Dear LCS Families-

As we look ahead to the second nine weeks of the 21-22 school year with a lower COVID community positivity rate and a lower district positivity rate, we are reinstating the Parent Opt-Out of the temporary mask requirement for Pre-K-8th grade while indoors and on buses, as discussed and approved at Tuesday night's school board meeting. As for employees, the mask requirement will remain in place while indoors, unless six feet of distancing can be maintained.



If the temporary mask requirement is an issue for you and your child because of health concerns, or individual freedoms, you will need to submit a Parent Mask Opt-Out form to your student's school. The Parent Mask Opt-Out form is attached to this email, and can be found at https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2f%2f%2fwww.leonschools.net%2fmaskoptout&c=E,1,R-60x5-MZ2hN2tTgiiePpTTA81PPNesg3e91hzodDK2siccr9O32UT1oYwTEfYJqWxUmoQfxSDfI3x0K4-wQNjxLDottgEQ5HZ4610Mk0Y-TT-oVdg,,&typo=1<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leonschools.net%2Fmaskoptout&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ce712d11904d748f2b62608d98f2b194b%7C69292adba72a4537aa24d67a6f5642bc%7C0%7C0%7C637698238573083775%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=BbA%2FaPnQ6HjQ43YOHBuEqN5m5NKwdc4hXaaQL0tbGu4%3D&reserved=0>.



If you've submitted a Parent Mask Opt-Out form at the beginning of the school year, you do not need to submit a new one.



Even though the Parent Opt-Out has been reinstated, the Student Quarantine Protocols mask requirement stays the same. If an unvaccinated student has been exposed to a COVID positive case, parents have the choice of keeping the student home seven calendar days from the date of first exposure, or if they are asymptomatic, the student may come back to school masked while indoors for the seven calendar days.

Furthermore, we are allowing volunteers, mentors, and vendors to return to campus for our Pre-K-8th grade sites, on condition that they are providing a service to the school. All visitors, volunteers, mentors and vendors will be required to wear a mask while indoors, unless six feet of distancing can be maintained. Due to the lack of space in many of our cafeterias, parents will not be allowed to have lunch with their student on school campuses at this time. We will revisit allowing parents to have lunch with their student at a future date. Lastly, field trips may now resume for Pre-K-8th grade.

All of the changes go into effect next Tuesday, October 19. As always, please contact your student's school for their specific protocols and visit https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2f%2f%2fwww.leonschools.net%2finclass&c=E,1,WES7EV97evDPOfo012gS325kLTqQRf5aahi4K9PDBNM8d8Uyb3qlnGxto0TActW9F4qbe2VdrocrDGVUoklWZtkpdNJuE2jDTMPDYPvGh-4XwtyEmEU,&typo=1<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leonschools.net%2Finclass&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ce712d11904d748f2b62608d98f2b194b%7C69292adba72a4537aa24d67a6f5642bc%7C0%7C0%7C637698238573093769%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=S%2F1cgBvasqWwOZfKV%2BbuIacw1yzKBhsIL7saxVT0V2k%3D&reserved=0> for the most up-to-date information.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Rocky Hanna


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*SUNSHINE LAW AND PUBLIC RECORDS CAUTION: Florida has a very broad Public Records Law. Virtually all written communications to or from School Board of Leon County, Florida Personnel are public records available to the public and media upon request. E-mail sent or received on the LCSB system will be considered public and will only be withheld from disclosure if deemed confidential pursuant to State Law. Individual student records are deemed confidential.