To Our Springboro Families:
With the start of our 2021-2022 school year underway, we want to make you aware of new updates to our district COVID-19 protocols and expectations for this school year. The safety of our students, teachers, and staff will always be a top priority for our district. As one of only a select few school districts in Ohio to successfully remain in-person, five (5) days a week last year, we value the academic and social-emotional benefits that come with an in-person instructional model.
On August 17, 2021, Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference, regarding the importance of wearing masks in schools. Gov. DeWine stated the best way to make sure a student can remain in school is to be vaccinated. If a student cannot be vaccinated, the student should wear a mask indoors. With the increase of the Delta variant over the past two (2) weeks in Ohio and Warren County, Gov. DeWine and Dr. Vanderhoff, Ohio Department of Health Director, maintain that it will prove difficult to prevent the virus from spreading in the classroom unless students are vaccinated or wearing masks. Gov. DeWine was speaking directly to every parent and school district in Ohio when he said, “…if you are not requiring masks, please think again.” Dr. Vanderhoff added evidence and data to support the Governor's plea to wear a mask, given Ohio is at its highest number of new cases since February 2021.
As we shared earlier this month in our Back-to-School Plan (2021-2022), our protocols may need to be adjusted based on new information, data, and guidance from both the state and county health district. As a result of Governor DeWine and Dr. Vanderhoff’s latest guidance, Springboro Schools will be increasing its safety measures for students in grades PreK-6, who are unable to be vaccinated currently.
Effective Thursday, August 19, 2021, students, staff, and visitors in grades PreK-6 will be required to wear masks when indoors. We will follow the same guidelines, from last year, for mask exemptions.
Updated Protocols for the 2021-2022 School Year:
Face Coverings/Masks
- PreK-6 Buildings: Face coverings/masks are required for students, staff, and visitors. If requirements change, the district will adjust. This will be reviewed every thirty (30) days, with communication to our community about any adjustments, based on ODH and WCHD guidance.
- 7-12 Buildings: Face coverings/masks are strongly recommended indoors for students, staff, and visitors, but not required at this time. If requirements change, the district will adjust.
- Due to a federal requirement for mass transit, all students and staff are required to wear a face covering/mask on school buses. If requirements change, the district will adjust.
Requiring students and staff in grades PreK-6 to wear a mask will help eliminate quarantines when exposed to a positive COVID-19 contact, keeping PreK-6 students safe and in the classroom. In addition, this will also help protect those PreK-6 students who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine.
We appreciate your continued patience and understanding, as we continue to navigate through this difficult time. If we have learned anything through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the importance of being able to adapt and adjust. We continue to work with the Warren County Health District (WCHD), as well as the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), and will update these protocols as needed, based on future guidance from these entities. Please check our COVID-19 Updates page for the latest information.
Sincerely,
Larry Hook, Superintendent