Greencastle students will wear masks again starting Tuesday.
Superintendent Jeff Gibboney released the following letter Monday afternoon. It states that masks will be required indoors for students and staff, K - 12, regardless of vaccination status. Students and staff are not required to wear masks while outside, including at recess.
Good Afternoon,
I wanted to take a moment to communicate with families regarding an important update to the GCSC Return to In-Person Instruction Plan. The updates to the GCSC Return to In-Person Instruction Plan (effective August 17, 2021) are a result of ongoing collaboration between district officials, the GCSC Board of School Trustees as well as local and state health officials.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 rates are on the rise in our schools and local community. It is our goal to continue to prioritize the safety of our students and staff while reducing the need to quarantine and avoid the disruption of in-person learning. In addition, we also wish to protect student opportunities in performing arts, athletics and special activities.
Major changes to our plan includes:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Students and Staff
As of July 1, 2021, the Governor of Indiana has provided the authority for local school boards and health departments to establish COVID-19 related policies.
Grades K-12
Effective August 17, 2021 masks will be required indoors for students and staff in grades K-12, regardless of vaccination status. Students and staff are not required to wear masks while outside, including at recess. While the school has a few extra masks in supply, families should plan to provide their students with masks.
Close Contact Exception (Per CDC Guidelines)
In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) if both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
The full plan may be viewed on our website or in the attachment to this message. In addition, we plan to restart the use of our COVID-19 dashboard that will be posted to our homepage. The dashboard will be updated every Friday by the end of the day. We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this challenging time.
Respectfully,
Jeff Gibboney, Superintendent
