It was so exciting to walk into school last week! For the first time in over two years, I was “unmasked”. The Barber National Institute Board has approved the revised Health and Safety Plan in which we adopted all CDC guidelines as to when one masks and when one does not. Erie is in low transmission, so staff and students need not mask. Everywhere you looked in the school, staff and students were smiling. I actually saw the faces for the first time of staff who were hired during COVID. There was a definite “buzz” in the air that continued all week.

Some key points in the Plan include:

• Physical distancing of at least 3 feet as appropriate
• Daily cleaning with no COVID suspected/confirmed cases
• Follow CDC Quarantine and Isolation Procedures
• Availability of testing in school for staff and students
• Encourage students and staff to complete daily health check for symptoms related to COVID
• Remote learning model provided during intermittent closures based on county, state, and federal mandates.
• Continue to assist county and state Departments of Health with contact exposure tracing
• PPE available as requested and needed
• Students travel individually or with their class cohorts

The entire Health & Safety Plan can be found at tinyurl.com/h6mm4js9.

We plan to continue to implement changes during Extended School Year (ESY) with a goal of returning to past practices for the 2022-23 School Year unless high transmission occurs.

Stay Safe and Healthy!