacts of cases should monitor for symptoms, be tested on day 5 after exposure, even without symptoms, and wear their masks when out in public for 10 days after exposure. Parents address Baldwin County School board about COVID protocols by: Brianna Hollis Posted: Aug 19, 2021 / 03:25 PM CDT Updated: Aug 19, 2021 / 10:36 PM CDT LOXLEY, Ala. (WKRG) The Baldwin. Join them to stay in the know with our free weekly newsletter. Baldwin County, Alabama Having trouble finding what you are looking for? Extended sick leave, up to 10 days in most cases, is offered to more than 40 school systems in Alabama, and others could be coming on board in the coming weeks. The resources on this page aim to help decision-makers plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19 in K-12 schools. Q Then her other two school-age children had to stay home, too. The district has a mask-optional policy. Baldwin Countys hospitalizations have ticked downward, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers. If contact with the infected person cannot be broken (separate bedroom, living quarters, bathroom, consistent and correct mask wearing), contacts should consider their exposure to be longer and continue to wear their masks when out in public for 10 days after the last exposure, starting on Day 6 after the infected persons symptoms began or positive test. I do not see another one in the near future., That said, the states AEA director is hopeful that Alabama school systems that are financially able will provide additional compensation for teachers who are putting their lives on the line each day they enter a school building during this latest surge of the delta variant.. Parents address Baldwin County School board about COVID protocols 0 I do not like wearing them. Some eliminated virtual schooling or created a separate virtual academy; promised educators they wouldnt be teaching in-person students and remote students at the same time; and didnt hand out laptops and hotspots to students without their own technology. 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. Children ages 12 and up are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but some are requiring masking regardless of vaccination status for both faculty and students after the Centers for Disease. Baldwin County Public Schools Uniform Policy 1. A Back-to-School Extravaganza will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at . The UAB School of Public Health is currently collaborating with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama State Department of Education to offer voluntary asymptomatic COVID-19 testing in Alabama K-12 schools to students, faculty, and staff. The state asks schools to report COVID cases on Tuesdays. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) K-12 school page addresses the need for schools, local health departments, and healthcare providers to work together to support the goal of all students returning to school safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents have been advised that teachers can send assignments home with students as with any illness, though some teachers may also stream or record audio of their lessons. New COVID-19 school policies to take effect March 15 in Baldwin County Quarantines close Baldwin schools, prompt mask mandate at Livingston Co If we increase and go back to substantial, then the masks will come back on. The online COVID-19 case report card should only be used to report individual COVID-19 cases. Lincoln County Schools COVID policy. Then we got into the delta, and thats affected our staffing and our children. We hope to have further details at our next board meeting (later this month).. (The CDC recommends that quarantines last seven to 14 days.). DHS recommends everyone ages 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, should wear a well-fitting mask in the following situations and settings: Children and staff that are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness are encouraged to talk to a doctor about the need to wear a well-fitting mask or respirator at school. The mandate was set to be reviewed after Labor Day weekend. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. If the contact develops symptoms at any time after exposure, the contact should be tested as soon as possible. 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. Hoover City Schools topped the list statewide, reporting 218 cases, exceeding the district's previous total of 200 cases reported. Baldwin Co. Public Schools will not be following CDC's 5-day stay-at But Williams is optimistic. Baldwin County, Georgia Covid Case and Risk Tracker I do not like masks. Michigan's Covid-19 hospitalizations now exceed 1,100 inpatients, and new infection numbers have been climbing for a month. Information to reduce COVID-19 disease is provided to keep all people as safe as possible from being sick. 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. People who have symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, People who tested positive for COVID-19, with or without having symptoms, and have not yet finished their isolation period per public health recommendations, High-risk activities (for example, close contact sports, band, choir, theater), Key times in the year (for example before/after large events such as prom, tournaments, group travel). PANTS: Pants must be secured at the . CDC has not changed mask guidance, at this time, and continues to allow a well fitted mask of tightly woven breathable material, such as cotton fabric, consistently and correctly worn over the nose and mouth. Rogers School Board extends emergency covid-19 leave policy Ive been concerned about them.. Price shared that the Georgia Department of Public Healths report for the North Central Health District, of which Baldwin County is a part, revealed that the county had been downgraded from substantial to moderate spread based on recent case numbers. Schools should implement the following strategies, regardless of their county's current COVID-19 community level. School Superintendent Dr. Noris Price updated board of education members on where the 4,650-student district stands with the coronavirus during the elected boards monthly meeting held last Tuesday. Schools with students at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19must make reasonable modifications when necessary to ensure that all students, including those with disabilities, are able to access in-person learning. Symptomatic people who cannot wear a mask should be separated from others as much as possible; children should be supervised by a designated caregiver who is wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator until they leave the facility. If persons exposed to COVID-19 in a household become symptomatic, they should be tested as soon as practical. 2020-2021 BACK TO SCHOOL | baldwincountyschools 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. Our administrators, teachers, and support staff have been continually adjusting to an ever changing set of guidelines and recommendations for three years and the frustration level is completely off the charts, he said. Padgett says her children didnt have the option to do lessons online and werent given hotspots or laptops, though other schools in their Mississippi district transitioned to virtual learning. I believe school boards will be looking at myriad ways to support and show appreciation for teachers who continue to teach class while also providing instruction for students needing to isolate and quarantine, said Sally Smith, executive director of the Alabama Association of School Boards. Schools that planned for a fully in-person school year, though, are without options they had last year. Quarantines at Hartland Consolidated Schools in Livingston County also led district officials to impose a mask mandate for one of its elementary schools. 232 0 obj <> endobj Baldwin County Schools (Georgia) 2021-22 COVID protocols - WMAZ The downward trend in COVID-19 cases may create a change in the Baldwin County School Districts (BCSD) masking policy in the coming weeks. Baldwin County is averaging 149 new cases per day over the past week. It is important to reduce the risk of children developing communicable diseases, including influenza and COVID-19, as previously healthy children can become very ill, require hospitalizations, and die from both these illnesses.