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Polk School Board to hold meeting on face coverings Monday

MILL SPRING—The Polk County Board of Education is holding a special meeting on Monday specifically to discuss face coverings for the upcoming school year. 

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Polk County Middle School. 

The special meeting follows North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper sending out recommendations on how school districts across the state should handle face coverings this year. Cooper and health officials are recommending that children under 12, who cannot yet be vaccinated, wear face coverings and students and school staff who are not vaccinated also wear face coverings. 

The school district sent out a message about the special meeting, which is open to the public and comments will be allowed. 

“Our Board of Education has worked very hard since the start of the pandemic to get and keep our students in school,” said the school system’s message. “ Their goal continues to be having students back on Aug. 23 as normally as possible. We know that the school year is approaching and that our families would like to know what decisions will be made as soon as possible, especially regarding face coverings. Therefore, the Polk County Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Polk County Middle School Auditorium. The meeting will be open to the public and will have only this topic as an agenda item. The board’s regular monthly meeting will still take place the next week on Aug. 9 at the same time and location. 

We thank you for your patience and support as we continue to navigate the changing guidelines related to COVID-19.” 

Gov. Cooper came out with the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit guidelines last week as COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the state. 

Following last week’s announcement, Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene said the school board has not made a decision yet and school officials are looking at the documents and clarifying requirements by the state. Greene said school officials are also meeting with the county department of health and human services.