LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Rising COVID-19 caseloads in Kentucky and Indiana have some local school districts reconsidering whether masks should be required inside buildings.
Jefferson County Public Schools, Kentucky’s largest school district, will require anyone inside its schools to wear face coverings regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated. The Archdiocese of Louisville revised its reopening guidance for local Catholic schools with a similar decree on Friday.
Hannah Kemper, a second-year teacher at Atkinson Elementary School, said she’s “extremely excited” for her “first real year of teaching” in the classroom after starting her career at JCPS online during the 2020-21 school year. JCPS classes start Wednesday.
“I think that me keeping my mask on makes it more doable for the students to keep their mask on, to show that I want to keep you safe and let’s keep everybody safe together,” Kemper said Monday while setting up her classroom.
Kemper will have the same students she taught as kindergarteners in her classroom when the 2021-22 school year begins.
“We get to start the year and go through the year together in-person,” she said. “I’m really excited about that.”
JCPS is not the only school district requiring masks for anyone inside its schools.
Clarksville Community Schools began the 2021-22 school year by requiring masks on all students, staff and visitors regardless of vaccination status.
Greater Clark County Schools initially started the 2021-22 school year with masks recommended for students, staff and visitors. After more than 70 students tested positive for COVID-19 within the first eight days of school, the district made face coverings mandatory for everyone inside schools.
“We have had to quarantine far too many students the first eight days of school,” Superintendent Mark Laughner said in a message to families. “We need our students in school, not at home.”
New Albany Floyd County Schools is now “strongly” recommending masks for students who are not fully vaccinated. The school district, which requires unvaccinated students and staff to wear masks, announced Sunday that it will base its masking policy for students on local COVID-19 caseloads.
The day before school begins, Bullitt County Public Schools decided Monday night to require masks.
The Oldham County Board of Education also met Monday and implemented a universal masking policy for the first three weeks of school.
"This is not the way we wanted to begin the school year, but we have always said we would revise our plan if necessary, and our Board of Health, through the Oldham County Health Department, advises us to adjust our plan," Oldham County Schools Superintendent Jason Radford said.
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