Oakwood Schools to require masks after winter break

OAKWOOD, Ohio (WDTN) — Masks will be required for all students and staff in Oakwood Schools starting Monday, January 3, 2022.

Families were notified of the change on Saturday, January 1, 2022. Oakwood School administrators made the decision to require masks after consulting recommendations from the CDC, the Governor’s Office, the Ohio Department of Health, and Dayton Children’s Hospital. Administrators also looked at the district’s current substitute teacher shortage, along with the recent uptick in cases.

Administrators hope taking this precaution will allow students to continue going to school in-person five days a week. They will continue to monitor the situation and hope to lift the mask requirement on January 30, 2022.

The school district is also adopting the updated CDC and ODH quarantine guidelines. These new guidelines require anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status or symptoms, to isolate for at least five days. Isolation may end on the sixth day if the person consistently wears a mask for the next five days.

ODH also updated its guidelines regarding people who come into contact with someone who tested positive in a school setting. According to current guidelines, ‘direct’ contacts can remain in the classroom if they wear a mask for 10 days after last exposure, self-monitor for symptoms of covid-19, and isolate and get tested if they start experiencing symptoms.