RV extends mask policy

A mask mandate for all students and staff that took effect on Monday, Aug. 23, at Royal Valley is continuing after a 6-0 vote by the USD 337 Board of Education during their meeting on that same Monday.

More than 45 district patrons attended the board meeting at the district office in Mayetta that included comments from parents, district patrons and Carrie Saia, Holton Community Hospital CEO.

Board members previously agreed to make masks optional at the start of the school year, which began last Monday, Aug. 16, as well as give Superintendent Aaric Davis the authority to make changes to the district’s “return to school” policies, if necessary, without a special board meeting. 

By Friday, Aug. 20, Supt. Davis used that authority to reinstitute a facemask policy inside district facilities starting this week.

“The number of positive cases we have seen so far 
this month is close to the amount we saw during the entire first 
semester last year,” Davis said Friday. “Through the first four days of school, we have seen
just under 10 percent of our middle school and high school students go into quarantine or isolation.”

As of Friday, there were a total of 58 students and staff members in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 stemming from 15 positive cases. 

Davis said an additional 10 people were placed in quarantine or isolation on Monday.  

The Jackson County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment determine who is required to be placed in quarantine or isolation following a close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, it was reported.

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