In a press release distributed yesterday afternoon the Cobb County School District announced updated policies and protocols regarding public health and COVID.

The public health protocol page (which you can read by following this link) includes the following policies (paraphrased by the Courier):

• Masks are optional but not required
• Social distancing when “appropriate and feasible”
• Hand sanitizers available in classrooms, common areas and school buses
• Daily cleaning of “high-touch surfaces in school buildings”
• School buses disinfected after morning and afternoon routes are complete
• Student or staff infected by COVID required to isolate as outline in CDC and DPH guidelines
• Any student or staff found to have been in contact with a person infected by COVID-19 required to quarantine as per CDC and DPH guidelines
• A member of the school’s contact-tracing team will contact the parent or guardian by phone and email if a child has been exposed to COVID-19
• A parent or guardian by will be contacted by phone and email if a postive COVID-19 case is discovered in the child’s classroom, school bus, or athletic team
• The Cobb COVID-19 website will be updated on Friday with every positive, active COVID-19 case
• If a student exhibits COVID-19 symptoms a school clinic nurse can request that the student wear a mask or be isolated while awaiting assessment or pickup by parent

Also included in the press release is a link to the Cobb County School District COVID-19 page, which has more information on the school district policies, and the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases.

Reprint of the Cobb County School District Press Release

Here’s the complete press release from the CCSD:

As the start of the 2021-2022 school year is approaching, we could not be more excited to welcome our students, teachers, and parents. While our classrooms are being made ready for students, COVID-19 has continued to impact many aspects of our lives. 

CCSD’s 2021-2022 Public Health Protocols are based on the same priorities which successfully navigated us throughout last year and provide guidance for face coverings, social distancing, cleaning, isolation, quarantines, communication, and school clinics. 

Students, staff members, or parents may have additional health questions which are unique to you. As a student, please direct those questions to your school nurse. As a staff member, please direct those questions to your supervisor. As a parent, please direct those questions to your local school. If needed, any updates to our public health protocols will be communicated through CTLS Parent, our COVID-19 page, social media channels, and weekly email delivered straight into your inbox.  

As we prepare for the first day of school on August 2nd, we maintain our commitment to our mission as a school district: student success. We greatly appreciate our One Team and especially our nurses, as they have contributed significantly to attaining our goal of student success. 

We look forward to a school year free of distraction, focused on teaching and learning, and know our One Team will be united and ready to succeed for all Cobb students.