07/26/2021
Bibb County School District announces mask policy in a press release attached below. They announced masks will be required at all school facilities.
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Bibb County School District Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones announced Monday, July 26, that face masks will be required at all District facilities, effective immediately. This was an informed decision based on data and guidance from the North Central Health District and the CDC. The latest guidance released by the North Central Health District today identified that our community is back to a level of substantial spread for COVID-19 that causes concern.
“A key goal for our District this year is to do all we can to keep students learning in person throughout the year. Based upon the latest available information, encouraging individuals to be vaccinated and requiring all individuals to wear masks are the two most effective ways we can help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Everyone must do their part to keep students and staff safe so we can have a normal school year," Dr. Jones said.
COVID PROTOCOLS
Please review the updated COVID-19 protocols for Bibb County School District as of July 26, 2021. This information is subject to revision based on continued guidance throughout the school year by the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Georgia Department of Education.
Masks are required in all BCSD facilities. Masks are not required outdoors and during breakfast/lunch.Masks are required on school buses.COVID-19 vaccinations are not required but are strongly recommended and encouraged for any eligible individual 12 years and older. Find a vaccination site at www.vaccines.gov.Individuals should remain home if they feel unwell and contact their medical provider if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.Temperatures should still be checked each day when entering the building. Staff and students will not be required to record temperatures.Class sizes will be back to normal as much as possible. Students should take precautionary measures – hand washing, wearing masks and socially distancing 3 feet in hallways.The Bibb County School District will take precautions to avoid large gatherings and stagger events using virtual and outdoor options when possible.Volunteers are allowed to enter the buildings. The Bibb County School District will require volunteers to wear a mask. Upon sign-in through CheckMate, volunteers and guests will be required to respond to COVID-19 safety questions before completing the check-in process.Parents are encouraged to make an appointment for visiting schools when possible.
CONTACT TRACING AND QUARANTINES
The Bibb County School District will rely on the Georgia Department of Public Health / North Central Health District to conduct all COVID-19 contact tracing. For GaDPH / North Central Health District information, visit https://northcentralhealthdistrict.org/.If a student or employee tests positive for COVID-19, he/she is expected to notify the principal or supervisor. Principals and supervisors will notify the school nurse and send out general notification of a positive COVID-19 case in their school or building. Central Office supervisors should notify Corey Goble ([email protected]) and Stephanie Hartley ([email protected]) of positive cases in Central Office departments.GaDPH will identify and notify close contacts. If you are not contacted by GaDPH, you are not considered a close contact.It is imperative for parents to review and update contact information in Parent Portal frequently to ensure contact tracing is effective. Instructions for Parent Portal: https://www.bcsdk12.net/parents/parentportalAny student or employee contacted by GaDPH and notified that he/she is a close contact should immediately notify their principal or supervisor of their status. Principals and supervisors will notify the school nurse. Central Office supervisors should notify Corey Goble ([email protected]) and Stephanie Hartley ([email protected]) of cases in Central Office departments.Vaccinated students and employees who are identified as a close contact will not be required to quarantine. Any vaccinated individual identified as a close contact is still expected to report his or her close contact status to the principal or supervisor. A school nurse may ask for proof of vaccination.GaDPH will provide students and employees with guidance on when they may return to school or work following their isolation or quarantine period. Students and employees are expected to follow isolation and quarantine guidelines provided by GaDPH. COVID-positive individuals must isolate and quarantine for 10 days and must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school or work. School nurses and Human Resources administrators may assist with clarifying and identifying return dates.Schools will assist GaDPH with contact tracing by keeping track of and providing seating charts. School administrators, teachers and staff are responsible for keeping updated records of seating charts.When GaDPH needs assistance, school nurses will be the main point of contact at the school.When a positive case of COVID-19 is identified in a building, Bibb County School District will send out general notification via email to staff and via the Remind platform to parents. General notification of a positive case will be sent to the whole school or building, and the message will provide a minimal level of identification, such as the grade level impacted. By law, District personnel cannot share the name of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Close contacts will be notified by GaDPH. If you are not contacted by GaDPH, you are not considered a close contact.Instruction of quarantined students will take place asynchronously through Canvas. Teachers and staff will use a designated attendance code for students who are in quarantine. Students must submit completed assignments in Canvas in order to be counted present for the duration of the quarantine period.If a student is absent for 3 consecutive days, a school employee must make contact to find out why the individual is absent.If an employee tests positive for COVID-19 or is identified by GaDPH as a close contact, he or she will not be required to use personal sick leave – for now. The District will verify close contact information against GaDPH records. Unvaccinated employees identified as close contacts will be expected to work from home during the quarantine period. This may include teaching classes remotely and/or participating in virtual professional learning. Vaccinated employees who are identified as a close contact will not be required to quarantine.Bibb County School District will maintain data regarding the number of positive COVID-19 cases in schools and buildings.
EXAMPLES OF COVID PROTOCOLS
The following scenarios are intended to provide guidance on COVID-19 situations. The Georgia Department of Public Health (GaDPH) will conduct all contact tracing.
Scenario 1:
If the student/employee is UNVACCINATED and is identified by GaDPH as a close contact, he/she must quarantine for 10 days, and test on or after day 5 of quarantine.
Scenario 2:
If the student/employee is VACCINATED and is identified as a close contact by GaDPH, he/she DOES NOT have to quarantine. He/she must still notify the principal or supervisor of close contact status.
*If he/she develops symptoms within two weeks of being identified as a close contact, he/she should get tested (remain out of school or work until results are received), and if positive, follow guidance in Scenario 3.
Scenario 3:
If the student/employee tests positive for COVID, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATE, they must isolate for 10 days. Prior to returning to school or work, students/employees must be fever-free without the assistance of medication for at least 24 hours.
Scenario 4:
If the student/employee previously tested positive for COVID, isolated the required number of days, and has become a close contact, he/she DOES NOT have to quarantine so long as the new close contact is within 3 months of the previous positive test period.
