Jerome School District to require face coverings for upcoming school year

The Jerome School District says they will require masks for all staff and students for the upcoming school year.

AT 5:30..."GOOD EVENINGMAGIC VALLEY ANDTHANK YOU FORJOINING USTONIGHT... I'MROLAND BERES...THE JEROMESCHOOL DISTRICTSAYS THEY WILL NOWREQUIRE FACECOVERINGS FOR ALLSTAFF ANDSTUDENTS FOR THEUPCOMING SCHOOLYEAR.IDAHO NEWS 6REPORTER NATASHAWILLIAMS HAS MOREON OTHER CHANGESTHEY'RE MAKING.THE DISTRICT SAID INA LETTER TOPARENTS... THEDECISION WASN'T ANEASY ONE, BUTAFTER LOTS OFDISCUSSIONS WITHHEALTH OFFICIALS...THEY DECIDED TOMOVE FORWARDWITH THE FACECOVERINGREQUIREMENT."IT WAS A PRETTYLENGTHYCONVERSATION.

WEHAD A SOUTHCENTRAL HEALTHREPRESENTATIVETHERE, AND A LOCALPHYSICIAN WITH ST.LUKE'S BE PART OFTHAT MEETINGGIVING US ADVICE."THERE WILL BEEXCEPTIONS FORTHOSE WITHMEDICALCONDITIONS... ANDSTUDENTS WILL BEGIVEN A BREAK FROMTHE COVERINGSEVERY HOUR."WE'RE TRYING TOBUILD IN THOSEBREAKSTHROUGHOUT THEDAY SO THEY CANGET OUTSIDE ANDGET SIX FEET AWAYFROM OTHERSTUDENTS AND TAKEBREAKS."THE DISTRICT ALSOANNOUNCED THEY'LLBE STARTINGSCHOOL IN THEYELLOW LEVEL."OUR YELLOW ALLSTUDENTS ARE BACKWITH ALL THE EXTRAPRECAUTIONS OFFACE COVERINGSAND DISENFECTINGAND EXTRACLEANING.

WE'LL BEWORKING WITHSTUDENTS ON THEBEST WAY TO WASHTHEIR HANDS ANDWHY WE WASH OURHANDS.

WHY WEWEAR FACECOVERINGS, THOSEKINDS OF THINGS."THE DISTRICT SAYSWITH THEANNOUNCEMENTTHEY'RE EXPECTINGSOME FOLKS TOSWITCH TO EITHERONLINE OR INPERSON."BECAUSE OF THATTHAT CAUSES A LOTOF ISSUES WITHSCHEDULING ANDREDOINGSCHEDULINGESPECIALLY AT OURMIDDLE SCHOOL ANDHIGH SCHOOLLEVELS.""THE DISTRICT ISPUSHING BACK THEFIRST DAY OFSCHOOL TOSEPTEMBER 8TH INORDER TO GIVEPARENTS TIME TOCHANGE THEIRMINDS... AND TO GIVETHEIR STAFF MORETIME TO REWORKSCHEDULES.

THEORIGINAL FIRST DAYWAS AUGUST 24.

THEDISTRICT SAYS THENEXT STEPS WILL BEFIGURING OUT WHENTO MAKE UP THOSEEXTRA TWO WEEKSOF INSTRUCTIONTIME... BUT SAYTHEY'RE ALREADYWORKING ON A PLAN.WE'LL KEEP YOUPOSTED.

IN TWINFALLS..

NATASHAWILLIAMS... IDAHONEWS 6."MUCH MORE OF THE