January 12, 2022
Dear Mayfield Community,
Based on the escalated transmission rate of COVID-19/omicron variant in our community, the mask mandate will be extended beyond January 17, 2022 for all Mayfield students Pre K-12, teachers and staff in our schools.
Since the masking policy has been left to the local control of school districts, rather than a mandated or choice position from the Ohio Department of Health / State of Ohio, school districts must assess and gather data to make the best decision for our schools, students, teachers, staff and community.
Each week, I, and my team, review state, region, county and local data from the Cleveland Clinic, Hillcrest Hospital, University Hospitals, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Ohio Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, hospitalizations, local and county dashboards, local and county case rates, publications and studies.
After accessing all of the related information, we make the best decisions possible for our school district with regard to student and staff safety.
RATIONALE
As we have said throughout the pandemic, keeping our students, teachers and staff safely learning in person, in school is our top priority
Transmission rates of COVID-19/omicron variant in Cuyahoga County over the last weeks/month have dramatically escalated
The Ohio Department of Health (Dec 30, 2021) aligned with CDC’s recently updated quarantine and isolation guidance which was shared with parents/staff Jan. 5, 2022
The Ohio Department of Health has released a flow chart based on the CDC’s updated guidance following an exposure to someone with COVID-19. Regardless of vaccination status or symptoms, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 5 days. However, if symptoms are improving, isolation may end on the sixth day following either symptom onset or a positive COVID-19 test if the person consistently wears a mask for the next five days. Detailed quarantine and isolation guidance are available in the flow chart. The Ohio Department of Health has also updated K-12 school quarantine guidance including “mask to stay” and “test to play” timelines accordingly.
COVID-19 data in Cuyahoga County shows a trend of evidence that the virus has escalated and has yet to significantly decline.
We will continue to track and assess this trend data every week with the understanding that changes in case rates may reverse our position.
Sincerely,
Michael Barnes, Superintendent