Jefferson City Schools finalizes back-to-school plan, leaves out decision on masking
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Jefferson City School District released the finalized back-to-school plan for fall Friday morning, but it did not include a decision on masking. Superintendent Larry Linthacum, PhD, said the district will announce its decision on masking no later than Monday, Aug. 16, which is one week before the first day of school.
"The mask requirement for staff and students was lifted for the last two weeks of summer school and we were hopeful we would be able to begin the school year without a mask requirement," Linthacum said. "However, with the recent trend of new positive cases in our community and everything we are learning about the transmissibility of the Delta variant, we do not feel comfortable making a final decision on masks at this time."
The back-to-school plan includes several changes from last year's, including modifications on some of the COVID precautions introduced last year.
The plan says some schools will allow children to eat lunch in the cafeteria again and move out of their primary classroom for activities such as P.E., music and field trips. During these activities, students will remain in small cohorts, and seating charts will be used.
Some of JCSD's COVID precautions will be relaxed, according to the plan. For example, it will no longer monitor thermal cameras and check temperatures in the car line. However, masks will be required on buses, per CDC guidelines.
Although in-person learning is the priority, virtual learning through Launch will still be available to JCSD students.
In an email to ABC 17, Columbia Public Schools spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said CPS has not yet finalized its plan for the upcoming school year, but classes will be fully in-person.
"The district continues to monitor COVID in our community," Baumstark said. "We are also monitoring information being released by various education and health authorities, including CDC, DESE, comparable school districts across the state, higher education entities and others."
The first day of school for CPS students grades one through 12 is Aug. 24. Kindergartners start on Aug. 26. There is a JumpStart program scheduled for sixth and ninth-graders on Aug. 23. More information can be found on the CPS school calendar.
Todd Fuller, spokesperson for the Missouri State Teachers Association, said it's wise on part of the school district to wait until closer to the start of school to make decisions on COVID policies.
"I think a lot of school districts are just trying to wait and see what's going to happen in our state, in terms of the positivity rate," Fuller said. "It's probably one of the smartest things that a district can do right now is wait and see what's going to happen in their regions, in their local school districts so that they can make the best decision based on science."
