The Greene County School Board recently approved a three stage approach for mask wearing across the district to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Superintendent Tim Christensen says when school starts, each of the three school buildings will be at a “green level,” meaning masks are highly encouraged to be worn. This level will continue while Greene County’s COVID-19 positivity rate for a two-week period is under ten-percent.
The “yellow level” goes into effect if the County’s positivity rate is between 10 and 15-percent, or if the student and/or staff absenteeism due to COVID-19 for a school building is more than ten-percent, or there is one positive case in a school building. This level means masks will be required if social distancing of at least six feet is not possible.
The final stage is the “red level” where masks will be required if the County’s positivity rate is more than 15-percent or there is more than one positive case in a school building. Christensen notes the color stages were determined based on the information from state guidance for when schools can do remote learning.
“But basically took those percentages and dropped those all five-percent. I believe that the percentages that the state put out are too high and are not realistic.”
Christensen points out these levels could constantly change throughout the year.
“So example: if we had a positive case (in a building) and moved to yellow, once that individual has been quarantined and been out (of school) for 14 days, when they come back then we would go from yellow back to green.”
Christensen says each trigger point for each level is independent of the others and can be used to determine what level to adjust to. He adds that everything the District is doing to address COVID-19 concerns are with the best intentions of keeping students and staff safe. Click the link below to see the full tier system.