Students and staff are now used to wearing their masks and sitting in distanced rows of desks after Greater Clark County Schools changed policy August 9 to mandate masks. This new policy reflects the rapidly changing reality of COVID in Indiana and uses a color system to designate the density of specific disease spread in Clark County. The colors are determined based on the weekly case numbers and seven day positivity rate. The description of the color – from the Indiana Department of Health – along with the school actions taken are listed below. 

• Blue (minimal community spread)
  • Staff and students who are not fully vaccinated are recommended to wear a mask/face covering; however, it will be optional during the school day.
  • Masks/face coverings are required on school buses for all staff and students due to federal regulations for public transportation.
• Yellow (moderate community spread)
  • Staff and students who are not fully vaccinated are strongly recommended to wear a mask/face covering; however, it will be optional during the school day.
  • Masks/face coverings are required on school buses for all staff and students due to federal regulations for public transportation.
• Orange (medium to high community spread)
  • Face coverings are required for all staff and students on school buses and indoors, unless a medical situation warrants otherwise.
• Red (very high positivity and community spread)
  • Face coverings are required for all staff and students on school buses and indoors, unless a medical situation warrants otherwise.

In addition to those guidelines, some others changes took effect based on the Board’s decision:

• Classroom furniture are now in rows, spaced apart as reasonably possible, and facing in the same direction as much as possible.

• Seats will continue to be assigned in the classroom, cafeteria, and other areas used by large numbers of students. These assigned seats greatly improve contact tracing accuracy.

• Custodians will increase the use of sanitizing sprayers during and after school.