Mask mandate lifted at EB Independent

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·3 min read

Nov. 16—Students at East Bernstadt Independent School will have the option to wear or not to wear masks in the classroom and indoor activities.

That was the vote by board members during Thursday's monthly meeting of the East Bernstadt Board of Education. Superintendent Vicki Jones said masks will still be mandatory for those students riding school buses, but that the lowered numbers of COVID cases over the past few weeks prompted the discussion among school staff as to whether they felt safe should masks not be required.

"A lot of schools are doing this, making it a recommendation not a requirement. It would still be a requirement on the bus, based on the CDC guidelines," Jones said. "We can not do the Test to Stay program if we don't wear the masks, but we've not needed to Test to Stay program but one time and that was early on."

Jones said there has not been a positive case of COVID-19 in the school since Sept. 30 and there was only one then. She suggested keeping the mandatory mask requirement open, to be implemented if and when needed again. Board members then voted to change the mask mandate to a parent option, giving Jones the authority to re-institute the mandatory masks if needed. Jones added that she had already polled the staff for their opinion on the mask, and none had expressed being uncomfortable if the students did not wear masks.

The fact that COVID cases have decreased in the county over the past month is a factor, Jones added, stating that Laurel County is in the "orange" zone but was almost qualifying for the "yellow" zone.

There are less and less students being quarantined due to COVID, with Jones stating that there have been a small number of students who have missed school due to the flu although there have not been that many cases thus far.

The board members also approved accepting the new seven-year Gear Up grant with Berea College. That grant will offer a matching grant of $281,270 per year, with part of that money used to create two positions — an Academic Interventionist and a College and Career counselor. Jones said the matching grant from the school can offer in-kind services such as office space and other benefits.

Another matching grant approved was a technology grant from KETS. Jones said that grant usually ranges just over $4,000 and is used to purchase equipment for students.

Principal Susan Elza said the students had coordinated a Veterans Day program on Nov. 11 with 18 veterans present to be recognized. She added that at the end of the program the veterans lined up near the door to the gymnasium where students could thank them as they filed by.

Other actions included a change order to the school construction. Jones said there would be a $9,950 excess from Central Kentucky Sheet Metal on that project with the funds put back into the construction budget. The board also approved paying fees for board members to participate in the Kentucky School Board Association (KSBA) winter and annual conferences.