Jacksonville district eases mask mandate based on case numbers

JACKSONVILLE — The School Board for the Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District on Monday approved a revision in its mask requirements to relax what has been a mandate as long as covid-19 case numbers in the community are low.

The board’s 6-0 vote at the special, one-topic meeting moves the nearly 4,000-student district to a “stoplight system” of notifying staff, students and families of whether covid-19 case numbers warrant mandatory mask wearing or something less restrictive.

The district has required students and staff to wear masks up to this point of the school year to defend against the spread of the virus.

The decision by the Jacksonville/North Pulaski board follows on the heels of the Pulaski County Special School Board decision last week to waive its mask mandate. The board for that district eliminated the mask requirement after a citizens group petitioned the board for a special meeting to end the requirement. The Little Rock and North Little Rock school districts in Pulaski County continue to require the wearing of masks inside schools.

Jacksonville/North Pulaski Superintendent Jeremy Owoh recommended the change in the mask protocol in light of declining covid case and quarantine numbers and the availability of vaccinations for students ages 5 and up.

Owoh said the district will place colored banners on its website and social media accounts to notify families and employees of the masks requirements based on case counts. When changes are made in the banner colors, the district will use its automated call system to alert families.

A red banner will mean that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the Jacksonville area of Arkansas as having a substantial or high risk of community transmission. Face masks will be required during the school day in indoor spaces and on all student buses, and the masks will be strongly encouraged at extracurricular events and outside sporting activities.

Yellow banners will indicate that the region is at a moderate risk of community transmission and masks will be strongly encouraged during the school day, on buses and at extracurricular events.

The district is currently considered to be in a lowrisk region of the state. Green banners will indicate that low-risk and face masks will be optional, according to the stoplight system.

Owoh said the district will continue its covid-19 prevention measures in regard to physical distancing when possible and cleaning and sanitizing.

Masks will continue to be provided by the district for those that choose or must wear them.