UNDATED – New mask protocols are now in place in the Danville and Southern Columbia Area School Districts, but will be revisited in mid-September.
At Southern Columbia, the district says a mask mandate is in effect starting today (Monday 8/30). the first day of school, for all staff, students and visitors. The district will be revisiting the mandate during a special school board meeting scheduled for September 13 at 7 p.m. in either the high school library or auditorium.
At Danville, the district is implementing partial mask mandates starting today. All students grades Pre-K-five must wear masks in classrooms but may remove them in hallways and outdoors. Unvaccinated faculty and staff also must mask up. All students grades 6-12, regardless of vaccination are encouraged to wear a mask in classrooms.
Danville’s vaccinated faculty and staff are not mandated to wear masks, but must provide vaccine verification to the school nurse by tomorrow. Masks are also mandated on school buses. However, masks are not required outdoors for anyone and mask breaks will be reinstated.
Danville says its being proactive after seeing neighboring districts with positive cases and large amounts of students being quarantined, as well as case levels rising locally. The school board will revisit the necessity of mandated masking at its September 14 board meeting.
