FLORENCE-In a called Florence City Board of Education meeting on Monday, August 16, 2021, members approved a recommendation by FCS Superintendent Dr. Jimmy Shaw to require masks for individuals in Pre-K through 12th grade effective August 19, 2021.
The masking requirement for Pre-K through 12th grade is for all students, teachers, faculty, staff, and visitors inside an FCS building. Exceptions to the inside masking requirement will include students involved in physical education and while eating. Faculty and staff exemptions include adults being alone in classrooms, offices, etc. Masking will not be required for individuals while outside a Pre-K-12 school.
“After examining the effects of COVID-19 in school systems that have opened in our region without masks, it was my
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recommendation for facial coverings. Requiring masks will help FCS get in front of any possible outbreaks while also helping us prevent sending mass numbers of students home as close contacts. The safety of our students, teachers, faculty, and staff is of the utmost importance. The decision the board made this morning, and the safety protocols we are implementing on our campuses will hopefully give us a head start,” stated Dr. Shaw following the meeting.
Following the guidance of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), face coverings are mandatory for any person on a school bus.
Florence City Schools and the Florence City Board of Education will reevaluate masking requirements as the 2021-2022 school year progresses.
Media Release/Carter Watkins/Communications Coordinator/Florence City Schools
