Jackson County School District Approves Amendment #2 to the 2020-2021 Instructional Calendar and Requires Masks for Students on Buses & Masks for Students Grade 6-12 During Class Changes
July 28, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
Jackson County School District Approves Amendment #2 to the 2020-2021 Instructional Calendar and Requires Masks for Students on Buses & Masks for Students Grade 6-12 During Class Changes
Last week the School Board approved Superintendent Moore’s recommendation to postpone the start of school by two weeks. In a special meeting today, the board approved to amend the 2020-2021 Instructional Calendar. Teachers will return to school on Friday, August 14th with an inservice day previously planned for the end of the school year. Students will return to school on Monday, August 24, 2020. All previously scheduled breaks will remain as planned and Memorial Day has been added as a holiday. The last student day will be Thursday, June 10th and teachers will complete their year on Friday, June 11th.
The next item on the agenda was regarding students wearing masks during certain times of the school day. After discussion and input from board members, as well as administrative staff members, the Board approved Superintendent Moore’s recommendation requiring all students to wear a mask when on a school bus and for students in grades 6-12 to wear a mask during class changes. Students who have medical (or other) reasons for not wearing a mask will be considered for exemption on an individual basis. The Superintendent’s recommendation included a request for consequences for students failing to comply with wearing a mask during designated times. After additional discussion it was determined a student will be allowed three administrative warnings, and for each warning the student’s parent will be contacted to request assistance and to discuss future discipline. If the student continues to be non-compliant after the third administrative warning, he/she will be enrolled in iJackson (virtual program). The school board will readdress this decision each month during the COVID pandemic period, which hopefully will end soon.
Following the Special Board meeting the board held a Public Hearing and approved the Tentative Millage and Tentative Budget for the 2020-2021 year. On September 10, 2020, the board will hold another Public Hearing to Adopt the Final Millage and Final Budget.
For additional information contact H. Larry Moore, Superintendent (850-482-1200)