Edmonson County Schools Plan For Optional Masking Beginning Next Week

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Schools will no longer require masking at their facilities beginning Monday, October 25, 2021, according to Superintendent Brian Alexander.

Alexander told the Edmonson Voice today the decision is based on the Edmonson County School District COVID School Operations Plan, which was implemented at the September 13, 2021 board meeting.

As part of that plan regarding masking, it states: "On October 25, 2021, individual schools who have had a positive combined student/staff incidence rate of less than 2.5% for five (5) calendar days will be encouraged to, but not required to wear face coverings."

As of today, October 22nd, the district-wide combined incidence rate (positivity rate) is 0.14%, according to the school's data, which is updated in real time, Director of Pupil Personnel Alan Talley said. School data currently shows only three students and no staff with known positive COVID cases, district-wide. ECMS is currently at a .31% rate, Kyrock is at .29%, and ECHS is at .15%. The other schools are currently at 0%.

"At the September board meeting, our plan was approved, which addressed masking for the rest of the year," Mr. Talley said. "We felt like we needed to be back at school long enough from fall break to make a decision based on any potential spikes in COVID cases, which we have not seen. At this time--and we want to stress-- at this time, masks will be optional on Monday morning."

Talley also said that in the unlikely event there is a sharp increase in cases over the weekend and the board must hold off on the optional masking for individual schools, parents would be notified through a one-call, emails, and social media.

"We encourage anyone who wishes to continue wearing masks to do so and we will continue to provide masks in the school district," he said.

Talley said that since the September operations plan was adopted, the incident rate reached 2.5% at two different local schools, once each. 

Governor Andy Beshear mandated masks in schools by executive order on August 10th; however, that was overturned by the KY Supreme Court. Beshear then rescinded that executive order on August 23rd.

Masks were still required in schools statewide due to mandates put in place by the Kentucky Board of Education; however, KY lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1 on September 9th, which removed the statewide mask mandates for childcare centers and school facilities. This allowed local boards of education to require mask usage at their discretion. The statewide mask mandate ended September 17th.

"Our hope is that masking will remain optional for the rest of the school year but we will certainly notify parents as soon as possible should anything change," Talley said.

The overall number of active COVID cases in Edmonson County is currently at 199, according to the BRDHD, which is the lowest number in the Barren River Health District. The county also has the lowest number of reported deaths from the virus, which is 27. Edmonson County also has the lowest percentage of residents in the district that have been vaccinated, which is 37.11%.