Cabot Public Schools 30 Day Face Covering Policy

The Cabot Board of Directors is mindful of the evolving need for safety measures in response to the rising cases of COVID-19. On Tuesday, August 10th, the Cabot School District requested the feedback of our parent/guardians regarding the issue of face coverings.

3,457 households fully responded to the survey.

*63.1% support requiring face coverings for students and staff in all locations.

*74.6% support establishing criteria based upon the number of positive cases and quarantines to mandate face coverings in certain locations for a certain amount of time.

*Review Full Parent Survey Results

Quarantine Guidelines

According to the updated COVID-19 Guidelines from the Arkansas Department of Education:

• Students who are identified as close contacts with a COVID-positive individual are NOT required to quarantine as long as both individuals are properly wearing a face covering and are symptom free.
  
  
• Fully-vaccinated individuals will NOT be required to quarantine as long as they remain symptom free.
  
  

 30 Day K-12 Face Covering Policy

All staff and students in grades K-12 shall wear a face covering effective Monday, August 16th. The Cabot School Board will closely monitor the data including daily positivity rates.

Face coverings will be required while inside any school building or facility when social distancing guidelines cannot be maintained and on school transportation. There is NO face covering requirement for outside spaces or after school activities.

Students shall wear face coverings at all times inside school buildings or facilities except for the following:

• Students may remove face coverings for eating or drinking;
• Students may remove face covering during outside recess and any other outside activities;
• Students may remove face coverings when appropriate social distancing measures are in place as determined by a teacher or school administrator;
• Students may be exempted from this policy by the school principal due to a documented medical condition of the student;
• Students may remove face coverings on a case-by-case basis for specific instructional needs and other activities, as determined by a teacher, in which case the teacher will utilize appropriate social distancing measures; or
• Students may be exempted from this policy due to special behavioral or individualized needs as determined by the Director of Special Services or the Assistant Superintendent.

30 Day PK Face Covering Policy

PK students shall be required to wear a face covering when riding in school-provided transportation or transitioning in the hallway. PK staff will be required to wear a face covering.

The Superintendent and Board will reassess the face covering requirement to determine if it will be necessary to extend it or if it will be modified to apply only to specific schools that have a positivity percentage above a predetermined threshold.

We would like to thank our families for providing feedback. Our board members welcome any additional thoughts or comments you would like to share. Contact information can be found on our district website, www.cabotschools.org.

Watch Dr. Thurman's message on the 30 Day Face Covering Policy