Online meeting of the SDPC Board of Trustees.
Kasie Strickland | The Sentinel-Progress
Masks required for staff, students
PICKENS COUNTY — The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees met for an online meeting on Tuesday morning to vote on changes to the 2020-2021 school calendar, delaying the start of school to Aug. 24.
“We need to delay the start of school to allow our staff more time to implement our safety plans and to allow the spread of coronavirus to begin to subside,” said SDPC Superintendent Danny Merck in an email sent to parents. “The calendar still includes 180 instructional days, respects holidays, and ends on June 4, 2021. Our six-week plan for alternating face-to-face instruction and eLearning at the start of the year will remain in place.”
The Board passed the measure after brief discussion on mask-wearing guidances and leap days. More information would be coming this Thursday, Merck said during the meeting.
In the email to parents, Merck said that while the district firmly believes returning to school is vital for the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of students, climbing case numbers of COVID-19 has presented risks to students, staff and parents.
“(The risks) for a return to in-person instruction have far exceeded what we predicted during back-to-school planning as recently as two weeks ago,” he said.
In addition to the district’s mask requirement for employees, SDPC will introduce a mask requirement for students for the coming year, officials said.
At minimum, masks will be required for students in 3rd-12th grades when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible. Masks are recommended for students of all ages.
“The decision to require masks was difficult, but necessary,” Merck said. “State, local, and national health guidance has been unanimous in its support for masks as a key to stopping the spread of coronavirus. This is a life-safety issue, and schools commonly require students to alter their behavior and clothing for much less serious considerations.”
SDPC will allow medical exemptions when approved by a physician, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said.
Reach Kasie Strickland at 864-855-0355.