On Saturday, August 15, 2020 the Ohio Department of Health said the state will follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and not allow face shields to be substituted for face masks unless a child meets certain exceptions. The Ohio Department of Health says in instances covered by the exceptions such as the need for lip reading, when eating or drinking, and when playing at recess, or if an individual has a medical condition, then a face shield may be appropriate.
This state order supersedes the district's current Face Coverings Policy. Springboro Schools will follow this updated State order. The district does believe that our practitioners (Speech Pathologists, Classroom Teachers, and/or Bus Drivers) actively engaging in instructional practices should be able to wear face shields when social distancing at 6 feet apart. This ultimately allows our Speech Pathologists and Classroom Teachers to instruct and utilize facial cues, while providing our Bus Drivers with the necessary face coverings while driving. A face mask would be utilized during all other interactions when within 6 feet.