It is very important that persons who have COVID-19 isolate for a minimum of 5 days away from members of their household, use a separate bathroom, not prepare food, use disposable utensils, and wear a well-fitting mask if they have to go into common areas of the house. Baldwin Countys overall vaccination rate is 46.1% for residents who are eligible to get vaccinated (above age 12). Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Baldwin County: Masks are required for . Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, school district leaders across the state have consulted with local and tribal health departments to make difficult decisions as they balance the need for COVID-19 prevention strategies with quality instruction, access to technology, and the challenge of connecting students and families with needed resources like food, special education services, mental health services. Assistant superintendent Daniela Simic hopes those new services will help, but acknowledged the district was caught off guard by the delta variant. hmo0_n/R ~@*%]MZiIU_%H"p@BhD|oq2T54&2mC#fm&C`BBC2 *`R`7|>n3iGybb[/.v\-_tv?%ud$,^U,|Zn2)FZZ6 Have your child evaluated by your healthcare provider if they are immunocompromised, suffer from severe symptoms, or if symptoms persist. From cities to rural towns, stay informed on where COVID-19 is spreading to understand how it could affect families, commerce, and travel. endstream endobj startxref Padgetts school district, Simpson County in Mississippi, where nearly one in five students had to quarantine earlier this month, is one. 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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Implementation of screening testing may also be considered for facilities in areas with a high COVID-19 Community Level for: Schools and ECE programs serving students who are at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19, such as those with moderate or severe immunocompromise or complex medical conditions, may consider implementing screening testing at a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level. The one-time boost will go out in paychecks to approximately 3,900 full-time active employees next week. 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. COVID-19 Prevention Strategies for Schools and ECE programs: showcase of all DHS webinars for local public health and school stakeholders. 2J(I\%r|Q,|o|Wn=M]=~k}&EH|)g' No. 0 A survey of 100 large districts plans that Dusseault conducted found that many districts have more stringent quarantine rules than the CDC recommends. People can use a test-based strategy to potentially shorten the duration of mask use. Well be better prepared to do it this year because we had a lot of time to practice it last year, she said. 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. Deaths Above Normal The true toll of the pandemic in the U.S. We do not recommend that the home test kits be utilized for this purpose. The district plans to resumein-person learning on Monday, it said in the post. %%EOF However, schools and ECE programs may consider implementing screening testing in response to an outbreaks. For COVID-19 outbreaks use the following definition: 10% absenteeism across the entire school due to COVID-19. Quarantine is no longer recommended for people who were in close contact to someone with COVID-19 except in certain high-risk congregate settings (such as correctional facilities). This school policy has always been subject to a doctor's note which could prescribe more or less time away from. For additional information, visit. Hughes said in the last week he had been notified of at least six positive or probable Covid-19cases at the school. 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. A Back-to-School Extravaganza will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at . adopted teacher and staff bonuses last year ahead of Christmas, which approved $1,200 bonuses to full-time staff in March, Tyler authorized a mandatory mask-mandate for students in grades 2 and above in late July, he has said that his goal is to prevent a school from closing because of a COVID-19 outbreak. At least one education analyst believes the added compensation can help keep wary teachers from looking elsewhere for full-time work. endstream endobj 233 0 obj <>/Metadata 5 0 R/PageLabels 228 0 R/Pages 230 0 R/PieceInfo<>>>/StructTreeRoot 9 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 234 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 90/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 235 0 obj <>stream The Baldwin County School Board holds a public hearing into the school district's COVID-19 protocols including a mask mandate on Thursday, August 19, 2021, in Loxley, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Starting Thursday through Sept. 6, students and staff wear a cloth mask over their nose and mouth while indoors at Round Elementary, superintendent Chuck Hughes said in a statement. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some of the late holdouts offered bonuses after New Years Day, such as the Mobile County Public School System, which approved $1,200 bonuses to full-time staff in March. Operation Expanded Testing. The BCSD COVID-19 Weekly Status Report will summarize the new positive cases each week within the student . When community levels of COVID 19 are high, CDC and ADPH recommend school-wide masking for all students, teachers, and staff to reduce transmission of COVID-19. It wont be the same interactive experience as it was last year, she said. The increase also included a 1.5% pay raise for school employees. POCKETS: No pockets on pants, skirts, or shorts except those made into the side seams of the garment, with the exception of back pockets. 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. Were like: Dont start your year with a quarantine.. Baldwin County superintendent extends mask mandate to September 21, possibly into October. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Q Schools and ECE programs should implement everyday strategies to prevent the spread of a variety of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. HVM6W4 @v(t=:H2-l{|~xuC46I!YE38%tO- 5g i. unywhM COVID-19: Early Care and Education Programs 211 Wisconsin Quarantines at Hartland Consolidated Schools in Livingston County also led district officials to impose a mask mandate for one of its elementary schools. Tyler, in his letter, said he will give parents an update around September 21, but hinted that the policy could be in effect through early October. See a showcase of all DHS webinars for local public health and school stakeholders. Case numbers there jumped once the fall semester began, but have also settled into the singly digits weekly without a mask mandate in place since classes resumed in August. Leeds City Schools was the beneficiary of support from NBA Hall of Fame basketball player and 1981 graduate Charles Barkley who, in May, gave $1,000 for each school employee within the district. The district said one student and one staff member also had tested positive for Covid-19 andboth werequarantined. Baldwin County School System Superintendent Eddie Tyler (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Lincoln County Schools COVID policy. 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. 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. For the purposes of boosters and adherence to quarantine, CDC has stated that, when persons receive the booster dose, they are considered to have been boosted that same day. At Sylacauga City Schools, 21 employees, or 7% of the 287 employees eligible for the leave, have utilized the extra 10 days since it was first offered retroactive to June 1. Baldwin County Schools. A Charter School System of the State of Georgia, MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PARENTS ABOUT THE 2019-2020 END OF SCHOOL YEAR, 5/24IF YOU ARE SICK OR CARING FOR SOMEONE (CDC), 6/16 COVID-19: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (CDC), MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PARENTS ABOUT REOPENING OF SCHOOLS FOR 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, 7/13GEORGIA SUBMITS REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF STANDARDIZED TESTING REQUIREMENTS IN 2020-21, 6/18 GEORGIA SEEKING STANDARDIZED TESTING. Baldwin County is considered a heavily Republican county in Alabama where all elected officials are members of the GOP. Schools have had to temporarily close because the highly contagious variant is sweeping through counties and filling up hospitals. 254 0 obj <>stream Tyler authorized a mandatory mask-mandate for students in grades 2 and above in late July, and he has said that his goal is to prevent a school from closing because of a COVID-19 outbreak. The Department of Health Services (DHS) encourages school and early care and education (ECE) program administrators, and local and tribal health departments to use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning to ensure the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff. 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To ensure our parents, staff and community members are provided with the most recent and accurate information, the Baldwin County School District will publish weekly COVID-19 status reports each Friday. Follow the advice of your healthcare provider, as guidance depends on the clinical situation. At least 129 children in Alabama have developed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome of Childhood (MIS-C). 2snU=~"#LBtu_cgK3@_|t[RB.q~h5lnSl^KP@jQA?7PT( >D"On'znFYA)da . 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. With the emergence of Omicron, the incubation period for COVID-19 appears to be shorter, around 3-5 days after exposure, but at least a third of people may remain contagious up to 10 days. Find help with housing, income, food, employment, health care, mental health concerns, safety at home, and morein multiple languages. We will also continue to follow. 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. 232 0 obj <> endobj All rights reserved (About Us). Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Sanitizing hands before removing masks, prior to putting masks back on, and after putting masks back on are important measures to further reduce any potential transmission of the virus. Lincoln County Schools will be mask optional for the start of the 2022-23 school year, district spokeswoman Karen Dellinger told the Observer in an email. That bonus was financed largely through the CARES Act. If we increase and go back to substantial, then the masks will come back on. 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. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. I do not like wearing them. The teams arrival to Baldwin County marked the first time the federal government dispatched a healthcare team to assist an Alabama hospital during the pandemic. COVID-19 is more contagious and deadly than influenza in children. 7U#IbB'\:|5iD(MbcbBUC>>o3UCuQ8@vWyUA($&P>IN5(E!dP_Ox{KPLV|%Xr?B)SW-\KQ0|LfNx5klQp@S]Gjv4C(d. During lunch and snack, persons should remove their masks only when eating, sanitize their hands, and resume wearing their masks after eating. There was a problem saving your notification. If I have to do things to keep our schools open, then I am going to continue to do that.. The states K-12 retirements late last year were at their highest level in nearly a decade, and the profession has been dealing with issues of burnout and the stresses of having to conduct to provide classroom instruction remotely. Additionally, close contacts should get tested for COVID-19 at least 5 days after their last exposure. Official websites use .gov Case numbers never got out of control, but have still gone way down since those first few weeks of school. But at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley, a 14-member team of healthcare professionals dispatched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services remain in place to assist with a surge of patients. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Hoover City Schools topped the list statewide, reporting 218 cases, exceeding the district's previous total of 200 cases reported. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Baldwin County School Board meeting, August 19, 2021 . Masks are not recommended for children under ages 2 years and younger, or for people with some disabilities. There were 15 total cases (14 students, one staff) the first week of November, but the second week, Nov. 8-12, there were no positives reported among the over 5,300 combined Baldwin County students and employees. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is the lead agency for the COVID-19 vaccination initiative. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Read the common questions we are receiving about patient information under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The downward trend in COVID-19 cases may create a change in the Baldwin County School Districts (BCSD) masking policy in the coming weeks. Schools might need to require masking in settings such as classrooms or during activities to protect students with immunocompromising conditions or other conditions that increase their risk for getting very sick with COVID-19 in accordance with applicable federal, state, or local laws and policies. HVn8}Wc If a bonus is offered, Id never suggest anyone to decline the offer, said Elfriede Marsh, the AEA Uniserv District director who represents nine school systems in the Wiregrass. Belt is optional for grades Pre-K through 1st. I do not like them on our children. 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. But superintendent Shari Camhi says teachers won't be working. We were semi-optimistic. The . For more information and support, visit the U.S. Department of Educations Disability Rights webpage. This page will be updated with the most recent data as frequently as possible. Students line up before classes at Middletown High School. Official website of the State of Wisconsin. Follow new cases found each day and the number of cases and deaths in Baldwin County, Alabama.This page will be updated with the most recent data as frequently as possible. The school decisions come as 72 of Michigan's counties are at a high transmission level for Covid-19, which means that most residents are urged under federal guidelines to wear masks in public, according tothe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The community level of Covid-19 in Baldwin County is low based on cases and hospitalizations, . I am very hopeful this will be enough time (by September 21) but if the numbers have not fallen sufficiently by then, we will continue the mask requirement and revisit the removal again on Fall Break, October 8, Tyler wrote. Parents, students, educators, and neighbors all benefit from independent education journalism. We look forward to hearing from you! Baldwin County Schools Superintendent Eddie Tyler, in a letter to parents on Thursday, said that COVID-19 numbers have been going in the wrong direction for the districts schools to warrant rescinding a mask mandate policy that was put into place in late July. The BCSD COVID-19 Weekly Status Report will summarize the new positive cases each week within the student population who are attending school in-person as well as in the population of staff members who are working in-person at our schools or in the district office. How is Baldwin County faring against COVID-19, both overall and at a state level? Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education was updated on May 27, 2022, and can be found on the CDC Website. It is the policy of the Board of Education to comply fully with the requirements of Title IX, Section 504 of the . I know some people only care about that. %PDF-1.4 % or sex in its employment practices, student programs and dealings with the public. 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. As the number of quarantining students rises, some districts that resisted requiring masks are moving to mandate them. Persons returning from COVID-19 shortened isolation must wear masks for 10 days after the onset of symptoms and/or positive test or last exposure to a case. hb``b``: Y8HK~mW`iSP:H330 ag`(26 Students at Magnolia Elementary School in Trussville wear masks as they are greeted by staff and teachers on the first day of school in 2020. The mask issue comes as hospitalizations and deaths are on the rise in Alabama over the latest surge of delta variant. 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. COVID-19 vaccine further strengthens the immune response and helps the immune system fight off infection and keeps people from severe disease and out of hospitals. COVID-19: Early Care and Education Programs. 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. Returning from breaks (such as, holidays, spring break, at the beginning of the school year). Baldwin County Public Schools Uniform Policy 1. And her kindergartener was given worksheets that asked him to write his name and numbers skills he hasnt learned yet. But while Baldwin County Schools is being praised for the second round of the bonuses, representatives with the Alabama Education Association representing public school employees in Alabama are pushing for the school system to join others in the state in offering up to 10 additional days of extended COVID-19 leave or sick pay. Other options are K-N95 which are similar but have different industry standards for filtration. 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. Surgical masks are a very good option due to layers and better filtering. Many families and school officials had hoped that this school year would bring more normalcy and consistency for students. The Baldwin County School District will continue to provide opportunities for students age 12 and older, faculty, and staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. 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. Alabama, like many states, had a teacher shortage in many disciplines before the pandemic. We could have closed a few schools. 3. Neither are planning to do so right now. Pointing to that low percentage, the school system today told NBC 15 it doesn't . The board recognizes the challenging work environment as we move forward in providing face-to-face learning, Tyler said. After this 5 days, persons should still do all they can to reduce contact for the remaining five days, including continuing to wear a mask, even in the house. endstream endobj 236 0 obj <>stream Alabama school boards from the Gulf Coast to the Tennessee Valley adopted teacher and staff bonuses last year ahead of Christmas, and billed them as extraordinary compensation or premium pay for work performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in grades K-5 will remain in classrooms. Baldwin Countys vaccinations have gone up in recent weeks, but only slightly more than half of the countys overall population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. How we deal with a kid who is out for a week is something were working through right now, but were going to be on a fully in-person system, Mayor Bill de Blasio said recently. In states like Mississippi, where case rates are among the highest in the country and many students lack access to home internet and devices, the situation is particularly fraught. Chalk greetings on the sidewalk in front of the school. Some schools are offering additional sick leave for teachers. Fit can be improved by wearing a cloth mask over it. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Clear skies. School Superintendent Dr. Noris Price updated. For COVID-19 questions, text COVID to 211-211. This is why CDC recommends mask use for 10 days, even with shortened isolation or quarantine. Without any doubt, I know without the protections we currently have in place, we would have already closed many schools in our system, if not all. 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. "We have several students who have tested positive due to outside exposure, but enough that we feel it necessary to take this precaution instead of shutting down the building," Hughes said. The district is also hiring 10 part-time teachers to host live video sessions for elementary schoolers stuck at home and plans to contract with a virtual tutoring company to help older students. However, all close contacts should wear a well-fitting mask or respirator at all times indoors for 10 days after their last exposure. COVID-19 rules across Middle Georgia. See information about ongoing household exposure. Winds light and variable. ACE: Grades 6-12 are moving to remote learning Aug. 3-Sept. 13. Ryan Hollingsworth, executive director of the School Superintendents of Alabama, said the beginning of the school year has been by far, the most challenging for everyone association with education. Moments later, the School Board voted unanimously on the bonuses. The state asks schools to report COVID cases on Tuesdays. Use our A to Z Index or Contact Us. Get the answers here, with data on cases and infection rates. But others are being sent home with only paper packets or are receiving no instruction at all a worrying indication that many students could face another year of stop-and-start learning. BCSD did not require masks the first week or so of school, but put a mandate in place as cases in Baldwin County spiked soon after classes began. Superintendent Tyler says students. Then we got into the delta, and thats affected our staffing and our children. Join them to stay in the know with our free weekly newsletter. Follow new cases found each day and the number of cases and deaths in Baldwin County, Alabama. 'ZF{e@)vsy=H&k Then her other two school-age children had to stay home, too. BELTS: Must be worn with pants that have belt loops. But many schools have reopened without requiring masks, and its not clear how widely this quarantining guidance has trickled down to districts. The online COVID-19 case report card should only be used to report individual COVID-19 cases.
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