By Dewain E. Peek,<\/p>\n
OCN Editor<\/p>\n
Schools will open without mandated mask wearing, according to Overton County Director of Schools Donnie Holman.<\/p>\n
The pronouncement came during a COVID-19 update held at Livingston City Hall on Monday, Aug. 2.<\/p>\n
We have been working hard this summer to prepare things for school to begin, Director Holman said. I have a plan, a rough draft plan you might say, of what were going to do to have a safe reopening. We want everything to be as safe as we can possibly make things for our students and our staff.<\/p>\n
He said student safety is the top priority.<\/p>\n
What were planning on doing for this school year is, all schools will open for in-person learning following the regular daily schedule, Director Holman said. Multiple layers of protection that are already in place will continue.<\/p>\n
Sanitizing stations and water bottle filling stations will still be used. Limited visitor protocols will be in place.<\/p>\n
Masks will not be required, Director Holman said.<\/p>\n
He went on to assure, But those who wish to wear them will be respected and allowed to do so, by all means.<\/p>\n
Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 should not report to school, and should seek medical guidance. Isolation and quarantine protocols from health officials should be followed.<\/p>\n
In the event of a positive COVID-19 case in one of our schools, we will follow the CDC and the Tennessee Department of Health guidelines, and parents or guardians will be notified of their childs possible exposure.<\/p>\n
With Overton Countys positive COVID-19 cases rising from only one in recent weeks to 23 as of Mondays press conference, and with the Delta variant spreading, local leaders urged residents to be vaccinated.<\/p>\n
Livingston Mayor Curtis Hayes made effective immediately a requirement for all city employees who have not been vaccinated to wear masks while on the job, and mask requirements and temperature checks were reinstituted for entrance to all city-owned buildings.<\/p>\n
For the folks that have been vaccinated, it will be optional for those folks to wear their masks, Mayor Hayes said.<\/p>\n
Employees will also have temperature checks at the beginning of each shift.<\/p>\n
The next COVID-19 update was set for noon Monday, Sept. 13.<\/p>\n
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Schools open with freedom of choice on masks - Overton County News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Dewain E. Peek, OCN Editor Schools will open without mandated mask wearing, according to Overton County Director of Schools Donnie Holman. Continue reading