ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – School leaders with Roanoke County Public Schools shared an update Friday night regarding the district’s response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s announcement of new gathering restrictions and mask guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia.
Starting Monday, students will be required to wear masks in school, even when they are seated six feet apart, according to Superintendent Dr. Ken Nicely.
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In a letter to families, Nicely wrote, in part, “Our students have been doing really well complying with the face mask requirements already in place, and we appreciate their cooperation with this additional statewide requirement to wear face masks at all times while at school.”
The new restrictions limit public gatherings to just 25 people. Nicely said that while the limit doesn’t apply to education settings like classrooms and buses, it does apply to other events held at schools, including sporting events with spectators.
Nicely said school leaders are working with local health leaders to develop joint criteria by which games can be played. The criteria will be “directly linked” to public health metrics from the Virginia Department of Health and the CDC, Nicely said.