Starting Friday, Southern Boone Elementary School will require masks for a two- week period because of a rise in COVID-19 cases within the school.
The district’s "Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service Plan" indicates that masks will be required if more than 15% of students and staff are sick or quarantined because of COVID-19.
The 15% threshold for Southern Boone Elementary School is 81 people. As of Thursday, 88 students and staff had either tested positive for COVID-19 or had to quarantine because they were a close contact.
The school will reevaluate the policy Sept. 30 and determine if the number of COVID-19-related absences is still over 81. If it is, another two weeks will be added to the mandate.
Masks are encouraged at other schools within the district, but are not required at this time.
