After analyzing current hospital capacity, community incident rate, student and staff positive
cases/quarantines, vaccine data, and staff survey data beginning on Friday, February 18th,
Henderson County Schools will move to mask-optional for HCS students and staff. Masks will no longer
be required in Henderson County School facilities, but will still be required on school buses per federal
mandate.
The following information has been updated in our Healthy at School Plan:
● Henderson County Schools will move to optional universal masking at school. Masking will still be
required on school buses per federal mandate.
● Our Ethos Test-to-Stay program is still available for students and staff.
● Anyone participating in the Test to Stay program will remain masked as defined by the
COVID-19 Isolation/Quarantine Decision tree. This document, shown below, will still be used
for students and staff.
● HCS has KN95 masks available for students and staff if requested.
Henderson County School Superintendent Dr. Bob Lawson says as the District makes this transition,
it will continue to monitor data in schools and the community. He adds the top priorities remain student/staff safety
and maintaining in-person learning. Should there be a significant increase in the data, additional precautionary measures
will be put in place and would likely include a mask requirement.
Lawson says educators are seeing exceptional academic gains. He says students are developing each day in classrooms and
during extra and co-curricular activities. He notes these gains are a direct result of the fantastic work of
staff and the partnership of parents and the community.
The tentative date for the next Healthy at School Plan update is March 18, 2022.
Comments