Important DCPS Health & Safety Measures Update – January 21, 2022

As you know, Governor Glenn Youngkin recently issued Executive Order 2 that repealed Virginia’s mask mandate for students in all public school divisions, effective Monday, January 24.

We, too, believe that parents are valued stakeholders and respect your right to decide what’s best for your child; however, Dinwiddie County Public Schools’ leaders need to make informed decisions for the collective safety of all students and staff.

At this time, we await further guidance from the Virginia Department of Education referenced in the order. Once received, we will review the information as it relates to other local, state, and federal guidelines, including:

• Senate Bill 1303, which remains in effect through August 1, 2022;
• Virginia Occupational Safety and Health COVID-19 workplace standards;
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace guidelines;
• A federal public health order requiring individuals to wear a mask when using public transportation, including school buses; and
• Current health data.

In the meantime, Dinwiddie County Public Schools will continue to follow the health mitigation protocols and expectations that are currently in place, including mask wearing in schools and on buses regardless of vaccination status. We feel it is necessary given the rapid spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community.

As a division, our top priorities remain the health and safety of everyone in our buildings and in-person learning for our students. By requiring masks, we can help reduce the spread of the virus and avoid the high numbers of exposures, quarantines, and positive cases that can disrupt the learning process.

While this may be disappointing in the short term, we ask for your patience and understanding as we work to do what we believe is in the best interest of our students, families, and staff at this moment.

Revisions to the Health and Safety Measures Plan will be considered at all upcoming Board meetings.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate the many challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has presented to our school community.