Masks are required for all FCPS1 students, staff and other persons entering county buildings in accordance with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam´s announcement of the Public Health Order which took effect August 12. The order will remain in effect until the Center for Disease Control (CDC) changes it´s guidance.
At a School Board meeting on August 13, Superintendent David Jeck and the board members answered questions and clarified information about the order in FCPS1 schools.
The exceptions to the order include eating, drinking, sleeping, exercising or participating in religious rituals. Those playing a musical instrument don´t need to wear a mask as long as six feet of space can be maintained. It also applies to people with breathing issues (unconscious, incapacitated or unable to move without assistance), health conditions or disabilities and those with Individual Education Plans or 504s under the Rehabilitation Act. There can be accommodations for these students such as wearing a face shield instead of a mask. Students do not have to wear a mask outdoors, and athletes are not required to wear one. However, it is encouraged for those on the sidelines.
Parents can send in a note exempting their child from wearing a mask, and by law, the county can not request additional documentation about the medical condition. They will have one week to opt their child out of the mask requirement at school.
If all students are masked in a classroom no one in the room will have to quarantine when exposed to COVID. The rule does not apply if a student is unmasked, even if by choice. There will be other mitigation strategies put in place for those who cannot wear a mask.
Anyone refusing or disregarding the mask mandate could face a fine of up to 25,000 based on a guilty misdemeanor charge.