Carroll County's public schools are the latest in the greater Greenwood area to require that students, staff and visitors wear masks.
Students, teachers and visitors of Carroll County public schools will be required to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status, said Jim Ray, district superintendent.
“Looking at the CDC guidelines and the state recommendations, we think right now at this time masks are our best option of keeping kids in school,” Ray said.
Ray said the school board was to vote on the requirement Thursday. The district resumed in-person classes Thursday.
The Mississippi State Department of Health “recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 school settings when not eating or drinking, regardless of vaccination status.”
The Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District also is requiring masks indoors.
Charles Johnson, assistant superintendent for the district, said that eligible students and district personnel are encouraged to get vaccinated.
Leflore Legacy Academy, a public charter school, also chose to require that all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors.
Pillow Academy, Carroll Academy and Leflore Christian School will not mandate that teachers and students wear masks while inside.
Barrett Donahoe, head of school at Pillow Academy, where classes start Friday, said that Pillow will go forward with a masks-optional policy. However, the school will monitor whether state or local governments institute a mask mandate.
St. Francis of Assisi School is not requiring masks but encourages students, teachers and staff to wear them, Principal Jackie Lewis said.
Ray said that Carroll County will be following all of the COVID-19 guidelines that the school put in place last year, but he mentioned a slight change in the quarantine policy for students who come in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
There are exceptions regarding quarantining for those who are unvaccinated and come in close contact with someone with COVID-19.
According to the MSDH, “In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student where both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of well-fitting masks.”
This exception does not apply to teachers, staff or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.
Fully vaccinated persons in close contact with an infected person do not have to quarantine unless they develop symptoms, according to MSDH guidelines.
Delta Streets Academy’s head of school, T. Mac Howard, recently said masks probably would be required there. He could not be reached Thursday for further comment.
- Contact Drew Richardson at 581-7233 or drichardson@gwcommonwealth.com.
