ALEXANDRIA, Va. — This fall, Alexandria City Public Schools will be requiring masks for everyone inside all buildings and school vehicles regardless of vaccination status.
According to a press release from the school board, the decision was made during a special called school board meeting and public hearing Tuesday evening. The hearing was originally planned to discuss the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III Fund.
The decision was unanimously approved at the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.
Masks must be worn by everyone inside all Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) facilities and any ACPS vehicle.
The school board says the regulations were made in partnership with the Alexandria Health Department and in accordance with guidelines from the CDC and Virginia Public Health.
The first day of the fall semester for ACPS is August 24 for all schools except for Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, which will begin on August 9.
In addition to the mask mandate, several other health mitigation measures will start during the fall semester, including:
- Daily online health screening
- temperature screenings in school entrances
- Continues enhanced cleaning
- Procedures to limit the number of visitors in school facilities.
The school board is asking families to drop off students outside of the school building and visitors will be limited. All essential and approved visitors must follow established safety mitigation strategies.
READ NEXT:
There were lots of tears and overdue hugs at London's Heathrow Airport.
Sign up for the Get Up DC newsletter: Your forecast. Your commute. Your news.
Sign up for the Capitol Breach email newsletter, delivering the latest breaking news and a roundup of the investigation into the Capitol Riots on Jan. 6, 2021.