Milbank School District Adopts Policy to Encourage Mask Usage

Published by admin on Tue, 10/06/2020 - 3:54pm

Milbank School District Adopts

Policy to Encourage Mask Usage

The Milbank School District has updated its COVID-19 quarantine policy. The policy was approved by the school board at a special meeting Tuesday, September 29, in the high school lobby.

The update was prompted by the uptick in the number which has also increased the number of students in quarantine. “This policy is designed to not have as many students out and designed to increase mask usage,” said Justin Downes, superintendent, in a live video posting on Facebook Tuesday evening after the meeting.

The new policy will potentially decrease the number of students who must quarantine after a close contact with someone with COVID. Students who wear a mask may be able to remain in school if certain guidelines are followed.

The policy released by the district is as follows:

1. Milbank School District strongly encourages students identified as “close contacts” to follow the SD-DOH recommendation of a 14-Day quarantine.

2. The district will use social distancing, length of contact time, and use of masks in determining whether an individual is considered a potential “close contact.”

3. Students following the District recommendation of wearing a mask and identified as a potential “close contact” may remain in school under the following conditions:

• The student remains symptom free,

• The student must wear a mask at ALL times (with the exception of lunch),

• The student will be subject to daily temperature check(s).

4. Students NOT following the District recommendation of wearing a mask OR students identified as a “close contact” (as determined by paragraph 5) may return to school under the following conditions:

• If upon the 7th day of quarantine or later, a student does NOT exhibit any symptoms associated with COVID-19, the student may seek COVID-19 testing to determine if he/she is positive or negative.

• If the COVID-19 test result is positive, the student shall remain in quarantine per SD-DOH guidance.

• If the COVID-19 test result is negative, the student may return to school with the following conditions:

• The student remains symptom free,

• The students must wear mask at all times (with the exception of lunch)

• The student will be subject to daily temperature check(s)

5. The SD-DOH determines who is considered a “close contact” and conducts out of school close contact investigations and recommends who should be quarantined. Out-of-school “close contacts” determined by the DOH are required to quarantine.